ENDINGS
••“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO (seventh-season finale).
••“The Next Iron Chef,” 8 p.m. Sunday on Food Network (first-season finale).
••“Jon and Kate Plus 8,” 8 p.m. Monday on TLC (fifth-season finale).
••“Dancing With the Stars,” 8:01 p.m. Tuesday on ABC (ninth-season finale).
••“Man Shops Globe,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on Sundance (series finale).
••“Shameless,” 7 p.m. Friday on Sundance (fifth-season premiere).

MARATHONS
••“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday on USA Network.
••“How Clean Is Your House?” 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday on BBC America.
••“Dogs 101/Cats 101,” 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday on Animal Planet.
••“Cake Boss,” 5 a.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday on TLC.
••“Mythbusters,” 8 a.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday on Discovery.
••“Untamed & Uncut,” 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday on Animal Planet.
••“White Collar,” 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday on USA Network.
••“I’m Alive,” noon to 9 p.m. Friday on Animal Planet.
••“Deadliest Catch,” 8 a.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday on Discovery.
••“Dirty Jobs,” 10 a.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Nov. 29 on Discovery.

NOTE: Times are CT. For ET, add one hour.

Pictured above: DONNY OSMOND, KYM JOHNSON on “Dancing With the Stars” (ABC Photo)

NOTE: Times are CT. For ET, add one hour.

SUNDAY, NOV. 22, 2009
◊“2009 American Music Awards” (7 p.m. on ABC): The 37th annual event will honor artists in the categories of Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin and Contemporary Inspirational. And for the third year in a row, winners will be determined by online voting. Nominees with Oklahoma ties are Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire for favorite female country artist and Rascal Flatts for favorite country band and album.
◊“Bill Engvall: Aged and Confused” (8 p.m. on Comedy Central): In this standup comedy special filmed at the Vic Theater in Chicago, the Blue Collar comedian moves away from discussing family life and what it’s like raising kids to discussing all the little everyday things that drive him nuts.
◊“The Cleveland Show” (7:30 p.m. on Fox): Cleveland celebrates his first Thanksgiving with his new family. However, the holiday gets complicated when Roberta and Federline decide to celebrate on their own. Musical artists Daryl Hall and John Oates guest star as themselves.
◊“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (8 p.m. on HBO): In the Season 7 finale, a returned favor costs Larry quality time with Cheryl.
◊“Did the Mob Kill JFK?” (7 p.m. on Discovery): Featuring an exclusive interview with a secret FBI informant, this special tracks the nexus of organized crime, the Justice Department, the CIA and attempts to overthrow Cuban leader Fidel Castro culminating in that fateful day in Dallas.
◊“Future Earth: 100 Heartbeats” (7 p.m. on MSNBC): Wildlife expert Jeff Corwin hosts this two-hour special on the plight of endangered species and the environmental heroes around the world who are working to save them. At the current rate of extinction, scientists estimate that only half of the world’s animal species will remain by the end of the 21st century.
◊“The Haunted” (9 p.m. on Animal Planet): This new series focuses on people whose animals act as mediaries to the afterworld. Often the subjects of the most intense paranormal hauntings, animals are commonly believed to be more sensitive to spirits than people. But when spirits afflict pets, the animals aren’t the only victims. Owners also fall prey to paranormal activity and will often stop at nothing to rid their homes and pets of paranormal spirits.
◊“JFK: The Ruby Connection” (8 p.m. on Discovery): This special sets out to answer this by recreating and restaging the Nov. 24, 1963, shooting of Oswald at the actual Dallas police station garage where Jack Ruby shot him. The same vintage cameras and lights will be used to illustrate minute-by-minute who was standing where and why.
◊“Meet the Natives USA” (10 p.m. on Travel Channel): This new series focuses on five tribesmen from the South Pacific island of Tanna who have come to the United States to see how Americans live and to deliver a message of peace from their supreme chief to the leaders of America.
◊“The Next Iron Chef” (8 p.m. on Food Network): The remaining two chefs walk into the hallowed halls of Kitchen Stadium to complete their final test with the Chairman looking on and host Alton Brown commentating from the side.
◊“The Simpsons” (7 p.m. on Fox): Fed up with Bart’s constant pranks, Principal Skinner tells him there is a former Springfield Elementary student (Jonah Hill, “Funny People”) who is hailed as the best prankster ever.
◊“Storm Chasers” (9 p.m. on Discovery): In the new episode “Fight or Flight,” University of Oklahoma graduate Reed Timmer isn’t satisfied after he launches a remote control plane to drop data-probes into a tornado, so he punches right into an erratic storm, only to find himself with no time to get out of the way of the powerful vortices that surround him.
◊“Vampires From the Abyss” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): Journey to depths of more than 13,000 feet as Science Channel searches the oceans off San Francisco for one of the most unusual organisms on the planet — the Vampire Squid.

MONDAY, NOV. 23, 2009
◊“The Big Bang Theory” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): After he’s humiliated on National Public Radio, Sheldon vows to destroy Kripke, while Wolowitz tries not to destroy his new relationship with Bernadette. “Battlestar Galactica” star Katee Sackhoff appears as herself, offering Wolowitz some relationship advice.
◊“Bus 174″ (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This special documents the terrifying tale of what happened in Rio de Janeiro on June 12, 2000, when bus 174 was taken hostage by an armed man threatening to shoot all the passengers. The event played out live on over Brazilian TV networks. It became a shocking example of the incompetence by local law enforcement agencies to properly handle the situation, which appeared to be coming to a safe and peaceful conclusion until the misguided acts of a policeman changed everything.
◊“Elbert Hubbard: An American Original” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Liev Schreiber (“The Manchurian Candidate”) narrates this documentary about the life of Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915), the flamboyant founder of the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora, N.Y. The voice of Hubbard, an influential author, publisher, lecturer and entrepreneur, is provided by Adam Arkin (“Baby Bob”).
◊“Find My Family” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): With the help of a dedicated team of researchers, hosts Tim Green and Lisa Joyner guide people searching for lost loved ones through emotional journeys that will change their lives forever.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): On the eve of Thanksgiving, the team treats a brilliant physicist (Esteban Powell, “The Cleaner), who traded his career for a job as a courier because he found intelligence to be a burden that led to depression and addiction. A myriad of strange symptoms nearly stumps the doctors, who also wrestle with strained personal relationships.
◊“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.
◊“Jon and Kate Plus 8″ (8 p.m. on TLC): On the Season 5 finale, Kate and the kids milk cows at a dairy farm and Jon and the kids learn about firefighting. Then, Jon and Kate speak about recent life events, the series and ups and downs of the last few years.
◊“Lie to Me” (8:01 p.m. on Fox): Loker investigates the origin of a deadly stampede at an electronics store on the day after Thanksgiving.
◊“Live With Regis and Kelly” (9 a.m. on CBS): Hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa are in Las Vegas for a week of telecasts originating from the city’s new resort, Encore at Wynn Las Vegas. In addition to a top-notch lineup of guests, the show will turn the spotlight on Las Vegas’ vibrant nightlife, elaborate stage productions and all of the sights and sounds of this unique oasis in the desert.
◊“The Martha Stewart Show” (2 p.m. on KSBI-52): Chef Emeril Lagasse joins Martha Stewart in the kitchen to prepare a Thanksgiving feast. And in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, Martha will dedicate one segment per show to answer last-minute Thanksgiving questions via Twitter.
◊“Rita Rocks” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): When Rita’s PTA nemesis, Jennifer (Melissa Peterman, “Reba”), shows up at Bed & Bath Max blubbering about being broke and her husband running off with their maid, Rita helps her get a job at the store.
◊“Surviving the Holidays With Lewis Black” (7 p.m. on History): Armed with history and humor, Lewis Black (”The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”) explores the meaning of Kwanzaa, the history of Hanukkah, the real St. Nicholas and “interviews” ill-fated turkeys on a farm. Also appearing are Joy Behar, Bob Saget, David Alan Grier, Craig Ferguson and other comics.

TUESDAY, NOV. 24, 2009
◊“Apollo Wives” (7 p.m. on BBC America): This special looks at the wives of Apollo astronauts and what was required of them by their husbands, by NASA and by the media.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): The five remaining contestants get a surprise visit from financial guru Suze Orman, who gives them tips on how toi be financially fit when they get home. Later, Hall of Fame football player Rod Woodson helps kick off an NFL challenge involving the weight they’ve each lost all season.
◊“Dancing With the Stars” (8:01 p.m. on ABC): The three remaining couples compete for the Season 9 championship. Singer Mya and her partner, Dmitry Chaplin, were early favorites to win.
◊“The Good Wife” (9 p.m. on CBS): Alicia deals with tricky office politics when she’s asked to represent the firm’s senior partner after he’s arrested.  Meanwhile, Peter’s evidentiary hearing hits the skids, leading Alicia to suspect that he may, in fact, actually be guilty of corruption. Chelsea Handler (”Chelsea Lately”) guest stars as herself when she interviews Peter Florrick’s mistress on her show.
◊“Independent Lens” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): A look at our complex relationship with manufactured objects, the people who design them and the creative process behind their work.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): A dead Marine’s day job at a government think tank leads Gibbs and the team into the life of a 12-year-old prodigy who may be the killer’s next target. Lisa Sheridan (”Invasion”) guest stars as Facilities Coordinator Krista Dalton.  Francis Capra (”Veronica Mars”) guests as Gang Member Eddie Castillo. Ray Mabus, the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy, will make a cameo appearance.
◊“NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m. on CBS): Forensic scientist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette, “NCIS”) joins the Los Angeles NCIS team when a murder case resembles the pattern for a serial killer she has been tracking.
◊“Nova” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This new installment follows heading dream researchers to witnes the experiments they use to investigate the world of sleep.
◊“Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” (9 p.m. on HBO): The 152nd edition profiles an organization for paralyzed football players, follows one man’s triumphant return to Ironman competition and revisits the NFL’s efforts to curb alcohol-induced fan misconduct.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (7 p.m. on Fox): The top 12 dancers twist, turn and tango for the chance to get a ticket on the “Hot Tamale Train.” This is the last week that the judges decide who goes home, and then it will be solely up to America.
◊“V” (7 p.m. on ABC): On the November cliffhanger, Erica looks to uncover a biological threat from the visitors, Anna befriends a special guest inside the mothership and Chad does an investigative report on the V healing centers. The series will return with new episodes in March.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 25, 2009
◊“American Masters” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment focuses on the music of folk singer Woody Guthrie, whose songs have been recorded by artists ranging from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to the Irish rock band U2.
◊“Ben 10: Alien Swarm” (6 p.m. on Cartoon Network): This new live-action movie based on the popular animated franchise follows Ben (Ryan Kelley, “Prayers for Bobby”) as he breaks ranks from the Plumbers — a secret organization that battles alien forces — to help a mysterious young woman from his past uncover an alien threat to our world.
◊“The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?” (7 p.m. on NBC): This special will feature more that 40 contestants from seasons one through seven, showing how they look now and sharing what they’ve been doing with their lives since being on the show. Former players, some of whom will be surprised by visits from trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, will also share major milestones, from getting married to having children.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): On the show’’s 100th episode, the Behavioral Analysis Unit races to help Hotchner find The Reaper (C. Thomas Howell, “The Outsiders”) and save his family before it’s too late. D.B. Sweeney (”Jericho”) also returns as US Marshall Kassmeyer.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): In the culmination of a multi-episode mystery, Mac and his team uncover the dark lair of a murderous madman, the Compass Killer (Skeet Ulrich, “Jericho”).  But as they race to save his fourth victim, the sunrise presents one final surprise that no one ever expected.
◊“Eastwick” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Thrilled when Darryl arranges an art show for her work at his mansion — and invites New York art maven Greta Noa (Rosanna Arquette) — Roxie forgets that his motives might be less than pure. Joanna turns to her power to get her life back on track, but swiftly discovers that every action, magical or otherwise, has its consequences.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Gary lets Louise attend the popular girls party, he tries to keep it a secret from Allison. Meanwhile, Sasha contemplates having more than a working relationship with Gary. Victoria’s Secret Model Marisa Miller guest stars as Brittney, a fashion store clerk. 
◊“Glee” (8 p.m. on Fox): Mr. Schuester and his glee club check out their hair-raising competition, but there’s even scarier stuff going on elsewhere, as Kurt gives Rachel a makeover. Eve guest stars as the rival glee club’s instructor.
“The Jazz Baroness” (7 p.m. on HBO2): This special documents the enduring relationship between British-born heiress Pannonica Rothschild (“Nica” for short) and pianist-composer Thelonious Monk. It was directed by Nica’s great-niece Hannah Rothschild and features the voice of Helen Mirren (”The Queen”), who reads Nica’s words.
◊“Man Shops Globe” (9 p.m. on Sundance): Keith Johnson, buyer-at-large for the innovative specialty retailer Anthropologie, continues his search for unusual good while on vacation in Argentina. In the Palermo area, he combs through the offerings at a flea market, checks in with his favorite fabric merchant, who sells hand-loomed pieces from remote parts of the country and takes in two stores specializing in 20th Century pieces.
◊“Man v. Food” (9 p.m. on Travel Channel): Host Adam Richman visits Little Rock, Ark., to taste the mammoth Quadruple Hubcap Burger and compete in the Shut Up Juice Spicy Pulled Pork Challenge.
◊“Modern Family” (7 p.m. on ABC): Claire and Mitchell’s mother, Dede (Shelley Long,” Cheers”), drops in for a surprise visit and is determined to make amends with everyone she offended during what has been deemed “the incident” at Jay and Gloria’s wedding.
◊“Secrets of the Dead” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The episode “Mumbai Massacre” revisits the events of Nov. 26, 2008, when a wave of orchestrated terrorism was transmitted live around the world via cell phones, the Internet, texting and social networks such as Twitter. That same technology enabled the terrorists to coordinate and plan their attacks.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Ricardo Montalban was born on this day in 1920, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of his films, including 1952’s “My Man and I” (9:45 a.m.), 1966’s “The Money Trap” (3:15 p.m.) and 1966’s “The Singing Nun” (5 p.m.).
◊“A Very Monkey Christmas” (7 a.m. on OETA-13): This holiday special finds Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat preparing for Christmas, when they encounter a dilemma–neither can figure out what to give the other for a present. It features classic Christmas carols, as well as three original songs –”Are You Ready?”, “Something As Special as You”, and “Christmas Monkey.”

