tv

next week 10/13

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

Monday

  • Little People, Big World (TLC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I think we’re following a family.
  • Samantha Who? (ABC, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – This Applegate amnesiac show amused me last year.
  • My Own Worst Enemy (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Christian Slater is a spy with an average guy split personality as his alter ego.

Tuesday

  • The Cleaner (A&E, 10pm) Season Finale – I didn’t love this Benjamin Bratt gets druggies clean show.
  • Eli Stone (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – I’m assuming Eli survives his brain surgery and still has those wacky visions.
  • Iditarod (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – This reality show follows the ‘toughest race on earth’.
  • The Rachel Zoe Project (Bravo, 10pm) Season Finale – Annoying people at work and some pretty clothes.

Wednesday

  • Presidential Debate (Various, 6pm/pst 9pm/est) – They’re back.
  • Time Warp (Disc, 8/8:30pm) Series Premiere – Looking at things like movement too fast for the human eye and juggling.
  • Project Runway (Brav, 9pm) Season Finale – I am so behind on this I can expect to find out who won before I get caught up.
  • Parking Wars (A&E, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – I think this is like your worst parking moments caught on tape.
  • Prototype This (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Can a car be designed that eliminates road rage?
  • Chocolate News (Com, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – This sketch show has David Alan Grier giving his take on current events.

Thursday

  • International X-Games (ESPN2, 8pm) – Do the boards flip the same way in mexico?

Friday

  • Crusoe (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Crusoe crashes on an island and faces danger… more Gilligan or Lost?
  • Real Simple, Real Life (TLC, 8pm) Series Premiere – A team of experts help simplify a person’s life.
  • Crash (Starz, 10pm) Series Premiere – The film comes to tv with Dennis Hopper as one of the ensemble.

Saturday

  • Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling (CMT, 8pm) Series Premiere – Ten ‘celebrities’ like Danny Bonaduce compete to be the top celebrity wrestler.

Sunday

  • Action Sports (NBC, Sat/Sun 1pm/pst, also on USA and Spike) The Playstation Pro in Orando will give you another chance to catch people doing the near impossible on boards, bikes, and more.
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tv

next week 10/6

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

Monday

  • Bingo America (GSN, 6:30pm) Season Premiere – I don’t actually get the Game Show Network but if I did I don’t know that I would have thought bingo was a gameshow, but why wouldn’t it be.

Tuesday

  • Presidential Debate (Various Channels, 6pm est/9pm est) – Tom Brokaw hosts the second.
  • Dirty Jobs (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – This season starts with taking on some of the tasks of a merchant boat.
  • Real Housewives of Atlanta (Brav, 9pm) Series Premiere – If you’re familiar with these shows, I think that’s all you need to know.

Wednesday

  • South Park/Sarah Silverman (Com, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – A couple groups of potty mouths.
  • TV Land Myths and Legends (TVL, 10pm) Season Premiere – The stories behind the stories.

Thursday

  • Kath & Kim (NBC, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – Selma Blair and Molly Shannon play a dysfunctional mother and daughter.
  • CSI (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Looks like they’re recovering from Warrick getting shot, and I think Grissom only has a few episodes and then we turn it over to Laurence Fishburne.
  • SNL Weekend Update Thursday (NBC, 9:30pm) – I think this will make Saturday night less funny.
  • Eleventh Hour (CBS, 10pm) Series Premiere – Science crimes may be no match for Rufus Sewell.
  • LA Ink (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Inking in LA.
  • Life on Mars (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Remake of British fan favorite where a cop ends up in the 70s solving crimes the old fashioned way.
  • Testees (FX, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – This new comedy has two guys who test products and wait for the side effects.

Friday

  • The Starter Wife (USA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Debra Messing returns as former Hollywood wife starting yet again.

Saturday

  • Macy’s Celebrity Catwalk Challenge (NBC, 8pm) – I don’t know that this will compare to ANTM.
  • The Graham Norton Show (BBCA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Graham hosts and talks I believe.

