tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/10-1/16

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Monday

  • Bad Girls Club (Oxy, 9pm) Season Premiere – The ‘ladies’ live together.
  • Love That Girl (TVO, 9pm) Season Premiere – This sitcom follows a ‘girl’ who’s starting fresh in real estate and life.
  • You’re Cut Off/The X Life (VH1, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Reality follows a group of gals who are cut off from luxury and then a group of extreme sports athletes.
  • Stolen Voices (ID, 10pm) Series Premiere – I believe the title indicates that when a person is murdered they can no longer speak as they look at cases.

Tuesday

  • I, Predator (AnPl, 8pm) Series Premiere – This look at animal predators starts with sharks vs. seals, guess which is the predator.
  • The Game/Lets Stay Together (BET, 10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Sports couples and then non sports couples on these sitcoms.
  • Lights Out (Fx, 10pm) Series Premiere – This series starts with a heavy weight fighter now in retirement, something tells me it won’t be that simple to leave boxing behind.
  • Teen Mom (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – After 16 and pregnant comes this.
  • Tosh.0/Onion Sportsdome (Com/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Tosh introduces more clips as well as a new wardrobe and then more sports funny.

Wednesday

  • Off the Map (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Grey’s Anatomy for the third world?

Thursday

  • Police Women of Cincinnati (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – This season they follow them to another city.
  • Beyond Scared Straight (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – Troubled teens visit folks in prison, scary?

Friday

  • Critic’s Choice Movie Awards (VH1, 9pm) – Black Swan reads the nominations, will it take home the most awards?
  • Flying Wild Alaska (Disc, 9pm) Series Premiere – A new reality series following a family business flying supplies in Alaska.
  • L&O: UK (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Law & Order with accents.
  • The Ricy Gervais Show (HBO, 9pm) Season Premiere – More of this…
  • Confessions: Animal Hoarding (AnPl, 10pm) Season Premiere – Beyond the normal pet lover.
  • Conviction Kitchen (PlGr, 10pm) Season Premiere – Not just wanna be chefs, convict wannabe chefs.
  • Real Time with Bill Maher/Funny or Die Presents (HBO, 10/11:59pm) Season Premieres – Serious funny and then funny. 

Saturday

  • Miss America Pageant (ABC, 8pm) – Brooke Burke and Chris Harrison host.

Sunday

  • Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 5pm) – Hollywood Foreign Press salutes television and film.
  • Big Love (HBO, 9pm) Season Premiere – The family begins its final season.
  • Wild Animal Repo/Hogs Gone Wild (Disc, 9/10pm) Series Premiere – Getting exotic animals back and then tracking down hogs.
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best, tv

critic’s picks – top tv of 2010

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Well it’s that time again, the time to reflect on the best of the year that’s passed. A tv season doesn’t quite follow the annual flow but I’ll go with it and note what critics are touting as the best of the year.

Abbreviations follow the alphabetical listing and links to posted lists are at the end.

Stay tuned to see what made my personal top ten list.