THURSDAY, NOV. 26, 2009
◊“2009 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” (8 a.m. on NBC): “Today” show’s Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Al Roker will co-host the 83rd annual event, which has aired on NBC since 1948. More than 8,000 participants, including marching bands, celebrities, clowns, floats and giant helium balloons, will once again convene on the Upper West Side to bring the magic of the season to life. Joining the balloon team this year will be Spider-Man, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Ronald McDonald and Sailor Mickey Mouse. 
◊“2009 National Dog Show Presented by Purina” (11 a.m. on NBC): Three new American Kennel Club-recognized breeds — the Irish Red and White Setter, Norwegian Buhund and Pyrenean Shepherd — will be among more than 150 breeds competing for best in breed, group winner and best in show honors at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. America’s top-ranked show dog, a Scottish Terrier named Sadie, is also entered in the event, which is co-hosted by John O’Hurley (”Seinfeld”) and David Frei (expert analyst).
◊“Beyonce: I Am … Yours” (8 p.m. on ABC): An intimate performance of Beyonce’s appearance at the Encore at Wynn in Las Vegas last summer in which she tells the story of her career through music and dance. It includes never-before-seen footage of her off stage life and rare childhood video.
◊“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (7 p.m. on ABC): In this 1973 animated special, the pressure is on for Charlie Brown after Peppermint Patty decides she and the gang will have Thanksgiving dinner at ‘‘Chuck’s” house. The holiday classic is followed by “This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers,” in which Charlie Brown and the Peanuts crew experience firsthand the lifestyle of the early settlers and celebrate the first Thanksgiving.  
◊“CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” (8 p.m. on CNN): Anderson Cooper (”Anderson Cooper 360″) hosts the third annual event that spotlights everyday citizens changing the world. Culled from more than 9,000 submissions and selected by a Blue Ribbon panel that included Whoopi Goldberg,Elton John, Kirk Cameron and Ted Turner, the Top Ten Heroes will each be awarded $25,000. Also, Carrie Underwood will perform at the gala.
◊“Cool Tools Hardware Show 2009″ (7 p.m. on DIY): “Cool Tools” host Chris Grundy visits the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas to check out more than 850,000 square feet of the latest in tools.
◊“Kaleidoscope” (3 p.m. on Fox): This holiday variety special features Olympic skating champions and Grammy Award-winning music artists. Scott Hamilton, who will kake his first television performance since being diagnosed with a brain tumor five years ago, will skate to the music of fellow cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John. Also performing will be Dorothy Hamill, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan and Olympic figure skating hopefuls Johnny Weir and Rachael Flatt.
◊“NBC’s People of the Year” (8 p.m. on NBC): Matt Lauer (“Today”) looks back at the year’s most memorable celebrities, politicians and pop stars and invites the public to vote on-line for the person of the year.
◊“Paul McCartney: Good Evening New York City” (9 p.m. on ABC): This special was taped last summer when Paul McCartney performed at Shea Stadium in Queens, NY. Also featured is footage of the Beatles concert at Shea Stadium 44 years ago, as well as an interview with McCartney talking about those early days and what it was like to return and sing many of those Beatles songs today.
◊“Punkin Chunkin 2009″ (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This special highlights the Delaware-based World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA) competition, in 110 competitors from 20 states try to launch a pumpkin one mile. “The Road to Punkin Chunkin” at 7 p.m. captures the high pressure blowups, breakdowns and sparks throughout the journey for chunkin glory.
◊“The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS” (8 a.m. on CBS): Maggie Rodriguez and Dave Price from “The Early Show” will anchor the event, which will feature the 83rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiivng Day Parade live from New York City, as well as a performance by country music artist Reba McEntire from Oklahoma. Additional performances during the parade include the Broadway casts of “West Side Story” and “Ragtime” and the off-Broadway cast of “Dreamgirls.” And Jamie Kennedy (”Ghost Whisperer”) will offer an additional viewpoint of the parade as the “Man on the Street” as he reports and interacts with the crowd.
◊“There’s a Rhino In My House” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): Safari park owners Judy and John Travers have devoted their lives to protecting black rhinos in eastern Zimbabwe. When a tragic turn of events leaves a baby rhino, warthog and hyena orphaned, Judy takes on the task of rasing all three in her home.

FRIDAY, NOV. 27, 2009
◊“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Best from the Road” (9 p.m. on Food Network): Host Guy Fieri takes a look back at some of his most memorable visits to joints across the country. The special highlights local favorites, good food and crazy characters.
◊“Great Performances” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Superstar Sting welcomes the holidays with an atmospheric musical celebration of wintertime.The special, taped near his hometown of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in northern England, features new songs, as well as Sting’s interpretation of classical favorites.
◊“I’m in the Band” (5:45 p.m. on Disney XD): This is a special preview of a new music-filled comedy series that follows teenager Tripp Campbell (Logan Miller, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”) as he joins his favorite “vintage” rock band, Iron Weasel, and sets out to help them make an epic comeback. The series is scheduled to premiere in January.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): Allison slips into a coma during a murder investigation and her spirit inhabits the body of a man named Todd Emory (Jeffrey Tambor, “Arrested Development”), who may be a suspect in the case.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA Network): Monk returns to the place where he first heard about Trudy’s murder and kicks off an investigation of great significance. Casper Van Dien (“Starship Troopers”) guest stars.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team has only four hours to stop a group of hijackers who take a bus full of Hollywood tourists hostage. Fisher Stevens (”Early Edition”) guest stars.
◊“Say Yes to the Dress: Nightmares and Dreams” (8 p.m. on TLC): This special installment highlights some of the most entertaining, emotional and plain wacky moments from the previous three seasons, including loud bridal parties, opinionated moms, picky brides and extremely unusual requests.
◊“Shameless” (7 p.m. on Sundance): Season 5 of the award-winning British comedy series follows the lives of the Gallagher clan and their extended network of lovers, friends and foes at a public housing project in Manchester, England.
◊“Skyrunners” (4 p.m. on Disney XD): This new sci-fi adventure movie follows teenage brothers Tyler (Joey Pollari) and Nick Burns (Kelly Blatz, “Aaron Stone”) who commandeer a small UFO that crashes near their town. They soon learn the spacecraft is “alive” and there’s an alien plot to take over Earth.
◊“VH1 Storytellers: Foo Fighters” (10 p.m. on VH1): This special features a collection of the Foo Fighters’ greatest hits as well as a performance of their new single “Wheels.”  Viewers will also get to hear the band members share their stories and inspiration behind each song.

SATURDAY, NOV. 28, 2009
◊“Big Time Rush” (7:30 p.m. on Nickelodeon): This is a special preview of a new comedy series that chronicles the journey of four best friends who are given the opportunity of a lifetime when they get a chance to be part of the Los Angeles pop music scene. The series is scheduled to premiere in early 2010.
◊“Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure” (9 a.m. on ABC Family): This one-hour animated movie features Meaghan Martin (“10 Things I Hate About You”) and Jonathan Morgan Heit (“Bedtime Stories”) as the voices of Easton and Weston, two high-strung elves who monitor the North Pole Weather Center. It features the new song “When You Dream” by Tena Clark, music producer, songwriter and CEO/chief creative officer of DMI Music & Media Solutions.
◊“Magic of Audrey” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This special captures the allure and charisma of actress Audrey Hepburn and includes film clips and rare footage of screen tests and interviews.
◊“The National Tree” (7 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Evan Williams (”Degrassi: The Next Generation”) stars as a 17-year-old video blogger who submits the winning entry in a contest to find a new national Christmas tree. The Sitka Spruce was planted when he was born by his father (Andrew McCarthy, “St. Elmo’s Fire”), and the two of them drive it to Washington, D.C. for a ceremony with the President.
◊“Sandra Lee Celebrates: Holiday Homecoming” (7 p.m. on Food Network): Sandra Lee helps create a holiday homecoming part for Christina Sobiloff, a Peace Corps Volunteer stationed in Burkina Faso, Africa, who returns home to Creskill, N.J., for the holidays.
◊“The Suze Orman Show” (8 p.m. on CNBC): Host Suze Orman talks to “The Biggest Loser” trainer Jilian Michaels about the health-wealth connection.The episode also features never-before-seen clips of Suze’s one-on-one meetings with “The Biggest Loser” contestants.

–Penny TV

(All times are CT, for ET add one hour)

SUNDAY, NOV. 15, 2009
◊“Aliens of the Amazon” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): Scientists venture deep into the Amazon to discover some of the most unfamiliar and bizarre creatures in the jungle called Treehoppers. These animals speak using vibrations and ward off prey by forming alliances with other creatures.
◊“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (6 p.m. on ABC): With the first $100,000 prize of the season to be awarded, here are the videos in the running: “Hidden Honkers,” a car alarm prank; “U Don’t Know Uvulas,” a little girl with a smarty pants vocabulary; “Ballpark Promise,” a Dodger fan catching a ball; “Laser Chasers,” a Great Dane and a little boy chasing a laser pointer; “Soda Bottle Blowout,” a kid’s science experiment having explosive results; and “Boohoo in the Loo,” a little boy pitching a fit in the bathroom.
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): Lilly and the team investigate the 1991 murder of a 14-year-old foster child who was starting to establish herself as a talented rapper. She was killed just a few months after she and her sister were placed with new foster parents. Kadeem Hardison (”A Different World”) and Craig ‘‘muMs” Grant (”Oz”) guest star.
◊“DriveThru” (7:30 p.m. on Fuel TV): In Season 6 of this surf adventure series, Pat O’Connell (“Endless Summer II”), Benji Weatherley (former World Tour competitor) and free surfer/recording artist Donavon Frankenreiter attempt to drive through both the East and West Coasts of Australia in search of the best waves.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Celebrity volunteer David Duchovny (”Californication”) traveled with the team to Lena, IL, to tell Joey and Philip Stott that their uninhabitable house and farm will be rebuilt in seven days.
◊“Joined For Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16″ (9 p.m. on TLC): Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel are about to turn 16. That means they’re very busy with schoolwoork, sports, social activities and, yes, testing for their driver’s license.
◊“Masterpiece Contemporary” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment “Collision,” a Friday-afternoon traffic pileup on a superhighway snarls the lives of 10 strangers who add up to a confounding puzzle for Detective Inspector John Tolin (Douglas Henshall, “Primeval”). He must work with his estranged former lover, Senior Investigating Officer Ann Stallwood (Kate Ashfield), to try to get to the bottom of what happened and why.
◊“The Prisoner” (7 p.m. today through Tuesday on AMC): This reinterpretation of the 1960s British TV series will air from 7 to 9 p.m. over three consecutive nights. Jim Caviezel (”The Passion of the Christ”) stars as a man known only as Number Six, who awakens to find himself trapped in “The Village” with no memory of how he got there.
◊“Sonny With a Chance” (7 p.m. on Disney): Zora gets challenged by the studio head’s daughter, Dakota, to sell the most Blossom Scout cookies ever, and Sonny steps in to help Zora win. Madison De La Garza (”Desperate Housewives”) guest stars as young Sonny.
◊“Three Foot Giant” (9 p.m. on Biography): This special profiles 30-year-old Sean Stephenson who,  at three feet tall and permanently confined to a wheelchair, defies  the odds every day and changes people’s lives with his “anything is possible” philosophy. The special follows Stephenson as he prepares to throw out the first-pitch at a Chicago White Sox game, practices intense one-on-one therapy with a client and goes out on a first date.
◊“Three Rivers” (8 p.m. on CBS): Andy treats a car crash victim dying from ALS who asks to be to taken off of life support so his organs can be used to save others. Mandy Patinkin (”Criminal Minds”), a double corneal transplant recipient, guest stars.
◊” Tough Love” (8 p.m. on VH1): Back for a second season are professional matchmakers Steve Ward and his mother JoAnn Ward, who will help a new group of unlucky-in-love women who are willing to do whatever it takes to find Mr. Right.  Along the way, Steve will share his unique male perspective in attempt to reform each of their “destructive” dating habits.
◊“WWII in HD” (8 p.m. today through Thursday on History): Gary Sinise narrates this 10-hour series that presents the story of the war as viewed through the eyes of 12 Americans — including Army captain Charles Scheffel from Enid — who fought in or contributed to the war effort. Their in-the-moment accounts are delivered with emotional impact by some of Hollywood’s top talents, and Ron Livingston (“Defying Gravity”) provides the voice of Scheffel, who also appears.

