Top 55 TV Programs for Dec. 6-12, 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 Dec. 6:
(NOTE: All times are CT. For ET, add one hour)
SUNDAY, DEC. 6, 2009
◊“Alice” (8 p.m. today and Monday on Syfy): This modern day spin on the classic stories by Lewis Carroll stars Oscar winner Kathy Bates (“Misery”) as the Queen of Hearts and Caterina Scorsone (“Crash”) as Alice.
◊“The Amazing Race” (7 p.m. on CBS): Season 15’s final three teams race home from Prague to the United States, with the finish line holding a $1 million prize for the first to cross it.
◊“Brothers & Sisters” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): As the wedding grows closer, Justin’s resolve to stay sober is weakened as he and Rebecca harbor secrets that could make or break their relationship for good. Series star Matthew Rhys (Kevin Walker) makes his directorial debut.
◊“Burn Up” (8 p.m. today and Monday on Planet Green): Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing”), Neve Campbell (“The Philanthropist”) and Rupert Penry-Jones (“Spooks”) star in this British miniseries. It is a high-stakes conspiracy thriller in which two friends – power players in the international oil industry – face a series of violent events and shocking revelations that could tear apart their friendship, their business, even civilization as we know it.
◊“Chainsaw Ice Sculptors” (9 p.m. on TLC): Enter the world of ice sculpting through three distinct personalities facing similar challenges. With chainsaws and chisels, these ice sages pour their heart, sweat and soul into creating works of art.
◊“Clash of the Dinosaurs” (7 p.m. on Discovery): This four-hour special, which concludes Dec. 13, combines cinematic photo-real 3D graphics and leading-edge anatomy and paleontology to show how dinosaurs survived in such a violent world.
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team searches for the killer of a champion debater who was wrongly believed to have committed suicide after losing his first debate three months into his scholarship-funded schooling at a competitive top private high school. Reed Diamond (“Dollhouse”) guest stars as the debate team coach at the victim’s new school.
◊“Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In this new special, Dora and Swiper explore the past, present and future of Christmas. It includes a special holiday version of the “Dora the Explorer” theme song recorded by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Celebrity volunteers Selena Gomez (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) and Usher (“Moesha”) travel with the team to Clarksville, Tenn., to give Trina Scott and her three daughters the good news that their problem-ridden home would be rebuilt in just seven days.
◊“I Survived …” (8 p.m. on Biography): Season 4 features all-new first person accounts from ordinary people catapulted into extraordinary situations who found the strength and courage to survive.
◊“Invasion of the Christmas Lights” (8 p.m. on TLC): This holiday special criss-crosses the United States to chronicle families of extreme Christmas lighting enthusiasts and document their glorious, outrageous and elaborate displays.
◊“Jonas” (7:30 p.m. on Disney): Kevin is thrilled when he learns that Anya, his friend and president of the Scandinavian JONAS fan club, is going to be an exchange student at their school. Madison Riley (“Hatching Pete”) guest stars.
◊“Robin Williams: Weapons of Self Destruction” (8 p.m. on HBO): The comic performs at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., in an act that tackles a variety of political topics but also includes candid riffs on Williams’ own life.
◊“Sexpo Australia” (9 p.m. on G4): Sasha Grey (“Girlfriend Experience”) hosts this two-hour special that offers unprecedented access to the world’s largest adukt expo. The annual four-day event in Australia covers all aspects of health, adult entertainment, sexuality and adult lifestyles for the curious consumer.
◊“Shatner’s Raw Nerve” (9 p.m. on Biography): Rush Limbaugh and Regis Philbin are the first two guests for the second season of William Shatner’s unique talk show. Every interview, Shatner attempts to probe his guest’s most fascinating and sensitive subjects and touch upon a “raw nerve.”
MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009
◊“Born Again” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary uncovers filmmaker Markie Hancock’s slow and painful break with her faith and devout Christian family as she experiences new directions for her life, including her sexual awakening as a lesbian.
◊“Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special” (7 p.m. on Fox): The Grammy-winning and multiplatinum country singer performs holiday songs in addition to selections from her albums. Performers joining Underwood in this two-hour variety special include Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Tony and Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth, and “American Idol” winner David Cook.
