next week 5/25

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Intervention/Obsessed (A&E, 9pm) Season/Series Premiere – Returning real life interventions are followed by a look at folks with extreme anxiety disorders.
  • John & Kate Plus 8/Cake Boss (TLC, 9pm) Season/Series Premiere – Tabloid mags showing possible infidelity are bringing these folks that much more notoriety and then a little more reality as we follow a baker.
  • Here Come the Newlyweds (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Real life couples live in a house and compete in challenges as a pair is kicked out each week.
  • In Treatment (HBO, 10pm) Season Finale – How’s the therapy going?

Tuesday

  • Tv’s Funniest Phrases (NBC, 8pm) – I should use a clever catchphrase here…
  • Reaper (CW, 8pm) Season Finale – Well Reaper won’t be back next year so enjoy Sam’s final bout with the devil.
  • Hitched or Ditched (CW, 9pm) Series Premiere – Plan a wedding in a week, then decide whether you want to get married.
  • I Didn’t Know I was Pregnant (Health, 9pm) Series Premiere – This docuseries looks at a new case each week.
  • Mental (Fox, 9pm, repeats Friday) Series Premiere – This latest series about a rebellious guy brings us in with the new psychiatric director of a hospital.
  • Science of the Movies (Sci, 9pm) Series Premiere – A look at specific movie scenes.
  • The Little Couple (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Follow newlyweds who are under four feet tall.
  • Tori & Dean (Oxy, 10pm) Season Premiere – More of the real Donna Martin and her hubby.
  • Beautiful People (Logo, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – UK dramedy following a show tunes loving kid.

Wednesday

  • George Strait (CBS, 8pm) – Some country folks honor this Artist of the Decade.
  • Wipeout (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – The game show where the people fall while competing on strange obstacles.
  • Dog the Bounty Hunter (A&E, 9pm) Season Premiere – Back to hunting fugitives.
  • The Goode Family (ABC, 9pm) Series Premiere – King of the Hill may not be coming back but here’s another animated series from its creator showing a politically correct family.
  • Your Worst Animal Nightmares (AnPl, 9pm) Series Premiere – I have a lot of animal nightmares.
  • Tattoo Highway (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – Take a ride on the tour bus tattoo parlor.
  • Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns (TBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Following Tyler Perry’s House of Payne we meet a new family.

Thursday

  • Scripps National Spelling Bee (ABC, 8pm) – Let the spelling begin, or continue, or finish…
  • Surfing (ESPN2, 10:30pm) – Billabong XXL Big Wave Challenge.

Friday

  • Un-Broke: What You Need to Know About Money (ABC, 9pm) – I’m going to say spend less, save more, still contribute to retirement…
  • What Not to Wear (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – The season kicks off with Blossom.

Saturday

  • French Open (Sat/Sun, NBC, 10:30am/noon) – Men’s and Women’s third and fourth rounds follow a week of ESPN2 coverage.  
  • Pushing Daisies (ABC, 10pm) – This delightful show was canceled but there were a couple more unaired eps.

Sunday

  • Ice Road Truckers (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – New routes, new truckers.
  • MTV Movie Awards (MTV, 9pm) – Andy Samberg hosts this year with lots of noms for Twilight and Slumdog.
  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 10pm) Season Finale – I’m behind so I don’t know what sort of mess Walt is into now.
  • $250,000 Challenge (HGTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – A neighborhood competes in design challenges.
  • Jesse James is a Dead Man (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – This guy does action stuff that I suppose could kill him.
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next week 3/2

New and notable in the week ahead… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8/10pm) Season Finale – Will the single father pick the blonde or the brunette? And will he change his mind, perhaps for returning Bachelorette DeAnna? After the Rose starts at 10 and continues in part two on Tuesday, will it be the most dramatic show yet?
  • Rules of Engagement (CBS, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – This show about folks at different stages of relationships with David Spade and Patrick Warburton among others, was one I found almost funny.
  • Ax Men (Hist, 10pm) Season Premiere – I think we look at more loggers… I think this is like the third logger show, maybe logging is that hot.
  • Harlem Heights (BET, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – This reality version follows folks in their twenties, in you guessed it, Harlem.
  • Saving Grace (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – Looks like Grace is still a mess and we love that about her, and now she has to break in new partner Christina Ricci, at least she won’t sleep with this partner, though I hate to rule anything out.
  • Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 12:30am) – Will you tune in for De Niro and Timberlake or would you tune in for Fallon alone as he takes the desk.

Tuesday

  • Reaper (CW, 8pm) Season Premiere – This slacker dude whose soul has been sold to the devil and now has to be a bounty hunter for said devil developed a great cast and even some intrigue last season.