MONDAY, NOV. 16, 2009
◊“10 Vampires We Love” (9:30 p.m. on E!): This special explores the vampire phenomenon and counts down toe 10 sexiest vampires of all time.
◊“American Experience” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The installment “The 1930s: Surviving the Dust Bowl” spotlights the people who refused to give up on the land and a way of life despite the desertification of the once bountiful wheat fields.
◊“The 100 Mile Challenge” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): In the “Final Stretch” episode, the families gather one last time to look back at their 100-day experiences in which they consumed only food and drink produced within a 100-mile radius of their home town of Mission, British Columbia.
◊“Chef Academy” (10 p.m. on Bravo): Meet Jean Christophe Novelli, world renowned Michelin and 5AA Rosette award-winning chef with restaurants in London, France and South Africa. This new series chronicles Novelli’s move to Los Angeles as he opens a test program for a top-notch culinary institute and trains and transforms those who aspire to cook like professionals.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): When the CSIs investigate who or what caused a horrific car accident, both drivers’ darkest secrets are revealed. Los Angeles Laker player Pau Gasol guest stars as a person of interest in the case.
◊“Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving Top 10” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Food Network personalities Giada De Laurentiis, Ted Allen Tyler Florence and other share their turkey recipes, carving tips, sensational sides, delivious desserts and specialty drinks.
◊“The Doctors” (3 p.m. on KWTV-9): Barbra Streisand (“What’s Up, Doc?”) calls the show’s doctors to discuss her crusade to support heart health awareness for women, a cause which led her to create and endow the Barbra Streisand Women’s Cardio Vascular Research and Education Program at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
◊“Gossip Girl” (8 p.m. on CW): Hoping to impress the elitist theater kids at NYU, Blair sets her sights on landing a private concert with Lady Gaga (performing in this episode).
◊“Heroes” (7 p.m. on NBC): Samuel learns just how powerful he can become and takes dangerous measures to reach his full potential. Ravi Kapoor (“Crossing Jordan”) guest stars.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): After House’s medical license is reinstated, he reclaims his role as Head of Diagnostics in time to treat Hank Hardwick (Troy Garity, “Soldier’s Girl”), an adult film star admitted to Princeton Plainsboro for pulsating eye pain.
◊“Inside the Actors Studio: Jon Bon Jovi” (7 p.m. on Bravo): Host James Lipton interviews Jon Bon Jovi, who began playing music in clubs at age 16, has sold over 120 million albums and earned a Golden Globe win and an Academy Award nomination.
◊“Jon and Kate Plus 8″ (8:30 p.m. on TLC): Kate Gosselin shares never-before-seen footage from Season 5, including the Kate celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary with the kids.
◊“Mystery Diagnosis” (9 p.m. on Discovery Health): Season 8 opens with segments on a newborn exhibiting strange symptoms but no visible reaction to fevers or pain and a seemingly healthy woman experiencing seizures and blackouts.
◊“Stud Finder 2009″ (9 p.m. on DIY): This special focuses on the network’s search to find the next do-it-yourself star and features the five finalists in head-to-head competition with one another. The winner gets a show on DIY.
◊“Quiero Mis Quinces” (8 p.m. on MTV Tr3s): Season 4 follows nine young Hispanic girls who set out to plan their Quinceañera, a unique celebration of their 15th birthday and official entry into womanhood.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): Chelsea invites her beautiful college roommate (Tricia Helfer, “Battlestar Galactica”) to stay at the house while she gets over a bad breakup.

TUESDAY, NOV. 17, 2009
◊“Being Neil Armstrong” (7 p.m. on BBC America): Andrew Smith, aurthor of the best-selling book “Moondust,” sets out across America to find out about the real Neil Armstrong since walking on the moon. Smith meets people who knew the national hero and finds the places where Armstrong lived and woked.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7:30 p.m. on NBC): Fashion guru Tim Gunn (”Project Runway”) and hair stylist Tabatha Coffey (”Tabatha’s Salon Takeover”) return for the annual make-over episode to help the remaining six contestants look fabulous before they give speeches about their weight loss journeys to motivate others at a TV Guide Magazine event.
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): “A Death in Tehran” investigates the life and death of Neda Soltani, who was shot and killed on the streets of Tehran, Iran, during protests over the country’s presidential election last summer. Her death was captured on a cell-phone camera and uploaded to the Web.
◊“Good Morning America” (7 a.m. on ABC): Barbara Walters interviews former Vice Presidential candidate and Alaska Governer Sarah Palin in conjunction with the release of her memoir “Going Rogue: An American Life.” Portions of the interview will also air on “Nightline”  (10:35 p.m. today), “Good Morning America” (7 a.m. Wednesday) and “20/20″ (9 p.m. Friday).
◊“The Good Wife” (9 p.m. on CBS): As Alicia prepares to defend a scientist accused of arson, she is caught off guard when Peter’s attorney asks her to testify on Peter’s behalf sooner than she expected. Peter Riegert (”Damages”) guest stars as the judge in Peter’s appeal and Russ Mitchell (”The Early Show”) guest stars as himself, interviewing Peter Florrick.
◊“Independent Lens” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “No Subtitles Necessary: Lazzlo & Vilmos” provides an intimate portrait of the 50-year journey of two giants of modern cinematography — Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond — and the deep bond of brotherhood that transcended every imaginable boundary.
◊“The Little Couple” (9 p.m. on TLC): Jen and Ben head to New York to appear on “The Dr. Oz Show” to discuss skeletal dysplasia for a TV audience. But nerves begin to kick in as they get closer to showtime.
◊“Melrose Place” (8 p.m. on CW): Ella and Caleb are stunned when agency owner Amanda Woodward (Heather Locklear, original ‘Melrose Place”) walks into WPK and immediately fires half the staff, including Caleb. 
◊“Merry Madagascar” (7 p.m. on NBC): In this holiday sequel to the animated feature “Madagascar,” Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria (voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Jada Pinkett Smith) must deliver Santa’s presents to save Christmas when St. Nick gets amnesia following a crash landing on their island.
◊“Nova” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Becoming Human: Unearthing Our Earliest Ancestors” looks at how we became the creative humans of today and what really happened to the Neanderthals who faded into extinction.
◊“The Standard Snowboard Show” (7 p.m. on Fuel TV): Season 6 features future stars of the sport, including Halldor Helgason and Jason Dubois.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18, 2009
◊“America’s Next Top Model” (7 p.m. on CW): In the Cycle 13 finale, the final two girls must pull out all the stops to impress the judges and nail their final CoverGirl commercial in Hawaii. Eddie Murphy (“Imagine That”) attends the final runway show, and the episode is followed by a special look back at the season with never-before-seen clips.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): After a body falls from the 59th Street Bridge, the CSI team finds a compass near the body pointing east, and realizes it’s the third victim of the “Compass Killer.” Skeet Ulrich (”Jericho”) returns as Hollis Eckhart, the “Compass Killer.”  Nelly (”The Longest Yard”) returns as Terrence Davis, an informant who helps Detective Flack.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Gary turns to Allison after he makes a disastrous attempt to prepare a fancy Thanksgiving feast for Sasha, Curtis, Jack and the kids. Max Gail (”Barney Miller”) returns as Gary’s Dad, Jack.
◊“Gotta Catch Santa Claus” (6 p.m. on ABC Family): This animated musical adventure follows two youngsters as they atempt to track down Santa Claus (voiced by William Shatner, “Star Trek”) and prove he still exists.
◊“In the Spotlight With Robin Roberts” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Singer Janet Jackson will sit down with host Robin Roberts for an exclusive television interview. The private pop star, who was known to be extremely close with her brother, Michael, will allow cameras into her Malibu home for the first time.
◊“Lost Cave Temples of the Himalaya” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In a remote corner of the Himalaya, in the forbidden kingdom of Mustang, a team of climbers clambers into mysterious caes for the first time and uncovers ancient cave temples lost to the modern world.
◊“Modern Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): With a history of giving bad gifts, Claire is determined to surprise Phil with an amazing anniversary present – a private performance by one of their favorite musicians, Izzy LaFontaine (Edward Norton, “Primal Fear”). Meanwhile, Mitchell and Cameron call up their party-girl friend, Sal (Elizabeth Banks, “Seabiscuit”) for a long overdue night out on the town.
◊“Mustang — Journey of Transformation” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Richard Gere (“Amelia”) narrates the story of a Tibetan culture pulled back from the brink of extinction through the restoration of its most sacred sites: the 15th-century Buddhist monasteries and the art within.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine sets Richard up on a date with a gorgeous, passionate woman who works out at her gym, while Richard’s friend, Tom, continues trying to woo Christine. Jennifer Grey (”Dirty Dancing”), who is married to series star Clark Gregg (Richard), guest stars as Richard’s lusty blind date.  Dave Foley (”News Radio”) returns as Tom, Richard’s friend who has a longstanding crush on Christine.
◊“Secrets of Shangri-La” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): In the legendary kingdom of Mustang, a remote corner of the Himalaya previously off-limits to outsiders, a team of explorers and scientists climbs for the first time into human-carved caves thousands of years old.
◊“Top Chef: Las Vegas” (9 p.m. on Bravo): This week’s challenge is based on the Bocuse d’Or, a prestigious cooking competition founded by noted chef Paul Bocuse, whose son, Jerome, serves as a guest judge along with American chef Thomas Keller. Chefs Daniel Boulud, Alex Stratta, Gavin Kaysen, Timothy Hollingsworth and Traci Des Jardin also appear.

THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 2009
◊“30 Rock” (8:30 p.m. on NBC): When Liz’s apartment building is converted to condos, she has to make a drastic change to her living arrangements. Nathan Corddry (“United States of Tara”) and Chris Parnell (“Saturday Night Live”) guest star.
◊“The 2009 World Magic Awards” (7 p.m. on My Network TV): The two-hour awards presentation brings together the world’s top illusionists, escape artists and sleight-of-hand masters and will feature 14 heart-stopping performances. Scheduled to appear are Lance Burton, Franz Harary, Ed Alonzo, Katalin, Barry & Stuart, Morgan, Greg Frewin and Tommy Wind.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): Booth’s grandfather Hank (Ralph Waite, “The Waltons”) comes to live with him and tags along as Brennan and Booth investigate ashes and charred remains found by a real estate agent while showing a property to prospective buyers.
◊“Family Armor” (9 p.m. on TLC): Deep in the heart of Texas, two Mormon brothers-in-law run a cutting-edge bulletproofing business that turns everyday cars into tricked-out gadget-filled fortresses. The family devotes their time to work, kin and religion … and along the way they get to shoot guns and blow up things.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): As Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s pass, Miranda is visited by her father, William (Frankie Faison, “Silence of the Lambs”), who disapproves of her choices in life.
◊“Mortal Lessons” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary is about two women battling lung cancer on the surface, yet it is really about living life.
◊“Private Practice” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Addison is shaken by the unwelcome arrival of her father (Stephen Collins, “7th Heaven”) to Los Angeles, Cooper is arrested when he refuses to cooperate in a case involving a longtime patient and Pete fights to keep a terminally ill patient alive long enough for him to meet his new daughter.
◊“Project Runway” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): After the grueling weeks in the workroom and knocking off their competition, the remaining designers prove to the judges they have the skills and vision to make it in the fashion business. The finalists are given their biggest challenge yet — to create a complete collection to show during New York Fashion week.
◊“Secrets of Twilight” (9:30 p.m. on E!): Giuliana Rancic (“Giuliana & Bill”) hosts this special that is packed with interviews, backstage gossip and clips from the latest movie in the “Twilight” saga, “New Moon.”
◊“Terror in Mumbai” (7 p.m. on HBO): CNN host Fareed Zakaria, a native of Mumbai, narrates this documentary that chronicles the bloody period in 2008 when a band of 10 young Pakistani men made coordinated attacks across the city, leaving more than 170 people dead. The film includes recordings of cell-phone calls between the gunmen and those controlling them, as well as interrogation footage of the lone surviving shooter.
◊“Top 20 Celebs Gone Good” (7 p.m. on VH1): VH1 has partnered with DoSomething.org, the nation’s largest not-for-profit for young people and cause, to help separate the stars that really care from those who just like to smile for the cameras. This special will reveal the top 20 do-gooders that visitors to CelebsGoneGood.com helped choose as 2009’s Top 20 Celebs Gone Good for their charity work. Nominees include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey and Carrie Underwood.
◊“Wild Horse Redemption” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): At a prison in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, hard-core criminals are given 90 days to tame wild mustang horses. Most of the inmates who volunteer for the program have never even ridden a horse.

FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 2009
◊“Damned to Heaven” (7 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary examines issues of polygamy, abuse and under-age marriage practiced in the Colorado City, Ariz.-based Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints (FLDS) cult guided by Warren Jeffs. It features interviews with former FLDS members that capture honest feelings about Jeffs and life within the community.
◊“General Hospital” (2 p.m. on ABC): Golden Globe winner James Franco (“James Dean”) joins the cast in the recurring role of Franco, a mystery person who comes to Port Charles and will be intertwined with many other residents in town.
◊“Happily Ever Faster” (9 p.m. on TLC): This new series profiles the Las Vegas wedding chapel The Chapel of the Flowers that has a complete wedding services menu and caters to upwards of 50 couples a day. In the premiere episode, chapel planner Melody attempts to enlist William Shatner (”Star Trek”) as best man for a Trekkie wedding.
◊“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (12:06 p.m. on ABC): Host Jimmy Kimmel welcomes “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner to the show to coinciding with the release of the movie in theaters on the same night. Also, rock band Death Cab for Cutie will perform music from “The Twilight Saga: New Moon’s” original motion picture soundtrack, including the single “Meet Me on the Equinox.”
◊“Larry the Cable Guy’s Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau” (8 p.m. on CMT): This 90-minute variety show will feature Larry along with friends, including Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”), Caroline Rhea (“Sabrina, the Teenage Witch”), George Lindsey (“The Andy Griffith Show”) and Angela Little MacKenzie (“Reno 911”). In addition to the holiday-themed comedy and sketches set on the fictional island of Hula-Poola, the special will include musical performances by Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): When Allison develops a strange sensitivity to light, the sunglasses she wears reveal mysterious numbers which could tie into people’s life expectancies. Tom Verica (”American Dreams”) and Mitch Pileggi (”The X-Files”) guest star.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA Network): Monk finds his return to the police force to be more challenging than he expected when he becomes involved in the case of a serial killer.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): When robbers hit a diamond exchange and take hostages, Don and the team find an unlikely ally in convict John Buckley (Fisher Stevens, “Early Edition”), who may help the team’s investigation when they believe the men are copying Buckley’s criminal strategies.
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (7 p.m. on Disney): After Harper learns her family is moving away, the Russos offer to let Harper live with them. While cleaning out the basement to make room for Harper, Alex shrinks herself down to fit in her old doll house. Yara Shahidi (”Imagine That”) guest stars.

SATURDAY, NOV. 21, 2009
◊“The Suze Orman Show” (8 p.m. on CNBC): In addition to getting a sneak peek at Suze Orman’s upcoming visit to “The Biggest Loser,” she also explains why viewers shouldn’t give in to the sale signs in store windows this season.
◊“Sit Down, Shut Up” (11 p.m. on Fox): In the series finale, Sue gives Andrew an ultimatum to turn around the drama department. He writes his magnum opus, a musical starring the teachers with Miracle (voice of Oklahoma actress Kristin Chenoweth) as the female lead.
◊“True Jackson, VP” (7:30 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In the one-hour special episode “Flirting With Fame,” True’s crushing on a new boy at school named Justin (Tyler James Williams, “Everybody Hates Chris”). aND In an attempt to show True his romantic side, Justin enlists the help of superstar Natasha Bedingfield to perform “These Words” for the duo.
◊“Turtles Forever” (9 a.m. on CW): This special incorporates the three distinctive versions of the Turtles as they appeared in their original iterations: 1984 black and white comic book; late 1980’s/early 1990’s animated TV series; and their current animated series.

