Top 55 TV Programs for May 31-June 6, 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 31:
SUNDAY, MAY 31
◊“The 2009 MTV Movie Awards” (8 p.m. on MTV): Andy Samberg (”Saturday Night Live”) hosts the 18th annual event live from Universal City, Calif. The films “Twilight” and “Slumdog Millionaire” both received nominations in six categories.
◊“Aqua Teen Hunger Force” (10:45 p.m. on Cartoon Network): In the animated show’s first live-action episode, rapper T-Pain portrays the Auqua Teen’s roommate Frylock, whose animated form looks like a floating box of french fries.
◊“Breaking Bad” (9 p.m. on AMC): On the Season 2 finale, Skyler and Walt collide as her frustration with his secrecy finally comes to a head. Also, Jesse self-destructs after a personal blow, forcing Walt to come to his aid.
◊“HGTV’s $250,000 Challenge” (9 p.m. on HGTV): Drew Lachey (”Dancing With the Stars”) hosts this new winner-take-all design competition in which five neighboring families compete to create the best design in their own home. The winner gets a cash prize that can help them pay off their mortgage.
◊“Ice Road Truckers” (8 p.m. on History): Season 3 heads to Alaska, 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where a group of elite truckers face their most perilous journey yet. They have less than three monthys to shuttle critical supplies to the oil camps of Alaska’s North Slope.
◊“Into the Storm” (8 p.m. on HBO): Continuing the story that began in 2002’s “The Gathering Storm,” this production finds Winston Churchill (Brendan Gleeson, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) reflecting on how he guided Britain through World War II as he, wife Clemmie (Janet McTeer) and their daughter spend a holiday in France awaiting word on whether he has been elected prime minister for a postwar term.
◊“Jesse James Is a Dead Man” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): Each week in this new series, Jesse James (”Monster Garage”) will take on a different challenge that could literally kill him. The challenge he faces in the premiere episode is riding a Nitro-fueled motorcycle.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Inspector Wallander (Kenneth Branagh) is stunned by the murder of three teenagers on Midsummer’s Eve and sent into a spiral of intense guilt when a colleague also is found dead in the final installment of the series titled “One Step Behind.”
◊“Nature’s Most Amazing Events” (7 p.m. on Discovery): The final two installments of this six-part high-definition series feature the Kalahari Desert at the peak of the dry season and the arrival of summer along the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia.
◊“Platinum Weddings” (9 p.m. on WEtv): Black tie glamour meets SOuthern charm at Mollie and Jason’s wedding. The couple’s 280 guests will be trated to an all-expense-paid weekend in Atlanta.
MONDAY, JUNE 1
◊“Deal or No Deal” (6 and 10 p.m. weekdays on GSN): Beginning today, the network will begin airing the first three seasons of the hour-long version of this game show hosted by Howie Mandel.
◊“Gossip Girl” (7 p.m. on CW): As the summer draws to a close in the Hamptons, Serena and Nate have everyone fooled into thinking they are a couple to cover up the fact that Nate has been hooking up with a married older woman (Madchen Amick, “My Own Worst Enemy”) and Serena has been secretly mourning her break-up with Dan.
◊“Greek” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Overwhelmed with loneliness since Max left for his internship, Casey finds herself latching onto her ZBZ sister’s social activities and interfering with Rusty’s new blossoming romance with Jordan. Gregory Michael (”Dante’s Cove”) guest stars.
◊“Here Come the Newlyweds” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): The eight remaining just-married couples get slightly embarrassed when famous psychosexual therapist Dr. Ruth drops by to give them relationship tips.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): A gun-wielding man (Zeljko Ivanek, “Damages”) takes House, Thirteen and several patients from the waiting room hostage in Cuddy’s office. The man claims to be sick with a long undiagnosed illness and demands medical attention from the best doctor in the hospital.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): While out for dinner with the gang, Ted runs into someone from his past that prompts each of them to think about how they would handle bumping into someone they’d rather forget. Sarah Chalke (”Scrubs”) and Eric Braeden (”The Young and the Restless”) guest star.
◊“I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!” (7 p.m. on NBC): Ten celebrities are dropped into the jungles of Costa Rica, where they undergo tests of their survival skills, with viewers deciding which player will be eliminated each week. Celebrities include Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (”The Hills”), Janice Dickinson (”The Janice Dickinseon Modeling Agency”), Stephen Baldwin (”The Usual Suspects”), John Salley (”Confessions of a Shopaholic”), Torrie Wilson (”WWF Smackdown!”) and former Sanjaya Malakar (”American Idol”).
◊“Kathy Griffin: The Footage You Weren’t Meant to See” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Relive all the good and bad time from the first four seasons of two-time Emmy-winning series “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” — all through Kathy’s comic eye. The special also includes unseen moments from the show.