Wednesday

  • ANTM (CW, 8pm) Season Premiere – A two hour kick off brings 34 hopefuls down to 13 house dwellers, and then the mess continues with the first standard show.
  • Make Me A Supermodel (Bravo, 10pm) Season Premiere – For an alternate take on model wannabes check out Tyson hosting a crop of dudes and chicks who try to be fierce, or whatever that show’s catch phrase is.

Thursday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – In a special additional Thursday ep, the judges pick some favorites to try it again for the wild card slots.

Friday

  • Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – The process of picking a wedding gown, can’t wait!
  • Trick my Truck (CMT, 10pm) Season Premiere – A truck tricked in tribute to speedboats, woo hoo!

Saturday

  • Ashes to Ashes (BBCA, 9pm) Series Premiere – I’m not sure but this show sounds like Life on Mars but someone finds themselves in the 80s, oh wait it’s a sequel, to the BBC version of course.

Sunday

  • Cycling (Vs, 2pm) – Check out the guys at Paris Nice.
  • SNL (NBC, 7/8pm) – Game show parodies is followed by commercials.
  • The L Word (Show, 8/9pm) Series Finale – A special at 8 reviews the past seasons getting us all ready for the finale.
  • Sunday Best (BET, 9pm) Season Premiere – Undiscovered gospel singers.
  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 10pm) Season Premiere – The school teacher turned meth maker/dealer to support his family when he learns of his terminal cancer continues as he and his partner get into more messes – marathon to catch up on season 1 starting with the pilot at 8pm on Fri.
  • Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E!, 10pm) Season Premiere – Does anyone really care?
  • Candy Girls (E!, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Eye candy for sale, well for rent, for music videos or whatever in this latest reality show.

* Always check your local listings, all times are PST.

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my top tv of 2008

soa_wall2.jpgAs noted I’m a little torn about coming up with a top ten tv list whilst waiting for midseason to hit, but here goes. In alphabetical order:

  • Bones (Fox) – My favorite of the procedurals, Bones the forensic anthropologist and Booth the FBI guy are great characters with great chemistry and I like all the supporters and flavor added to each body-of-the-week mystery.
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – Who knew the dad from Malcolm in the Middle could turn out like this, as he gets himself in terrible situations when he starts to manufacture meth with an unpredictable partner in crime, all to support his family when he’s diagnosed with cancer.
  • Chuck (NBC) – Action and camp combined and I’m not sure whether I like the geeks put into the spy world or the spies put into the geek world better, with an amusing and compelling supporting cast.
  • Dexter (Show) – The first season was still the best to date but I can’t turn away from Dexter and his murders and his code and the scary and comical and idiotic people around him, though I do sometimes yell at the tv.
  • Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – Not exactly television but this web based villain musical story (now available on dvd and through itunes) is a great piece by Joss Whedon (of Buffy, Angel, Firefly fame), all the main characters are fantastic but if I didn’t love Neil Patrick Harris before I do now.
  • Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – Hilarious songs tie together the silly stories of these two offbeat New Zealand musicians trying to make it in New York.
  • Gossip Girl (CW) – Campy soaps done right are just plain fun, and this one has over the top characters and situations going through plot twists faster than their spectacular outfits, Chuck’s ridiculous bowties and ascots alone would keep me tuned in.
  • Pushing Daisies (ABC) – This was good while it lasted with its fanciful production matching story and concept and design and cast to the wonderful mysteries solved by bringing folks back to life for just a minute, when it’s more than a minute let’s just say complications arose.
  • Saving Grace (TNT) – That Grace sure is crazy and it’s fun to watch her wrestle with doing the right thing by her police cases and doing the wrong thing in her personal life all while being pushed by her guardian angel, Touched by an Angel this show is not.
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – I wince at least once an episode at some act of unbelievable violence as this motorcycle gang survives more trouble than seems possible, but the charismatic protagonist gives the show a little heart to go along with the drama.

A little shout out to some of the comedies that didn’t make the list this year but made me laugh enough just the same, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, The Office, and The New Adventures of Old Christine.

And of course you can see what the critics are saying.