◊“Circumcise Me: The Comedy of Yisrael Campbell” (9:30 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary chronicles the life journey of Christopher Campbell, a stand-up comedian who humorously recounts his tale of converting to Judaism three different times.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): The squad investigates the death of a 12-year-old boy whose father and brother are both gang members. The boy is found dead in a known gang party house, but soon the case includes two more bodies at a different house related to the same crime.
◊“Handy Manny” (8 a.m. on Disney): Manny and the tools are enjoying a day at the beach when a marine biologist (voiced by Rosario Dawson, “Rent”) approaches them with an emergency – an orca whale has washed up on the shore.
◊“Healthy Minds” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installlment “Helping Our Troops,” experts in the military and mental health industry unite efforts and expertise to help soldiers who suffer from post-tramatic stress disorder.
◊“Holiday Celebration on Ice” (5 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): REO Speedwagon and Rick Springfield perform as a star-studded cast of Olympic, world and national figure skating champions celebrate the wonders of the holiday season.
◊“Men of a Certain Age” (9 p.m. on TNT): Ray Romano (“Everybody Loves Raymond”), Scott Bakula (“Quantum Leap”) and Andre Braugher (“Thief”) star in this new series as three longtime friends. Between daily lunches at a local diner and hikes in the hills overlooking Los Angeles, they do their best to support each other through the challenges mid-life throws at them.
◊“Million Dollar Listing” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the Season 3 finale, a broker invites Chad, Madison and Josh to help him with charity work, but egos clash as the agents try and work together.
◊“Moises Rules!” (4 p.m. today through Thursday on Disney XD): This new sports series invites youngsters to challenge Moises Arias (Rico in “Hannah Montana”) in fun sports competitions such as foam tetherball and finger football.
◊“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” (7 p.m. on ABC): In this 1970 animated special, Fred Astaire narrates this timeless tale of Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney), a young boy with an immense desire to do good things for others.
TUESDAY, DEC. 8, 2009
◊“Better Off Ted” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 2 premiere, Veridian Dynamics tries matchmaking employees based on their genetic compatibility in hopes of saving on health insurance bills from imperfectly bred children. Taye Diggs (‘‘Private Practice”) guest stars.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): All of the Season 8 contestants return for the live finale and for a chance to weigh in one last time. And one of the three finalists will win $250,000 and the “Biggest Loser” title.
◊“Handy Manny” (8 a.m. on Disney): When the automatic pizza rolling machine at Paulette’s Pizza Palace breaks, Manny and the tools must repair the machine so that Paulette (voiced by Giada De Laurentiis, “Everyday Italian”) is able to fulfill all the orders for her pizza special of the day.
◊“ID Investigates: The Madoff Mystery” (8 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This new special hosted by former CBS anchor Thalia Assuras focuses on the Bernard Madoff financial scandal one year after it was first revealed. It examines more than the greed and deception of Madoff’s fraud by exploring the dire human consequences of Madoff’s crimes, beyond the financial ruin.
◊“Independent Lens” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Between the Folds” profiles theoretical scientists and fine artists who have become modern-day paper folders, mastering the ancient art of origami and reinterpreting the world in paper as they create an offbeat combo of sensibilities toward art, creativity, science and meaning.
◊“National Christmas Tree Lighting 2009” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): The 86th annual event took place Dec. 3 in Washington D.C., but this marks the first time PBS stations nationwide will broadcast the ceremony.
◊“Outer Space Astronauts” (8:30 p.m. on Syfy): This new comedy series follows eight vaguely courageous military personnel on board the O.S.S. Oklahoma who journey to the far reaches of the galaxy for knowledge and adventure. Five of the eight cast members in this series that melds live-action with 3D animation are from Oklahoma, including creator Russell Barrett (Captain Bruce Ripley).
◊“Prep & Landing” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): This new holiday special reveals the never-before-told tale of a high-tech organization of elves that ensures that homes around the world are properly prepared for the yearly visit from The Big Guy, their code name for Santa Claus. The voice cast includes Dave Foley (“NewsRadio”) as Wayne, Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”) as Magee and Derek Richardson (“Men In Trees”) as Lanny.