–Penny TV

SUNDAY, NOV. 8, 2009
◊“Bored to Death” (8:30 p.m. on HBO): In the Season 1 finale, George, Jonathan and Ray accept a challenge from George’s publishing rival, Richard, and agree to a tripleheader boxing match — the guys from Edition against the GQ crew.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): The team investigates the murder of an accomplished 45-year-old Mexican-born jockey who “disappeared” within hours of losing a race he’d long planned as his last before retirement. The music of Santana will play exclusively throughout the episode.  Jacob Vargas (”Traffic”) guest stars as the slain jockey’s apprentice.
◊“Desperate Housewives” (8 p.m. on ABC): Susan believes Katherine may be Julie’s assailant while Angie confronts Nick about the secret he’s withholding from her. Kathy Najimy (”Sister Act”) guest stars.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Celebrity volunteer Kellie Pickler travels with the team to Beavercreek, Ohio, to tell James Terpenning, a wheelchair sports champion and mentor to disabled Iraqi War veterans, that he and his family will have a newly rebuilt home in seven days.
◊“Gabriel Iglesias: I’m Not Fat … I’m Fluffy” (8 p.m. on Comedy Central): This all-new stand-up special features the comedian’s perfect blend of impeccable voice skills and an uncanny knack for hilarious storytelling.  Iglesias’s high-caliber performance was filmed in front of a packed house at the historic Plaza Theatre in El Paso, Texas.
◊“Jonas” (7:30 p.m. on Disney): Joe discovers Stella is going on a date with the star jock Van Dyke Tosh (Chuck Hittinger, “ER”), so he has a date, as well.
◊“Keeping Up With the Kardashians: The Wedding” (7 p.m. on E!): After a whirlwind romance, Khloe Kardashian takes a magical journey down the aisle with Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom. Join Kim, Kourtney and the whole Kardashian clan along with Hollywood’s elite for an insider’s look at this star-studded event.
◊“Legend of the Seeker” (4 p.m. on KOCB-34): In Season 2, Richard, Kahlan and Zedd will encounter an array of new characters, both good and evil, and they will be tested in ways that they never could have imagined. The trio will discover that in defeating the bloodthirsty tyrant Darken Rahl, their victory is short-lived as they inadvertently unleashed an even greater evil on the world. Charisma Carpenter (”Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) guest stars as a wicked Mord’Sith named Triana.
◊“Mad Men” (9 p.m. on AMC): As Don has a meeting with Connie, Pete has a chat with his clients, and Betty receives an interesting piece of advice in the Season 3 finale.
◊“Nature” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The black mamba hasn’t been studied in the wild much, because most people who encounter this large, deadly snake kill it on sight. But in this new episode, a team of snake handlers in Swaziland braves the danger to conduct a six-week study of the deadly reptile.
◊“The Prince & Me: Holiday Honeymoon” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In this sequel to “The Prince & Me: The Royal Wedding,” newlyweds Queen Paige (Kam Heskin) and King Edvard (Chris Geere) try to escape the spotlight by honeymooning in Belavia. But instead they end up uncovering a plot against the Danish monarchy.
◊“Stacked: CMA Nominees 2009″ (9:30 a.m. on CMT): This special features the CMA Awards nominees in the video of the year category — Randy Houser’s “Boots On,” Taylor Swift’s “Love Story,” Bill Currington’s “People Are Crazy,” Brad Paisley’s “Start a Band” duet with Keith Urban and Geirge Strait’s “Troubadour.” The 43rd annual CMA Awards ceremony will air live at 7 p.m. Wednesday on ABC. 
◊“Storm Chasers” (9 p.m. on Discovery): Reed Timmer aims to step up from aggressive chaser to extreme scientist with his new military-grade radar capable of measuring wind speeds inside a twister. And he gets his vehicle inside the circulation of an EF3 for the intercept of a lifetime.
◊“Surviving 2012″ (8 p.m. on Discovery): This special explores the most plausible planetary disasters that 2012 may bring to determine whether or not the end of life on Earth really is lurking just around the corner.
◊“The Time I …” (6:55 p.m. on Disney): This new short-form series features young viewers sharing milestones in ther lives. The 1-2 minute segments include the stories “The Time I…Became a Big Sister” by 12-year-old Jasmine, “The Time I….Rode an Elephant” by 12-year-old Tiana, “The Time I….Flew By Myself” by 8-year-old Reese and “The Time I…Won a Blue Ribbon at the Country Fair” by 10-year-old cousins Hope and Logan.

MONDAY, NOV. 9, 2009
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on CMT): Host Jeff Foxworthy welcomes Bert, Grover, Prairie Dawn, Zoe and Cookie Monster for a week-long event celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Sesame Street.” A different co-host will be featured each day of the week as contestants test there knowledge of grade-school level questions on the fast-paced game show.
◊“BBC World News America” (6 p.m. on BBC America): A special edition of the show broadcasts live from Berlin on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. German-born Matt Frei, who reported from Berlin on the day the Wall fell 20 years ago, returns to his native country to anchor the program from the historic Brandenburg Gate.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): Horatio Caine calls Dr. Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) to come to Miami when a severed leg found in the Everglades is discovered to belong to a girl who went missing in Las Vegas a week earlier. 
◊“Garage Mahal” (9:30 p.m. on DIY): Guy Fieri (“Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”) throws down his carving knife and picks up a hammer to help the DIY Network crew and host Brian Corsetti build a vintage diner style garage, complete with rolling car and custom back bars, diamond plate wainscoting and chair rail, black and white murals and a half-ton of classic auto parts.
◊“Gossip Girl” (8 p.m. on CW): Not satisfied with just being Queen of Constance Billard, Jenny sets her sights on becoming Queen of all the Upper East Side. Leighton Meester;s new single “Somebody to Love” is featured, along with a guest performance from all-girl rock band Plastiscines.
◊“How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Filmmaker Leslie Woodhead, who first met the Beatles in 1962 when he worked on a film in the Liverpool Cavern Club, talks to Russians who grew up listening to the Beatles and found hope and inspiration in their music and their message of rebellion.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): After Barney and Robin hit a rough patch in their relationship, Lily devises the perfect plan to break them up, calling in help from Robin’s famous friend, Alan Thicke.
◊“Lincoln Heights” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Cassie tells Charles she wants to apply to school in New York, and Lizzie gets into trouble at school.
◊“Lopez Tonight” (10 p.m. on TBS): Comedian and actor George Lopez headlines this new late-night talk show that will feature a street-party feel with pumped-up music, audience interaction and a format that is open to change each day. His prmeiere-night guests include Ellen DeGeneres (”Ellen”), Eva Longoria-Parker (”Desperate Housewives”) and Kobe Bryant (NBA player).
◊“One Tree Hill” (7 p.m. on CW): Series star Sophia Bush (Brooke) directed this episode in which devastating news threatenes to derrail Brook and Julian’s fairytale romance.
◊“Rita Rocks” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): Swoosie Kurtz (”Pushing Daisies”) guest stars as Rita’s overly judgmental mother, Marilyn. Rita scrubs down the house and hides all the junk food to prepare for a visit from Marilyn, who decides to stay a couple weeks longer to spend more quality time with Rita and the family.
◊“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (noon on KOCB-34): Meredith Vieira won’t be the only person asking questions on the game show. Starting today, she will get assistance from celebrities such as Senator John McCain, Vanessa Williams (”Ugly Betty”), Jane Lynch (”Glee”), Joe Mantegna (”Criminal Minds”) and Robin Roberts (”Good Morning America”). Monday is also the first day of the “Million Dollar Tournament of Ten” that will feature the season’s top 10 contestants who will get a shot at a $1 million question.

TUESDAY, NOV. 10, 2009
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on My Network TV): Playing the game for charity are celebrities Nick Lachey (“Charmed”) and Drew Lachey (“The Comebacks”).
◊“Disaster House” (9 p.m. on DIY): Host Josh Temple and his team drop a 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis from nearly 100 feet to replicate years of damage a normal driveway can endure and what homeowners can do to repair common problems. He also uses a Pumpkin Cannon to shoot a variety of fruits at a home mailbox to show viewers how to repair theirs.
◊“Full Throttle Saloon” (9 p.m. on truTV): This new series takes viewers behind-the-scenes at The Throttle, a biker bar in Sturgis, S.D. The 30-acre indoor/outdoor bar features several large stages, a burn-out pit, a tattoo parlor, zip lines, a wrestling ring, restaurants, dozens of stores, hundreds of cabins for rent and parking for thousands of bikes. It is only open two weeks a year during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
◊“The Good Wife” (9 p.m. on CBS): While representing the daughter of one of the partner’s at the law firm, Alicia finds herself attracted to her co-counsel and his unorthodox approach to defending their client. Chris Bowers (”Rescue Me”) guest stars as Alicia’s co-counsel.
◊“In the Spotlight With Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville” (9 p.m. on ABC): Take a backstage tour of the country music scene with Robin Roberts (”Good Morning America”) as she goes home with Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood and Nashville residents Tim McGraw and Martina McBride. Also on the itinerary are interviews with Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn and Rosanne Cash.
◊“Independent Lens” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): In “D Tour,” documentarian Jim Granato tells the story of Pat Spurgeon, an aspiring indie rocker whose life and career suffer a setback when one of his kidneys begins to fail. The film follows him as he searches for a donor while on tour with his band Rogue Wave.
◊“James May on the Moon” (7 p.m. on BBC America): Driven by his passion for technology, “Top Gear” presenter James May seeks out both the astronauts and the men who built the space vehicles. And through manipulation of archive footage, May buckles up with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, lands the Eahle and takes a space walk.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): With the team’s help, Vance faces his demons while uncovering a complex relationship with a killer that puts his whole family in danger. Kelly Hu (”Martial Law”), Penny Johnson Jerald (”24″) and Paula Newsome (”Women’s Murder Club”) guest star.
◊“Sesame Street” (9 a.m. on OETA-13): The world’s largest informal children’s educator celebrates its 40th birthday today, which is the exact day the series debuted on television four decades ago. The new season will feature a new show opening, a new nature curriculum and the new First Lady Michelle Obama, who appears in the premiere epusode and teaches “the street’s” residents about the many benefits of planting a garden and healthy eating.
◊“Starz Inside: Sex and the Cinema” (9 p.m. on Starz): This special explores how sexually charged films reflect out own sexual liberation. It also looks at many films that push the boundary, from mainstream studio films to producyt that comes from the porn industry.
◊“The Will: Families Divided” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This special explores the intrigue, legal wrangling and high emotions surrounding real-life stories of family inheritance — whether there is a valid will or not.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 11, 2009
◊“The 43rd Annual CMA Awards” (7 p.m. on ABC): Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, the reigning CMA female and male vocalists of the year, co-host the event for the second consecutive year. Both are also nominees and are scheduled to perform, along with Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift and George Strait.
◊“Apocalypse: The Second World War” (7 p.m. on  Smithsonian Channel): Martin Sheen (”The West Wing”) narrates this six-part series featuring footage filmed by those who witnessed the war first-hand. This footage was deemed ‘unfit’ for civilians to see.  Until now. It has been restored, colorized and transferred to high definition. The series will air over six consecutive nights.
◊“Change the World: American Heroes” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Craftsman Carter Oosterhouse and designer Monica Pedersen transform homes in Philadelphia and St. Louis into comfortable and welcoming places for veterans who are transitioning back to civilian life.
◊“Coca-Cola: The Real Story Behind the Real Thing” (8 p.m. on CNBC): With unprecedented access, CNBC pulls back the curtain on Coca-Cola, revealing never-before-seen labs, secret archives and high-tech product testing. Cameras follow Coke’s urgent campaign to reinvent itself after years of losing ground to arch-rival Pepsi in the race to develop new beverages.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit follows a trail of murders that seems to align with the tour schedule of a rock star. Gavin Rossdale plays a Goth performer who has become lost in the frightening alter-ego he portrays on stage — an alter-ego the BAU team suspects may be a brutal serial killer.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): Dr. Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) rushes to New York when Det. Mac Taylor and his team identify a woman hidden in a big rig following an accident as someone he interviewed in Miami related to his missing person’s case.   Though the woman disappears after the accident, Langston and Mac discover they’re onto an interstate trucking ring that specializes in human cargo and black market organ harvesting.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Allison is jilted when her new “friend,” Sophia (Nadine Valezquez, “My Name Is Earl”), prefers Gary’s company over hers.
◊“Ghost Hunters Academy” (9 p.m. on Syfy): In this new spinoff of “Ghost Hunters,” two members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society — technical manager Steve Gonsalves and evidence analyst Dave Tango — show a group of college students how to investigate reports of paranormal activity.
◊“POV” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The new documentary “The Way We Get By” tells the stories behind a group of retired and elderly citizens in Maine who have taken it upon themselves to greet every troop plane arriving or departing Bangor, which is the last and first piece of U.S. soil many soldiers see before and after their deployments.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Max (Eric McCormack, “Will & Grace”) points out to Christine that she quits anything that gets too hard, including relationships, which is one of the reasons he chose to be her therapist rather than her boyfriend.
◊“Return to Duty” (8 p.m. on MTV): Viewers of “The Real World: Brooklyn” may remember the emotional moment when cast member and Army vet Ryan Conklin was unexpectedly recalled for a second tour of duty in Iraq. In this documentary, Conklin takes viewers through the year since that day, offering a soldier’s view of America’s changing military presence in the long war in Iraq.
◊“Secrets of the Dead” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new episode “Airmen and the Headhunters” recounts the rescue of a U.S. bomber crew shot down over the jungles of Japanese-occupied Borneo during World War II. Dayak tribesmen, known for taking the heads of their enemies, fed and protected the airmen.

THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 2009
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): Dr. Ray Langston (Laurence Fishburne, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) continues the search for the young girl taken hostage as part of the human trafficking operation. It leads him to investigate a prostitution ring in Las Vegas that may harbor the missing woman.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): When Owen recruits his fellow Iraqi War vet, Dr. Teddy Altman, as the new cardiothoracic surgeon, Cristina questions Teddy’s abilities in the operating room and the nature of their past relationship. Joel Grey (”Cabaret”) and Kim Raver (”24″) guest star.
◊“The Mentalist” (9 p.m. on CBS): While Jane and the team examine the crime scene where a baseball scout is 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”).
◊“Stateline: Behind the Curtain” (8:30 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment of OETA’s award-winning documentary series unveils what it takes to maintain Oklahoma’s world class museums and attractions. Attractions featured include the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks, home to thousands of varieties of sea life; the J.M. Davis Gun Museum in Claremore that could outfit an army; and the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, which prepares for performances days in advance of the curtain.
◊“The Vampire Diaries” (7 p.m. on CW): A mysterious new history teacher (Matt Davis, “Legally Blonde”) arrives at the high school. And when Elena, Bonnie and Caroline hold a seance, the results are stranger than any of them expected.

FRIDAY, NOV. 13, 2009
◊“Great Performances” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Motown Records, “Stevie Wonder: Live At Last” features the American musician in a concert performance at London’s O2 Arena.
◊“Invitation Only: Tim McGraw” (8 p.m. on CMT): Country music artist Tim McGraw returns to the stage to perform his biggest hits and music from his latest album “Southern Voice.” He also takes questions from fans and gives revealing and candid answers.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): Allison fears the worst about Ariel’s new boyfriend when she suspects him of murdering a man.  Also, Bridgette posts embarrassing videos of a man on the Internet and gets into trouble. Amy Pietz (”Caroline in the City”) guest stars as the mother of Ariel’s boyfriend in this episode directed by David Arquette (“Scream”).
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): While tracking down a felon running a heroin ring inside a prison, Agent Ian Edgerton (Lou Diamond Phillips, “La Bamba”) becomes a murder suspect when the informant he meets with ends up dead, sending a desperate Edgerton over the edge when he takes a member of Don’s team hostage.
◊“Smallville” (7 p.m. on CW): DC Comics’ “The Wonder Twins” Jayna and Zan (David Gallagher, 7th Heaven) show up in Metroplolis to help The Blur fight crime. But they end of botching several rescues.
◊“Ugly Betty” (8 p.m. on ABC): Hilda’s bad-boy high school flame and Betty’s schoolgirl crush — Bobby Talercio (Adam Rodriguez, “CSI: Miami”) — teaches at Justin’s school, causing the sisters to both doubt their feelings for “nice guys” — such as Archie (Ralph Macchio, “The Karate Kid”), in Hilda’s case.

SATURDAY, NOV. 14, 2009
◊“5 Ingredient Fix” (11:30 a.m. on Food Network): Host Claire Robinson prepares all her Thanksgiving recipes with five or fewer ingredients. She cooks up roasted turkey breast with gravy, cornbread dressing and a ginger pumpkin tart.
◊“Ask Aida” (8:30 a.m. on Food Network): Create a Thanksgiving feast with host Aida Mollenkamp’s crowd-pleasing menu. She fixes an apple-sage roast turkey, whole wheat stuffing and a pecan pumpkin crunch. She also shares her simple recipe for hearty pan gravy.
◊“Cougar Town” (4 p.m. on SoapNet): This two-hour marathon includes the first three episodes (as well as the fifth episode) of the ABC series starring Courteney Cox as a recently divorced single mother exploring the truths about dating and aging. 
◊“Everything She Ever Wanted” (7 p.m on Lifetime Movie Network): This two-part miniseries, which concludes Nov. 15, stars Gina Gershon (”Bound”) as a Southern woman whose storybook wedding signals the beginning of a nightmare marriage that is ultimately upended by greed and violence. It is inspired by a true story.
◊“Flower Girl” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Marla Sokoloff (”The Practice”) stars in this new romance as Laurel, a florist who can’t seem to find the man of her dreams. But when her grandmother (Marion Ross) tries to fix Laurel up with the perfect man, before she knows it, she has not one but two potential suitors on her hands and must decide if its time to follow her heart or her head.
◊“Imagination Movers” (9 a.m. on Disney): In the episode “A Fairy Tale Ending,” the Movers must convince Cinderella to go home and back to her story so she can have her fairy tale ending with Prince Charming. The episode features the debut of the new original song “When You Grow Up.” Nicole Anderson (”Jonas”) and Jason Dolley (”Good Luck Charlie”) guest star as Cinderella and Prince Charming.
◊“Oklahoma Hall of Fame” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The 2009 Oklahoma Hall of Fame class of 2009 is inducted. The seven Oklahoma honorees are: C. Kendric Fergeson, Altus; Marlin G. “Ike” Glass, Jr., Newkirk; V. Burns Hargis, Stillwater; Polly A. Nichols, Oklahoma City; Lee Roy Selmon, Eufaula; Steven W. Taylor, McAlester; and Wayman Lawrence Tisdale, Tulsa, who will be inducted posthumously.
◊“Saturday Night Live” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): January Jones (”Mad Men”) makes her “SNL” debut as host. Back for their second appearance are musical guests The Black Eyed Peas, three-time Grammy Award winners.
◊“Super Dave’s Spike-Tacular” (10 p.m. on SPIKE): Emmy winner Bob Einstein returns as Super Dave Osbourne, self-described as the greatest daredevil superstar entertainer of all time, as he prepares for a weekly death-defying stunt. Stunts he will attempt in the four-part special event include trying to break the NASCAR speed record on a track loaded with explosives, breaking the speed record in the Guinness Book of World Records for a hybrid vehicle, challenging the world’s six greatest paintball players and stepping into the Octagon with former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
◊“The Suze Orman Show” (8 p.m. on CNBC): The five warning signs that your financial advisor doesn’t have your best interest at heart.
◊“True Jackson, VP” (7:30 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In the Season 2 premiere, True is determined to save her school’s design department from budget cuts and decides to hold a fundraising concert. Making special celebrity appearances are teen pop singer Justin Bieber and Brooklyn tween punk rock band Care Bears on Fire.

–Penny TV

••Oct. 27: Scream 2009 (9 p.m. on SPIKE) — Fourth annual event honoring the best in horor, science fiction, fantasy and comics. Top nominee is “Star Trek” (17).
••Oct 27: Fourth Annual BET Hip Hop Awards (7 p.m. on BET) — Mike Epps hosts. Top nominees are Kanye West (9), Lil’ Wayne (7), Jay Z (7), T.I. (6).
••Nov. 11: The 43rd Annual CMA Awards (7 p.m. on ABC) — Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley co-host. Top nominees are Brad Paisley (6), Taylor Swift (4), Keith Urban (4), Jamey Johnson (4), George Strait (4), Zac Brown (4). Nominees with Oklahoma ties are Miranda Lambert (female vocalist of the year, single of the year), Carrie Underwood (female vocalist of the year, album of the year), Rascal Flatts (vocal group of the year), Brooks & Dunn (vocal due of the year, album of the year), Trisha Yearwood (musical event of the year). Performers with Oklahoma ties are Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood.
••Nov. 5: The 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards (7 p.m. on Univision) — Top nominee is Calle 13 (5).
••Nov. 22: 2009 American Music Awards (7 p.m. on ABC) — Top nominees are Taylor Swift (6), Michael Jackson (5), Eminem (4). Nominees with Oklahoma ties are Rascal Flatts (favorite band, duo or group, favorite album), Reba McEntire (favorite female artist), Carrie Underwood (favorite female artist).
••Jan. 6: The 36th Annual People’s Choice Awards (8 p.m. on CBS) — Queen Latifah hosts. Nominees announced in November.
••Jan. 17: The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards (7 p.m. on NBC) — Nominees announced Dec. 15.
••Jan. 23: The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (7 p.m. on TNT and TBS) — Nominees announced Dec. 17.
••Jan. 31: The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards (7 p.m. on CBS) — Nominees announced Dec. 2.
••Feb. 21: 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards (usually broadcast on BBC America) — Nominees announced Jan. 21.
••March 5: The 25th Annual Independent Spirit Awards (7 p.m. on IFC) –  Nominees announced in January.
••March 7: The 81st Annual Academy Awards (7 p.m. on ABC) — Nominees announced Feb. 2.

SUNDAY, OCT. 18, 2009
◊“Alex’s Day Off” (8:30 a.m. on Food Network): Alexandra Guarnaschelli, professional chef, working mom and passionate home cook, invites viewers to share her down-to-earth recipes. She shows how cooking her personal and playful style of American, French and Italian fare can be elegant and approachable, with a side of sass.
◊“Brothers & Sisters” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Having just returned from France, Sarah distracts Kitty through chemo treatments with tales of her intense romance with a French artist (Gilles Marini, “Sex and the City”).
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team delves into the 1970 murder of a musician who tried to keep his involvement with the Philadelphia Soul scene a secret from his strict preacher father for whom he was an organist. Loretta Devine (”Grey’s Anatomy”) guest stars.
◊“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (8 p.m. on HBO): Larry learns to embrace the upside of disability without actually being disabled, and looks to disprove the rumor that Rosie O’Donnell can kick his butt.
◊“An Engtlishman in New York” (9 p.m. on Logo): This film follows the life of famed writer and performer Quentin Crisp at the peak of his career in the late 1970’s.  Upon the recent success of Crisp’s famous autobiography-turned-film, “The Naked Civil Servant,” Quentin (John Hurt) leaves the U.K. to offer lectures and performances in New York City.  The film explores Quentin’s psyche as he faces the consequences of his casual quip stating that AIDS was “a fad,” leading to social rejection and obscurity.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): The design team travels to Lancaster, Texas, to rebuild the home of Carlton Marshall, who lost most of his mobility and all of his hearing after being shot while leading a Dallas Police Department SWAT team. Country singer Trace Adkins is the celebrity volunteer for this build.
◊“Halloween Block Party” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Three families join forces with lifestyle experts and event planners Michael Russo, Kelley Moore and Eddie Ross to create a Halloween neighborhood bash. The special will offer up design tricks and treats on decor, food, pumpkin carving, floral arrangements, tablescapes and entertainment to help viewers get their haunt on this Halloween.
◊“Hannah Montana” (6:30 p.m. on Disney): Hannah fills in for Kara DioGuardi (”American Idol”) alongside judges Andy and Byron on reality show “America’s Top Talent.” Her stint as a guest judge turns complicated when Oliver auditions and delivers a knock-out performance.
◊“I Am a Champion” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): This documentary follows three athletes in their quest to compete in the 40th annual Special Olympics Oklahoma Summer Games held May 13-15 in Stillwater.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The murder of a small-time criminal leads Lewis and Hathaway to a prominent Oxford don-turned-celebrity athiest in “Inspector Lewis, Series II: The Point of Vanishing.”
◊“Monty Python: Almost the Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut)” (8 p.m. on IFC): This six-part documentary series airing today through Friday will feature interviews with the surviving Python troupe members, who tell their life story and reveal deeper truths alongside the more tried and tested Python history lessons.
◊“Occupation” (7 p.m. on BBC America): This new drama captures the lives of three British soldiers caught physically and emotionally in the cross-fire of the Iraq war. Amid growing sectarian conflict and a boom time fuelled by billions of dollars from the U.S., their dreams of riches, love and making a difference come to define not just their lives but also the occupation itself.
◊“On the Case With Paula Zahn” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): In this new weekly newsmagazine, Paula Zahn steps away from the traditional anchor chair and into the field to interview the pivotal figures shaping stories. Her interviews, including several exclusives where people are speaking for the first time, lift the secrecy on acts of deceit, malice and revenge.
◊“The Simpsons” (7 p.m. on Fox): “Treehouse of Horror XX” features three new tales of the strange, spooky and supernatural. It begins with a homage to classic Alfred Hitchcock movies, followed by a parody of the horror film “28 Days Later” and a nod to the Broadway musical “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
◊“Storm Chasers” (9 p.m. on Discovery): In Season 3, University of Oklahoma graduate Reed Timmer and his team return with their newly armored chase vehicle “The Dominator,” racing to be first on the storm scene ahead of IMAX filmmaker Sean Casey and his monster tank-like TIV (Tornado Intercept Vehicle).
◊“Three Rivers” (8 p.m. on CBS): In order to save his life, Andy tries a risky new procedure on his wife’s partner who suffers from an aortic aneurism. Lennie James (”Jericho”) guest stars as Dr. Timothy Maguire, a cardiologist.
◊“Timewatch: The Rebel Pharaoh’s Lost City” (7 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel): Archaeologosts in the central Egyptian desert make an extraordinary discovery of an ancient cemetery whee 1,000 people from the Pharaoh’s lost capital of Amarna are buried. The 3,500-year-old bones tell a remarkable new story about these peoplke and their city.
◊“Witness to Waco” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): This new documentary provides an in-depth look into the Branch Davidians, a religious cult led by David Koresh in the late 1980s and early 1990s that ultimately met with a tragic end.  Featured are interviews with survivors of the tragedy and rarely-seen footage of David Koresh and other members of the group inside the compound throughout the siege of the property.