Sunday

  • Rock of Love Charm School (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – This premise is hilarious, Sharon Osborne tries to turn RoL contestants into ladies.
  • The Pick-Up Artist (VH1, 10pm) Season Premiere – Those less able to get the ladies learn tips that are one of the following a) helpful b) hilarious or c) offensive.
  • Skins (BBCA, 10pm) Season Premiere – These British teens supposedly make Gossip Girl look tame.
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tv

next week 9/29

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

Monday

  • Chuck (NBC, 8pm, repeats Sat) Season Premiere – A fun mix of action and humor as mild mannered tech repair guy starts another season of spy fun with his regular and spy companions.
  • Life (NBC, 10pm and Friday) Season Premiere – Eccentric cop returns to the force for another season after being framed and imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit.

Tuesday

  • The IT Crowd (IFC, 10pm) Series Premiere – This one is a UK import introduces a couple techies and their less techie boss.   
  • Paris Hilton’s New BFF (MTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – Without Nicole Richie I don’t really see what Paris’s draw is.
  • Scare Tactics (SciFi, 10pm) Season Premiere – Tracy Morgan hosts what seems to me like super cruel tricks on people.

Wednesday

  • Pushing Daisies (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – This was perhaps my favorite show of last season, it’s a visual delight as crimes are solved by our pie maker bringing folks back to life for a moment of hopeful insight.
  • Private Practice (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – I’ll give this imperfect Grey’s spinoff one more shot, but was so not feeling Addison’s new life with the medical group misfits.
  • America’s Got Talent (NBC, 9pm) Season Finale – Can they top last year’s ventriloquist?
  • Friday Night Lights (DirecTV Channel 101, 9pm) Season Premiere – I wasn’t really following this move but if you’re a fan I guess it’s good it’s still on.
  • Dirty Sexy Money (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – The Darling family is at it again, all except Samaire Armstrong who is rumored to return for guest visits, this is rich person drama done right.

Thursday

  • Vice Presidential Debate (Various, 6pst/9est pm) – I think folks are more interested in this debate than in the presidential ones.
  • Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed (MNT, 9pm) Series Premiere – Not sure I’ve yet to turn into a show on this odd non-network network and not sure this show will drive the change.
  • Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style (Bravo, 11pm) Season Premiere – Gretta Monahan joins Tim ‘make it work’ Gunn in giving individual makeovers.

Friday

  • Wife Swap (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Not a fan of this opposites exhibiting or doling out what seem like extremist behaviors to someone else’s family.
  • Ghost Whisperer (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Jennifer Love Hewitt whispers to ghosts, though I’m not sure she really whispers.
  • Everybody Hates Chris (CW, 8pm) Season Premiere – Chris returns to start high school.
  • WWE Smackdown (MTN, 8pm) Season Premiere – I think this was on the CW last season.
  • The Game (CW, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – Not sure what’s going on with the ladies of the football league.
  • Supernanny (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – The nanny’s deal with the brats some more.
  • The Ex List (CBS, 9pm) Series Premiere – Jane Doe from Grey’s tracks down all her exes after being told she’s already met the one.
  • Sanctuary (SciFi, 9pm) Series Premiere – I’m not sure what this show’s about but apparently it includes live action over virtual sets and originally began online.
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Cartoon, 9/9:30pm) Series Premiere – Animated Star Wars, what more do you need to know?
  • Numbers (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Math wiz Charlie’s no longer got FBI clearance, whatever will FBI brother Don do?

Saturday

  • My Big Redneck Wedding (CMT, 9pm) Season Premiere – Monster trucks and weddings go together like…
  • Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team (CMT, 9:30) Season Premiere – Really there have already been two seasons of this show?