◊“Medium” (9 p.m. on NBC): In the Season 5 finale, Allison dreams of a future where an unfamiliar man is comforting her after the loss of her entire family. She later meets the same unfamiliar man in her waking life whihc investigating a case.
◊“Muhammad Ali: Made in Miami” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This film chronicles the boxer’s arrival in Miami in 1960. Over the next few years, Ali evolved both professionally and politically.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): Audrey discovers that Russell is a closeted fan of Broadway musicals, a fact she promises to keep secret in exchange for free theater tickets. Bob Odenkirk (”The Larry Sanders Show”) guest stars.
◊“The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): Conan O’Brien, the dominant late-night host at 11:35 p.m. for the past 14 seasons, will succeed Jay Leno as host of the preeminent series on late-night television.
◊“TV411” (10 a.m. on OETA-13): Some 70 million adults in America cannot read, write or speak English well enough to seek a job promotion or help their children with homework. This program is full of useful tips, such as how to decipher a pay check, keep a family medical history and get the most out of reading.
TUESDAY, JUNE 2
◊“According to Jim” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): When Jim chokes on a shrimp puff, he dies and arrives at Heaven’s gate. As Jim attempts to prove his good works to God (Lee Majors, “The Fall Guy”), his sister-in-law, Dana, represents the Devil (Erik Estrada, “CHiPs”), arguing that Jim’s selfishness should mean a certain trip to hell.
◊“Earth 2100″ (8 p.m. on ABC): This ABC News special hosted by Bob Woodruff takes viewers on a journey through what the next century could have in store and shows viewers what can be done to avoid disaster.
◊“Is Your House Killing You?” (8:30 p.m. on Sundance): The network premieres the seven-part Australian reality series hosted by environmental scientists Dr. Peter Dingle and Cedric Cheong, who have extensive experience in the field of indoor air pollution. Each episode introduces an Australian family that has reason to suspect their homes may be endangering their health and well-being.
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m. on NBC): In the Season 10 finale, an error jeopardizes a murder case and the detectives rush to find more evidence before the killer takes revenge on the squad.
◊“Man vs. Wild” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Host Bear Grylls takes Will Ferrell (”Land of the Lost”) along with him for an extreme adventure in the Swedish hinterland.
◊“Mental” (8 p.m. on Fox): Director of Psychiatric Services Dr. Jack Gallagher and psychiatrist Dr. Veronica Hayden-Jones are called to the ER for a psych consult where they meet Melissa Ranier (Nicholle Tom, “(”The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman”), a woman presenting as seven months pregnant. However, the doctors are informed by the ER physician that the patient’s ultrasound did not reveal a baby.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): Dr. Reid embarks on his own investigation into the murder of a young boy years earlier in Las Vegas that he strongly believes has a connection to his own childhood. Jane Lynch (”Two and a Half Men”) guest stars as Dr. Reid’s mother, Diana Reid.
◊“Law & Order” (9 p.m. on NBC): In the Season 19 finale, the murder of a charity executive leads detectives on a trail of political intrigue. The investigation takes a turn when claims of stalking and blackmail surface.
◊“Make Me a Supermodel” (9 p.m. on Bravo): The final three models go head-to-head with two major photo shoots and an extended catwalk challenge. Fashion photographer Matthew Rolston joins the four judges for the final deliberation.
◊“Man Land” (10 p.m. on HGTV): This new series explores men’s design machismo and offers viewers ideas for “manspace makeovers.” It also reveals how the women in these men’s lives feel about their guy having a separate space and how that space has changed their relationship.
◊“Renegade Genius” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Meet Thomas Gold, an original thinker whose radical theories have transformed the way science views the origin of life, how we hear sounds and what we know about space.
◊“Smile Pinki” (6 p.m. on HBO): Recent Oscar winner for best documentary short subject, this program profiles the fairytale journey of Pinki and Ghutaru, two children in rural India born with cleft lips, who are given new hope to live normal lives through the generosity and dedicated efforts of local doctors and social workers.
THURSDAY, JUNE 4
◊“The Big Bang Theory” (7 p.m. on CBS): A disastrous visit from Mrs. Hofstadter (Christine Baranski, “Cybill”) brings Leonard and Penny closer together.
◊“Burn Notice” (8 p.m. on USA): As Season 3 opens, Michael emerges from the ocean a free agent but one who is being investigated by the police as he takes on a new job extraditing a thug.
◊“General Hospital” (2 p.m. on ABC): Lexi Ainsworth from Oklahoma City will make her debut on the ABC daytime drama today. She has been cast as Kristina, the daughter of mob boss Sonny Corinthos and princess Alexis Davis.
◊“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (7 p.m. on ABC): The late-night talk show will air special half-hour primetime shows on each night ABC airs the NBA basketball finals. Each night, Jimmy will deliver up-to-the minute news addressing the hottest topics of the day in his monologue and welcome various guest stars.