  • 30 Rock (NBC) – EN, AFI, TG, KT, GG, Sat
  • 30 for 30 (ESPN) – AS, DF
  • Archer (Fx) – TGBetter Off Ted (ABC) – MR
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – E, GG
  • The Big C (Show) – AFI, GG, Sat
  • Boardwalk Empire (HBO) – SK, MR, EN, JP, AFI, JL, TG, AS, TVG, GG, Sat, DF
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – SK, MR, JP, AFI, TG, AS, TVG, KT, Sat, DF
  • The Choir (BBCA) – TVG
  • Chuck (NBC) – E
  • Community (NBC) – EN, E, JL, AS, KT, DF
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – MR
  • Damages (Fx) – SK
  • Dexter (Show) – SK, E, GG, Sat
  • The Event (NBC) – SK
  • Friday Night Lights (DirTV) – SK, E, JL, KT, Sat, DF
  • Fringe (Fox) – MR, E, JL, KT
  • Glee (Fox) – E, AFI, TVG, GG, Sat
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – MR, EN, JP, JL, TVG, KT, GG, Sat
  • Great Migrations (NatGeo) – TG
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC) – E
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – E
  • The InBetweeners (BBCA) – TG
  • In Treatment (HBO) – EN
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Fx) – TG
  • Justified (Fx) – JL, TVG, KT
  • Life (Disc) – TG
  • The Life and Times of Tim (HBO) – TG
  • Lost (ABC) – MR, E, TG, TVG
  • Louie (Fx) – EN, JP, E, TG, AS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – MR, EN, JP, E, AFI, JL, TG, AS, TVG, KT, GG, Sat, DF
  • Men of a Certain Age (TNT) – TG, KT
  • Modern Family (ABC) – MR, E, AFI, JL, TG, TVG, KT, GG, Sat
  • Morning Joe (MSNBC) – SK
  • Nurse Jackie (Show) – GG, Sat
  • The Pacific (HBO) – JP, AFI, TG , AS, TVG, DF
  • Parks & Recreation (NBC) – MR, JP, E, JL, TG, AS, KT, DF
  • Party Down (Starz) – MR, JP, E
  • Raising Hope (Fox) – E, Sat
  • Rubicon (AMC) – MR, JP
  • Sherlock (PBS) – TVG
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – SK, E, TG
  • Spartacus (Starz) – MR
  • SpongeBob SquarePants (Nick) – SK
  • Terriers (Fx) – MR, EN, JP, JL, TG, AS, TVG, DF
  • Treme (HBO) – EN, TG, AS
  • True Blood (HBO) – E
  • The Tudors (Show) – Sat
  • United States of Tara (Show) – EN, Sat
  • Vampire Diaries (CW) – E, DF
  • The Walking Dead (AMC) – SK, E, AFI, TG, TVG, GG
  • Work of Art: The Next Great Artist (Brav) – KT

AFI – American Film Institute, DF – Daniel Feinberg for Hitfix,  SK – Entertainment Weekly, MR – Maureen Ryan for TV Squad, EN – Emily Nussbaum for NYMag, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, E – Dramas and Comedies, GG – Golden Globe Nominations, JL – Jace Lacob for the Daily Beast, KT – Ken Tucker for EW, TG – Tim Goodman for Hollywood Reporter, Sat – Satellite Awards, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Hitfix, TVG – Matt Roush for TVGuide

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/3-1/9

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New year brings some new shows…

Monday

  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Good antiques, bad antiques.
  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – For those of you who follow this, make your own judgments on the return of previously failed (or successful) bachelor Brad Womack.
  • Pretty Little Liars/Greek (ABCFam, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Happy to have these better of the fluffy shows return for more teen intrigue and the final season of the will they last college season.
  • Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Vegan to sausage.
  • Disappeared (ID, 10pm) Season Premiere – Looks at folks who disappeared.
  • In The Bedroom with Dr Laura Berman (Own, 10pm) Series Premiere – She talks about sex.
  • The Opener (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Renowned chef helps folks open restaurants.

Tuesday

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Another run with couples.
  • Live to Dance (CBS, 8pm) Series Premiere – I can’t remember why Paula Abdul said she was leaving Idol but here’s where she ended up.
  • V (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – I never quite got on board.
  • Dangerous Encounters (NatGeo, 8/9pm) Series Premiere – Pumas, gators, other dangerous things to encounter.
  • Chopped (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Chefs use goats brains…
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – Its move to TNT was an appreciated salvation, and now they’re getting to actual new episodes.
  • Permanent Mark (Spike, 11pm) Series Premiere – Apparently this is the name of the tattoo artist we follow in this series.

Wednesday

  • Ghost Hunters (Syfy, 6pm) Season Premiere – Drumming ghosts.
  • I Shouldn’t Be Alive (AnPl, 7pm) Season Premiere – Capsized boat, no supplies…
  • Mystery Diagnosis/Miracle Detectives (Own, 8/10pm) Season Premiere – More intrigue potentially solved.
  • People’s Choice Awards (CBS, 9pm) – I just never quite agree with the people.
  • Are We There Yet? (TBS, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – Season two begins.

Thursday

  • Wipeout (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – More falling.
  • Ace of Cakes (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – A tennis cake for the US Open!
  • Jersey Shore (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – The return to Jersey with the addition of another cast member.
  • Nightmare Next Door (ID, 10pm) Series Premiere – A look at murder cases in small town America.

