Top 55 TV Programs for June 14-20, 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 June 14:
SUNDAY, JUNE 14
◊“Cool Tools: Builders Show 2009″ (6 p.m. on DIY): Chris Grundy (“Cool Tools”) and Matt Blashaw (“Project Xtreme”) provide viewers a behind-the scenes peek at the latest in industry innovations from the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, which is not open to the public.
◊“Hammertime” (9 p.m. on A&E): Take a peek inside the life of Stanley Burrell, who rapped and danced his way into the hearts of America in the 1990s as MC Hammer. Known for his thrilling stage shows, powerful dance moves, catchy pop hits and his community commitment, Hammer faced some very public financial woes and now lives a more economically balanced life in Oakland, Calif. with Stephanie, his wife and confidant of more than 23 years, and their family of six kids ranging in ages 4-21. In the series premiere, the Hammer family does some much needed Spring cleaning, uncovering lost memorabilia and wardrobe from Hammer’s closet.
◊“Nature” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): “Killers in Eden” revisits the amazing relationship that developed between whalers and killer whales in the early 20th century. They were both after the same quarry — the humpbacks and other baleen whales that migrated north in the waters off Eden, Australia — and they learned to work together and share the spoils.
◊“Real Estate Intervention” (10 p.m. on HGTV): In this new weekly series, host Sabrina Soto and real estate expert Mike Aubrey will offer a reality check to hopeful home sellers as they navigate through the ever-changing real estate market. During each episode Mike will guide an eager-to-sell family on a tour of similar homes to help them learn from their competition and provide them with straightforward real estate advice. Sabrina will then check back with the homeowners a few weeks later to see if they listened to Mike’s advice.
◊“True Blood” (8 p.m. on HBO): In the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, the mystery surrounding the serial killer has finally been solved. But just as things are settling down, deadly new twists threaten Sookie Stackhouse and everyone around her as Season 2 begins..
◊“Twins By Surprise” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special recounts the stories of four women who believed they were pregnant with one child — but actually gave birth to two.
MONDAY, JUNE 15
◊“America at a Crossroads” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Journalist and activist Asra Nomani tells a personal story in the new episode “Mosque in Morgantown.” India-born and U.S.-raised, Nomani moved to Morgantown, W.Va., with her family at age 10. She was working in Pakistan after 9/11 when a broken relationship, a surprise pregnancy and a friend’s murder drove her to return to her hometown, where she found her childhood mosque had been taken over by men she considered extremists.
◊“Greek” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In the Season 2 finale, Casey is sent into an emotional tailspin, questioning her relationship with Max and her lingering feelings for Cappie.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Robin rediscovers the “Woo Girls,” a group of single girls who like to go out and party. Meanwhile, Ted pitches Barney a design for his company’s new headquarters. Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) guest stars.
◊“It’s On with Alexa Chung” (11 a.m. on MTV): British television personality Alexa Chung hosts this new daily talk/variety show featuring interviews with celebrity guests and musical performances from mainstream and indie artists, along with Internet-found talent and topical pop culture news.
◊“Joe Buck Live” (8 p.m. on HBO): This new series hosted by sportscaster Joe Buck catches viewers up on the most interesting stories and personalities in sports. The first edition focuses on sports and celebrity.
◊“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Kathy earns a Grammy nomination for best comedy album, so she begins calling former Grammy winners at their homes to solicit votes. Kathy’s obsession takes her all the way to Canada for a meeting with Lily Tomlin (“The West Wing”), one of only two women to have won a Grammy for best comedy album.
◊“Little Parents, Big Pregnancy” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This special follows Becky and Craig Hennon, a dwarf couple awaiting the birth of their first child. With a 75 percent chance of giving birth to a dwarf, the Hennons have chosen to not know their child’s fate ahead of time — nor will they know what kind of dwarfism he may have.
◊“Zeke and Luther” (7:30 p.m. on Disney XD): This new series follows two fearless sidewalk surfers and best friends who put their right foot forward to master the art form of skateboarding (which is also their principle method of transportation). Along the way, they navigate the literal and figurative luge of teen years with all of its tricks, grinds, obstacles and occasional slams.
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
◊2009 CMT Music Awards (7 p.m. on CMT): Bill Engvall (“The Bill Engvall Show”) will host the eighth annual event live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. Artists with Oklahoma ties who are nominated and/or scheduled to perform include Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire.
◊“Births Beyond Belief” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special introduces viewers to three mothers with unique, unconventional birthing plans. From the exotic to the extraordinary, these empowered parents will stop at nothing to pursue their dream births.
◊“Chopped” (9 p.m. on Food Network): Ted Allen (“Food Detectives”) hosts this new series that challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets “chopped” until the last man or woman left standing claims victory.
◊“Dance Your Ass Off” (10 p.m. on Oxygen): Tony Award-winning actress Marissa Jaret Winokur (“Hairspray”) hosts this new dance/weight loss competition series that gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of the contestants who have had issues with their weight and hope to dance to unleash their inner thin.
