Happy Birthday, Jason Lee
April 25, 2010 — Jason
Michael Lee, who played Earl Hickey on “My Name Is Earl” (2005-09 on NBC), turns 40 today.
He will play Dwight Hendricks on the upcoming series “Memphis Beat” (premieres June 22 on TNT).
His first acting role was in the 1991 movie “Video Days.” He was 21.
Best wishes to Jason and everybody who shares this special day with him.
–Penny TV
Pictured at right: Jason Lee arrives for the premiere of the movie “Underdog,” Monday, July 30, 2007 in New York. Lee plays the voice of Shoeshine Boy. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
TV Preview Podcast: ‘Happy Town’
Each week, The Oklahoman TV Editor Penny Soldan hosts an audio podcast discussing an upcoming TV premiere.
This week’s premiere is the new ABC series “Happy Town” premiering at 9:01 p.m. Wednesday, April 28.
To hear her discussion with Melissa Hayer, assistant news research editor for The Oklahoman, click the arrow below.
Pictured above: HAPPY TOWN – ABC’s “Happy Town” stars Geoff Stults as Tommy Conroy, Sam Neill as Merritt Grieves, Lauren German as Henley Boone, Steven Weber as John Haplin, Amy Acker as Rachel Conroy, Sarah Gadon as Georgia Bravin, Robert Wisdom as Roger Hobbs, Jay Paulson as Eli “Root Beer” Rogers and Ben Schnetzer as Andrew Haplin. (ABC/BOB D’AMICO)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Happy Birthday, Rebecca Mader
April 24, 2010 — Rebecca Mader, who plays Charlotte Lewis on “Lost” (8 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC), turns 31 today.
She played Alden Tuller on “Justice” (2006-07).
Her first acting role was as Kim in a 2000 episode of “Madigan Men.” She was 21.
Best wishes to Rebecca and everybody who shares this special day with her.
–Penny TV
Pictured at right: Appearing for the new Fox show “Justice” is actress Rebecca Mader at the Summer Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., Tuesday, July 25, 2006. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Three chances to win a ‘Merlin: The Complete First Season’ DVD
“Merlin: The Complete First Season” DVD was released April 20 by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
It can be purchased at several online sites for $34.99.
Or you can take part in The Oklahoman’s giveaway for a chance to win one of three “Merlin: The Complete First Season” DVDs courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Simply write a sentence (15 words or less) about the TV show “Merlin” — either why you like it, why you recommend it or why you want to see it — and send it along with your name and address to psoldan@opubco.com.
All submissions received by midnight Thursday (April 29) will be in the running for one of the three DVD sets.
And check back with The Oklahoman’s Television Blog on Friday (April 30) to read what the three DVD winners had to say about “Merlin.”
–Penny TV
For those not that familiar with “Merlin,” which had its first-season run last summer on NBC and is airing Season 2 at 9 p.m. (CST) Fridays on Syfy, check out this “Merlin” clip from Warner Bros.
Meet Megan Mullally — raised in Oklahoma, starring in ‘Party Down’
Although she was born in Los Angeles, Megan Mullally’s parents moved the family back to Oklahoma on her sixth birthday.
Her mom, Martha Mullally, grew up in Tulsa and still lives in Oklahoma City. Megan is planning to return home for a week-long visit at the end of April.
Her dad, Carter Mullally Jr., grew up in Oklahoma City and was a contract player for Paramount Studios in the 1950s. He and his daughter starred in the 1989 film “Oklahoma Passage.”
“I wish my dad and I had scenes together, but we didn’t,” Mullally said. “But I will never quite forget pretending to give birth in that covered wagon. That was one for the books.”
“Oklahoma Passage,” a miniseries that dramatized 150 years of Oklahoma history, was Mullally’s 10th project as an actress. Her resume now includes appearances on Broadway, on the big screen and on daytime, primetime and cable television.
Mullally is also currently in development on “Karen: The Musical,” which is based on her character from “Will & Grace.”
–Penny TV
Story that ran April 22 in The Oklahoman
Megan Mullally is prepared to ‘Party Down’ in new role
click here for audio clip from Megan
By Penny Soldan, TV Editor
Megan Mullally caught the acting bug while performing with the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Ballet.
The Metropolitan Ballet is now known as Ballet Oklahoma. And Mullally is best known for her two-time Emmy and four-time SAG Award-winning role as Karen Walker on “Will & Grace.”
“I was in the ballet company for five years, from the eighth grade until my senior year,” said Mullally, who lived in Oklahoma from age 6 until she graduated from Casady High School in 1977.