Sunday

  • 4real (CW, 5/5:30pm) Series Premiere – Cameron Diaz heads to Peru then folks named K’naan and Sol travel to Kibera in East Africa.
  • In Harm’s Way (CW, 6/7pm) Series Premiere – Real people in tough jobs like bull riding and the coast guard.
  • America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC, 7pm) Season Premiere – The videos, they are funny.
  • Valentine (CW, 8pm) Series Premiere -Greek gods bring a new (or old) technique to bringing folks together.
  • Easy Money (CW, 9pm) Series Premiere – Roseanne’s Laurie Metcalf runs a loan-shark business…
  • The Girl’s Next Door (E!, 10pm) Season Premiere – Did I hear a rumor that one of Hef’s gals is getting the boot, may not see that in this ep as Hef celebrates year 82 in Vegas.
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tv

next week 9/22

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And the premieres are really cooking, get your tivos ready…. New and notable for the week ahead, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Heroes (NBC, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – First we countdown, maybe that means they try to explain what the heck has happened in the first two seasons, then what’s normally an engaging but uneven series has some promising buzz as this year we meet the ‘villains’.
  • Dancing With the Stars (ABC, 8pm, second rounds Wed/Thurs) Season Premiere – Who will delight America this season and how long can we keep Cloris Leachman in the mix?
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – This show grew on me throughout last year, as the geeks and their straight woman/hot girl Penny make fun, super misfit Sheldon steals the show.
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – This show has a great ensemble and the Barneyisms are almost worth it alone.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – They’re back with more odd couple shenanigans.
  • Worst Week (CBS, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – Folks are saying this could be funny, but again, not sure about one mishap after another for a whole season.
  • Boston Legal (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Is this show still on? Is this show still getting emmy nominations?
  • CSI: Miami (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I think someone shot Horatio, can anyone really stand David Caruso?

Tuesday

  • Opportunity Knocks (ABC, 8pm) Series Premiere – A game show where families win based on knowledge of each other.
  • NCIS (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – I admit I’ve never seen this navy investigation show.
  • Eureka (SciFi, 9pm) Season Finale – Maybe we find out what happened all those years ago and how their new fixer was involved.
  • The Mentalist (CBS, 9pm) Series Premiere – Simon Baker solves crimes after years as a fake celebrity psychic.
  • Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Luke Perry won’t do 90210 so catch him in this ep, will he be creepy?
  • Without a Trace (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I used to watch this show but no longer catch the FBI’s weekly missing person drama.

Wednesday

  • Knight Rider (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Unless there were significant changes from the made for tv movie/pilot this one’s a pass.
  • The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – I actually like this ridiculous show where JLDreyfuss and her gang are obnoxious but funny.
  • Gary Unmarried (CBS, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – Jay Mohr deals with his divorced dad lifestyle.
  • David Blaine (ABC, 9pm) – I’m always a little wary of these ‘magicians’ who do something like hang from a wire for days.
  • Criminal Minds (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – I think we ended last season with an explosion, is all the team coming back?
  • CSI: NY (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – This one isn’t as annoying as Miami and is a decent procedural.
  • Lipstick Jungle (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Of the identical average new chick shows of last season (the other was Cashmere Mafia) this one rolled over to this season, let’s hope they fine tuned things.

Thursday

  • Ugly Betty (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I never quite appreciated this campy soap drama.
  • My Name is Earl (NBC, 8/8:30pm) Season Premiere – Last season’s coma didn’t quite work, let’s hope this season is back to its white trash misfit make amends roots.
  • Survivor: Gabon (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – So they’re in Gabon, wherever that is.
  • The Office (NBC, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – What’s in store this year for Michael and Pam and Dwight and that other main guy?
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Now that we’re over most of the Mer/Der drama let’s get back to the rest of the gang.
  • ER (NBC, 10pm) Season Premiere – I recall hearing that this 15th season is the last and they’re trying to get as much of the gang back together as they can, Clooney is a long shot.

Friday

  • Presidential Debate (Various, 6pm/pst) – This election season feels like it has been going on forever but now we could really start to get down to it as Jim Lehrer moderates.

Saturday

  • Dirty Sexy Money (Soap, 9am) – Catch up on delightful season one with this marathon.
  • Chris Rock (HBO, 9pm) – In his Kill the Messenger special we see comedy from a few locations on his tour.
  • 48 Hours Mystery (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – I don’t know that I’ve ever watched this true-crime series.

