Program Planner: Aug. 24-30
Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Aug. 24:
SUNDAY, AUG. 24
◊“Born in the Wrong Body: A Change of Heart” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): This documentary follows Josef Kirchner and Michael Burke, also known as Judy and Michelle, in their journey from man to woman and back again.
◊“Gene Simmons Family Jewels” (8:30 p.m. on A&E): In the third-season finale, Gene finds himself the unlikely owner of an Australian rules football team.
◊“Greensburg” (6 p.m. on OETA-13): Producer, writer and director Brian Schodorf travels back to his native state of Kansas to document the recovery of the city that was devastated by a tornado in May 2007.
◊“S.I.S.” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): Executive producer John Herzfeld (“Two Days in the Valley”) also wrote and directed this new movie about a covert unit of the Los Angeles Police Department that tracks the most dangerous offenders and attempts to catch them in the act of committing violent crimes. The movie stars Peter Stebbings (“Jeremiah”), Omari Hardwick (“Saved”) and Keith David (“The Big House”).
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Henry Fonda: Among his 13 films airing in the festival today are 1937’s “Slim” (5 a.m.) and 1958’s “Stage Struck” (3:30 p.m.) and 1967’s “Welcome to Hard Times” (1 a.m.).
◊XXIX Summer Olympics (6 p.m. on NBC): Based on opening ceremonies in Beijing, the closing should be just as grand. But before the ceremonies commence, the last batch of medals are awarded following the men’s volleyball final.
◊“Z Rock” (10:30 p.m. on IFC): This new semi-scripted comedy follows the New York band Z02. The group works as a rock band at night and a children’s party band during the day.
MONDAY, AUG. 25
◊“America’s Toughest Jobs” (8 p.m. on NBC): This new extreme reality competition series features 13 men and women muscling their way through some of the most challenging and dangerous professions in American for prize money worth over $250,000. They will be judged by their successes and failures at such jobs as oil drilling, logging and extreme fishing. Each week, one contestant will be sent home.
◊“The Apprentice UK” (8 p.m. on CNBC): Episodes from the United Kingdom’s version of the reality series will air Mondays. A group of aspiring young businessmen and women compete for a job as apprentice to British business magnate Sir Alan Sugar, founder of the electronics company Amstrad.
◊“The Black List: Volume One” (8 p.m. on HBO): Photographer and filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders and journalist Elvis Mitchell join forces to present word and picture portraits of 22 prominent black Americans, including actor Lou Gossett Jr., former basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, comedian Chris Rock, tennis player Serena Williams and activist Al Sharpton.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): Actor Kevin Bacon, husband of series star Kyra Sedgwick, directs the new episode titled “Sudden Death.” After Det. Julio Sanchez’s brother is shot, the entire squad will not rest until they find the culprit.
◊“Deal or No Deal” (7 p.m. on NBC): The game show returns with its Million Dollar Mission. It begins with four $1 million cases on the board to up the odds of a contestant choosing the elusive case holding the top prize. An additional $1 million case will be added to the board each game until one lucky player takes home the big money.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): In the summer finale, the squad investigates a murder with racist and political connections. Mariette Hartley (“To Have & to Hold) guest stars.
◊“Secret Access: Air Force One” (7 p.m. on History): Step inside the high-security domain of the Presidential Airlift Group, the Air Force team in charge of operating the presidential plane — a military Boeing 747 jumbo jet that is longer than the White House.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Ingrid Bergman: Among her 12 films airing in the festival today are 1950’s “Stromboli” (5 a.m.) and 1945’s “The Bells of St. Mary’s” (3 p.m.) and 1964’s “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” (2:30 a.m.).
◊“Writing Out Loud” (10:30 p.m. on OETA-13): An interview with former Oklahoma Senator and University of Oklahoma President David Boren, whose book “Letter to America” was released in February.
TUESDAY, AUG. 26
◊“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart: Indecision ’08” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central): Talk show host Jon Stewart is back on the political trail, broadcasting a week of shows from Denver, the site of the Democratic National Convention.
◊“General Hospital” (2 p.m. on ABC): Actress Genie Francis reprises her role as Laura, who was last seen slipping in and out of a catatonic state in 2007. Laura’s 1981 wedding to Luke (played by Anthony Geary) was watching by 30 million viewers.
◊“Greek” (8 p.m. on ABC Family)(ABC Family Photo above): The show’s second season picks up at the end of Spring Break as the gang returns to campus for the conclusion of their school year. Viewers who want to catch up on the campus antics from the first season can tune in to a nine-hour marathon beginning at 10 a.m.
◊“The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency” (9 p.m. on Oxygen): For the show’s fourth season, Janice moves into a Hollywood Hills mansion with her models. The master bedroom was decorated by interior designer Christopher Ciccone, brother of Madonna.