MONDAY, OCT. 19, 2009
◊“American Carny: True Tales from the Circus Side Show” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): Magician Penn Jillette narrates this special that explores the world of American circus entertainers and features behind-the-scenes footage with some of the world’s most interesting acts.
◊“Arthur” (3:30 p.m. on OETA-13): When Lakewood Elementary’s lunch lady Mrs. MacGrady is diagnosed with cancer, Arthur and his friends all react differently to the news. Lance Armstrong (seven-time Tour De France winner) makes a special appearance to show Francine and the Elwood City residents how they can take a stand, or ride a bike, for cancer survivors.
◊“The Big Bang Theory” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): While Sheldon settles a score with his nemesis, Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”), Wolowitz begs Leonard to get Penny to set him up with one of her friends.
◊“Bud Greenspan Presents: Beijing 2008 — America’s Olympic Glory” (6 p.m. on Showtime): With behind-the-scenes footage and a poignant narrative, this film features six American stories. Among those profiled are gymnast Nastia Liukin, swim team captain Jason Lezak and fencers Keeth and Erinn Smart.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): Alexx Woods (Khandi Alexander) and Eric Delko return to help the CSIs stop a deadly outbreak in Miami.
◊“Dr. G: America’s Most Shocking Cases” (8 p.m. on Discovery Health): Medical examiner Jan “Dr. G” Garavaglia opens the files on astonishing forensic investigations. She demonstrates how the impact of these deaths extends far beyond the morgues of their investigators.
◊“Extreme Paranormal: New Mexico State Penitentiary” (9 p.m. on A&E): Paranormal investigators Shaun, Nathan and Jason explore an abandoned maximum security lockup where visitors claim the tortured souls of inmates, who were violently murdered in the worst prison riot in U.S. history, still linger. The investigators want to see if there is any truth behind the legend in this potentially volatile paranormal environment and go as far as recreating moments of this horrific event, shedding their own blood, to provoke the violent spirits to show themselves to the cameras.
◊“Gossip Girl” (8 p.m. on CW): Dan invites Olivia (Hilary Duff, “Lizzie McGuire”) to meet Rufus and Lily, which leads to all sorts of problems for the new couple.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): The team takes on the case of a reckless police detective who has a family history of sudden heart failure that killed his father, grandfather and great-grandfather all at age 40. Jon Seda (“Close to Home”) guest stars.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): While Barney tries to convince Robin to become an American citizen, Ted and Marshall’s fabled road trip takes a wrong turn when Marshall invites Lily. Kenny Rogers (“The Gambler”) narrates the audio book played on Marshall and ted’s road trip.
◊“Latin Music USA” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The final two installments of this four-hour series focus on Mexican-Americans in California, Texas and elsewhere in the Southwest creating their own musical voice during the latter half of the 20th century, as well as the Latin pop explosion at the turn of the 21st century that introduced artists such as Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Shakira to the English-language market.
◊“Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags” (8 p.m. on HBO): For generations, New York City’s Garment District was the lifeblood of the city.  But in recent years, with the increased globalization of clothing manufacturing, this once-thriving district has continued to shrink. This documentary tells the story of this vanishing industry through the voices of the people who experienced its highs and lows.
◊“The View” (10 a.m. on ABC): Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who has been on maternity leave since Aug. 7, returns. “The View” creator, executive producer and co-host Barbara Walters said, “We’ve missed Elisabeth both on and off the air. We’ve missed her opinions and her good humor. I am so happy she is coming back.”

TUESDAY, OCT. 20, 2009
◊“18 Kids and Counting” (8 p.m. on TLC): The Duggars take a trip to Oklahoma to see what life is like working on a farm.
◊“90210″ (7 p.m. on CW): It’s Halloween at the Beverly Hills Beach Club and Adrianna channels Marilyn Monroe to help her deal with the end of her relationship with Navid. Silver and Kelly (Jennie Garth, “Beverly Hills, 90210″) continue to have differing opinions about caring for Jackie (Ann Gillespie, , “Beverly Hills, 90210″).
◊“Catch 21″ (5:30 p.m. on GSN): Contestants on today’s show are “Deal or No Deal” models Leyla Milani, Patricia Kara and Marisa Petroro.
◊“Eyes” (9 p.m. on DirecTV): In the first of seven never-before-seen episodes, Harlan works with a former colleague to uncover a counterfeiting scheme and with a reluctant Las Vegas detective (Stephen Baldwin, “The Usual Suspects”) to stop a burglary ring. The detective drama starring Tim Daly premiered on ABC in 2005 but was canceled after five episodes.
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In “The Warning,” producer-director Michael Kirk sifts through the ashes of the economic meltdown in search of pivotal moments when things might have gone much differently.
◊“The Good Wife” (9 p.m. on CBS): Alicia and Will have only 72 hours to find the smoking gun that proves the train company, and not the three engineers, is responsible for the crash, thus securing the widows their pensions the company is holding back. Martha Plimpton (”Parenthood”) guest stars as the train company’s very pregnant attorney.
◊“Shark Tank” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the season finale, an entrepreneur who sells customized Bobble Heads wants an investment from the sharks to create an extension of his already lucrative business. But it becomes a battle of wills when the Sharks won’t bite unless he gives up a stake in his successful business.
◊“Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL?” (7 p.m. on ESPN): This documentary showcases the remarkable influence the United States Football League (USFL) had on football history and looks at what forced the league out of business.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21, 2009
◊“America’s Next Top Model” (7 p.m. on CW): The girls put their interviewing skills to the test as they interview Jessica Lowndes from “90210″ on the set of “The Insider.” Kim Kardashian is this week’s guest judge.
◊“CNN Presents: Latino in America” (8 p.m. on CNN): Soledad O’Brien anchors this two-part documentary that examines the growing diversity of America, revealing insight into a changing nation on the eve of the U.S. census that is expected to officially confirm that Latino Americans are the largest minority group within the country.  It concludes Thursday.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The team hunts a suspect who impregnates young women and has them give birth before murdering them.
Max Gail (”Barney Miller”), Hallee Hirsh (“ER”), Diana Scarwid (“Wonderfalls”) and Mae Whitman (“Acceptance”) guest star.
◊“Dodsworth” (7 p.m. on TCM): Walter Huston reprises his Broadway performance in this 1936 adaptation of Sinclair Lewis’ novel. This is the firsy of four classic films picked by guest programmer Dennis Miller The other films Miller presents along with TCM host Robert Osborne are 1949’s “The Third Man” (9 p.m.), 1941’s “Suspicion” (11 p.m.) and 1948’s “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” (1 a.m.).
◊“Great Performances” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Join the opening night festivities for conductor Gustavo Dudamel’s inaugural gala concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
◊“Living With Ed” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): This series chronicles chronicles the lives of eco-activist/actor Ed Begley. Jr. and his frequently exasperated wife Rachelle Carson Begley. The third season will follow the couple as they embark on an unlikely trip to Vegas, a wedding anniversary getaway only Ed could organize and a major home renovation.
◊“Lock ‘N Load” (7 p.m. on Showtime): This new reality series offers viewers a fly-on-the-wall look at “The Shootist” gun store in Englewood, Colo., where expert gunslinger Josh T. Ryan interacts with customers. The hidden camera, revealed after the transaction is completed, insures a particularly candid and revealing take on why we buy guns.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine begins seeing a therapist who shares office space with Matthew, although it’s unclear to both whether to pursue therapy or romance.  Eric McCormack (”Will & Grace”) guest stars as Dr. Max Kershaw, the therapist/love interest.

THURSDAY, OCT. 22, 2009
◊“American Chopper” (8 p.m. on TLC): Life at Orange County Choppers is forever changed now that Jr. and Mikey have been squeezed out of the business. Even with all the drama, the guys in the shop must forge ahead as they build a bike for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.
◊“Catch 21″ (5:30 p.m. on GSN): Host Alfonso Ribeiro welcomes three of his former castmates from “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” to the show as contestants. Taking part in the challenge are James Avery, Tatyanna Ali and Karyn Parsons.
◊“The Jeff Dunham Show” (8 p.m. on Comedy Central): Comic-ventriloquist Jeff Dunham brings his suitcase posse of comedic cohorts — including Walter, Peanut, Bubba J, Jose Jalapeno on a Stick and Achmed the Dead Terrorist — to this new series featuring Dunham and puppets in performance before a live studio audience as well as interacting with people around Los Angeles.
◊“Nitro Circus” (8:30 on MTV): The cast put on the brakes long enough to spill their guts about all the jaw-dropping makes and laughter-inducing misfires from their risk-fuelled second season.
◊“Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” (8 p.m. on MTV): In Season 2 of the show, where fantasies come alive inside, the adventures have been bigger and the action wilder.
◊“Stateline” (8:30 p.m. on OETA-13): The lawless black gold boomtowns of early 20th century Oklahoma were a fertile field for the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan’s power faded with the dust bowl but never completely disappeared from Oklahoma. Secret groups survive and operate in towns all over the state to this day.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Joan Fontaine was born on this day in 1917, and TCM celebrates by airing three of her films — 1938’s “Blond Cheat” (10 a.m.), 1952’s “Ivanhoe” (11:15 a.m.) and 1953’s “The Bigamist” (1:15 p.m.).

FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 2009
◊“Brothers” (7 p.m. on Fox):Trainor’s newest hostess spreads some juicy rumors to help attract customers to Trainor’s, but when her gossip attracts Nancy O’Dell (“Access Hollywood”), Kim Kardashian (“Keeping Up With the Kardashians”) stops by the restaurant to set the record straight.
◊“Dollhouse” (8 p.m. on Fox): Sierra is forced to face her past as her connection to the Rossum Corporation leads to obsession and murder. Keith Carradine (“Complete Savages”) guest stars.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): On the show’s 100th episode, Allison investigates an infant’s kidnapping. But Joe worries when she becomes too attached to the little boy. Also, Bridgette and Joe are amazed when Marie plays the clarinet perfectly without one lesson while Bridgette struggles to learn to play.
◊“My Super Psycho Sweet 16″ (9 p.m. on MTV): This new original movie produced by MTV tells the story of Madison Penrose (Juliana Guill, “Friday the 13th”), a spoiled high school queen bee, and Skye Rotter (Lauren McKnight, “House of Fear”), the class outcast whose father committed a series of grisly murders. Madison’s plans for the ultimate birthday bash are ruined when Skye’s dad crashes the party.
◊“The Suite Life on Deck” (7:30 p.m. on Disney): When recording artist Jordin Sparks (”American Idol”) comes aboard the S.S. Tipton for a concert, Zack, Cody and Marcus write a song for her to sing.
◊“Supernanny” (7 p.m. on ABC): A dad at odds with his teenage daughter brings his family to the brink on the Season 5 premiere. Supernanny Jo Frost pushes the parents to closely examine their marriage.
◊“Til Death” (7:30 p.m. on Fox): When Doug’s father gives him and Ally a large sum of money, they struggle with the decision to keep it or give it back. Barry Bostwick (“Spin City”) and Richard Lewis (“Anything But Love”) guest star.
◊“Trading the Globe” (7 p.m. on CNBC): This special will teach viewers how to think about emerging markets as a source of returns, how to access these markets and how to incorporate trading them into the formula for success in the coming years.
◊“Ugly Betty” (8 p.m. on ABC): Betty fires on all cylinders to get a big scoop with Gucci’s new designer, Evan York (Hamish Linklater, “The New Adventures of Old Christine”). Meanwhile Daniel begins to attend a bereavement group, where he meets Natalie (Jamie-Lynn Sigler, “The Sopranos”), a sexy girl who takes him out for an interesting night on the town.
◊“White Collar” (9 p.m. on USA Network): Matthew Bomer (”Chuck”) and Tim DeKay (”Carnivale”) wstar in the new drama about an unlikely partnership between a con artist and an FBI agent. In the series premiere, they hunt an elusive and vicious counterfeiter known as the “Dutchman.”

SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 2009
◊“24/7 Pacquiao/Cotto” (9:15 p.m. on HBO): This four-episode, all-access series follows Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto, two of boxing’s brightest stars, as they prepare for their Nov. 14 pay-per-view showdown in Las Vegas. Pacquiao seeks to continue his reign as the sport’s pound-for-pound king, while Cotto looks to prove that his ring skills are ideal for derailing the Pacquiao express.
◊“The Academy: Orange County Fire” (8 p.m. on Fox Reality Channel): This new series will take viewers on a journey with 28 recruits of differing backgrounds as they endure 18 weeks of intense physical training for the Orange County Fire Authority in California.
◊“Always and Forever” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Rena Sofer (”24″) and Dean McDermott (”Tori and Dean”) star in this new original movie about high school sweethearts who reunite at their high school reunion. As they reminisce over old times, the memories and laughs lead to rekindled feelings from their abandoned relationship.
◊“America’s Cutest Dog” (9 p.m. on Animal Planet): This special counts down the most cuddly and aww-inspiring canine moments caught on camera.
◊“Blackboards and Bullies: Are Your Kids Safe?” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This special explores the roots of violent incidents in America’s school systems and tangible ways for communities to improve child safety. Using case studies and interviews with leading experts, it shows the consequences of American adolescent violence and provides information to families on how to protect their children.
◊“Extreme Sweets” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Adam Gertler (“Will Work For Food”) goes in search of America’s most unusual sweets, including worm-covered caramel apples and a treat so spicy that he has to sign a waiver to eat it.
◊“Ghost Town” (8 p.m. on Syfy): Gil Gerard (“Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”) and Billy Drago (“Charmed”) star in this film about a busload of college students that takes a wrong turn on a back road and ends up in a town inhabited by the ghosts of outlaws who return to earth every 13 years to refight a shoot-out.

–Penny TV

ENDINGS
••“Drop Dead Diva,” 8 p.m. Sunday on Lifetime (first-season finale).
••“Army Wives,” 9 p.m. Sunday on Lifetime (third-season finale).
••“The Rachel Zoe Project,” 9 p.m. Monday on Bravo (second-season finale).
••“Hell’s Kitchen,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on Fox (sixth-season finale).
••“Bully Beatdown,” 8:30 p.m. Thursday on MTV (second-season finale).
••“Nitro Circus,” 9 p.m. Thursday on MTV (second-season finale).
••“Pranked,” 9:30 p.m. Thursday on MTV (first-season finale).
••“Psych,” 9 p.m. Friday on USA Network (summer finale).

NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

Pictured above:

SUNDAY, OCT. 11, 2009
◊“Army Wives” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): In the Season 3 finale, Michael and Claudia Joy prepare for Michael’s promotion ceremony although General Ludwig’s visit to Ft. Marshall could mean a big change that will significantly affect the lives of the entire tribe.
◊“Bored to Death” (8:30 p.m. on HBO): Jonathan falls for his latest client (Parker Posey, “The Return of Jezebel James”), the mother of a boy whose skateboard was stolen by a neighborhood bully. Bebe Neuwirth (“Frasier”) also guest stars.
◊“Breast Cancer Examined: An African American Perspective” (6 p.m. on TV One): This documentary probes into the areas of prevention, detection, treatment and empowerment for survivors, their families and friends. Celebrities interviewed include Gabrielle Union (“Night Stalker”), Diahann Carroll (“Dynasty”) and Alaina Reed Hall (“227”).
◊“Bridezillas” (8 p.m. on WEtv): Lacey Jordan insists on having an outdoor wedding ceremony during tornado season in Oklahoma and refuses to come up with a back-up plan. When the big day arrives, so does a major storm, but the bride still refuses to move the ceremony indoors.
◊“Californication” (9 p.m. on Showtime): Hank attends a university mixer hosted by Dean Koons and Felicia (Peter Gallagher, Embeth Davidtz) and consoles his jilted assistant, Jill, the best way he knows how. Charlie celebrates his first talent
signing and winds up in the arms of his new boss (Kathleen Turner).
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team reopens the 2004 case of a teen who was wrongly sent to a juvenile detention center where he was killed before Valens could make good on his promise to get him released.  Steven Culp (”JAG”), Adina Porter (”True Blood”) and Cress Williams (”Prison Break”) guest star as employees of the faciloity where the victim was killed.
◊“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (8 p.m. on HBO): Larry rats out Christian Slater at Ted (Ted Danson) and Mary’s (Mary Steenburgen) anniversary party, but later gets his payback at a restaurant rendezvous with an old flame (Sherry Stringfield).
◊“Discovering Ardi” (8 p.m. on Discovery): This special documents the find and study of a 4.4 million-year-old female partial skeleton nicknamed “Ardi.” The scientific investigation that began in the Ethiopian desert 17 years ago opens a new chapter on human evolution, revealing the first evolutionary steps our ancestors took after we diverged from a common ancestor we once shared with living chimpanzees. “Ardi’s” centerpiece skeleton, the other hominids she lived with, and the rocks, soils, plants and animals that made up her world were analyzed in laboratories around the globe.  The scientists have now published their findings in the prestigious journal Science. 
◊“Drop Dead Diva” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): In the season finale entitled “Grayson’s Anatomy,” everyone at the firm is up in arms when they anticipate Parker is going to make an announcement of the newest partner.  Jane finally decides to move on with her life, but when she receives an unexpected visit from a man from her past, she has to rethink all she knows about life and love. Paula Abdul (”American Idol”) guest stars.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Ty Pennington and his team travel to Suffield, Conn., to rebuild the small, fire-damaged and deteriorating home of the musical Hill family, who give the gifts of song and inspiration to their community. Xzibit (“Gridiron Gang”) will be the celebrity volunteer for this build.
◊“Girls Next Door” (9:30 p.m. on E!): A new season of this reality series takes viewers behind closed doors of the Playboy Mansion to reveal the world of Hugh Hefner through the eyes of the women who live, play and party with him.  Last season’s shocking break-ups send Hef on a search for love in all new places with current girlfriends identical twins Karissa and Kristina and Crystal Harris by his side.  
◊“Leave it to Lamas” (10 p.m. on E!): This new series follows the antics of “The Bachelor” winner Shayne Lamas as she works, plays and navigates life in Los Angeles with her close-knit family.  From her always meddling mother Michele Smith, to her famous father Lorenzo Lamas, to her opinionated siblings A.J. and Dakota, there’s never a shortage of fun, excitement or drama for this family.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Not all the melodrama is on the stage as Lewis and Hathaway sift through the motives of many suspects who may have murdered a young actor in a student production of “The Merchant of Venice” and subsequently strangled a campus critic in “Inspector Lewis, Series II: Quality of Mercy.”
◊“Unbelievable Flying Objects” (7 p.m. on Smithsonian Network): This special highlights some ideas in the history of aviation that didn’t quite work — from the vertical “Pogo” plane to the disastrous Gobin nicknamed the “Flying Egg” to the efforts to build a submarine that flies.

MONDAY, OCT. 12, 2009
◊“The 100 Mile Challenge” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): This six-part series follows six families in Mission, British Columbia, as they take on the challenge to eat food grown and produced within a 100 mile radius for 100 days. As the kitchen cupboards are stripped bare, the families begin to panic as they soon discover it is not going to be as easy as it first appeared.
◊“Arthur” (3:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Capote”) lends his voice as director Will Toffman in the 13th season premiere “No Acting Please.” When Fern lands a role in the Elwood City community production of “It Began With a Whistle,” she fears she’s not talented enough to be a star actress. But Will Toffman teaches Fern how to have fun, be herself and truly shine.
◊“Broke: The New American Dream” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This film by director and author Michael Covel brings America’s 2007-09 economic crisis into the  forefront through interviews with Nobel Prize winners Dr. Harry Markowitz and Dr. Vernon Smith, Bill Miller of Legg Mason, David Harding of Winton Capital, and dozens of other Wall Street pros, real estate agents, professional poker players, reporters, athletes and ordinary citizens. The investigation breaks new ground in the field of behavioral finance and dispels the belief that government can solve personal money woes.
◊“Catch 21″ (5:30 p.m. on GSN): Season 3 of the game show hosted by Alfonso Ribeiro will feature a number of celebrity guest episodes, including appearances by Ribeiro’s former castmates on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and stars from “The Biggest Loser.”
◊“Gone Too Far” (9 p.m. on MTV): This new documentary series hosted and created by Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein chronicles young addicts between the ages of 20-25 in the grip of addiction who are offered a chance at recovery. Goldstein died Aug. 28 of an accidental drug overdose.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): A wealthy businessman brings his teenage son, who is suffering from inexplicable stomach pains, to Princeton Plainsboro and insists on having Dr. House handle the case. The father of the patient believes the karmic penalty of his financial success is that he is victim to personal tragedy, and that the answer to his son’s medical mystery lies in a reverse of fate rather than medical treatment. Lee Tergesen (“Oz”) guest stars.
◊“Latin Music USA” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Jimmy Smits (“The West Wing”) narrates this survey of American music that was forged from strong Latin roots. The first hour, “Bridges,” traces the rise of Latin jazz and the surging popularity of the mambo and the cha-cha. The second hour, “The Salsa Revolution” explores how New York Latinos reinvented traditional Puerto Rican styles by adding soul and jazz elements to create salsa.
◊“Little People, Big World” (7 p.m. on TLC): Season 5 features more heart-warming moments and real-life challenges for the Roloff family, which is comprised of both little and average height people. Matt and Amy start to explore new territory as their oldest children are ready to start their own lives. They are left with different ideas on how to fill their time and have to figure out what will be their next chapter in life.
◊“Million Dollar Listing” (10 p.m. on Bravo): Season 3 of this series takes viewers inside the high-stakes, cutthroat world of real estate, where Josh Flagg, Madison Hildebrand and Chad Rogers struggle to ink their million dollar deals during this economic downturn.
◊“The Rachel Zoe Project” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the Season 2 finale, Rachel is juggling a high fashion editorial photo shoot and the launch of the Rachel Zoe brand. But when Taylor threatens to walk out the door, the stress causes a relapse of Rachel’s vertigo.

TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 2009
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the Season 28 premiere “Obama’s War,” correspondent Martin Smith travels across Afghanistan and Pakistan to see how the president’s new strategy is taking shape.
◊“Independent Lens” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): The documentary series kicks off a new season with “Herb and Dorothy,” a profile of Herb and Dorothy Vogel, a postal clerk and a librarian who built one of the most important contemporary art collections in history, proving that you “don’t have to be a Rockefeller” to collect art.
◊“The Newlywed Game” (5 p.m. on GSN): Today’s episode of the game show hosted by Carnie Wilson will feature George Takei (”Star Trek”) and his spouse Brad Altman, the first same-sex couple in the show’s history. Joining them are newlywed couples Christopher Knight (“The Brady Bunch”) and Adrianne Curry (“American’s Next Top Model”) and Damien Gurganius and Nicole Brewer (”The Biggest Loser: Couples 2″).
◊“Hell’s Kitchen” (7 p.m. on Fox): The three remaining chefs have to create one dish from various parts of the world in the Season 6 finale. At the end, one chef is crowned the winner and will receive a head chef position at Araxi Restaurant in Vancouver, Canada.
◊“NOVA: Hubble’s Amazing Rescue” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This special takes viewers on board the telescope for spacewalks and in depth behind the scenes coverage in. The five days in space were just the tip of the iceberg in a 7-year effort by a cast of thousands (instructors, designers and engineers) who made it possible for seven astronauts to risk their lives in a dangerous mission to save the world’s “eye on the universe.”
◊“Planet Mechanics” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): Engineers Dick Strawbridge and Jem Stansfield tame a fuel-guzzling grain dryer by turning cow manure into natural gas. But storing a vast amount of this gas is dangerous.
◊“ReCreating America” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): The first installment of this three-part documentary series explores the importance of creativity in education. The four schools visited are a preschool in Tulsa, Flower Mound Elementary School in Lawton, Piedmont Middle School and Santa Fe South High School.
◊“Starz Inside: Zombiemania” (9 p.m. on Starz): Richard Roeper (”Ebert & Roeper”) hosts this special that traces the evolution of the Zombie from its roots in African folklore and Haitian Voodoo to its current role as pop culture icon. It uncovers what it is about these flesh-eating ghouls that appeals to millions of horror enthusiasts.
◊“VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2009″ (8 p.m. on VH1): Tracy Morgan (”30 Rock”) hosts the sixth annual event that commemorates the 25th anniversary of Def Jam Records, one of the most celebrated hip hop labels in the music industry. Performances and presenters include Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, Kid Rock, Ludacris, Ashanti, Public Enemy, DMX, Redman, Method Man and Ja Rule.
◊“Yo Gabba Gabba” (noon on Nick Jr.): Andy Samberg (“Saturday Night Live”) teaches the Gabba gang the “Alligator Chomp” during the “Dancey Dance” segment.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14, 2009
◊“American Masters” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): “Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound” is the first comprehensive documentary to chronicle both the private life and the public career of the recording artist and political activist. Filmed during her 2008-09 world tour, it includes footage of Baez in concert, as well appearances by Bob Dylan, David Crosby, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt.
◊“America’s Next Top Model” (7 p.m. on CW): This week’s photo shoot has a martial arts-inspired theme that has the girls hanging by a wire. Supermodel Jessica White appears as a guest judge.
◊“Mary Queen of Shops” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Sassy and straight-talking retail guru Mary Portas gives the ultimate insider’s guide on how to get the most out of shops and shopping and troubleshoots her way around the United Kingdom on a mission to help turn around struggling fashion boutiques – one shop at a time.
◊“Modern Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): Claire and Mitchell’s mother, Dede (Shelley Long, “Cheers”), drops in for a surprise visit and is determined to make amends with everyone she offended during what has been deemed “the incident” at Jay and Gloria’s wedding. Needless to say, no one is thrilled to see her and everything comes to a head when the whole family shows up to dinner at Claire’s house.
◊“Nature, Inc.” (9 p.m. on Planet Green): This new series explores the question of “what if?” and the ripple effect of a world without coral reefs, honeybees and other key species.
“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): After Barb has her lawyer send over divorce papers, Christine hires an aggressive divorce attorney (Corbin Bernsen, “Psych”) who convinces her that Barb owes her alimony.
◊“Nip/Tuck” (9 p.m. on FX): In the Season 6 premiere, Sean and Christian struggle to keep McNamara/Troy successful in this declining economy. Meanwhile, Matt and Kimber have mixed results in their career paths, as Sean keeps himself distant from Teddy.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Lillian Gish was born on this day in 1893, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of her films, including 1923’s “The White Sister” (6 a.m.), 1926’s “The Scarlet Letter” (10 a.m.) and 1946’s “Duel in the Sun” (4:30 p.m.).
◊“Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak” (6 p.m. on HBO): This documentary explores the life and works of celebrated children’s author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, who does not believe in sugarcoating the truth when it comes to communicating with kids.

THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 2009
◊“30 Rock” (8:30 p.m. on NBC): In the Season 4 premiere, Jack informs Liz, Tracy and Jenna that “TGS” needs to make immediate adjustments to become more relatable. Steve Buscemi (“Fargo”) guest stars.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): When a policeman kills another officer, the CSIs must look to the evidence to determine if the shooting was premeditated or an accident. Enrique Murciano (”Without a Trace”) guest stars.
◊“E! Investigates: Little Girl Gone” (8 p.m. p.m. on E!): This special tells the story of Riley Fox. 3, who was abused and strangled before her body was dumped in a river. In a shocking turn, Riley’s father, kevin, initially confessed to killing his daughter, but DNA evidence turned the case upside down.
◊“Fringe” (8 p.m. on Fox): The Fringe team travels to Seattle after learning of a mysterious incident involving a man who attacked his boss because he believed he was an evil ram-horned creature. Ravi Kapoor (“Crossing Jordan”) guest stars.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): The residents of Seattle Grace and Mercy West vie for surgeries and their careers as day one of the hospital merger begins. Meanwhile, Arizona stands by an enraged Callie when her father, Mr. Torres (Hector Elizondo, “Cane”), employs a priest to help convince her to date men.
◊“Los Premios MTV Latin America 2009″ (9 p.m. on MTV Tr3s): The eighth-annual event will feature artists performing in cities throughout Latin American and the United States. Scheduled performers include Alejandro Sanz, Cobra Starship, Fall Out Boy, Miranda!, Nelly Furtado, Paulina Rubio and Wisin & Yandel.
◊“Mall Cops: Mall of America” (9 p.m. on TLC): This special features an action-packed day in the life of the Mall of America as seen through the eyes of the men and women assigned to guard its stores and shoppers.
◊“Nitro Circus” (9 p.m. on MTV): The Circus heads home to Utah to wrap up Season 2. Erik and some skydiving friends strap on their wings and engage in a down and dirty sky-scraping dogfight. The Utah Jazz Bear and his mountain bike take a mean hit on a colossal ski ramp. And a base jump from a 600-foot bridge turns into a near-epic disaster for some of the Nitro cast.
◊“Parks and Recreation” (7:30 p.m. on NBC): Leslie plays host to the Parks and Recreation department from Pawnee’s sister city, Boraqua, Venezuela, and is shocked at the cultural differences. Fred Armisen (”Saturday Night Live”) guest stars.
◊“Pranked” (9:30 p.m. on MTV): This finale showcases the best pranks ever caught on camera and posted online.  College Humor.com’s Streeter Seidell & Amir Blumenfeld provide commentary.
◊“Private Practice” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson, “Grey’s Anatomy”) brings a kidney transplant patient to Los Angeles, and Addison isn’t the only Oceanside Wellness doctor pleased to see her.
◊“The View” (10 a.m. on ABC): Kara DioGuardi (”American Idol” judge) will be seated alongside Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd during her second appearance on the show, but her first as a guest co-host. DioGuardi, who joined “American Idol” during the show’s eighth season, is a well-renowned singer/songwriter, record producer, music publisher and A&R executive.