Sunday

  • 60 Minutes (CBS, 7pm) Season Premiere – The stop watch still ticks.
  • Extreme Makeover: Home (ABC, 7/8pm) Season Premiere – I f I read this correctly a single mother of four took in her sister’s 10 children…. I can’t even take care of my plants, she deserves a house.
  • The Amazing Race (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – I understand this is one of the ‘good’ reality shows.
  • The Simpsons/King of the Hill/Family Guy/American Dad (Fox, 8-10pm) Season Premieres – The animation evening continues.
  • Desperate Housewives (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – As I understand it they’re refreshing things by skipping ahead five years.
  • Cold Case (CBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Another one of those procedurals I didn’t keep up with.
  • Dexter (Show, 9pm) Season Premiere – Ok I’m still on season 3 on netflix but this one is addictive.
  • Brothers and Sisters (ABC, 10pm) Season Premiere – So if anyone missed it the now making out Rebecca and Justin are not really related, she only thought she was his sister for a while.
  • The Unit (CBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – When the team protects the vice and president elects, they could just paste a current candidates head on the actor’s bodies.
  • Californication (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – Too easy to make a David Duchovny joke.
  • Little Britain (HBO, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – A fav british sketch show may take a few weeks to get its new american legs.
  • The Life & Times of Tim (HBO, 11pm) Series Premiere – Steve Dildarian former ad guy and fun painter creates this new animated series.
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tv

next week 9/15

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New and notable for the week ahead, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • The Closer (TNT, 9pm) Season Finale – I now have this entire season saved on tivo.
  • Weeds (Show, 10pm) Season Finale – This show is still in my queue but some catching up on other shows first.

Tuesday

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – The families are back, you people who love the joyous transformations get ready.
  • House (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – I dig the curmudgeonly doc and am curious to see if they find a better balance between new and old supporting docs.
  • Lincoln Heights (ABCFam, 8pm) Season Premiere – The preview looks like a young couple suffers a melodramatic robbery turned hostage situation.
  • Big Brother (CBS, 9pm) Season Finale – Someone wins…

Wednesday

  • Ultimate Fighter (Spike, 10pm) Season Premiere – 32 fighters try to win a UFC contract.
  • Manswers (Spike, 11/11:30pm) Season Premiere – I stumbled upon an old episode of this show and learned how to beat a drug test, not that I need that information.

Thursday

  • Smallville (CW, 8pm) Season Premiere – I watched this show for the first season so I am totally out of touch with Clark and his new superfriends.
  • Supernatural (CW, 9pm) Season Premiere – Two generic good looking brothers fight the supernatural, you’d think I’d be interested but I never was.
  • Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) Season Finale – Whatever sort of fix will Michael get forced into this week, I’m actually usually looking forward to seeing him get out of it.
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – This super un pc show, this week it’s about cannibalism, actually made me laugh though it didn’t hit the tivo season pass so over time I sort of dropped it.

Friday

  • Davis Cup (Vs, 9am, fri-su) – US vs. Spain, will typically hit singles on Friday/Sunday with doubles on Sat.
  • Dog Whisperer (NatGeo, 9pm) – 100th episode brings back some now well behaved doggies and looks back at the not so well behaved doggies.

Saturday

  • Primeval (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Anomalies and dinosaurs or something.

Sunday

  • Beach Volleyball (Fox, 11:30am) – The granddaddy of all tournaments in Manhattan Beach, can Misty and Carrie get their mojo back?
  • Emmy Awards (ABC, 8pm) – I admit I don’t really watch this awards show and this year the reality hosts don’t make me want to change my mind.

* Check your local listings, live events typically noted as PST.

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sports, tv

next week 9/8

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

Monday

  • Terminator: SCC (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Sarah and her son John moving in time to try to stop things before they go awry, and stay alive, though the leads are both a little stiff, as the supporting cast and stories were developed so was the interest (though I might have to lose it in this time slot against GGirl and Chuck).
  • CMA Music Festival (ABC, 9pm) – Fans and country stars are shown from this four day music festival.
  • Dr 90210 (E, 10pm) Season Premiere – This reality follows a doctor in Beverly Hills I assume.