◊“Scare Tactics” (8 p.m. on Syfy): In the fall finale, a receptionist at a doctor’s office is caught in the middle when a patient comes in demanding to be reattached to his former conjoined twin.
◊“Teen Mom” (9 p.m. on MTV): This new docu-series catches up with Maci, Amber, Catelynn and Farrah from the first season of “16 And Pregnant” to give viewers a deeper look at the lives of teenage parents. Told by each girl first hand, the series will depict the varied challenges young mothers face — from marriage or relationships, to high school or college, to new babies or life after adoption.
WEDNESDAY. DEC. 9, 2009
◊“Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009” (9 p.m. on ABC): Host Barbara Walters interviews some of the year’s most prominent people in entertainment, sports, politics and pop culture, including Lady Gaga, Adam Lambert, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Tyler Perry.
◊“Campus PD” (10 p.m. on G4): This new reality series heads to five college towns across the country — Tallahassee, Fla.; San Marcos, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Chico, Calif.; and Greenville, NC — and goes behind the scenes with police officers to give viewers an authentic glimpse at campus life and the measures they take to keep students safe.
◊“Cougar Town” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): A very wealthy potential home buyer (Scott Foley, Felicity”) feigns interest in an overpriced home in order to get Jules’ attention. Meanwhile, Ellie begrudgingly leaves the baby with Andy for a day to prove to herself that she trusts her husband.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): While Agent Hotchner takes a leave of absence from the Behavioural Analysis Unit, the team must regroup to solve a home invasion case. Rena Sofer (“24″) guest stars as home invasion victim, Erika Silverman.
◊“L.A. Holiday Celebration 2009″ (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This hourlong special presents highlights of the festive six-hour performance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center last Christmas Eve. More than 1,000 performers participate in the free holiday-themed show, which has been sponsored annually since 1960 by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as a gift to local residents.
◊“Mercy” (7 p.m. on NBC): Veronica tries to get help for unresolved battle scars while everything else in her life falls apart. Jason Ritter (“Joan of Arcadia”) guest stars.
◊“Modern Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): Christmas is in full swing at the Dunphy house until the kids get in some trouble and Phil and Claire threaten to take away Christmas until one of them fesses up. Fred Willard (“Best in Show:) guest stars as Phil’s dad.
◊“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (7 p.m. on Disney): This 1993 animated fantasy from Tim Burton (‘‘Edward Scissorhands”) takes the overlapping holiday scenario to the extreme. The Pumpkin King, ruler of Halloween Town, hatches a plan to kidnap Santa Claus and put his own ghostly spin on the yuletide season.
◊“Oklahomans” (7 p.m. on KWTV-9): University of Oklahoma football player Sam Bradford is interviewed on this locally-produced special. Host Becky Dixon also talks to Tony Award nominee Kelli O’Hara and Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson.
◊“Psychic Hollywood: The Search for Truth” (7 p.m. on E!): In this special, five celebrities with very personal issues search for help from four very different psychics. Alana Stewart turns to medium James Van Praagh to try to contact her friend, the late Farrah Fawcett; Trista and Ryan Sutter implore Derek Ogilvie to find out why their toddler is hitting and kicking Trista; Mark Curry calls on Shaman Durek to break free from an intangible force that’s holding him back; and Perla Hudson enlists psychic profiler Carla Baron to find her brother, who is missing and presumed dead.
◊“Secret Lives of Women” (10 p.m. on WEtv): The Season 1 finale takes viewers to The Moonlight Bunny Ranch, a legal brothel in Carson City, Nev., that employs women from all walks of life. From mothers to former teachers, nurses and members of the military, women work at Bunny Ranch to male a better life for themselves and their families.
◊“Spectacle: Elvis Costello With …” (9 p.m. on Sundance): This music and talk show lets viewers in on intimate conversation and performance with host Elsi Costello and his guests, which for Season 2 include Bono, The Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, Ron Sexsmith, Neko Case, Jesse Winchester, Ray LaMontagne, Nick Lowe, Levon Helm, Richard Thompson and Allen Toussaint. The show is taped in front of a live audience at Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater in New York City and The Masonic Temple in Toronto, Canada.
