Top 55 TV Programs for May 17-23, 2009
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 May 17 (NOTE: Times are CST; For EST, add one hour; For PST, subtract two hours):
SUNDAY, MAY 17
◊“American Dad” (8:30 p.m. on Fox): Grammy winner Joss Stone provides a guest voice in the season finale, as Stan leaves Francine at home for a night out with the guys, but the evening keeps landing Stan in one compromising situation after another.
◊“Change of Face” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): The final installment of the three-part series follows a young girl who lives with a disfigured lip that only a risky operation can fix; a man with an aggressive cancer that has taken hold of his face in a matter of weeks; and a teenager who turns to facial surgery in the hope that her life will be transformed.
◊“Dane Cook: Isolated Incident” (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): This commercial-free stand-up special follows Dane Cook in a performance that was captured with a single camera using only one raw, unedited take. It includes brand new, cutting-edge material that pushes the envelope to its highest level.
◊“Desperate Housewives” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 5 two-hour finale, Lynette adapts to Tom’s decision to go back to school, Orson takes a beating that Bree cannot comprehend, Gaby’s niece moves to Wisteria Lane and Susan and MJ’s lives are in grave danger at the hands of Dave.
◊“Do You Know Me” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Rachelle Lefevre (“Twilight”) and Jeremy London (“Jason & the Argonauts”) star in this 2009 psychological thriller in which the truth becomes a lie and the familiar becomes the unknown as a woman’s terrifying investigation into her past leads to a secret that could kill her.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (6 p.m. on ABC): Season 6 wraps up with a special two-hour episode in which Ty Pennington and his team travel to Indianapolis to rebuild the deteriorating home of the McFarland family. The Indiana Pacers make a special appearance and donation.
◊“Family Guy” (8 p.m. on Fox): Peter has his palm read by a psychic who reveals that he had a fascinating past life as Griffin Peterson, a dignified gentleman who vied for the love of Lady Redbush in 17th century England and in the newly founded American colony of Quahog.
◊“How Bruce Lee Changed the World” (7 p.m. on History): This two-hour special looks at Bruce Lee’s legacy, revealing the story of his rise from the backstreets of Hong Kong and documenting his qualities that drove him to international stardom. His death at the age of 32 is shrouded in mystery.
◊“King of the Hill” (7:30 p.m. on Fox): When Boomhauer swaps homes with a Canadian family for the summer, Hank and the guys go out of their way to make the new family feel welcome in Arlen.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment titled “Wallander: Firewall,” a taxi driver’s murder, the inexplicable death of a systems analyst and the failure of power grid gradually weave a fiendish plot with a gripping countdown to an impending disaster.
◊“Russell Simmons Presents Brave New Voices” (9 p.m. on HBO): In the Season 1 finale, the finest young poets in America take center stage for the Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry Grand Slam Championship. Introduced and encouraged by host Idris Elba (“The Wire”), each team puts its best poetry foot forward over four rounds.
◊“Sarah’s House” (10 a.m. on DIY): This new series follows designer Sarah Richardson through the process of purchasing a house and renovating it room by room.
◊“The Simpsons” (7 p.m. on Fox): When nearby Ogdenville’s economy crumbles due to tainted barley discovered in Krusty’s veggie burgers, the unemployed workers of Ogdenville flock to Springfield. After Mayor Quimby closes Springfield’s borders and enlists private citizens to help patrol them, Homer organizes a border patrol group.
◊“Storm Stories” (7 p.m. on The Weather Channel): In August 2007, Ruth Ross of Mount Vernon, Mo., is thrown from her car by flooding water and clings to a log. Kenneth Mills, who is driving by, pulls his vehicle over to lend a helping hand. However, the pair gets pulled under by a heavy stream and are then both fighting for their lives.
◊“Saturday Night Live Just Shorts” (8 p.m. on NBC): Andy Samberg (“I Love You, Man”) hosts this special featuring many of SNL’s most celebrated short films over the past 34 seasons, including “Synchronized Swimmers,” “TV Funhouse” and “Mr. Bill.”