“The only leads I would get were the story ballets where you had to act a little bit. And I was like, ‘Ooh, I like this acting part.’ The toe shoes maybe I could leave behind, but the acting part was fun.”
Mullally, who won her Emmys for the second and final seasons of “Will & Grace,” returns to primetime television as a new cast member on “Party Down.” The show that follows a group of Los Angeles cater-waiters yearning for a shot at stardom begins its second season at 9 p.m. Friday on Starz (channel 350 on Dish Network, 390 on Cox Digital Cable, 527 on DirecTV and 902 on U-verse).
Jane Lynch starred in the show’s first season, but she left to do Fox show “Glee.” And Mullally, 51, was pleased when the show’s producers offered her a part.
“My husband and I had watched Season 1 and got obsessed with it,” she said. “They wrote a different role for me, but I’m still fulfilling that same function that Jane had vacated.”
Mullally plays Lydia Dunfree, a single mom from the Midwest who moves to Hollywood to help her 13-year-old daughter achieve stardom. She is delighted to be working alongside “entertainment professionals,” and she is eager to get advice about “making it” in show biz.
“She is just bursting at the seems with goodwill,” Mullally said. “And because I felt like she is really dorky, I picked up a $99 wig on Hollywood Boulevard for the character.
“I felt that would be her idea of the hippest, most cutting-age new hairdo imaginable, whereas it really is like Jane Kaczmarek circa 2002.”
Filming is complete on all 10 episodes for Season 2, which includes a guest appearance by Lynch in the finale.
So now Mullally has time to work on another series she and her spouse enjoy. She will guest star on “Parks and Recreation” as the ex-wife of her real-life husband, Nick Offerman (he plays series regular Ron Swanson).
“There was an episode in November called ‘Ron and Tammy’ that chronicled the very tumultuous relationship between Ron and his ex-wife,” Mullally said. “And there’s going to be more sparks flying, because we’re shooting a couple more episodes soon.
“I’m a little biased toward ‘Parks and Recreation’ because my husband is on it. But next to it, I feel like ‘Party Down’ is the best comedy show on TV.”
Top 30 Guest Stars on TV Shows airing April 25-May 1, 2010
Friday is when The Oklahoman posts a list of the top guest stars (and all the premieres and finales, see separate blog) appearing on TV next week.
And here are 30 (or more) celebrities making special TV appearances the week of April 25.
If a well-known personality was missed, feel free to add his or her name in the comments section to help make this list a complete and accurate source for TV watchers everywhere.
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
GUEST STARS
••Christine Baranski (“The Good Wife”) on “The Big Bang Theory,” 8:31 p.m. Monday on CBS.
••Jennifer Beals (“The L Word”) on “Lie to Me,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on Fox.
••Shari Belafonte (“Hotel”) on “Miami Medical,” 9 p.m. Friday on CBS.
••Billy Baldwin (“Dirty Sexy Money”) on “Gossip Girl,” 8 p.m. Monday on CW.
••Matthew Brodereick (“The Producers”) on “The Marriage Ref,” 9 p.m. Thursday on NBC.
••Sarah Wayne Callies (“Prison Break”) on “House,” 7 p.m. Monday on Fox.
••Kristin Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) on “Glee,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on Fox.
••Nick Chinlund (“Desperate Housewives”) on “The Mentalist,” 8 p.m. Saturday on CBS.
••Tim Conway (“The Carol Burnett Show”) on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” 8 p.m. Thursday on CBS.
••Snoop Dogg (“Soul Plane”) on “Brothers,” 11:30 p.m. Saturday on Fox.
••Chris Elliott (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) on “How I Met Your Mother,” 7 p.m. Monday on CBS.
••Bill Fagerbakke (“SpongeBob SquarePants”) on “Til Death,” 6 p.m. Sunday on Fox.
••Mike Farrell (“M*A*S*H”) on “Miami Medical,” 9 p.m. Friday on CBS.
••Jim Gaffigan (“My Boys”) on “Law & Order,” 9 p.m. Monday on NBC.
••Greg Germann (“Ally McBeal”) on “Medium,” 8 p.m. Friday on CBS.
••Penn Jillette (“Dancing With the Stars”) on “Desperate Landscapes,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on DIY.
••Richard Kind (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) on “Til Death,” 6 p.m. Sunday on Fox.
••Josie Loren (“Make It or Break It”) on “10 Things I Hate About You,” 7 p.m. Monday on ABC Family.
••Michael Madsen (“Reservoir Dogs”) on “24,” 8 p.m. Monday on Fox.
••James Marsters (“Angel”) on “Lie to Me,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on Fox.
