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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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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new and noteworthy tv: 11/22-11/28

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Monday

  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – What’s valuable?
  • Skating with the Stars (ABC, 9:11pm) Season Premiere – Contestants include… some people you have maybe heard of.
  • Fabulous Cakes (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Even bad cake isn’t so bad.

Tuesday

  • Start Thanksgiving planning early.

Wednesday

  • Merry Madagascar/Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (NBC, 8/8:30pm) – Can we hold the Christmas/Winter specials for another two days?

Thursday

  • Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (CBS, 9am) – Where there’s turkey there’s a parade.
  • Punkin Chunkin (Disc, 8pm) – Launch those punkins.
  • Taylor Swift/People of the Year (NBC, 8/9pm) – Blah, blah, blah.
  • Charlie Brown Thanksgiving/Beyonce (ABC, 8/9:30pm) – Wa wa wah wa wa.
  • Cold Diggers (Sci, 10pm) Series Premiere – Digging in the cold.

Friday

  • TV’s Funniest Holiday Moments (Fox, 8pm) – Hilarity.

Saturday

  • Merry Madagascar/Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special (NBC, 8/8:30pm) – Was that so hard… after Thanksgiving.

Sunday

  • Kate Plus 8 (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – And the reality continues.
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new and noteworthy tv: 11/8-11/14

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Monday

  • Decision Points (NBC, 8pm) – Matt Lauer has a conversation with George W. Bush about his book and his time in office.
  • Strike Force (NatGeo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Week one, is cageless underwater shark feeding good for tourists or sharks?
  • Conan (TBS, 11pm) – He’s back… so catch Coco, Andy, and Jimmy Vivino hosting the house band.

Tuesday

  • Auction Hunters (Spike, 10pm) Series Premiere – Auction show #478…
  • The Fashion Show (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Since Runway moved to Lifetime here’s a different crew of designers with Iman.

Wednesday

  • CMA Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and a country tune or two.
  • Psych (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – The fake psychic and his sidekick keep detecting.

Thursday

  • Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – This generation’s MacGyver tries to prevent a bombing…

Friday

  • Avalon High/Wizards of Waverly Place (Dis, 8/9:30pm) Season Premiere – First a flick about high school Camelot and then the wizards are back and going public.

Saturday

  • Back From Hell (Com, 10pm) – Clips and comedians in a tribute to Sam Kinison.
  • Tracy Morgan (HBO, 10pm) – Performing his Black and Blue standup.

Sunday

  • Sarah Palin’s Alaska (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Seeing the sights of Alaska through Palin’s eyes, take that however you will.
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new and noteworthy tv: 11/1-11/7

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Not a lot new of note, though of course there’s the World Series, go Giants.

Monday

  • Wreck Chasers (Disc, 8/8:30pm) Series Premiere – How much wreck can a tow truck tow.
  • The Women of SNL (NBC, 9pm) – Funny with the ladies.
  • My Big Friggin Wedding/Mario Lopez: Saved by the Baby (VH1, 9/10:30pm) Series Premieres – Big weddings and big personalities.

Tuesday

  • Election Coverage (Various) – Senate, House, props…
  • Meteorite Men (Sci, 9pm) Season Premiere – Starting with a meteorite at a secret location.
  • Mysteries at the Museum (Trav, 9pm) Series Premiere – There’s a story behind that thing.
  • Running Russell Simmons (Oxy, 10pm) Series Premiere – Ever wonder how his business runs?

Wednesday

  • My Dog Ate What (NatGeo, 9pm) Series Premiere – No explanation needed.
  • All Access Nashville (ABC, 10pm) – Brad, LeAnn, Carrie, and Miranda.

Thursday

  • Pranked/Megadrive/Bully Beatdown (MTV, 10/10:30/11pm) Season/Series Premieres – Pranks, drives, and bullies.

Friday

  • Supernanny (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – More family mess that maybe gets helped.

Saturday

  • Downsized/The Locator (WE, 9pm) Series/Season Premiere – Following a family in financial difficulty, then finding family and others.

Sunday

  • Shake It Up (Dis, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – Teenyboppers perform on a teen dance show, it’s a sitcom.
  • Kendra/Married to Rock (E!, 10/10:30pm) Season/Series Premiere – More reality.
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new and noteworthy tv: 10/25-10/31

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Monday

  • In Treatment (HBO, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – The doctor is in.
  • Dead Set (IFC, 9pm) Series Premiere – If I understand this correctly the miniseries, airing each night this week, has zombies attacking Big Brother, I guess that’s one way to make it interesting.

Tuesday

  • Raising Hope (Fox, 9pm) – An hour of Hope is a bad sign for Running Wilde.
  • 16 & Pregnant (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – More pregnant teens.
  • Auction Kings (Disc, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Aren’t there already a few of these auction shows?
  • Dance Cam Slam (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – Reality shows get cheaper with folks sending in dance moves from their own computers.

