Top 44 TV Programs for Jan. 25-31
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 Jan. 25:
SUNDAY, JAN. 25
◊The 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (7 p.m. on TNT and TBS): The winners in five film and eight primetime television categories will be decided by the entire active membership of the Guild. James Earl Jones is this year’s Life Achievement Award honoree.
◊“Celebration of Gospel” (7 p.m. on BET): Steve Harvey (”The Steve Harvey Show”) returns to host the ninth annual event that featuring performances and spoken-word segments to “raise the praise.” Taking the stage this year will be Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr., Grammy-winning hip hop star LL Cool J. and gospel singers Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, Vickie Winans and Heather Headley.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): The crew helps an injured Iraqi war veteran and his family from Kansas rebuild their lives. The Tutwilers have been living on a military base ever since their house in Chapman, Kan., was devastated by an F4 tornado. Rock singer Gavin Rossdale performs his hit single “Love Remains” for the family at the reveal.
◊“The Last Templar” (8 p.m. today and Monday on NBC): This new miniseries is based on Raymond Khoury’s novel about an ancient mystery with a Vatican connection. It stars Mira Sorvino as an archaeologist who teams up with an FBI agent (Scott Foley) to investigate when four masked horsemen crash a museum exhibit of Vatican treasures.
◊“Loving Leah” (8 p.m. on CBS): In this new Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, a young Hasidic rabbi dies, and his nondevout brother (Adam Kaufman) is asked to honor an ancient custom and marry his widow, Leah (Lauren Ambrose).
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Texas in women’s college basketball action airing live at noon on FSOK.
MONDAY, JAN. 26
◊“American Experience” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment titled “The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer” offers a revealing portrait of the American scientist who led the development of the atomic bomb. The dramatic recreations feature David Strathairn (”Good Night, and Good Luck”).
◊“Antiques Roadshow” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The show rides into Dallas where everything is larger than life, including a few examples from a collection of more than 600 antique American flags.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): Brenda’s squad reopens a case that could leave another division with a black eye. Barry Corbin (”No Country for Old Men”) and Frances Sternhagen (”Misery”) guest star as Brenda’s parents.
◊“Inside the Actors Studio” (7 p.m. on Bravo): Host James Lipton chats with Conan O’Brien about everything from O’Brien’s childhood to his pre-”Late Night” career as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons.”
◊“Olivia” (10:30 a.m. on Nickelodeon)(Nickelodeon Photo pictured above): This new animated series invites children into the life—both real and fantasy—of an adventurous, can-do 6¾-year-old girl named Olivia who believes she can do anything and sees every day as an opportunity to try new things. The series is based on author/illustrator Ian Falconer’s best-selling books.
◊“One Way Out” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Escape artist Jonathan Goodwin attempts extreme excapes created by mechanical engineer Terry Stroud in this new series.
◊“Private Screenings: Ernest Borgnine” (7 p.m. on TCM): Ernest Borgnine, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of the titular shy butcher in 1955’s “Marty,” talks about his life and career. He is still working at age 92, with several movies due out this year.
◊“Trust Me” (9 p.m. on TNT): This new series stars Eric McCormack (”Will & Grace”) and Tom Cavanagh (”Ed”) as best friends who work together in the cutthroat world of advertising.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Oklahoma State University in men’s college basketball action airing live at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
TUESDAY, JAN. 27
◊“Frontline/World” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the season premiere titled “Getting Out of Gitmo,” correspondent Alexandra Poolos reports on several dozen men from rural China who spent years at the infamous detention facility.
◊“Last Restaurant Standing” (7 p.m. on BBC America): World-renowned chef and Michelin-starred restaurateur Raymond Blanc returns for Season 2 of the series. Nine couples will battle it out for a once in an opportunity to open a new restaurant with him.
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m. on NBC): a famous astronaut is found dead and Det. Stabler’s ikd mentor, Dick Finley (James Brolin, “The Reagans”) helps investigate the case.
◊“Scrubs” (8 p.m. on ABC): J.D. learns the hard way that not even Elmo can teach the gift of compassion to those who don’t care to learn. Guest starring from Sesame Workshop’s “Muppets” are Kevin Clash as Elmo, Eric Jacobson as Grover and Carroll Spinney as Oscar the Grouch.
◊“The Whitest Kids U’ Know” (9 p.m. on IFC): Season 2 of the sketch comedy show continues to showcase the raucous and peculiar talents of Trevor, Zach, Sam, Darren and Timmy as they take on our culture’s obsessive fascination with celebrities, infomercials and office culture.
◊“Without a Trace” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): The team searches for Elena’s former partner who disappears after an undercover sting operation. The idea for the episode came from series star Roselyn Sanchez (Elena).
◊Tulsa Memorial takes on Tulsa Washington in high school basketball action airing live at 6:30 p.m. on Cox.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 28
◊“The Detonators” (7 p.m. on Discovery): This new series follows explosives experts Dr. Braden Lusk and Dr. Paul Worsey as they get backstage passes to the world’s biggest and toughest demolition blasts.