••Malcolm McDowell (“Entourage”) on “The Mentalist,” 9 p.m. Thursday on CBS.
••Lena Olin (“Alias”) on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on NBC.
••Eric Christian Olsen (“Fired Up!”) on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on CBS.
••Mike O’Malley (“Yes, Dear”) on “Glee,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on Fox.
••Ryan O’Neal (“Miss Match”) on “90210,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on Fox.
••Amy Pietz (“Aliens in America”) on “The Office,” 8 p.m. Thursday on NBC.
••Marion Ross (“Happy Days”) on “Brothers & Sisters,” 9:01 p.m. Sunday on ABC, and “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on CBS.
••Cassie Scerno (“Make It or Break It”) on “10 Things I Hate About You,” 7 p.m. Monday on ABC Family.
••Sherri Shepherd (“The View”) on “The Emeril Lagasse Show,” 7 p.m. Sunday on ION.
••Martin Short (“Damages”) on “The Marriage Ref,” 9 p.m. Thursday on NBC.
••Jonathan Silverman (“In Case of Emergency”) on “Medium,” 8 p.m. Friday on CBS.
••Sarah Silverman (“The Sarah Silverman Program”) on “The Marriage Ref,” 9 p.m. Thursday on NBC.
••Rena Sofer (“Blind Justice”) on “Criminal Minds,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS.
••Joe Spano (“NYPD Blue”) on “NCIS,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on CBS.
••Sharon Stone (“Bobby”) on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on NBC.
••D.B. Sweeney (“Eight Men Out”) on “24,” 8 p.m. Monday on Fox.
••Jennifer Tilly (“Out of Practice”) on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” 8 p.m. Thursday on CBS.
••Suzanne Vega (singer/songwriter) on “9 By Design,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Bravo.
••Cynthia Watros (“Lost”) on “House,” 7 p.m. Monday on Fox.
Pictured above: GLEE: Kristin Chenoweth guest-stars as April Rhodes in the GLEE episode “The Rhodes Not Taken.” CR: Carin Baer/FOX
TV Premieres and Finales airing April 25-May 1, 2010
Friday is when The Oklahoman posts a list of all the premieres and finales (and all the guest stars, see separate blog) coming up on TV next week.
And here are the shows beginning and ending the week of April 25.
If one was missed, the network did not issue a press release about it. But feel free to add it in the comments section to help make this list a complete and accurate source for TV watchers everywhere.
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
BEGINNINGS
••”Ray Johnston Band: Road Diaries,” 7 p.m. Sunday on HDNet (series premiere).
••”America the Story of Us,” 8 p.m. Sunday on History (series premiere).
••”Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking,” 8 p.m. Sunday on Discovery (series premiere).
••”Girl Meets Gown,” 9 p.m. Sunday on WE (series premiere).
••”River Monsters,” 8 p.m. Sunday on Animal Planet (second-season premiere).
••”Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern,” 9 p.m. Monday on Travel Channel (fifth-season premiere).
••”Food Party,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on IFC (second-season premiere).
••”Dinner With the Band,” 9:30 p.m. Tuesday on IFC (series premiere).
••”The Hills,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on MTV (seventh-season premiere).
••”The City,” 9:30 p.m. Tuesday on MTV (second-season premiere).
••”Sunset Daze,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on WE (series premiere).
••”Happy Town,” 9:01 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series premiere).
••”When I Was 17,” 10 a.m. Saturday on MTV (series premiere).
••”10 on Top,” 10 a.m. Saturday on MTV (series premiere).
ENDINGS
••“RuPaul’s Drag Race,” 8 p.m. Monday on Logo (second-season finale).
••”Runaway Squad,” 9 p.m. Monday on A&E (series finale).
••”The Life & Times of Tim,” 8:30 p.m. Friday on HBO (second-season finale).
••”Who Do You Think You Are?” 7 p.m. Friday on NBC (first-season finale).
••“Bill Moyers Journal,” 7 p.m. Friday on OETA-13 (series finale).
••”I Shouldn’t Be Alive,” 8 p.m. Friday on Animal Planet (third-season finale).
Pictured above: Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking of England presents a lecture titled, “Out of a Black Hole” at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, Monday, April 5, 2010. His new series “Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking” premieres April 25 on Discovery. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)
Happy Birthday, Melina Kanakaredes
April 23, 2010 — Melina Eleni
Kanakaredes, who plays Detective Stella Bonasera on “CSI: NY” (9 p.m. Wednesdays on CBS), turns 43 today.
She played Dr. Sydney Hansen on “Providence” (1999-2002).