◊“Top Chef: Las Vegas” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the Season 6 finale, the remaining three contestants vie for the title as they cook the best meal they’ve ever made.
THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2009
◊“30 Rock” (8:30 p.m. on NBC): Jack’s interest in a new social networking site unexpectedly reconnects him with a high school crush (Julianne Moore, “Blindness”).
◊“The 2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade” (7 p.m. on My Network TV): For the first time in its 80-plus year history, the Hollywood Christmas Parade will air nationally as a two-hour television primetime event. The holiday festivities will include celebrities from film, television and stage, including the 2009 Grand Marshal Susan Lucci (“All My Children”).
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): Brennan makes plans to spend Christmas in El Salvador, but her father (Ryan O’Neal, “Miss Match”) convinces her to spend the holidays with him and Margaret Whitesell (Zooey Deschanel, sister of series star Emily Deschanel), a newly discovered distant relative.
◊“The Bubble Decade” (9 p.m. on CNBC): Correspondent David Faber reports on one of the most dramatic periods in the history of America’s financial markets. As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, Faber looks back at the tumultuous era, one marked by ambition and innovation, avarice and excess, and record highs – and lows – on Wall Street.
◊“Community” (7 p.m. on NBC): Anthony Michael Hall (“The Breakfast Club”) haunts the halls of Greendale Community College as a campus bully who challenges Jeff to a fight.
◊“Egypt’s Animal Mummies” (7 p.m. on Animal Planet): The remains of more than four million mummies have been hidden within Egypt’s tombs. They are remnants not of the ancient pharaohs, but the perfectly preserved remains of animals. Using modern science, an international team of experts discovers how and why the Ancient Egyptians preserved their animals just like their kings.
◊“Michael McDonald — This Christmas: A Soundstage Special Event” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Singer Michael McDonald celebrates the holidays with yuletide favorites and some of his signature hits, performing such songs as ‘‘White Christmas,” ‘‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and ‘‘What Christmas Means to Me.”
◊“Parks and Recreation” (7:30 p.m. on NBC): Leslie designs the Pawnee Winter Wonderland Festival but has to hide from the press when a meeting with a disgraced counsilman lands her in the middle of a sex scandal. Louis C.K. (“Lucky Louis”) guest stars.
◊“Pedigree Dogs Exposed” (7 p.m. on BBC America): This documentary lifts the lid on the true extent of health and welfare problems in pedigree dogs. With international perspectives and testimony from top experts including The British Kennel Club, it unravels the historical, social and cultural reasons why purebred dogs today are in so much trouble.
◊“Private Practice” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): After Pete discovers Violet dying on the floor of her home, having barely survived a violent attack from her patient, Katie (Amanda Foreman, “Felicity”), he rushes her to the hospital where Addison and Naomi fight to save her life.
◊“Viva Nelson Mandela: A Hero for All Seasons” (7 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary helps celebrate 90 years of Nelson Mandela’s life by telling his complete story. A life of struggle, humanity, destiny and greatness is recalled and celebrated by those who knew him best and who worked with him in the quest to break the chains of oppression, taking us beyond the political and into the personal.
FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 2009
◊“Epitafios” (9 p.m. on HBO Latino): A prisoner of his past, Renzo begins hunting for the murderer alone. Ultimately, however, everything will end as it started in the Season 2 finale.
◊“Law & Order” (7 p.m. on NBC): A campaign volunteer is murdered in the midst of an election and the detectives become trapped in a haze of danger and political scandals. Benjamin Bratt (“The Cleaner”) guest stars.
◊“Straight No Chaser — Live in New York Holiday Edition” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This special featuring the men’s a cappella group includes new material, holiday favorites and the song that launched the Straight No Chaser’s success, “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
◊“TeenNick HALO Awards” (7 p.m. on TeenNick): This new concept in awards show is hosted and executive produced by Nick Cannon and features four celebrities — LeBron James, Alicia Keys, Hayden Panettiere and Justin Timberlake. They don’t receive the awards, but will they give them out to deserving teens in support of their philanthropic causes.