◊“Life on Mars” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): Lieutenant Hunt faces off with his arch rival from another precinct while investigating a bank robbery with international connections.
◊“Lost” (7 p.m. on ABC): Hurley and Sayid are on the run from the cops after stumbling into trouble at the safehouse, the island survivors come under attack by unknown forces, and an old friend offers some shocking advice to Kate in order to ensure that “the lie” remain a secret.
◊“Make ’em Laugh: The Funny Business of America” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment titled “Wiseguys and Smart-Alecks: Never Give a Sucker an Even Break” is devoted to the masters and mistresses of the snappy comeback, from W.C. Fields and Jack Benny to Chris Rock and Larry David. The miniseries wraps up with an hour devoted to parody and satirical comedy.
◊“Secrets of the Summer House” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Lindsay Price (“Lipstick Jungle”) and David Haydn-Jones (“Rumours”) star in this 2008 drama about a centuries old curse that haunts a family summer house.
The University of Oklahoma takes on Baylor in women’s college basketball action airing live at 7 p.m. on KWTV-9.
THURSDAY, JAN. 29
◊“Burn Notice” (9 p.m. on USA): Michael, Fiona and Sam pose as a gang of ruthless car thieves to stop a thug who is threatening a local high school football star. Former Dallas Cowboy football player Michael Irvin guest stars as the local football coach.
◊“Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m. on Fox): A new batch of 16 aspiring chefs step up to the plate to face world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay as he serves up the fifth course of his fiery unscripted series. The winner will receive a head chef position at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.
◊“Smallville” (7 p.m. on CW): Series star Allison Mack (Chloe Sullivan) makes her directorial debut with this episode titled “Power.” Clark finds Tess in Lana’s ransacked apartment and realizes Lana is missing.
◊“The Trials of Ted Haggard” (7 p.m. on HBO): This new documentary chronicles the sex scandal that enveloped the Rev. Ted Haggard in 2006 when a male prostitute alleged the two of them had been having sex for three years and had done meth together.
◊“Ugly Betty” (7 p.m. on ABC): Gio (guest star Freddy Rodriguez) returns and Betty tries to make amends, but he’s not having any of it.
◊“The VH1 Pepsi Smash Bowl Bash” (8 p.m. on VH1): Jerry O’Connell (”Sliders”) will host this concert that kicks off the celebration of the 43rd Super Bowl. Scheduled performers at the event airing live from Tampa, Fla., include Rihanna, Fall Out Boys and Lifehouse.
FRIDAY, JAN. 30
◊“Friday Night Lights” (8 p.m. on NBC): Matt Saracen feels the heat asw the fans lose faith in him and turn to the new quarterback, J.D. McCoy (Jeremy Sumpter, “Clubhouse”).
◊“The Game” (7:30 p.m. on CW): Malik’s invitation to appear on the children’s television show of his childhood hero, Mookie (voiced by Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash who also appears as himself in the episode), is rescinded.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA): Monk scores tickets to the biggest football game of the year, but he and Captain Stottlemeyer can’t go inside until they figure out who tried to blow up a fan in the parking lot. Sports announcer Bob Costas guest stars.
◊“Psych” (9 p.m. on USA): Shawn and Gus are drafted in when the guys sign up for training camp after the foot of a professional football kicker is discovered. Mykelti Williamson (“Forest Gump”) guest stars.
Putnam City takes on Edmond Santa Fe in high school basketball action airing live at 6 p.m. on Cox.
SATURDAY, JAN. 31
◊“AKC/Eukanuba National Championship” (7 p.m. on Animal Planet): Thousands of canines from around the country and across the globe compete, but only one will come away with “best in show” honors.
◊“Lisa Lampanelli: Long Live the Queen” (9 p.m. on HBO): Taped recently before a live audience in Santa Rosa, Cal., this special features the comedienne offering her unique take on social taboos and stereotypes that even today’s boldest comics rarely broach.
◊“The Note II: Taking a Chance on Love” (8 p.m. on Hallmark): Genie Francis (“General Hospital”) and Ted McGinley (“Hope and Faith”) reprise their roles in this sequel to the network’s highest-rated film of 2007. They return as Peyton MacGruder and King Danville, a columnist and a sports writer brought together by the power of words and the power of love.
◊“Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials” (7 p.m. on CBS): Jim Nantz (”The NFL on CBS”) and Daisy Fuentes (”Ultimate Style”) co-host this special that showcases 10 of the most famous ads introduced during past Super Bowls. The top three picks will be revealed during the show, and viewers can go to www.cbs.com/superbowl to vote for their favorite.
◊“Kevin Hart: I’m a Grown Little Man” (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): The comedian, who stands 5-foot-4, takes a grown-up perspective on being a “little man.”
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Iowa State in men’s college basketball action airing live at 12:30 p.m. on KOCB-34.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Missouri in women’s college basketball action airing live at 12:30 on KAUT-43.
Oklahoma State University takes on Texas A&M in men’s college basketball action airing live at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
–Penny TV
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
LISA LAMPANELLI IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COMEDIANS!