Her first acting role was in the 1987 movie “Carts.” She was 20.
Best wishes to Melina and everybody who shares this special day with her.
–Penny TV
Pictured at right: Melina Kanakaredes, of the CBS television series “CSI:NY” stops while filming an episode in Foley Square, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007 in New York. She plays Stella Bonasera on theTV drama.(AP Photo/Edouard H.R. Gluck)
2010 TV Shows: Canceled or coming back?
If you want to lobby networks to bring back your favorite shows, now would be a good time to do so.
In a few weeks, NBC (May 17), Fox (May 17), ABC (May 18), CBS (May 19) and The CW (May 20) will unveil their 2010-11 fall lineups.
Following is a list of the networks’ shows and their current status, as well as contact information in case you care to share your thoughts with the network bosses.
ABC
►Will Return: Brothers & Sisters, Castle, Cougar Town, The Middle, Modern Family.
►Won’t Return: Eastwick, Hank, Lost, Scrubs, Ugly Betty.
►No word yet: 20/20, America’s Funniest Home Videos, The Bachelor, Better Off Ted, Dancing With the Stars, The Deep End, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Find My Family, FlashForward, The Forgotten, Grey’s Anatomy, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Private Practice, Shark Tank, Supermanny, Supernanny, V, Wife Swap.
►Midseason/Summer Series: The Bachelor Pad, The Bachelorette, Boston Med, Dating in the Dark, Downfall, The Gates, Happy Town, Primetime, Romantically Challenged, Rookie Blue, Scoundrels, Secret Millionaire, Shaq vs, True Beauty, Wipeout.
►Who to contact: Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment Group, 500 S Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA 91521.
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CBS
►Will Return: The Amazing Race, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS: Los Angeles, Survivor, Two and a Half Men, Undercover Boss.
►Won’t Return: Three Rivers.
►No word yet: 48 Hours Mystery, 60 Minutes, Accidentally on Purpose, Cold Case, Criminal Minds, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Whisperer, I Get That A Lot, Live For the Moment, Medium, The Mentalist, Miami Medical, NCIS, The New Adventures of Old Christine, NUMB3RS, Rules of Engagement, There Goes the Neighborhood.
►Midseason/Summer Series: Arranged Marriage, Big Brother, The Bridge, Flashpoint, Got to Dance.
►Who to contact: Nina Tassler, president of CBS Entertainment, 7800 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90039.
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Fox
►Will Return: American Dad, American Idol, The Cleveland Show, Cops, Family Guy, Fringe, Glee, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, The Simpsons.
►Won’t Return: Brothers, Dollhouse, Past Life, Sit Down, Shut Up, Til Death, 24.
►No word yet: America’s Most Wanted, Bones, House, Human Target, Lie to Me, Sons of Tucson, The Wanda Sykes Show.
►Midseason/Summer Series: The Good Guys, Masterchef, So You Think You Can Dance.
►Who to contact: Kevin Reilly, president of Fox Entertainment, P.O. Box 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90213.
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The CW
►Will Return: 90210, America’s Next Top Model, Gossip Girl, Smallville, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries.
►Won’t Return: The Beautiful Life.
►No word yet: Fly Girls, High Society, Hitched or Ditched, Life Unexpected, Melrose Place, One Tree Hill.
►Who to contact: Dawn Ostroff, The CW president of entertainment, 4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522.
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NBC
►Will Return: 30 Rock, The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, Community, Friday Night Lights, The Marriage Ref, Minute to Win It, The Office, Parenthood, Parks and Recreation, The Sing-Off, Who Do You Think You Are?
►Won’t Return: The Jay Leno Show.
►No word yet: Chuck, Dateline, Heroes, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Mercy, Saturday Night Live, Trauma.
►Midseason/Summer Series: 100 Questions, America’s Got Talent, America’s next Great Restaurant, Breakthrough With Tony Robbins, Day One, The Jensen Project, Last Comic Standing, Losing It With Jillian, Persons Unknown.
►Who to contact: Jeff Zucker, president and chief executive of NBC Universal, 300 W. Alameda Avenue, Burbank, CA 91523.
— Penny TV
Pictured above: Simon Baker stars in THE MENTALIST. Photo: Lance Staedler/CBS
Pictured below: Cast of HOUSE:Jesse Spencer, Olivia Wilde, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps, Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Peter Jacobson and Jennifer Morrison. Photo: Florian Schneider/FOX 
Top 55 TV Programs for April 25-May 1, 2010
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 April 25:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
••2010 Nadia Comaneci International Invitational (8 p.m. on KAUT-43): Olympic gymnastics champ Nadia Comaneci hosts this event along with her husband, Olympic champion and for University of Oklahoma gymnast Bart Conner. The competition taped February at the Cox Arena in Oklahoma City features future gymnastics stars from around the country, as well as athletes from the top clubs in Romania, the Ukraine, Australia, Peru, Canada, Israel, Venezuela and Mexico.