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more fall fun

So some folks were asking about shows that they know I watch but weren’t listed in Fall Favorites… By now folks know I watch and enjoy more shows than a person probably should. In addition to previously noted favorites Bones, Chuck, Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl, Heroes, The Office, Pushing Daisies, and 30 Rock, there are a few other returning shows that typically hit my tivo:

  • America’s Next Top Model (CW, Wed 9/3 ) – Yes Tyra is annoying but it’s not really about her, it’s about the annoying wannabe models and this year they promise a transgender contestant.
  • Big Bang Theory (CBS, Mon 9/22) – I don’t love this show but Sheldon makes me laugh enough, and Darlene is joining her Roseanne boyfriend as a regular this season.
  • Brothers & Sisters (ABC, Sun, 9/28) – I almost don’t even like this show but I can’t help but tune in to see what mess the Walker family is getting into and this season we should see the real illegitimate half sibling.
  • Criminal Minds (CBS, Wed 9/24) – I usually actually only catch this special FBi unit cathing the brutal serial killer of the week show in repeats.
  • Eli Stone (ABC, Tues 10/14) – This quirky guy with visions that may be leading him along won me over, but did we really leave him in a coma after an operation?
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, Thurs 9/25) – Yes Grey herself is totally annoying but maybe as she theoretically sticks with McDreamy this season we can focus on the rest of the good supporting cast.
  • House (Fox, Tues 9/16) – Last year’s shakeup to cranky House’s team gave him some new fodder, though they didn’t find a good balance yet of old and new, and what of best bro after his girlie’s death?
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS, Mon 9/22) – This show still has a lot of hilarity, though I don’t care how he met the mother, or whether it is or isn’t Sarah Chalke.
  • Law & Order (NBC, midseason) – I dropped this for a few years but found myself tuning back in this last season as the current ensemble seems to be working.
  • Law & Order: SVU (NBC, Tues 9/23) – I know this show is all about Stabler and Benson but I don’t love them, though I keep tuning in, this is the one with the sex crime slant.
  • Life (NBC, Mon 9/29) – This detective back on the force after being falsely accused amused and interested with his oddball antics though not so much on the conspiracy of his conviction.
  • Lost (ABC, midseason) – Well I loved the start of last season but at the end of the day was a little underwhelmed by the Oceanic 6 getting off and having to go back, this season starts a new chapter, I’m very curious and definitely still in.
  • My Name is Earl (NBC, Thurs 9/25) – I am still amused enough by Earl and his trashy family getting his karma back in line, though bored by the coma version of Earl and the normally likable Alyssa Milano.
  • The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, Wed 9/24) – I still think this is a great role for Dreyfus to do broad funny as an crazy and awkward single mom with her misfit family.
  • Numbers (CBS, Fri 10/3) – This isn’t a great procedural but the interplay between FBI and math genius brothers solving cases works, though math brother just lost his credentials, whatever will they do.
  • Reaper (CW, midseason) – This show started strong last season and almost lost me with its capture of the week but the devil’s bounty hunter and friends found a new rhythm by introducing some additional intrigue, and the devil is fantastic.
  • Samantha Who? (ABC, Mon 10/6) – Applegate is winning as her post amnesia persona tries to marry her old bad ways with her new clean slate.
  • Scrubs (ABC, midseason) – I was surprised by the network move though I think this show has a great cast and good balance of silly fun, though we’ll see how well they transition to the predicted new young cast additions.
  • Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox, Mon 9/8) – This show grew on me as the cast and intrigue were better developed while Sarah and her son John try to change the future by jumping years with the help of hot chick terminator Summer Glau.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS, Mon 9/22) – This show’s lost its edge a bit for me as the brothers work their odd couple dynamic with lazy kid getting less cute as he grows up, but there are still some good laughs.

And before you ask, current cable faves include: Battlestar Galactica (behind but catching on dvd), Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, The Closer, Dexter (dvd), Eureka, Flight of the Conchords, Greek, Project Runway, The Riches (yet to be renewed), and Saving Grace.

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next week 7/21

New and notable in the week ahead…

Monday

  • Wanna Bet (ABC, 9pm) Series Debut – Celebs earn money for charities by betting on the outcome of random people’s random stunts.
  • Heidi Fleiss (HBO, 9pm) – This special takes a look at the would-be madam of crystal.
  • Date My Ex (Bravo, 10pm) – I’ve never caught the Real Housewives of OC but apparently alum Jo De La Rosa is looking for love with her ex Slade Smiley.
  • Legally Blonde the Musical (MTV, 10pm) Season Finale – And a new elle woods is crowned.
  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 12am) – If you missed this series last season they are replaying the pilot episode.

Tuesday

  • Deadliest Catch (Disc, 9/10pm) Season Finale – The finale is followed by a behind the scenes look.
  • How to Look Good Naked (Life, 10pm) Season Premiere – I hope Carson is helping these women with their self esteem issues though I wasn’t all that entertained by the one show I caught.
  • General Hospital: Night Shift (Soap, 11pm) Season Premiere – I’m just including this because we couldn’t figure out what Antonio Sabato Jr had acted in, and apparently this is it.