◊“Yes, Virginia” (7 p.m. on CBS): This new animated Christmas special is based on the 1897 true story of Virginia O’Hanlon, an 8-year-old girl who inspired the most famous newspaper editorial of all time by asking, “Is there a Santa Claus?” It features the voices of Neil Patrick Harris (“How I Met Your Mother”), Jennifer Love Hewitt (“Ghost Whisperer”) and Alfred Molina (“Spider-Man 2″).
SATURDAY, DEC. 12, 2009
◊“30 for 30″ (8 p.m. on ESPN): The ESPN Film series concludes with “The U,” a two-hour documentary about the dramatic rise of the University of Miami football program in the 1980s. It looks at the program’s sudden and jolting transformation into a football powerhouse that essentially changed the rules of the game as told by the players, coaches, students and administrators who were there.
◊“Annihilation Earth” (8 p.m. on Syfy): With the world on the brink of both economic and ecological disaster, a physicist (Luke Goss, “Hellyboy II”) must discern whether the destruction of a cutting-edge super collider facility was the work of terrorists or his own miscalculation.
◊“Christmas in Canaan” (7 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Billy Ray Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”) stars in this story based on the book by Grammy Award winner Kenny Rogers and Donald Davenport. Cyrus plays widower Daniel Burton, who is doing his best to raise his three children on a limited income. But living in Canaan, Texas, during the Civil Rights Movement, he soon faces more than just financial difficulties.
◊“The Flight Before Christmas” (8:01 p.m. on CBS): A flying squirrel shows a young reindeer, who believes his long-lost father was part of Santa’s airborne sleigh team, how to soar into the sky in this holiday special featuring the voices of Emma Roberts (‘‘Nancy Drew”) and Norm MacDonald (‘‘Saturday Night Live”).
◊“Ghost Invervention” (8 p.m. on TLC): This new docu-series chronicles a case manager and a team of women with psychic abilities as they try to help different families who are struggling with paranormal activity in their homes.
◊“It’s a Wonderful Life” (7 p.m. on NBC): This marks the 60th anniversary of Frank Capra’s holiday classic starring James Stewart as small-town guy George Bailey, who defers one big dream after another to stay home, marry a local girl and run the family business. Facing financial ruin, he’s pulled from suicidal despair by an angel who shows him what a terrible place the world would be if he’d never lived.
◊“The Polar Express” (6 p.m. on Disney): An animated movie unlike any other, director Robert Zemeckis’ interpretation of Chris Van Allsburg’s holiday story features Tom Hanks in multiple roles through a technique called ‘‘motion capture,” which creates a pseudo-real look. Hanks is most recognizable as the conductor of a train that takes a youngster on a wild ride to the North Pole.
◊“Posse: The Young Guns on PBR” (7 p.m. on CMT): This special follows eight up and coming professional bull riders on their journey across America trying to become the next PBR champion. Among the hopefuls are Ryan Dirteater, 20, from Hulbert (won the Dickies Invitational in Dallas in January 2009) and Austin Meier, 22, from Kinta (won the first ever PBR Team Shootout).
◊“Sandra Lee Celebrates: Season of Surprise” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Last year, the Morgner family’s newborn triplets were barely well enough to be brought home for the holidays. This season, as the family gets ready for the holidays with three active one-year-olds, Sandra will show them creative ways to preserve lifelong family memories, incorporate heirloom party décor and prepare unforgettable holiday recipes. HGTV Design Star finalist Dan Vickery makes a special guest appearance and uses his carpentry skills to help Sandra create unique décor items for each child.
◊“Saturday Night Live” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): “Twilight” and “New Moon” star Taylor Lautner will make his hosting debut. “New Moon” made box office history with the biggest single opening day. The musical guest is Bon Jovi which will be making its fifth appearance on the show. The Grammy Award-winning band has sold more than 120 million albums and performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries.
◊“Video Game Awards 2009″ (7 p.m. on SPIKE): The live event will celebrate the year’s best video games, as well as offer a glimpse at the future of gaming in 2010 and beyond.
–Penny TV
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