••”The Amazing Race” (7 p.m. on CBS): When teams face two roadblocks in a single leg for the first time on the series, two teams discover just how costly cab rides can be.
••”America the Story of Us” (8 p.m. on History): Liev Schreiber (“Taking Woodstock”) narrates this new 12-hour series that chronicles the story of how America was invented. It covers 400 years of American history, looking at the moments where Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress.
••”Brothers & Sisters” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): More than one member of the Walker family suspects she might be pregnant, Nora offers to take her aging mother in (Marion Ross, “Happy Days”) when it’s discovered she has dementia, and Luc gets an exciting delivery in the mail.
••”Celebrity Apprentice” (8 p.m. on NBC): Donald Trump mixes up the teams and assigns them to create an original celebrity workout for 24 Hour Fitness and bring in donations.
••”Deadly Honeymoon” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Two young Denver newlyweds, Lindsey (Summer Glau, “Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles”) and Trevor Forrest (Chris Carmack, “Drop Dead Diva”) embark on their honeymoon cruise. What begins as a dream vacation devolves into a night of wild partying, infidelity and strange encounters with a group of passengers.
••”The Emeril Lagasse Show” (7 p.m. on ION): Chef Emeril Lagasse and special guest Sherri Shepherd (“The View”) enjoy a Hawaiian-themed celebration on this “Staycation” episode.
••”Girl Meets Gown” (9 p.m. on WE): This new series reveals what it truly takes for a bride-to-be to find the perfect gown that will compliment her style and make her shine on the most important day of her life. The creative and hard-working team at Stardust Celebrations in Dallas, one of the largest bridal boutiques in America, help the brides in their quest.
••”Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking” (8 p.m. on Discovery): In this four-part series, viewers will gain access to the mind of professor Stephen Hawking, who is physically confined but mentally free to explore the mysteries of the universe.
••”The Pacific” (8 p.m. on HBO): The Marines, including the newly christened “Sledgehammer,” continue the battle of Peleliu against an enemy determined to fight to the last man. Devastated by the loss of a revered leader, and witnessing unimaginable barbarity on both sides, Sledge veers to the very edge of moral collapse.
••”Ray Johnston Band: Road Diaries” (7 p.m. on HDNet): This eight-part series follows Ray Johnston, a cancer survivor and former Dallas Maverick point guard, as he and his band travel across the country trying to make it in the music business. The true focus and backdrop is the uplifting, behind-the-scenes story of the band’s leader, Ray Johnston, and his heroic battle with leukemia.
••”The Real Story: The Exorcist” (9 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel): Perhaps the scariest part of thye 1973 movie “The Exorcist” is that it’s not a work of complete fiction. This is the story of the ritual that took place in 1949 to rid a boy of demons, culled from witness accounts and written records. The events that inspired the film are detailed along with interviews of top neuroscientists who try to determine whether the forces at work were supernatural or psychological.
••”River Monsters” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): Extreme angler and biologist Jeremy Wade goes on a worldwide mission to solve freshwater fish mysteries. Season 2 will take him to such locations as the Congo, Thailand, South Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia, Alaska and Florida to try to capture some amazing creatures and tell their tales.
••”TV Land Awards ’10″ (8 p.m. on TV Land): Tim Allen (“Home Improvement”) hosts the eighth annual event dedicated to reuniting and celebrating some of the most memorable TV performers of the past. Among the schedule honorees are the casts of “Glee,” “Charlie’s Angels” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
••”When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story” (8 p.m. on CBS): Spanning more than 30 years, this Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation is based on the true story of the enduring but troubled love between Lois Wilson (Winona Ryder, “Mr. Deeds”), co-founder of Al-Anon, and her alcoholic husband Bill Wilson (Barry Pepper, “Saving Private Ryan”), co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.
MONDAY, APRIL 26, 2010
••”10 Things I Hate About You” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Bianca plans to take first place in Padua High’s talent show. That is, until Chastity steals her song. Josie Loren and Cassie Scerno from “Make It or Break It” guest star.