◊“Deliver Me” (9 p.m. on Discovery Health): Meet doctors Alane Park, Yvonne Bohn and Allison Hill — friends, mothers and partners in a busy OB/GYN practice. In Season 3, viewers will have a front-row seat for all the drama, emotion and challenges — both professional and personal — the doctors confront every day.
◊“The First 48″ (8 p.m. on A&E): For homicide detectives, the clock starts ticking the moment they are called. Their chance of solving a case is cut in half if they don’t get a lead in the first 48 hours. Season 9 of the non-fiction investigative series takes viewers behind the scenes of real-life investigations with unprecedented access to crime scenes, forensic processing, and interrogations.
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new report “Breaking the Bank,” producer Michael Kirk attempts to untangle how things went so wrong so quickly in the banking industry and what’s being done to stabilize the situation, focusing on one of the highest-profile institutions affected — Bank of America.
◊“HawthoRNe” (8 p.m. on TNT): This new series stars Jada Pinkett Smith as Christina Hawthorne, the chief nursing officer at a busy hospital who fights for her patients and helps the doctors, administrators and her fellow nurses keep their priorities straight.
◊“I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” (8 p.m. on Discovery Health): Enid resident Elizabeth Hess explains how she did not know she was pregnant until she gave birth. The 19-year-old college freshman had put on some extra weight, but she simply attributed it to gaining the “freshman 15.”
◊“The Lazy Environmentalist” (8 p.m. on Sundance): In this new series, author, radio and television personality Josh Dorfman will seek out environmental skeptics who are experts in fields as diverse as fashion, food, architecture, business and design in order to prove that a green lifestyle can meet the demands of their professional and private lives.
◊“NYC Prep” (10 p.m. on Bravo): This new docu-series chronicles the lives of a group of privileged teenagers who are key players in Manhattan’s elite high school scene. Students who travel in packs – whether it’s on sophisticated vacations or to a townhouse for an exclusive midnight party, their lives intertwine as they network, shop, party, study, date and write college applications.
◊“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the season finale, all five housewives attend Teresa’s end of the year party. The night turns ugly as shocking secrets come out and alliances are revealed.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): When Grace tries to reach out to a young drug addict who shares visions of Earl, Grace winds up in the middle of what could be a plot by an anti-government group linked to the recent death of a police officer.
◊“Wedding Day” (7 p.m. on TNT): In this new series, deserving people in need get help making their wedding dreams come true. Hosts and wedding planners Alan Dunn and Diann Valentine make it happen with help from the couple’s family, friends and neighbors. In the premiere, they create a day to remember for Holli, who was involved in a near-fatal crash.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): When a young woman is abducted from an affluent neighborhood, the Behavioral Analysis Unit looks to area residents for answers to her disappearance. Michael Boatman (“Spin City”) guest stars.
◊“Gordon Ramsay’s F Word” (8 p.m. on BBC America”): In Season 4 of the series, the world-renowned chef shares his passion for great cuisine and gets people eating, cooking, thinking and talking about food. In addition to offering easy to make, healthy recipes, Gordon’s joined by a revolving cast of celebrities, their friends and families. He challenges them to prepare a three-course meal for 50 diners using recipes that anyone can cook at home. But the diners get to decide if the food’s up to scratch and if they’ll pay the bill.
◊“Great Performances” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Josh Groban (“Ally McBeal”), Idina Menzel (“Wicked”) and Adam Pascal (“Rent”) headline this concert revival of the show “Chess” from London’s Royal Albert Hall. Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the male half of the group ABBA, scored the music for the 1986 project, which is a love story set during the Cold War as U.S. and Soviet chess champs faced off.
◊“I Survived a Japanese Game Show” (8 p.m. on ABC): Host Rome Kanda (“The Pink Panther”) returns for a second season of leading 12 American contestants through zany challenges in Japan. The winner will take home $250,000.
◊“Obese and Pregnant” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special introduces the stories of three expectant mothers experiencing the joy and fear of carrying a child — while also carrying more than 100 extra pounds.
◊“The Othersiders” (7 p.m. on Cartoon Network): This new reality-adventure series follows five friends on real missions to explore mysterious, reportedly haunted locations in search of evidence that will confirm or deny the existence of paranormal activity.
◊“The Queen and I” (7 p.m. on HBO2): Thirty years after joining the revolution to overthrow the Shah and the monarchy in Iran, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Nahid Persson Sarvestani remains fascinated by the former queen, Farah Diba, whose fairytale life had intrigued her as a child. Now, disillusioned by the Islamic revolution that betrayed her dreams of equality and democracy and forced her into exile, Sarvestani turns her camera on this unlikely subject. This documentary chronicles their time together, the differences they bridged and the improbable friendship they forged.
◊“Survive This” (7:30 p.m. on Cartoon Network): les Stroud (“Survivorman”) hosts this new reality series challenges teenagers ages 14 to 17 to push their limits, overcome fears and develop lifelong survival skills. Each episode aims to test endurance, wits and self-determination.
◊“The Unusuals” (9 p.m. on ABC): In the series finale, Beaumont and Cole go undercover to find a criminal who breaks into apartments and shoots adult films.