◊“The Listener” (9 p.m. on NBC): This new series stars Craig Olejnik (”The Timekeeper”) as Toby Logan, a young paramedic who goes about his rounds helping people in crisis while keeping a big secret: He has telepathic powers, which he uses discreetly in both his job and his personal life.
◊“Royal Pains” (9 p.m. on USA): This new drama starring Mark Feuerstein (”Good Morning, Miami”) centers on a young, blacklisted doctor whose career is revived when he becomes a doctor for hire to the rich and famous in The Hamptons.
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW): Dean is transported back in time and is shocked when he lands in Lawrence, Kan. Dean isn’t sure why he was sent back so he begins to enjoy the time with his parents and newfound grandfather (Mitch Pileggi, “The X-Files”), who may be hiding a secret that is key to Sam and Dean’s entire predicament.
◊“Tosh.0″ (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): In this twist on pop culture shows, comedian Daniel Tosh lampoons the latest videos, blogs, vlogs, websites and technologies, as well as offering “Web Redemption” to those who have already humiliated themselves online.
FRIDAY, JUNE 5
◊“Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” (7 p.m. on Fox): Twins from Orlando compete. They are in for a real 80’s treat when surprise guest, Colin Hay from Men at Work, completes the lyrics to the pop hit “Who Can It Be Now.”
◊“Ghost Adventures” (8 p.m. on Travel Channel): In this series, paranormal investigators search for haunted locations. During their search, they interview locals about the hauntings and place themselves with evil spirits during overnight lockdowns.
◊“Good Morning America” (7 a.m. on ABC): John Legend (Grammy winner) performs during the 2009 Summer Concert Series airing live from New York City’s Central Park.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): While on a date, David catches a disappearing act at a magic show but quickly becomes involved in the performance when the magician really vanishes. Penn Jillette (”Dancing With the Stars) guest stars.
◊“Whale Wars” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): Captain Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society battle whalers, the elements and one another in the show’s second season that features new and returning crew members.
◊“Samantha Who?” (8 p.m. on ABC): Samantha teams up with her mother for a dance competition in order to beat Regina’s nemesis, Paula Drake (Cybill Shepherd, “Cybill”). The only problem is that “old” Sam could dance, whereas “new” Sam is gliding on two left feet. Mark Ballas (”Dancing With the Stars”) guest stars as Paula’s dance partner.
◊“Today” (7 a.m. on NBC): The Dave Matthews Band (Grammy winner) performs during the 2009 Toyota Concert Series airing live from New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza.
SATURDAY, JUNE 6
◊“1 vs. 100″ (6 p.m. on GSN): Beginning today, the network will begin airing the entire series run of the game show hosted by Bob Saget. Episodes will also air at noon Sundays starting June 7.
◊“Come Dance at My Wedding” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): John Schneider (“Smallville”), Roma Downey (“Touched by an Angel”), Brooke Nevin (“Worst Week”) and Christopher Jacot (“Eureka”) star in this new movie about an estranged father and daughter who may be light-on-their-feet, but who still have a few moves to learn if they are to move forward as a family.
◊“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): This installment of the locally-produced program showcases the UCO Jazz Lab in Edmond, the Wild Things Farm in Pocola, Tulsa’s Inn at Woodward Park and Keystone Ancient Forest.
◊“The Game Show Awards” (8 p.m. on GSN): Howie Mandel (”Deal or No Deal”) hosts the inaugural event aimed at celebrating excellence in the genre of games. The show includes special tributes to Bob Barker (“The Price is Right”), game show producer Mark Goodson and Monty Hall (“Let’s Make a Deal”).
◊“Housecat Housecall” (9:30 a.m. on Animal Planet): This show returns for a second season of helping cat lovers resolve their feline dilemmas, from unruly behavior to lifestyle adjustments.
◊“Iron Maiden: Flight 666″ (11 p.m. on VH1): On February 8, 2008, British heavy rock legends Iron Maiden embarked on an ambitious and adventurous tour. The band gave full access to a film crew to document their journey and this high-definition documentary is the result. With the entire touring crew and 12 tons of music and stage equipment on board, the band flew 50,000 miles and performed in 23 sold-out stadium and arena shows across Asia, Australia and North, Central and South America.
◊“Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This special explores the historical context of Johnny Cash’s concert album recorded Jan. 13, 1968 at Folsom Prison. It weaves interviews with archival photography to evoke the spirit of that day.
◊“Pushing Daisies” (9 p.m. on ABC): Emerson gets a lead in his daughter Penny’s whereabouts when he investigates the murder of millionaire Roland Stingwell. The prime suspect: Penny’s no-good mama, Lila Robinson (Gina Torres, “Standoff”), who ran off with the girl years ago. Meanwhile, an awkward Randy Mann (David Arquette, “In Case of Emergency”) tries to romance Olive.
–Penny TV
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Jesse James is a dead man was not a show I was going to watch. I was fliping channels and came across it. I think it’s a great show and my husband loves it.