◊“Survivor: Tocantins” (7 p.m. on CBS): The Season 18 finale begins with four remaining castaways vying for the $1 million prize and title of “Ultimate Survivor.” The finale is followed by a one-hour live reunion show hosted by Jeff Probst.
MONDAY, MAY 18
◊“4th and Long” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): In this new series, former NFL player Michael Irvin is on a mission to uncover the next gtreat Dalls Cowboy. He will oversee a 10-week training camp of 12 pro football hopefuls in which players will be cut each week. The eventual victor will head to training camp with the Dalls Cowboys.
◊“24″ (7 p.m. on Fox): Jack reaches an emotional climax as one of the most stressful days of his life — which has included widespread loss of lives, a White House siege, treachery and betrayal, not to mention the kidnapping and shooting of the president’s husband — ticks down its final two hours.
◊“American Experience” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This three-hour installment chronicles the history of the Kennedy family through photographs, archival footage, home movies and interviews with family members, friends and first-hand witnesses to the many chapters of the Kennedy story.
◊“The Bachelorette” (8:02 p.m. Monday on ABC): Thirty bachelors — includes Lawton MacArthur High School assistant football coach Bryan Vardeman — will compete for Jillian Harris’ affections in the Season 5 premiere.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): When Delko goes against Calleigh’s plea and helps his dangerous father, his life is put in jeopardy on the Season 7 finale. Brian Austin Green (“Beverly Hills, 90210″) guest stars as an alleged carjacking victim.
◊“Gossip Girl” (7 p.m. on CW): On the Season 2 finale, Gossip Girl decides to liven things up at the Constance Billard and St. Jude’s graduation by sending out a shocking and damaging email blast in the midst of the commencement ceremony.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Ted pulls an all-nighter working on a pitch in an attempt to bring business to his fledgling architecture firm, Marshall tries to lure him to the roof for a surprise 31st birthday party on Season 4 finale.
◊“Medium” (9 p.m. on NBC): Series star Patricia Arquette (Allison Dubous) directs this episode in which Allison reaches out to a private investigator (Anjelica Huston, “The Royal Tenenbaums”) for help when she begins dreaming about a young woman (Rumer Willis “The House Bunny”), who years earlier was a kidnap victim rescued by the investigator.
◊“One Tree Hill” (8 p.m. on CW): Nathan is released from the Chiefs and is forced to face Haley and Jamie in the Season 6 finale.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 3 finale, Jeff wonders if he and Audrey are lacking spontaneity in the bedroom.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 6 finale, Charlie starts to question his relationship with Chelsea when he hears that his ex-flame Mia (Emmanuelle Vaugier, “Saw II”) is back in town.
◊“The View” (10 a.m. on ABC): This week of hour-long “Hot Topics” will ignite roundtable discussions of current events and spark passionate conversations leading to colorful debates among the show’s five hosts — Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd.
“Wonder Pets” (9:30 a.m. on Nickelodeon): Season 3 of the Emmy-winning animated series for preschoolers opens “Save the Cool Cat and the Hip Hippo!” The late actress/singer Eartha Kitt is the guest voice of Cool Cat and jazz singer Jon Hendricks is Hip Hippo. Friday’s premiere episode celebrates the Wonder Pets’ 100th save.
TUESDAY, MAY 19
◊“2009 CMT Music Awards Nominee Special” (9 a.m. on CMT): This special co-hosted by Kellie Pickler (“American Idol”) and Lance Smith (“Delta Farce”) will feature the music and videos of country music’s elite as decided by fan voting. The 2009 CMT Music Awards will be handed out June 16.
◊“90210″ (8 p.m. on CW): Adrianna and Navid spend their prom night in the delivery room, and Brenda shows up to offer support.
◊“Glee” (8 p.m. on Fox): This special preview of the new musical comedy series follows a high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing the high school’s glee club and challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential. The show will premiere in fall.