••“24” (8 p.m. on Fox): With only six hours left, the clock races toward the series finale as President Allison Taylor faces impossible choices and much to the dismay of CTU, she enlists a private security firm to complete a sensitive task led by Mark Bledsoe (D.B. Sweeney, “Eight Men Out”). Meanwhile, Jack calls in a favor to his old friend Rick Vickers (Michael Madsen, (“Reservoir Dogs”) before he embarks upon a crucial mission of his own.
••”American Experience” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The documentary “My Lai” examines one of the darkest chapters of the Vietnam War: the 1968 My Lai massacre, its cover-up and the soldiers who broke rank to halt the attrocities.
••”Antiques Roadshow” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Items appraised in Hour 2 from Phoenix include a 1982 bronze maquette by renowned sculptor Henry Moore and an heirloom amethyst jewelry collection.
••”Beyond Conviction” (7 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary follows the courageous journey of three individuals as they face their assailants and hope to find peace and salvation.
••”The Big Bang Theory” (8:31 p.m. on CBS): A visit from Leonard’s mother (Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”) delights Sheldon and horrifies Leonard.
••”Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern” (9 p.m. on Travel Channel): Host Andrew Zimmern’s appetite for the most unique foods is never satisfied. In the Season 5 premiere, he travels to Thailand to sample whole-roasted bamboo rat, cow bile and dung beetles, among other local delicacies.
••“Gossip Girl” (8 p.m. on CW): When Lily’s ex-husband, Dr. William van der Woodsen (Billy Baldwin, “Dirty Sexy Money”), shows up unexpectedly in Manhattan, Serena finally gets the reunion she has so desperately wanted with her father, but the circumstances turn out to be far from ideal.
••“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): House and the team take on the case of a woman Julia (Sarah Wayne Callies, “Prison Break”), who is in an open marriage and becomes ill during a date with her on-the-side boyfriend. Meanwhile, House tests Wilson’s relationship with Sam (Cynthia Watros, “Lost”).
••”How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): Barney freaks out when Marshall bequeaths a “slap bet” slap to Ted and Robin. Meanwhile, Lily’s estranged father (Chris Elliott, “Everybody Loves Raymond”) shows up for Thanksgiving.
••”Law & Order” (9 p.m. on NBC): When a mother of 10 adopted special needs children is found dead, the detectives uncover an affair and a reality TV show offer. Jim Gaffigan (“My Boys”) guest stars.
••”Rules of Engagement” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Audrey forces Jeff to give up his hockey tickets and go to her boss’s party with her instead, he spends the night trying to avoid learning the score of the game. At the game, meanwhile, Russell is mortified when Timmy roots against the home team.
••”Runaway Squad” (9 p.m. on A&E): In the series finale, New York City provate investigator Joe Mazzilli continues to hunt down runaways and reunite them with their families.
TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2010
••”9 By Design” (9 p.m. on Bravo): With the birth of their seventh child, Bob and Cortney Novogratz invite friends and family to their home to celebrate baby Major’s christening that will include a live performance from their good friend, singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega.
••”30 for 30″ (7 p.m. on ESPN): The documentary “Run Ricky Run” features footage of NFL running back Ricky Williams recorded during his time away from football. He became a media punching bag when he left the sport in 2004, but he has since redeemed himself as a father and a teammate.
••“90210” (7 p.m. on Fox): The gang is preparing for the SAT’s when Silver disagrees with Teddy’s decision to skip college to focus on his tennis career and things grow even more tense when she meets his movie star father, Spence (Ryan O’Neal, “Miss Match”).
••”The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): The remaining seven contestants head to Dallas to inspire Texans to get healthy and join them as they run a 5K at the Cotton Bowl. Sesaon 8 fan favorite Abby Rike makes a special appearans and invites Jillian to speak at her old high school.
••”The City” (9:30 p.m. on MTV): In Season 2, Whitney Port, Roxy Olin, Olivia Palermo and Erin Kaplan continue to traverse the New York City fashion industry and their relationships with each other.
••”Dinner With the Band” (9:30 p.m. on IFC): Hosted by New York City chef Sam Mason, this new cooking show combines culinary delights, musical performances and conversations with select acclaimed indie music artists. Artists scheduled to appear include Rufus Wainwright, The Devil Makes Three, The Mountain Goats, Andrew WK, My Brightest Diamond, Murder City Devils, Lightspeed Champion, Theophilus London and Vega.
••”Explorer” (9 p.m. on National Geographic): The new episode “Fatal Insomnia” looks at an extremely rare disease passed down through generations. The primary symptom of FFI — fatal familial insomnia — is sleeplessness, but with a tragic twist: Victims are dead within months.