Wednesday

  • World Series (Fox, 4:30pm) – Go Giants.
  • Friday Night Lights (DirTV, 9pm) Season Premiere – The final season begins, and it’s a Wednesday, I’m just irritated that they stopped replaying this on ABC Family, I guess I’ll have to move to netflix as I’m only on season two.
  • I’ll Do Anything (BBCA, 9pm) Series Premiere – Folks compete to get on the big stage.
  • Hollywood Treasure (Syfy, 10pm) Series Premiere – It’s basically another auction show but for Hollywood memorabilia.

Thursday

  • It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm, and Fri) – ‘Tis the season.
  • Scared Shrekless (NBC, 8pm, and Sat) – Shrek leads the Halloween spirit and pushes Community to 8:30, though why we’re losing 30Rock for the night and not Outsourced is beyond me.
  • Police Women of Dallas (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – This season moves to Dallas to follow police women, I guess the title is pretty self explanatory.
  • Ancient Aliens (Hist, 10pm) Season Premiere – A look at places that have some mysterious history.
  • Fact or Faked (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – The truth behind mysterious images caught on camera.
  • The Fairy Jobmother (Life, 11pm) Series Premiere – A career specialist helps folks in need.

Friday

  • What Not To Wear (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – They’re back and starting with a makeover of Facts of Life’s Mindy Cohn.
  • Snow Men (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Folks open snowy roads, maybe for Ice Road Truckers.

Saturday

  • Monsters vs. Aliens (NBC, 8:30pm) – Now you will wonder is it a jack-o-lantern or is it an alien?
  • The Graham Norton Show (BBCA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Russell Howard and Charlotte Church guest.

Sunday

  • Outrageous Food (Food, 10pm) Series Premiere – Biggest burgers, hottest peppers, and more.
  • The Walking Dead (AMC, 10pm) Series Premiere – This new series explores a world taken over by zombies, I’m sensing a zombie theme week.

* Times noted are PST and schedule as always is subject to change.

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new and noteworthy tv: 10/18-10/24

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Monday

  • The Talk (CBS, 2pm) Series Premiere – The latest day time talk with Sara Gilbert, Leah Remini, Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete, and Marissa Jaret Winoker.
  • Rock of Love: Where Are They Now?/Brett Michaels: Life as I Know It (VH1, 9/10pm) Special/Series Premiere – Something tells me Brett is more entertaining as a carouser instead of as a part time family man.

Tuesday

  • Freak Encounters (AnPl, 7:30pm) Series Premiere – It starts with a giant mutant bat.
  • Nova/Independent Lens (PBS, 8/11pm) Season Premieres – Great cathedral architecture then America Ferrara hosts film looks.
  • Dirty Jobs/Ghost Lab (Disc, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Exotic animals and Civil War ghosts.
  • Millionaire Matchmaker (Brav, 9pm) Season Premiere – New York millionaires.
  • Scream 2010 (Spike, 9pm) – Horror awards.

Wednesday

  • Tailgate Warriors (Food, 10pm) Series Premiere – Guy Fieri hosts the latest challenge.

Thursday

  • Night of Too Many Stars (Com, 9pm) – Jon Stewart hosts a concert for autism education with many a star.

Friday

  • Catch up on dvr!

Saturday

  • 24/7 (HBO, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Pacquiao and Margarito prep for the big brawl.

Sunday

  • Football Wives (VH1, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – More reality fare.
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new and noteworthy tv: 10/11-10/17

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Monday

  • Guiliana & Bill (Style, 8pm) Season Premiere – More oversharing.
  • Property Virgins (HGTV, 8pm) Season Premiere – Looking for starter homes.

Tuesday

  • Hip Hop Awards/Being Terry Kennedy (BET, 8/10pm) Series Premiere – Mike Epps hosts the hippity hop awards then Terry Kennedy skateboards and does biz.
  • Private Chefs (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – First stop, cooking for Lorenzo Lamas.
  • Nick Swardson’s Pretend Time (Com, 10pm) Series Premiere – Sketch comedy.
  • Parking Wars (A&E, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Parking drama continues.

Wednesday

  • Storm Chasers (Disc, 10pm) Season Premiere – Always a storm somewhere.
  • What’s Eating You (E!, 10pm) Series Premiere – Next issue is eating disorders.

Thursday

  • The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – Great, there’s another one.

Friday

  • Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders/World’s Strictest Parents (CMT, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Cheering and rules and regulations.
  • Sanctuary (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Picking up with more adventure.
  • School Pride (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – This looks like Extreme Home makeover for schools.
  • Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura (Tru, 10pm) Season Premiere – Glad Jesse is getting to the bottom of these.