Tuesday

  • Fringe (Fox, 8pm-replays Sun) Series Premiere – 95 minute start of the JJ Abrams series (Lost, Alias, Felicity) brings us what’s being most closely compared to the X-files, as an FBI agent investigates “phenomena” with the help of old science guy and son (Dawson Creek’s Joshua Jackson).
  • Privileged (CW, 9pm-replays Sun) Series Premiere – Cute Joanna Garcia (Reba) is introduced to the world of the spoiled as a live in tutor.
  • Fashion Rocks (CBS, 9pm) – Denis Leary hosts this mix of fashionable rockers and rocking fashions.
  • The Rachel Zoe Project (Bravo, 11pm-repeats) Series Premiere – Follow real life celebrity fashion stylist and her posse as they style the celebrities.

Wednesday

  • Greatest American Dog (CBS, 8pm) Season Finale – The final three dogs compete, and I admit that I’ve dropped off this show but the difference in dog’s (and owners) performance on the different kinds of challenges was fun to see.
  • ‘Til Death (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – This Brad Garrett and others show about two couples, one jaded, one not, has never made it to my watched list.
  • Do Not Disturb (Fox, 9:30pm) Series Premiere -Jerry O’Connell plays the general manager of this hip hotel with apparent staff shenanigans.
  • Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV, 10pm-repeats) Season Premiere – I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen this show which starts its 16th season of competition.

Thursday

  • MTV’s Top Pop Group (MTV, 10pm-repeats) Series Premiere – Music acts compete as Mario Lopez hosts.
  • Comics Without Borders (Show, 10pm-repeats) Series Premiere – This looks like a standup comedy showcase.

Friday

  • 2008 Alma Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Eva Longoria Parker hosts the Latino Awards with recipients like America Ferrera
  • Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – And the lyric singing continues.

Saturday

  • Action Sports (Sat/Sun NBC, USA) – The Toyota Challenge takes us to Salt Lake City as the guys get closer to winning the Dew Cup my favorite is still the vert skate and though Bucky’s in the lead it’s anyone’s game.
  • Coco Chanel (Life, 8pm) – Shirley MacLaine plays fashion icon Chanel in this tv movie of her life.
  • MADtv (Fox, 11pm) Season Premiere – Jerry O’Connell guests as this skit series returns.
  • SNL (NBC, 11:30) Season Premiere – Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps hosts and hopefully doesn’t embarrass himself with Lil Wayne performing.

Sunday

  • Catch up on tivo or replays of premieres of Fringe and Privileged, I love when they replay starters to give you some time to catch before you settle into a season.
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tv

next week 9/1

2 Comments

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

Monday

  • Gossip Girl (CW, 8pm — repeats Sun/6pm) Season Premiere – What has become of split couples Blair/Chuck and Serena/Dan? Something tells me someone will be doing it as we greet our gang in the Hamptons before we return to school.
  • Prison Break (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – This two hour premiere continues the ridiculous brothers and others criminal chase, now apparently they’re working for homeland security… loved this show first season and can’t tune in now.
  • One Tree Hill (CW, 9pm – repeats Sun 7pm) Season Premiere – I think that Lucas is still deciding between Brooke and Peyton and some other girls.
  • The Middleman (ABC Fam, 10pm) Season Finale – I actually found this show pretty enjoyable with its mix of comicy humor and sarcastic fun as the Middleman and his trusty sidekick Wendy fight the weird.
  • Raising the Bar (TNT, 10pm- repeats 9/2) Series Premiere – This courtroom drama is getting average reviews, but if courtroom dramas are you thing it might not be all bad with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben, and Jane Kaczmarek.

Tuesday

  • 90210 (CW, 8pm – repeats Th/8pm) Series Premiere – This two hour event returns us to beloved West Beverly Hills High School along with a returning principal and his transplanted family, and Brenda is on for at least 4 eps and Kelly is the guidance counselor, apparently they’re more mature now.
  • The Shield (Fx, 10pm – repeats) Season Premiere – This final season starts with more drama, I have yet to catch this cop series but it’s in the queue as folks say great things.