••”Food Party” (9 p.m. on IFC): Brooklyn fringe artist Thu Tran created and hosts this series, which returns for a second season., Shot on location in Brooklyn in a handmade, technicolor cardboard kitchen, Thu interacts with a cavalcade of puppets, humans, baked goods and vegetables, as the gang embarks on journeys to bizarre and unexpected lands.
••”Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment looks at the vaccine war, in which scientific medicine and the public health establishment are battling a coalition of paents, celebrities, politicians and activists over wther vaccines are a great achievement or a scourge on health.
••”Future Food” (9 p.m. on Planet Green): The staff at MOTO restaurant in Chicago let a bunch of youngsters come up with menu ideas, which include eyeballs, deep fried deer head with tree bark utensils and dirty socks with rocks — all made out of vegetables.
••”Glee” (8 p.m. on Fox): Kurt sets his dad (Mike O’Malley, “Yes, Dear”) up with an unexpected partner, and Sue demands that the Cheerios go on a crazy diet in preparation for a big interview with “Splits” magazine. Meanwhile, April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies”) returns to save Will and the glee club.
••”The Hills” (9 p.m. on MTV): In the seventh and final season, fans can expect to see Audrina Patridge dating singer Ryan Cabrera and Kristin Cavallari dealing with rumors of drug abuse. But will former star Lauren Conrad return for the big goodbye? Maybe.
••”NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): Gibbs and Special Agent T.C. Fornell (Joe Spano, “NYPD Blue”) try to uncover the truth when a polygraph specialist’s night job takes a dangerous turn that leads to murder.
••”NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m. on CBS): NCIS investigates the murder of a Navy officer entangled in the world of Hollywood glitz and glamour as the team is joined at Hetty’s request by LAPD liaison Marty Deeks (Eric Christian Olsen, “Fired Up!”).
••”Nova” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Mind Over Money” delves into arguments about the world of finance and explores behavioral economics, which aims to incorporate human psychology into finance.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2010
••”Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): When a grief-stricken Hotchner takes a leave of absence from the Behavioral Analysis Unit to ponder his future career, Rossi and the team must regroup to solve a home invasion case. Rena Sofer (“Blind Justice”) guest stars.
••”Desperate Landscapes” (9 p.m. on DIY): Host and licensed contractor Jason Cameron visits the Las Vegas home of magician Penn Jillette (“Dancing With the Stars”) for a landscape renovation. It took Jason Cameron and his team 16 hours of sweat to turn Jillette’s 10,000 square foot front yard into an oasis complete with artificial turf, desert plants and more.
••”Great Performances” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): David Tennant (“Doctor Who”) reprises his role as the melancholy Dane in this television adaptation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed 2008 stage production of “Hamlet.” The presentation also stars Patrick Stewart (X-Men”) as King Claudius, the murderer of Hamlet’s father.
••”Happy Town” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): This new drama focuses on the residents of Haplin, Minn., also known as “Happy Town.” They have enjoyed an uneasy peace for the past five years, but that is about to change. Still haunted by a number of unsolved kidnappings, Haplin now faces a disturbing new crime that brings all of its unresolved fears to the surface.
••”Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m. on NBC): When a man is accused of murdering his daughters, detective Stabler’s former partner (Sharon Stone, “Bobby”) takes the case.
••“Lie to Me” (7 p.m. on Fox): Zoe enlists the Lightman Group to investigate a star college football player accused of statutory rape. Jennifer Beals (“The L Word”) and James Marsters (“Angel”) guest star.
••”The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Matthew and Richard try to evict an elderly lady (Marion Ross, “Happy Days”) from the apartment they want to rent.
••”Sunset Daze” (9 p.m. on WE): This new reality series set in a retirement community in Surprise, Ariz., reveals seniors reconnecting with their youth and having the best time of their lives.
THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2010
••“Ask a Lawyer 2010” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This annual community service provided by the Oklahoma Bar Association gives the public the opportunity to call in during the live broadcast and speak with attorneys on various areas of the law.
••”CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): A legendary comic from the good old days of Las Vegas is set to reunite with his partner on stage for one night only, until one half of the famous duo is found dead. Tim Conway (“The Carol Burnett Show”) guest stars as legendary comic Knuckles Pratt and Jennifer Tilly (“Out of Practice”) guest stars as his wife.
••”Fringe” (8 p.m. on Fox): While Walter deals with some upsetting news, he tells Olivia’s niece a fairy tale that includes musical performances by Olivia and Angent Broyles.
••“The Marriage Ref” (9 p.m. on NBC): Celebrity panelists Matthew Broderick (“The Producers”), Sarah Silverman (“The Sarah Silverman Program”) and Martin Short (“Damages”) offer their wit, wisdom and unique opinions to couples in marital tiffs.