Friday

  • Oprah Behind the Scenes/Your Own Show (Own, 8/9pm) Series Premieres – Oprah shows a look behind her show and then a look at who might be the next host extraordinaire.
  • Say Yes to the Dress/Four Weddings (TLC, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Weddings and what you wear to them.
  • Merlin (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Camelot returns.
  • Twisted (ID, 10pm) Season Premiere – Starting with a look at Ted Bundy.

Saturday

  • It’s Me or the Dog (AnPl, 5pm) Season Premiere – If the dogs were better behaved this answer would be more simple.

Sunday

  • Food Network Challenge (Food, 8pm) Season Premiere – Big bug cakes start the challenge.
  • Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – The latest animation addition.
  • Alaska State Troopers (NGC, 9pm) Season Premiere – This week sees troopers keeping party goers at the Arctic Man Fest in line.
  • Californication/Episodes/Shameless (Show, 9/9:30/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – Without getting Showtime I’ve never quite caught on to Duchovney’s show but Matt LeBlanc’s Episodes is supposed to be a good one so may as well stay tuned in for Shameless.
  • The Cape (NBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – A disgraced cop starts fighting crime in costume, and the help of Summer Glau (Firefly) makes me a little interested in checking this out.
  • Kimora (Style, 9pm) Season Premiere – Life in the fab lane shows her 8 year old’s birthday party.
  • Masterpiece (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – The four-part Downtown Abby kicks off.
  • The Wild Within (Trav, 9pm) Series Premiere – Outdoorsy dude hunts and gathers like folks used to do.
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random

random bits of web goodness…

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Somehow I’ve found time to browse a little even during the holidays…

I don’t like a bird, but a boy on a bird looking about to kill it with a knife is somehow appealing, more odd plates at Forgot Shop (via poppytalk).

I can’t decide if I think the custom fingerprint jewelry is creepy or cool (via Craft).

Digging the Boing Boing shared crooked house.

All in the name of science (via Boing Boing).

My affinity for skateboarding (watching not riding) and irregular sized objects drew me to this tiny skate park on a skate board (via The Daily What).

I never realized what an outdoor rug affinity I had but this is the third (first, second) that I’ve pointed out. (via Apartment Therapy)

Terrariums are alright but tiny snippets of life are entirely intriguing (via sfgirlbybay).

The House that Jealousy Built on sfgirlbybay almost always has at least one thing I can’t resist sharing, this time my favorite is this panda chair (not in the name of science).

These underwater sculptures are sort of haunting (via Boing Boing).

Sure is the prettiest woodpile (via Boing Boing).

Anything that Mr Koolaid is a part of even if it is about the Battle of Yorktown is worth a look (via Boing Boing).

I may need to plan my next trip to China for this ice event, more shots at link (Boing Boing has been good to us this month).

I don’t know anything about the case that this interesting art is creating awareness on but I am now aware.

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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/27-1/2

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As the New Year approaches it’s not really time for new television, yet…

Monday

  • Disappeared (ID, 7pm) Season Premiere – Looking at folks who…
  • Bait Car/All Worked Up (Tru, 8/10pm) Season Premieres – Tracking cars that are too good not to steal and folks who deliver bad news.

Tuesday

  • Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (ABC, 8pm) – The claymation continues.
  • Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9pm) – Honorers and honorees.
  • Hardcore Pawn (Tru, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – More pawn action.

Wednesday

  • My Strange Addiction/Toddlers & Tiaras (TLC, 9/10pm) Series/Season Premieres – Folks who do weird things and folks who make their kids do weird things.
  • I Used to Be Fat (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – I guess people who used to be fat.

Thursday

  • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Even Charlie Brown deserves a good year.

Friday

  • New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin on CNN (8pm), Daryl Hall on WGN (8pm), Fox News (8pm), New York Philharmonic on PBS (9pm), Dick Clark on ABC (10pm), Carson Daly on NBC (10pm), MTV (10:30), Andy on Brav (10:30pm), Fox (11pm).