Wednesday

  • America’s Next Top Model (CW, 8pm – repeats Sun, 8pm) Season Premiere – The latest ladies (and one preop transgender gal) are cast in the two hour launch for another round of ridiculous drama and surprisingly engaging modelicious challenges that always promise to bring out the fierce.
  • Bones (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – This show returns with a two hour premiere as Booth and Bones do their special forensic anthropologic fbi investigations in England, promises lots of good fun.
  • Ghost Hunters/Destination Truth (Sci fi, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Ghost hunting and paranormal mosques oh my.
  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx, 10pm- repeats) Series Premiere – This one hour+ show starts out with family issues and rival motorcycle gang hijinks.
  • Top Design (Bravo, 10pm – repeats) Season Premiere – This 75 minute starter has the gang designing a loft, of course with limited time and money.

Thursday

  • Kitchen Nightmares (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Gordon takes two hours to revisit kitchen’s he’s harassed before.
  • Republican National Conventions (Various channels) – The convention wraps up its Minneapolis coverage that started Monday.

Friday

  • Stand Up to Cancer (ABC/CBS/NBC, 8pm) – A big gang of celebs support cancer research (and oppose cancer).
  • Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Kathy Ireland and the State Superintendent of Georgia meet the new 5th grade class in the 2 hour premiere.
  • Samurai Girl (ABC Fam, 6/8pm – Sa/Su 8 and various times) – This six-part miniseries follows a girl whose marriage is interrupted and must avenge her family’s honor, or something like that.

Saturday

  • Cops/America’s Most Wanted (Fox, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – The folks they are criminals and must be gotten.
  • US Open Tennis (USA, throughout the week, CBS Fri-Sun) – The gang raps up this hard court run with a champ Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday

  • Hole in the Wall (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – This is the one where contestants have to shape their bodies to fit through holes they’re thrust through.
  • America United: Support of Our Troops (ABC, 9pm) – Folks like Pam Anderson and Jessica Simpson honor the troops.
  • MTV VMAs (MTV, 9pm – repeats) – Host Russell Brand keeps it moving, we hear no Britney but I’m sure the Jonas Brothers will show.
  • True Blood (HBO, 9pm) Series Premiere – Alan Ball of Six Feet Under takes another pass at tv with this vampires live among us but they’re drinking synthetic blood, or are they, series based on books by Charlaine Harris.
  • Entourage (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – The guys are back as Vincent Chase and buddies deal with business and pleasure.

Check your local listings for final times and repeat showings.

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tv guide fall preview

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tvguide.jpgLabor day is upon us and fall is here! TV Guide still does a nice job laying out the new season. I am a big fan of the printable premiere calendar and of course the grid of what’s on when: http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview-2008/

Sadly as I take a closer gander at scheduling it’s looking a little cramped in a couple of slots. Monday at 8 with Big Bang/HIMYMother, Gossip Girl, Terminator, and Chuck. Then Wednesday at 8 with Pushing Daisies, Old Christine, ANTM, and Bones. I like to limit myself to two shows max per time slot so I’m going to have to make some accommodations. At least CW typically reruns ANTM and GGirl, and of course there’s some stuff online. I mean who could think of dropping a show, for other than enjoyment considerations, but that’s often how it happens for me. And of course I never expect the new shows to all hit so I should be able to drop one of the cramped Tuesday at 9 options of The Mentalist, Privileged, and Fringe (sadly the cute Joanna Garcia may lose to the cuter Simon Baker and of course JJ Abrams newest product).

So poke around and see what’s going to be happening. I will of course continue to note the premieres in the Next Weeks. And as soon as I hear a little more from the critics I’ll let you know what of the new stuff we’re all most excited about.

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sports, tv

next week 8/25

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New and notable in the week ahead…

Monday

  • Deal or No Deal (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Don’t ask me how they can make people randomly picking briefcases filled with money last an hour.
  • America’s Toughest Jobs (NBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – From the creator of Deadliest Catch and Iceroad Truckers real folks get a dose of overly tough reality in this multi job competition.
  • Saving Grace (TNT, 10pm) Summer Finale – What will we do until Grace comes back?
  • Exiled (MTV, 10:30) Series Premiere – So apparently the over indulged previously shown celebraters from My Sweet 16 are now being sent to see how the other half lives.