◊“Independent Lens” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new documentary “Stranded,” survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash recall how they beat the odds and managed to survive in the mountains for 72 days with no food, water or supplies.
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m. on NBC): When Pamela Galliano (Sprague Grayden, “Joan of Arcadia”) seeks to have a restraining order reinstated against her ex-boyfriend, the assigned judge has something else on his mind.
◊“The Mentalist” (8 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 1 finale, Lisbon fears that serial killer Red John is drawing Patrick Jane into a trap when the CBI team investigates the murder of a young girl and the abduction of her twin sister. Alicia Witt (“Cybill”) guest stars as a witness in the case.
◊“Most Outrageous” (7 p.m. on NBC): Season 3 of the show features all new outrageous moments from home videos, newscasts, game shows and commercials from around the globe.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): Ziva’s homecoming to Israel with Gibbs and the team is not a happy reunion with her father (“Michael Nouri, “Damages”), the enigmatic and powerful head of Mossad. As tensions rise, Gibbs is forced to make a decision that sends shockwaves through NCIS.
◊“Without a Trace” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): On the Season 7 finale, the team searches for a man who goes missing after a late night dive and try to zero in on who could be responsible for his disappearance. Martin Landau (“Ed Wood”) reprises his role as Frank Malone, Jack’s father. Adam Kaufman, Poppy Montgomery’s real-life boyfriend, reprises his role as Brian Donovan, the father of Samantha’s son, Finn.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
◊“American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox): The top 13 contestants from Season 8 reunite onstage during the two-hour finale. Host Ryan Seacrest will milk the suspense before revealing who the newest “American Idol” is.
◊“Clean House: Search for the Messiest Home in the Country” (9 p.m. on Style Network): Host Niecy Nash (“Reno 911″) and her experts travel across the country to find the messiest home, stopping in various cities along the way to help other extreme cases of out of control clutter.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The Behavioral Analysis Unit tracks a serial killer who chooses junkies, prostitutes and the homeless off the streets of Detroit as his victims and takes them across the border into Canada on the two-hour Season 4 finale.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Gary stops by Allison’s to fix her garbage disposal, their deprived love lives gets the better of them and they find themselves in Allison’s bedroom on the first-season finale.
◊“Loot” (7 p.m. on HBO2): During World War II, two young American soldiers on different continents looted valuable treasures amidst the chaos of combat and hid them before returning to civilian life in America. Sixty years later, both men set out to recover the stolen goods, only to discover that digging up the secrets of the past carries its own risks.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine learns some shocking news about New Christine’s father after the two of them rekindle their relationship at Richard’s and New Christine’s wedding. Scott Bakula (“Quantum Leap”) returns as Papa Jeff – New Christine’s father and Christine’s old flame. James Lesure (“Las Vegas”) guest stars as a wedding guest.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: James Stewart was born on this day in 1908, and TCM celebrates by airing six of his films, including 1938’s “You Can’t Take It With You” (8:30 a.m.) and 1959’s “Bell, Book and Candle” (5:15 p.m.).
◊“World War II: Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Using archive material only available since the fall of Communism, the new installment titled “Dividing the World” reveals the unknown forces that were tearing the Alliance apart just as victory was in reach.
THURSDAY, MAY 21
◊“30 Rock” (8:31 p.m. on NBC): Liz meets one of Jack’s old friends, eccentric businessman Gavin Volure (Steve Martin, “The Jerk”).
◊“Crime 360″ (9 p.m. on A&E): The forensic crime solving series that brings real criminal investigations to life returns for a second season. Cases involve investigations in Cleveland, Ohio; Rochester, NY; Little Rock, Ark.; and Indianapolis.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): The prime suspect in a murder case from 12 years earlier comes to the forefront of a new CSI investigation. Joshua Malina (“The West Wing”) guest stars.
◊“Free Radio” (10 p.m. on VH1): In the Season 2 finale, see what Lance Krall and the KBOM morning show staff have in store for celebrity guests Sugar Ray Leonard, Cheech & Chong and Zachary Levi (“Chuck”).