Wednesday

  • Buzzin’ (MTV, 10:30) Series Debut – Who was saying more reality of nobodies? If you raised your hand, check out Cisco Adler (of dated Mischa Barton fame) doing something somewhat music related.
  • Criss Angel: Mindfreak (A&E, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – I don’t really understand this guy but apparently he does ‘magic, mentalism, and dazzling pyrotechnic effects’.

Thursday

  • Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader (Fox, 8pm) Season Finale – I think the answer to that is usually no.

Friday

  • Dale Jr (ESPN, 7pm) Season Finale – Apparently Dale is switching racing teams and we’ve been following right along.

Saturday

  • Beach Volleyball (NBC, sa/su 11:30am) – The Crocs tour stops in Long Beach.

Sunday

  • Tour de France (Vs, 4:30am, and all week leading up to this – also CBS, 10am) – Well they’ve been riding for three weeks and as they ride into Paris who will be wearing yellow? Earlier stages throughout the week on vs. and several times each day but CBS is doing what will probably be a recap and final on Sunday.
  • Shark Week (Disc, 9pm – shows throughout the week) – Mythbusters kicks on shark week doing what they do best, busting myths and these are of course shark related.
  • Mad Men (AMC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Folks do seem to like this period show about ad guys.
  • The Next Food Network Star (Food, 10pm) Season Finale – And a food network star is chosen.
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next week 3/3

Monday

  • Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox, 8-10pm) Season Finale – I have to say I am still not in love with Sarah or John but still find this show pretty interesting with the past, present, and future and what the right thing to do is.

Tuesday

  • New Amsterdam (Fox, 8pm) Series Debut – So some immortal guy is looking for his true love while fighting crime of course.
  • Carpoolers (ABC, 9:30) Season Finale – This is the show about four guys who… carpool, with Jerry O’Connell, and I find it almost funny.
  • The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo, 11pm) Series Premiere – For those of you who just couldn’t get enough of the Real Housewives of Orange County.

Wednesday

  • Project Runway (Bravo, 10pm) Season Finale – Who will have the finest collection? Ok, I’m still like four episodes behind.

Thursday

  • Celebrity Rehab With Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) Season Finale – Addiction isn’t always pretty, but I’m addicted to this show, which actually surprised me with how much I thought this show was a bad idea but these ‘celebrities’ were shown as real people with real issues.

Friday

  • Stargate Atlantis (SciFi, 10pm) Season Finale – I think I’ve seen at least some sort of Stargate… I don’t know if this is underwater?

Saturday

  • Beach Volleyball (Kron, 9pm) – AVP Crocs Hot Winter Nights tour and I do love me some good beach volleyball.

Sunday

  • The Wire (HBO, 9pm) Series Finale – Well this is it for the series and I know some obsessive folks who are bummed about that, and some folks who still aren’t caught up on the dvds so they won’t really appreciate the loss for a while.
  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 10pm) Season Finale – Well I am behind on these as well but wanna stick through and see what other ridiculous things these drug guys are into.
  • My Fair Brady (VH1, 10:30pm) Season Finale – I’m just noting this because I know someone who watches this show.
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next week 1/14

Monday

  • Terminator (Fox, 9pm) – We’re settling into the regular timeslot and since I probably won’t have watched Sunday’s pilot I’ll plan to tivo this too whether it’s watchable or not, oh who am I kidding with the strike my bar is pretty low.

Tuesday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Starting it’s Tuesday and Wednesday runs at the early auditions, is my bar this low? I actually watched this for the first few seasons and then new people couldn’t make this show fresh enough for me.

Wednesday

  • Reno 911! (Comedy, 10:30) Season Premiere – I don’t get this channel and I’ve never seen this show, but some of these updates are going to start getting a little more arbitrary, so here’s Season 5.

Thursday

  • Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) – The first of this started last week, and they’re rerunning it maybe every day if you missed it, I am a little bit morally opposed to this show and have no idea whether it’s entertaining or not but some ‘celebrities’ might get some help.

Friday

  • Moonlight (CBS, 9pm) – Maybe I’ll give this show another shot, though I found it a bad version of Angel the first time around.

Saturday

  • Husband for Hire (Oxygen, 9pm) – What have Erik Estrada and Tempest Bledsoe been up to, apparently this made for tv movie.

Sunday

  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 10pm) Series Premeire – Bryan Cranston is a  high school chemistry teacher who makes some questionable choices once he’s diagnosed with cancer.
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