Tuesday

  • Gavin & Stacey (BBCA, 8:40pm) Series Premiere – A comedy following a couple from England and Wales who try to mix their lives.
  • Greek (ABC Fam, 9pm) Season Premiere -I’m excited for this fluffy college show to return, though Casey should get over Evan and Kappie.
  • Janice Dickenson Modeling Agency (Oxy, 10pm) Season Premiere – This season models new and old, the oldest being Janice, move in together.

Wednesday

  • Shear Genius (Bravo, 10pm) Season Finale – The final cuts are in.

Thursday

  • Democratic National Convention – Starting Monday through Thursday the convention can be seen on many a channel at many a time… check your local listings.

Friday

  • Grizzly Man Diaries (Anim Pl, 6pm) Series Premiere – An eight part series documenting the life of Timothy Treadwell (from the creepy Grizzly Man movie) in the decade before his death.

Saturday

  • Starter Wife (USA, 9am) – A little marathon of the start of Debra Messing’s freshly single series.

Sunday

  • US Open Tennis (USA starting Mon, CBS Sa/Su) – So what are the chances the final will be Nadal (1) vs Federer (2) and Ivanovic (1) vs Jankovic (2)… let’s see how this goes.
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next week 8/18

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New and notable in the week ahead…

Monday

  • Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the Whitehouse (HBO, 9pm) – She quips about her tenure in the press corps with many a president.
  • The Hills (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – This is that ‘reality’ show where ‘regular’ people have become ‘celebrities.’
  • Busted (MTV, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – More reality but this time it’s kids who get arrested.
  • Olympic Roundup – NBC primetime coverage includes women’s individual gymnastics events, trampoline final, track & field, and women’s beach volleyball semis.

Tuesday

  • Making the Band 4 (MTV, 9pm) Season Premiere – The bands promote what I’m sure are hot hits.
  • Olympic roundup – NBC primetime coverage includes men’s and women’s individual gymnastics events, track & field, diving, and new event: bmx cycling.

Wednesday

  • Architecture School (Sund, 9pm) Series Debut – Can you pick the hot new architect who will combine a great aesthetic and a realistic single family home?
  • Olympic Roundup – NBC primetime coverage includes gymnastics exhibition, track & field, bmx cycling, and women’s beach volleyball finals.

Thursday

  • Glam God with Vivica A Fox/The Cho Show (VH1, 10/11pm) Series Premieres – Folks compete to be a celebrity stylist, then we get to follow comedian Margaret Cho around.
  • Jacked: Auto Theft Task Force (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – It’s like Cops but with carjackers.
  • Tabatha’s Salon Takeover (Bravo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Some chick from Shear Genius tries to turn salons around.
  • Olympic Roundup – NBC primetime coverage includes track & field, women’s diving, and men’s beach volleyball finals.

Friday

  • Discovery Project Earth (DSC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Can scientists come up with the way to save the earth, hear what they have to say here.
  • Who Are you Wearing (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – I think this is kind of like Project Runway.
  • Jeffrey Ross (Com, 11:30pm) – A comedy central special of Ross doing No Offense Live from New Jersey.
  • Olympic Roundup – NBC primetime coverage includes men’s diving and track & field.

Saturday

  • Olympic Roundup – NBC day and evening overage includes women’s basketball finals, women’s volleyball finals, rhythmic gymnastics, synchro swimming, boxing, canoe/kayak, men’s marathon, track & field, and diving.

Sunday

  • Law & Order: CI (USA, 9pm) Season Finale – This is actually the one of these I don’t watch, though I like Mr. Big better than D’Onofrio.
  • Generation Kill (HBO, 9pm) Miniseries finale – Does this mean the war is over?
  • Olympic Roundup – NBC day and evening coverage includes men’s waterpolo finals, rhythmic gymnastics, boxing, men’s volleyball finals, and the Closing Ceremonies.
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