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): After two Marines are ambushed, the NCIS team finds the investigation leads back to Gibbs’ hometown, where secrets about his past are revealed. Ralph Waite (“The Waltons”) guest stars.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (7 p.m. on Fox): Season 5 kicks off with a two-night, four-hour season premiere. Hosted by Cat Deeley, the original dance competition series will inspire and amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom compete to be named America’s favorite dancer.
◊“Southern Belles” (9 p.m. on SoapNet): Meet the sexy Southern Belles of Louisville as they struggle with life, love and careers in this new docudrama.
◊“Southland” (9 p.m. on NBC): The day takes a turn for the worse when officers John Cooper, Ben Sherman, Chickie Brown and Dewey (C. Thomas Howell “War of the Worlds”) find a member of Marta’s Avenue gang dead in a trunk outside Dodger Stadium.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Robert Montgomery was born on this day in 1904, and TCM celebrates by airing nine of his films, including 1937’s “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney” (10:45 a.m.) and 1947’s “Lady in the Lake” (5”15 p.m.).
◊“Ugly Betty” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 3 finale, Billie Jean King (Wimbledon tennis champion) guest stars as Victoria Hartley’s instructor at an exclusive tennis club where Wilhelmina tries to score match point with the high society matriarch.
FRIDAY, MAY 22
◊“Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (7 p.m. on Fox): Meat Loaf (Grammy winner) and his daughter, Pearl Aday, compete for charity on the Season 3 premiere episode.
◊“Good Morning America” (7 a.m. on ABC): Green Day (Grammy winners) kick off the 2009 Summer Concert Series airing live from New York City’s Central Park. Since their 1994 break-out album, “Dookie,” Green Day has sold more than 30 million records, scored their ninth No. 1 single at alternative radio and played to millions of people around the world.
◊“Head Case” (9 p.m. on Starz): Dr. Goode travels back to New York City to get Dr. Myron Finkelstein out of his “mistaken identity” trouble. While there, Dr. Goode sorts through some deep dark issues and sees new patient Jerry Seinfeld. Craig Bierko (“Unhitched”) and Melina Kanakarades (“CSI: NY”) also guest star.
◊“Party Down” (9:30 p.m. on Starz): In the Season 1 finale, the crew is thrilled to be hired to work the very exclusive and star-studded wedding of a Hollywood mogul. But Ron is crushed to discover his team really is just backing up another, better-looking crew led by his archrival (Kristen Bell, “Veronica Mars”).
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Laurence Olivier was born on this day in 1907, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of his films, including 1936’s “Fire Over England” (8 a.m.) and 1968’s “The Shoes of the Fisherman” (4:15 p.m.).
SATURDAY, MAY 23
◊“Deadliest Catch” marathon (noon to 3 a.m. on Discovery): Follow the boats on their quest for crab riches through high seas and sub-zero temperatures.
◊“Flying By” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Heather Locklear and Billy Ray Cyrus star in this 2009 movie about a real estate developer who attends his 25th high school reunion and reunites with his old teenage band.
◊“Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): John C. Danforth, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former U.S. senator from Missouri, serves as the keynote speaker for the foundation’s 23rd annual Academic Awards. The event honors 100 of Oklahoma’s top high school seniors as Academic All-Staters and five outstanding educators as Medal for Excellence winners. David L. Boren, founder and chairman of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, will serve as emcee for the event.
◊“What’s Love Got to Do With It” (6 p.m. on Lifetime): Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne earned Oscar nominations for their portrayals of Tina and Ike Turner in this 1993 biodrama based on Tina’s memoir.
–Penny TV
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Comments
I hope those people voting for these guys on American Idol are really truthful to themselfs.
Yes Allen is good but you can question the tallent of Adam , is the best guy ever, with originality, professionalism that as ever grace American Idol.
his story will be like carrie underwood.
Please Americans let the best win.
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