Saturday

  • Dew Tour (NBC/USA, various) – The final stop in the action sports series.
  • Behind the Music/Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp/The Metal Show (VH1 Classic, 6/7/8pm) Season/Series Premiere – Music adjacent shows.

Sunday

  • Paranormal State/Psychic Kids (A&E, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Ghosts of all ages.
  • Luther (BBCA, 10pm) Series Premiere – Idris Elba takes on a detective role where he apparently might not always do things by the book.
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new and noteworthy tv: 10/4-10/10

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So fall has almost completely fallen, thankfully not a lot new so I can start winnowing down my current schedule.

Monday

  • Disappeared (ID, 7pm) Season Premiere – Lots of disappearances to show.
  • Southern Fried Stings (Tru, 7pm) Season Premiere – A former state trooper and his team try to bring the bad guys down.
  • Lie to Me (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – Who is lying this season?
  • The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Brav, 9pm) Season Premiere – I just saw an episode of this and apparently they don’t all get along.
  • The A-List/The Arrangement (Logo, 10/11pm) Series Premiere – Gay elite and then flower arranging competition.

Tuesday

  • House of Glam (Oxy, 11pm) Series Premiere – Beauty gang does their biz.

Wednesday

  • Dog the Bounty Hunter/Steven Seagal Lawman (A&E, 9/10pm) Season Premiere – More fake lawmen.
  • Mythbusters (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – Starting with dog myths.
  • Harry Loves Lisa (TVL, 10pm) Series Premiere – Another reality show following celebrities trying to kick things off again.
  • The Challenge (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Real World and Road Rules kids get together.
  • South Park/Ugly Americans (Com, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – More animated funny.

Thursday

  • The This Old House Hour (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – House renovation fun.
  • Kick Off Cook Off (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Football and cooking.

Friday

  • Dog Whisperer (NatGeo, 8pm) Season Premiere – Cesar gets the doggies in line.
  • Fatal Attractions (AnPl, 9pm) Season Premiere – Tiger with PTSD sounds serious.

Saturday

  • Auctioneer$ (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Auction fun.

Sunday

  • Food Feuds (Food, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who makes the city’s best…?
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new and noteworthy tv: 9/27-10/3

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Monday

  • Sesame Street (PBS, 7am) Season Premiere – Kyra Sedgwick kicks of a camouflage show.
  • Made (MTV, 4pm) Season Premiere – The 200th episode of youngsters getting it done with Tommy, a filmmaker.
  • The Best Thing I Ever Ate (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – More folks talk good food.
  • Expedition Wild (NatGeo, 9pm) Season Premiere – Casey Anderson hits Yellowstone.
  • Top Gear (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – More gear.
  • The Buried Life (MTV, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Young dudes still try to do stuff, including streaking.

Tuesday

  • Weird, True, & Freaky/Lost Tapes (AnPl, 5/7pm) Season Premieres – Weird animals, then weird animals.
  • The Good Wife (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – What will Alicia do?
  • No Ordinary Family (ABC, 8pm, repeats Fri) Series Premiere – It’s like The Fantastics but with real people.
  • Stargate Universe (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – More adventures.
  • Billy the Exterminator (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – More yucky things to kill.

Wednesday

  • Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC, 10pm, repeats Sat) Series Premiere – Let’s see what Lola has to bring.

Friday

  • Human Target (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – I almost liked the capers and characters of this show last season and might tune in to see where they’re taking things.
  • Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – More brides, more dresses.
  • The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (IFC, 10pm) Series Premiere – An office comedy about a US transplant in the UK.
  • Teach: Tony Danza (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – This seven part series follows Tony Danza actually teaching high school.

Saturday

  • Austin City Limits (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Jimmy Cliff starts the new season.
  • Iconoclasts (Sund, 9pm) Season Premiere – Charlize Theron meets Jane Goodall.

Sunday

  • America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC, 7pm) Season Premiere – Funniest is always relative.
  • Law & Order: UK (BBCA, 7:30pm) Series Premiere – Totally intrigued but don’t get the channel.
  • Holmes Inspector (HGTV, 9pm) Series Premiere – Old homes, old pipes.
  • The Next Iron Chef (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – More chefs.
  • American Dad (Fox, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – More toon fun.
  • Masterpiece Mysteries (PBS, 9pm) – The miniseries Wallander starts off.
  • IRT (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – Ice Road Truckers on the deadliest roads.
  • CSI: Miami (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – David Caruso wears sunglasses and makes stilted statements.

Since scheduling come fall gets difficult and networks sometimes rerun pilots I’ll try to note repeat airings for new shows, all times are typically PST.

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