◊“Out in Left Field: The Making of the Chinese Olympic Baseball Team” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Former Major League Baseball players Jim Lefebvre and Bruce Hurst attempt to turn China’s fledgling National Baseball Team into to a contender for the 2008 Olmpics.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Janet Leigh: Among her 13 films airing in the festival today are 1947’s “The Romance of Rosy Ridge” (5 a.m.) and 1954’s “Rogue Cop” (3:45 p.m.) and 1972’s “One is a Lonely Number” (1 a.m.).
◊“World’s Funniest Commercials 2008” (8 p.m. on TBS): Kevin Nealon (“Weeds”) and his wife Susan Yeagley (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) host this new special that showcases laugh-out-loud television ads from around the world. Olympic chamion figure skater Scott Hamilton will announce the commercial that wins the gold medal.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 27
◊“Criss Angel Mindfreak” (9:30 p.m. on A&E): The illusionist attempts to catch an arrow being shot from a crossbow. Helping out is rock singer Ted Nugent, who will shoot the crossbow.
◊“Dinner: Impossible” (9 p.m. on Food Network): Iron Chef Michael Symon takes the stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville to serve 300 fans and musicians a meal inspired by classic country tunes.
◊“Mythbusters” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Was the July 1969 moon landing an elaborate hoax? Adam and Jamie test the theory that two of NASA’s most famous images were shot in a studio.
◊“People’s President: Man, Myth and the Media” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Actors Michael Douglas, LeVar Burton, Kathy Bates and Charlton Heston provide narration for this special that examines America’s perception of the presidency.
◊“Shear Genius” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the second-season finale, the remaining finalists cut, color and style four different models ranging in age from 16 to 60. The winner receives $100,000, an apprenticeship with Nexxus and a chance to style hair for an Allure magazine feature.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Tony Curtis: Among his 11 films airing in the festival today are 1954’s “Beachhead” (6 a.m.), 1965’s “Boeing Boeing” (4 p.m.) and 1956’s “Trapeze” (1 a.m.).
◊“Wife Swap” (7 p.m. on ABC): Tonya Ives, a Georgia wife and mother who spends 10 months out of the year on the road with her family’s high-octane extreme motorcycle stunt show, travels to Arizona to swap loves with Pam Coste, the matriarch of an artistic and environmentally aware family. One segment shows the motorcycle stunt artists perfoming at Oklahoma’s State Fair Arena.
THURSDAY, AUG. 28
◊“Dragons’ Den” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Five multimillionaires are ready to back the best new ideas in this reality series. Items being pitched this episode include a water saving device for toilets and a free phone directory service.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Charlton Heston: Among his nine films airing in the festival today are 1954’s “Bad for Each Other” (5 a.m.), 1959’s “Ben-Hur” (3 p.m.) and 1970’s “The Hawaiians” (2:30 a.m.).
FRIDAY, AUG. 29
◊“Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m. on CBS): Nikki Cox (“Las Vegas”) guest stars as the ex-girlfriend of Professor Payne (Jay Mohr, who is her real-life husband). The episode is titled “Deadbeat Dads” and orginally premiered in May.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Marlon Brando: Among his nine films airing in the festival today are 1960’s “The Fugitive Kind” (5 a.m.), 1955’s “Guys and Dolls” (1:30 p.m.) and 1980’s “The Formula” (3 a.m.).
◊“Zu & Co: Live at the Royal Albert Hall” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): International pop music star Zucchero performs a line-up of blues-inspired hits and world ballads along with a number of musical guests, including Paul Young and Eric Clapton.
◊“Today” (7 a.m. on NBC): The “Songs of Summer” concert airing live from Rockefeller Plaza in New York City will feature Katy Perry, Jesse McCartney and the Pussycat Dolls.
SATURDAY, AUG. 30
◊“CMT’s Biggest Redneck Wedding Ever” (7 p.m. on CMT): Host Tom Arnold (“Roseanne”) and his crew help a Florida couple realize their dreams of a unique wedding, complete with a giant matrimonial beer slide and a mud-themed wedding cake.
◊“The Cooking Loft” (8:30 a.m. on Food Network): Chef Alexandra Guarnaschelli invites four students into her kitchen to learn her secrets and ask the kinds of questions at-home viewers would like answered.
◊“For the Love of Grace” (8 p.m. on Hallmark): This new Hallmark Channel original movie stars Mark Consuelos (‘‘Hope & Faith”) as a firefighter battling depresion following the death of his wife. When he rescues Grace (Chandra West, “John From Cincinnati”) from an apartment fire, the two begin a friendship that allows each to reexamine their lives.
◊Oklahoma State University takes on Washington State in college football action airing live at 2:30 p.m. on FSNSW. This is the second straight year that OSU has opened its season on national television.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Katharine Hepburn: Among her 12 films airing in the festival today are 1933’s “Morning Glory” (5 a.m.), 1940’s “The Philadelphia Story” (3:15 p.m.) and 1981’s “On Golden Pond” (1:15 a.m.).
–Penny TV
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