••”The Mentalist” (9 p.m. on CBS): When a media mogul is murdered, Patrick Jane and the CBI team investigate cult leader Bret Stiles (Malcolm McDowell, “Entourage”), who may have had an axe to grind following the publication of a critical story about his group.
••”The Office” (8 p.m. on NBC): Pam and Jim work on their first sales pitch together to Donna (Amy Pietz, “Aliens in America”), the manager of a local restaurant. But Michael keeps misreading the signals she’s putting out.
••”True Crime With Aphrodite Jones” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): In this installment, journalist and bestselling author Aphrodite Jones sets out to prove that the allegations of child abuse against Michael Jackson were as responsible for his early death as sleep-inducing drugs.
FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010
••“Bill Moyers Journal” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): In his final program, host Bill Moyers reports on people working for a chance and has a “World of Ideas” conversation with a leading public thinker.
••”I Shouldn’t Be Alive” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): A former special forces man travelled to the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania to go on a solo hiking expedition. The trip takes a turn for th4e worse when he is swept off a ledge by an avalanche.
••”The Life & Times of Tim” (8:30 p.m. on HBO): In the Season 2 finale, Tim loses his job when the Chairman of Omnicorp flies in from the United Kingdom.
••”Live From Abbey Road” (7 p.m. on Sundance): Musical artists discussing their work and performing at London’s Abbey Road Studios are The Killers, Chairlift and Florence and The Machine.
••”Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): After a neighbor (Jonathan Silverman, “In Case of Emergency”) is murdered, Allison’s fears for her own family prompt her to install a high-tech talking burglar alarm, which she later suspects may be communicating with Marie. Also, Ariel meets a ghost (Greg Germann, “Ally McBeal”) who could help her get into the college of her choice.
••”Miami Medical” (9 p.m. on CBS): In order to show the importance of their facility, Dr. Proctor is forced to give a speech proving just how vital he and his team are in the minutes following a major accident. Shari Belafonte (“Hotel”) guest stars as Kimberly Davis, a hospital donor and Mike Farrell (“M*A*S*H,” “Providence”) guest stars as Dr. Carl Willis, a hospital administrator.
••”Who Do You Think You Are?” (7 p.m. on NBC): Director Spike Lee (“Do the Right Thing”) learns about his ancestors in the Season 1 finale. The one question that he wanted answered — “Who owned my family?” — takes him to Texas, where he comes face to face with an unlikely relative.
SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2010
••”10 on Top” (10 a.m. on MTV): Lenay Dunn hosts this new show that countdowns the Top 10 most texted and talked about young celebs of the week. Viewers will get the very latest on their favorite superstar entertainers, what deals they landed, whose hearts they broke and whose star is shining brightest.
••”Accused at 17″ (8 p.m. on Lifetime): When 17-year-old Bianca’s two best friends find out that Bianca’s boyfriend cheated on her with a classmate, all three play a prank on the girl that goes horribly wrong. Nicole Gale Anderson (“Jonas”) and Cynthia Gibb (“Fame”) star.
••“Brothers” (11:30 p.m. on Fox): Mike and Chill hire their cousin Kenny (Snoop Dogg, “Soul Plane”), a shady lawyer who specializes in debt and fraud, to recover Mike’s laundered assets. But when Kenny is only able to locate funds donated to a children’s charity, Mike wrestles with a tough decision.
••”Dov Davidoff: The Filthy Operation” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central): Dov Davidoff’s urban flavor, Jersey accent and ADD comedic style brings out the funny in such issues as prejudice in politics and school lunches, gay rights, the relationship between transvestites and transformers and why men don’t stop for directions.
••”The Mentalist” (8 p.m. on CBS): While Jane and the team examine a crime scene where a baseball scout was found murdered, Jane is clocked in the head by a ball and flashes back to his childhood with his overbearing father (Nick Chinlund, “Desperate Housewives”).
••”When I Was 17″ (10 a.m. on MTV): In this enlightening new series, each episode will focus on the lives of three uniquely different celebrities. It will explore their family life, friendships, romantic relationships, part-time jobs and the things they did, or didn’t do, to get them to where they are today.
••”Made Presents: Kiss & Tell: The Do’s and Don’ts of Dating” (11 a.m. on MTV): The experts of “Kiss & Tell” teach an insecure high school boy how to become a more confident and romantically successful individual. Viewers will also hear firsthand from teenage girls about what they look for in a boyfriend.
–Penny TV