Saturday

  • Tournament of Roses Parade (Various, 8am) – The floats, the flowers, the somewhat famous…
  • Oprah’s Guide to OWN (OWN, 12pm) Network Premiere – So Oprah’s taking on the new network with original programming that she intends to be teaching and inspiring including many of her show’s favorite personalities.
  • Cash & Cari/Selling New York/Candice Tells All/Dear Genevieve (8/8:30pm) Season Premieres – Something about houses and/or decorating.
  • V (ABC, 8pm) – In case you missed it and cared they’re replaying these starting with the pilot at 8.
  • Primeval (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Something about time and the Cretaceous period.

Sunday

  • Iron Chef America/Worst Cooks in America (Food, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – Good cooks, bad cooks.
  • My Fair Wedding/Rich Bride, Poor Bride (WE, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Wedding and wedding and…
  • What Chilli Wants (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is Chilli’s biological clock ticking?
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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/20-12/26

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‘Tis the season for tv repeats…

Monday

  • Million Dollar Money Drop (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – We all felt like we were missing another nonsensical game show.
  • Perfect Couples (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – This latest sitcom brings couples who are probably quirky in hopes of hilarity.

Tuesday

  • A Very Gilly Christmas (NBC, 9pm) – For those of you who just can’t get enough Gilly.

Wednesday

  • A Home for the Holidays (CBS, 8pm) – Performances to raise awareness of adoption.
  • Throwdown with Bobby Flay (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Beef empanadas.
  • Country Christmas (ABC, 9:30pm) – Holiday traditions and country tunes.

Thursday

  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – First the animated version and then Jim Carrey

Friday

  • Disney Prep & Landing/Phineas and Ferb (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – What Christmas Eve is complete without animated shows I’ve never heard of.

Saturday

  • TVs Funniest Holiday Moments (Fox, 8pm) – Someone came up with 30 funnies for Jane Lynch to introduce.
  • Yule Log (Kofy, 10pm) – So this is the bay area station where the flames and tunes can be found.

Sunday

  • Running Wilde (Fox, 9:30pm) – Ok so maybe this is the actual time that they start burning these off.
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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/13-12/19

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Not a ton new happening until after the holidays, I suppose it’s time to start catching the end of year movie releases.

Monday

  • Phowned (Spike, 7pm) Series Premiere – Prank calls.
  • Howe & Howe Tech (Disc, 7pm) Season Premiere – The gents look into some metal stuff.
  • Mariah Carey (ABC, 9pm) – And she sings…
  • Intervention (A&E, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is it time to battle the addiction?
  • Swamp Men (NatGeo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Gator, raccoon, and snakes oh my.

Tuesday

  • I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Don’t we all want a dog for Christmas?

Wednesday

  • 24/7 (HBO), 10pm) Season Premiere – A look at the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals may explain what a capital is.

Thursday

  • Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – First the dog, now what?

Friday

  • Yes, Virginia/Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/I Get That A Lot (CBS, 9:30pm) – Holiday fun and then Heidi Klum, I think I would never recognize a celebrity in real life.

Saturday

  • WWE Tribute to the Troops (NBC, 9pm) – Do the troops really want to see wrestlers?

Sunday

  • Running Wilde (Fox, 7pm) – Never a good sign when they move new episodes of a show to Sunday at 7.
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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 12/6-12/12

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TNT is bringing back some good stuff before we hit the new year, did I say new year?

Monday

  • American Country Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Trace Adkins hosts the country kids.
  • The Sing-Off (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I actually kind of enjoyed this a capella glee-esque reality competition.
  • The Closer/Men of a Certain Age (TNT, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Will Brenda’s business change with a new chief and how will the men fare in business and in pleasure?
  • Next Great Baker (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Pastry chefs compete.
  • Tabatha’s Salon Takeover (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Hairy business.
  • True Life/The Vice Guide to Everything (MTV, 10/11/11:30pm) Season/Series Premieres – A look at ladies without sex and then lots of sex.

Tuesday

  • Charlie Brown Christmas (ABC, 8pm) – Good grief.
  • Minute to Win It (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – More weird tasks for money.
  • Cupcake Wars (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Cakes, small but with wow.
  • Eureka/Warehouse 13 (Syfy, 9/10pm) – Holiday specials syfy style.
  • Ramsay’s Best Restaurant (BBCA, 9pm) Series Premiere – Because we need more Gordon Ramsay.
  • Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – Reality with a gals and gays grouping.