◊“Wipeout” (7 p.m. on ABC): Raging Rapids, Aqua Launch, Crazy Sweeper, King of the Mountain, Waterfall Turntables and Fender Bender are among the wild and outrageous new obstacles included in this week’s episode, as contestants go head to head through four rounds to win the title of “Wipeout Champion” and the $50,000 grand prize.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18
◊“Freebirthing” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special chronicles the growing movement of women in the United States and the United Kingdom who are defying medical advice to give birth with no drugs, no midwife and no medical support. Supporters claim this is how having a baby was always meant to be — but doctors say “freebirthing” has terrible risks.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (8 p.m. on Fox): It’s elimination night on the competition series, and two of the final 18 dancers will be sent home.
◊“Soundstage” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): In this installment, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne performs tunes from his 2008 album, “Time the Conqueror,” as well as such classics as “Doctor My Eyes” and “Boulevard.”
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW): In this episode, that will air in black and white, Dean and Sam investigate several murders at Oktoberfest. The first victim was found with bite marks on her neck, much like a vampire would leave, while the second victim has wounds that look like a werewolf attack. After a mummy rises from his crypt, Dean determines that a shape-shifter demon is terrorizing the town as iconic monsters from the old Hollywood movies.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19
◊“Celebrity Rides: Hollywood’s Speeding Bullitt” (1 p.m. on DIY Network): Chad McQueen, son of actor Steve McQueen, builds his version of a 1968 GT Fastback Mustang made famous by the movie “Bullitt” starring his dad.
◊“The Chopping Block” (7 p.m. on NBC): This reality/competition series, which was pulled after three low-rated Wednesday telecasts in March, returns to NBC’s schedule today to air its final five episodes on Fridays.
◊“Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the Season 2 finale, Deanna Della Cioppa, an Italian caterer and family restaurant owner, competes to help our her family.
◊“Double Identical Twins: Four Years Later” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special follows the latest adventures of the Morris family, who grew from three members to seven after the birth of a rare set of quads: two identical boys and two identical girls. It examines how this family navigates medical and life challenges, and manages to brave it all with a sense of humor.
◊“Jeffrey and Cole Casserole” (10 p.m. on Logo): In this new webcam-based series, Jeffery and Cole mix their stand-up comedy, traditional sketches, banter and musical numbers to bring the audience a serving of their outrageous comedic casserole.
◊“Mr. Troop Mom” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): George Lopez (“George Lopez”) stars as a single dad who must climb mountains, ford streams and more as “Team Mom” in order to bond with his tween daughter. The film also stars Jane Lynch (“Glee”) as camp director Ms. Hulka and features a special appearance by Nat and Alex Wolff (“The Naked Brothers Band”).
◊“Samantha Who?” (8 p.m. on ABC): After finally telling current boyfriend Owen (James Tupper, “Men in Trees”) that she lives with ex-boyfriend Todd, Sam discovers that Owen’s best friend is also his ex-girlfriend, Willow. But when a romantic spark ignites between Todd and Willow, Sam finds herself becoming jealous and must decide which man is most important in her life.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20
◊“BrainRush” (7 p.m. on Cartoon Network): Host Lamorne Morris puts players to the test with questions and brainteasers all while strapped into an amusement park ride.
◊“Can You Duet” (7 p.m. on CMT): Viewers will witness the on- and off-stage drama in creating a dynamic musical duo in Season 2 of the country music competition series. In addition to critiquing each performance and deciding who will advance to the next round, judges Naomi Judd, Big Kenny of the multi-platinum duo Big & Rich and Big Machine Records’ President Scott Borchetta will serve as mentors to guide, groom and develop the duets along the way.
◊“Destroy Build Destroy” (7:30 p.m. on Cartoon Network): Two teams, with the guidance and assistance of professionals, compete by destroying a large structure, rebuilding it into something different and then destroying it again. Host Andrew W.K. moderates the mayhem, as each week new teams face new challenges to build from the debris, with strategy, wits and teamwork deciding which team’s creation out-performs the other—and whose hard work goes up in smoke.
◊“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): This installment of the locally-produced program showcases the Tulsa Talons and Oklahoma City Redhawks minor league baseball teams, the Guthrie Sports Museum and McGee Creek Lake.
◊“Dream Riders” (7 p.m. on Travel Channel): In this award-winning documentary film, Bill Roulston persuades his son Nico to make a 4,000 mile bicycle journey across the United States in a last ditch effort to rebuild their failing relationship.
◊“Eli Stone” (9 p.m. on ABC): When a news anchor from one of the biggest media corporations loses his job, Eli, Taylor, Matt and Maggie share an awkward car ride to Sonoma to question a witness. This is the first of the series’ final episodes scheduled to air over the next four Saturdays.
◊“The Singing Bee” (9 p.m. on CMT): Melissa Peterman (“Reba”) hosts this new version of the game show that tests contestants’ knowledge of lyrics to well-known country music songs and eliminates those who fail to accurately sing the song lyrics correctly.
◊“The Ultimate Fighter” (8 p.m. on SPIKE): Sixteen American and 16 British fighters will compete in middleweight and welterweight divisions in the live season finale.
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
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