Wednesday

  • Fashion Forward (CW, 9pm) – Fashion, designers, celebrities…
  • MANswers (Spike, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Random dude stuff.

Thursday

  • Shrek the Halls/Prep & Landing/Barbara Walter’s Specials (ABC, 9/10pm) – Animation, Oprah, and… the 10 most fascinating people

Friday

  • Tom Brokaw Presents Bridging the Divide (USA, 7pm) – Civil rights, the economy, technology…

Saturday

  • Frosty the Snowman/Frosty Returns/The Flight Before Christmas (CBS, 8/8:30/9pm) – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
  • Video Game Awards (Spike, 8pm) – Get your joysticks ready.

Sunday

  • Ax Men (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – Alaska logging at its finest.
  • Basketball Wives (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Will someone offend someone else?
  • Leverage (TNT, 9pm) Season Premiere – Let’s get our con on.
  • Midseason Preview (NBC, 9:30pm) – What, more television?
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random

random bits of web goodness…

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Here are a few more delightful items that I’ve come across during my days, and nights, of procrastinating.

I would like to be a pet person, but my apartment and my lifestyle do not allow it, so now and again I dabble with goldfish and what better way than in a special bowl. More options available on Apartment Therapy.

Somehow I can’t make my eyes see what this SF shot merely taken an angle really is.

Why aren’t all buildings shaped like what they sell? More to be found at mental_floss

I am enamored with polish though my professional skills would be challenged with these styles I’m going to give it a go thanks to the beautiful example of YSL polish from 80s Purple.

I don’t know if this bench would go with my panda footstool but it would go perfect somewhere, pointed out by laughing squid.

I don’t really understand how this works but who could not be obsessed with miniature mail shared by Design Sponge.

I’m not much of a bike rider myself but this horse bike or write bike might put me in the mood.

Animals are fun but animals in irregular situations are even more fun thanks to Wildlife Prints (via sfbaygirl) and Anthropology (via Apartment Therapy) more fun prints and pics at links.

Clever but cruel via Boing Boing.

Something appealing about a rug that looks so grassy, the trees on the wall don’t hurt the effect, Apartment Therapy gives a tour of this loft.

Street signs with a little something extra from Boing Boing.

Why shouldn’t hangers be art, though they won’t hold clothes as well in this form (via Apartment Therapy).

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new and noteworthy tv: 11/29-12/5

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Thanksgiving is over and time to officially start Christmas programming…

Monday

  • CMA Country Christmas (ABC, 9:30pm) – Holiday performances and traditions, country-style.

Tuesday

  • Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NBC, 8pm) – Natalie Morales and Al Roker host the celebs and the flipping of the switch.
  • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer/The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (CBS, 8/10pm) – Fun for the whole family.
  • How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Shrek the Halls (ABC, 8/8:30pm) – Good green fun. 
  • Strange Days with Bob Saget (A&E, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Saget joins in subcultures to entertain with bikers and bigfoot.

Wednesday

  • The Grammy Nominations Concert Live (CBS, 10pm) – LL Cool J hosts noms and performances.
  • Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) Season Premiere – I can’t resist the draw of the greatest train wreck show of all, but glad to say Dr Drew really is trying to help them.
  • Storage Wars (A&E, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – What happens when you stop paying for your storage unit?
  • Top Chef (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – The all-stars edition brings back contestants.

Thursday

  • Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (ABC, 8pm) – He sees you when you’re sleeping…
  • Brad Meltzer’s Decoded (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – A ten-part series on conspiracies that may or may not be decoded.

Friday

  • Gold Rush (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who doesn’t think looking for gold in Alaska is a good idea in this latest reality?

Saturday

  • The Shield (Spike, 3am) – Reairing the pilot of this series that I never caught the first time around.

Sunday

  • Gene Simmons Family Jewels/The Hasselhoffs (A&E, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – More family reality fare.
  • Bama Belles (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Will it dispel clichés about Southern gals or reinforce them.
  • I Survived… (BIO, 10pm) Season Premiere – People survive yucky things.
  • Brandy & Ray J (VH1, 11pm) Season Premiere – I’m sure something happens.
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