FRIDAY, OCT. 16, 2009
◊“Bartender Wars” (9:30 p.m. on Fine Living Network): In each episode of this new competition series, three bartenders face off in a series of challenges. Host Egypt Sherrod rallies these contestants as they challenge each other from seeing who can get the biggest tips to the most phone numbers to creating the most unusual and delicious cocktails.
◊“Live at Gotham” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central): This series, back for Season 4, tapes at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City and features six up-and-coming comedians and one all-star host each episode. The premiere is hosted by Jo Koy and showcases the talent of Deb DiGiovanni, Cory Fernandez, Andy Ritchie, Taylor Williamson, Reese Waters and Wil Sylvince.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA Network): To woo the lone holdout on the reinstatement committee, Monk accompanies Lt. Disher on a scouting trip with the man’s troublesome son. Wade Williams (”Prison Break”) and Alex Wolff (”The Naked Brothers Band”) guest star.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): Don and the team investigate a series of murders which they realize are being copied from scenes out of a soon-to-be-released movie.  Adam Goldberg (”Entourage”) guest stars.
◊“Psych” (9 p.m. on USA Network): While working on a case involving an ice cream truck, Shawn stumbles onto something bigger and more deadly.  It is up to Gus, Lassiter, Henry and Juliet to find Shawn when they discover he’s been kidnapped.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Angela Lansbury was born on this day in 1925, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of her films, including 1944’s “Gaslight” (6 a.m.), 1946’s “The Harvey Girls” (10 a.m.) and 1966’s “Mister Buddwing” (5:15 p.m.).
◊“Ugly Betty” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 4 premiere, which was delayed from last week, Betty finds that everything is changing as she begins her new job as associate features editor. Lynn Redgrave (“Teachers Only”) and Kristen Johnston (“3rd Rock from the Sun”) guest star.

SATURDAY, OCT. 17, 2009
◊“2009 Really Awards” (9 p.m. on Fox Reality Channel): Vivica A. Fox (”Curb Your Enthusiasm”) hosts the fourth annual event that celebrates the best in reality television.
“Head Games” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This new trivia series hosted by Greg Proops (“True Jackson, VP”) and executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg (”The View”) uses humor and fascinating science facts to challenge the intellect of contestants and viewers and test their knowledge about peculiar, unexpected information from the natural and scientific world. Contestants go brain-to-brain to determine who knows more funky facts and in the end, the winner walks away with some cold hard cash.
◊“Jon Reep: Metro Jethro” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central): Jon Reed, the redheaded redneck who won Season 5 of “Last Comic Standing,” brings his energy, non-stop characters and clever writing to the stage in this new stand-up special.
◊“Phineas and Ferb” (7 a.m. on Disney XD): Baljeet takes a break from his intense studying to go around town inside a giant bubble with Phineas and Ferb. And Isabella, Adyson and the rest of the Fireside Girls go on an adventure to obtain a patch for sap collecting. Jane Leeves (“Frasier”)and Judd Nelson (“Suddenly Susan”) guest star.
◊“Saturday Night Live” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): Gerard Butler (”300″) makes his SNL debut as host. Musical guest is Shakira, who boasts a string of chart-topping hits in both English and Spanish and sales of over 50 million records.
◊“Sorority Wars” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): This original movie follows Katie (Lucy Hale, “Privileged”), a college freshman who has been groomed from birth to continue her mother’s (Courtney Thorne-Smith, “According to Jim”) legacy with the Deltas.  An all out sorority war begins when Katie has doubts about the Deltas and pledges another house.

–Penny TV

SUNDAY, OCT. 4, 2009
◊“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (6 p.m. on ABC): The show hosted by Tom Bergeron begins its 20th season with all-new footage of what happens when adults, children and even inanimate objects are at their spontaneous best.
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team investigates the 1995 murder of a 17-year-old boy who left his dysfunctional home for the streets, where he started to make his mark as a skateboarding prodigy. Kevin Chapman (”Brotherhood”) plays a police officer who recalls the victim — and the citation he gave him for skateboarding on city property.
◊“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (8 p.m. on HBO): Larry resists Jeff’s suggestion to do a “Seinfeld” reunion special – until he figures out a compelling personal reason to do so. “Seinfeld” cast members Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia-Louis Dreyfuss and Michael Richard guest star.
◊“Dallas Divas & Daughters” (7 p.m. on Style): This new docu-series follows mothers and daughters from Dallas’ wealthiest neighborhoods where being rich is a way of life, designer fashion is mandatory and staying on the top of the social ladder is critical.  And when money is no object, the relationship between mother and daughter is anything but ordinary. 
◊“Entourage” (9:30 p.m. on HBO): Matt Damon (“The Bourne Ultimatum”), with help from Lebron James (NBA player), strong arms Vince to get involved in his charity before Vince leaves for Italy.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): The design team travels to Green County, Mo., to tell the eight members of the Hampton family – all living in a cramped one-bedroom, one-bath cottage, 792 sq. ft. total – that they’ll have a new home in seven days. Ashley Tisdale (“High School Musical”) will be the celebrity volunteer for this build.
◊“Farm Aid 2009″ (4 p.m. on DirectTV’s 101 Network): Musical artists Gretchen Wilson, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews are among the performers during this six-hour broadcast airing live from St. Louis. Since 1985, Farm Aid, with the support of the artists who contribute their performances each year, has raised nearly $36 million to support programs that help farmers thrive, expand the reach of the Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture and promote food from family farms.
◊“Handy Manny” (6 p.m. on Disney): Manny and his tools take viewers along on an eventful road trip to Manny’s family reunion. Renowned East Los Angeles rockers Los Lobos and series star Wilmer Valderrama (Manny) each perform new songs in the special. Kris Kristofferson (“A Star is Born”) and Donny Osmond (“Dancing With the Stars”) guest star.
◊“I Love Lucy” (10 a.m. on Hallmark Channel): Catch 16 hours of the series that won five Emmy awards and ranked second on TV Guide’s Top 50 television shows list.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Literary whimsy becomes murderous reality with the death of a Czech hotel worker. Lewis and Hathaway find two clues that may help them find the connection between the victim and an Oxford professor in the new episode “Inspector Lewis, Series II: Allegory of Love.”
◊“My Monkey Baby” (8 p.m. on TLC): With her pink bedroom, a designer wardrobe, the latest toys, games and makeup, Jessica Marie is like any spoiled little girl — except that she’s a monkey. This special looks at couples who haven taken on 40-year commitments to parent monkeys.
◊“The Next Iron Chef” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Hosted by Alton Brown (”Good Eats”), this reality competition will challenge 10 top chefs from around the country in a series of demanding situations, testing their culinary skills and mental toughness.
◊“The Supreme Court: Home to America’s Highest Court” (8 p.m. on C-Span): This 80-minute documentary offers rarely-seen video of areas accessible only to the Justices and their staffs, including the Justices’ “Robing Room” and Private Dining Room.  Viewers will also get extensive views of the Courtroom and visit some of the Justices’ offices, known as “chambers.”
◊“Three Rivers” (8 p.m. on CBS): Dr. Andy Yablonski (Alex O’Loughlin, “Moonlight”) leads a dedicated team of surgeons at the country’s leading transplant facility in this new medical drama. In the premiere episode, Dr. Yablonski tells a young pregnant woman that in order to save her and her unborn child, she must get a heart transplant.

MONDAY, OCT. 5, 2009
◊“Being Lincoln: Men With Hats” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This film delves into a subculture of Abraham Lincoln impersonators and explores why over 180 Lincoln presenters in the country do what they do.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): Three volleyball players mysteriously drop dead on the court while Calleigh’s testimony against Delko threatens his future as a CSI. Cheryl Ladd (”Charlie’s Angels”) and Tia Carrere (”Dancing With the Stars”) guest star.
◊“The Decorating Adventures of Ambrose Price” (9 p.m. on Logo): In this new reality series, the Canadian-born contestant of HGTV’s 2006 Designer Superstar Challenge will repair, restore and re-upholster his way to the top in attempt to accomplish his decorating and designing dreams.
◊“Gone Too Far” (9 p.m. on MTV): Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein hosts this new series that documents young adults between the ages of 18-25 as they struggle with substance abuse and the devastating addictions that threaten to destroy them and the people who love them most.
◊“Greek” (8 p.m. on ABC Family): It‘s Founders Weekend at the ZBZ house and the girls decide to keep the house’s decline in the rankings a secret in hopes they can hustle enough donations to meet their goals. Olivia Munn (”Attack of the Show”) guest stars.
◊“Healthy Minds” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Each episode in this new series humanizes a specific mental health condition through personal stories and interviews with researchers and experts. The premiere episode is “Autism — Part One: Discovery and Diagnosis.”
◊“Heroes” (7 p.m. on NBC): As Hiro’s life continues to hang in the balance, he distracts himself with saving the lives of others. Bruce Boxleitner (“Young Blades”) and Swoosie Kurtz (“Pushing Daisies”) guest star.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): When a controversial African politician (James Earl Jones, “Star Wars”) falls ill, he is brought to Princeton Plainsboro for treatment. The team struggles with whether to help a merciless dictator being subpoenaed for crimes against humanity in his country.
◊“Imus in the Morning” (8 a.m. on Fox Business Network): The nationally syndicated radio program hosted by Don Imus will be simulcast in HD Monday through Friday and feature interviews with top newsmakers and discussions on current affairs, politics, business, sports and entertainment news.
◊“Inventing LA: The Chandlers and Their Times” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Liev Schreiber (“Taking Woodstock”) narrates this two-hour documentary that chronicles how, for four generations, members of the Chandler family pursued both personal agendas and lofty civic ideals as they used their newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, to influence many in the Southern California area.
◊“Jungle Junction” (9 a.m. on Disney): This new animated series for preschoolers follows a group of fun-loving animals on wheels as they explore a unique jungle. The fast-paced adventure emphasizes an appreciation of the environment while highlighting pre-literacy skills through the use of road signs and symbols.
◊“Let’s Make a Deal” (2 p.m. on CBS): Wayne Brady (”The Wayne Brady Show”) hosts this new version of the vintage game show in which wildly costumed contestants try to win cash and prizes by making deals. Monty Hall, who hosted the original show from 1963-77, serves as creative consultant.
◊“Lie to Me” (8 p.m. on Fox): Zoe enlists the Lightman Group to investigate a star college football player accused of statutory rape.
◊“Outrage” (8 p.m. on HBO): This documentary takes a look at the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who continually vote against gay rights and actively campaign against the gay community they covertly belong to. It also probes the ethics of outing closeted politicians and the double standards that the media upholds in its coverage of the sex lives of gay public figures.
◊“Rita Rocks” (6:30 p.m. on Lifetime): Nicole Sullivan (“The King of Queens”) returns for a second season as Rita Clemens, a married working mom, unfulfilled by her harried life, who tries to regain her identity by recreating her glory days as a musician in a garage band.
◊“Sherri” (6 p.m. on Lifetime): Sherri Shepherd (”The View”) moonlights in this new sitcom loosely based on her own life, in which she plays a working mother and part-time entertainer trying to pick up the pieces of her life when she splits from her husband after she discovers his affair. 
◊“The View” (10 a.m. on ABC): American journalist Lisa Ling, a former co-host of “The View” from 1999-2002, will return to co-host live shows today and Tuesday. Also sitting in for co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck (on maternity leave and returning mid-October) this week are Jaclyn Smith (“Charlie’s Angels”) on Wednesday and Ana Ortiz (“Ugly Betty”) on Thursday.

TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 2009
◊“20 Years, 20 Duggars” (8 p.m. on TLC): Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar take a look back at their beginnings as a family, introduce viewers to their 18 kids and strengthen their future by renewing their vows.
◊“The Buffalo Flows” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Ray McKinnon (”The Accountant”) narrates this documentary about Conservation groups protesting a proposed dam on Arkansas’ Buffalo River. It captures the river’s spectacular beauty over the course of four seasons while chronicling the activists’ battle to protect the region.
◊“Conversation With Wanda Jackson” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): In April, this music pioneer and native Oklahoman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She regularly sang on an Oklahoma City radio show while in junior high school and had her first hit record by the time she was 17. 
◊“Dirty Jobs” (8 p.m. on Discovery): In the continuation of Season 5, host and creator Mike Rowe heads to Miami, Fla., to try out marine salvaging, where he’ll work to remove submerged, abandoned boats from the water.  He’ll then go to a recycling center in San Francisco to separate the metal, fabric, padding and wood parts of a mattress so each can be made into a new product. 
◊“Disaster House” (9 p.m. on DIY): In this new series, contractor Josh Temple inflicts all kinds of abnormal damage to demonstrate the punishment a normal home takes over the years.  The man-made earthquakes, flooded basements and busted roofs are an exaggerated, over-the-top illustration of what it takes to repair the most common and not-so-common household catastrophes.
◊“Dragon’s Den” (8 p.m. on BBC America): The Dragons give would-be entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their ideas in hopes of making their business plans a reality. Ideas pitched during Season 6 include a talking tree and a machine that turns air into water.
◊“the forgotten” (9 p.m. on ABC): The case of a John Doe (Jarrod Bunch, former NFL Player for the New York Giants), left beaten on the street and ravaged by past injuries, leads The Forgotten Network into the world of professional football.
◊“Ghost Lab” (9 p.m. on Discovery): This new series follows Brad and Barry Klinge, Texas natives who in 2007 founded Everyday Paranormal. They tackle what are thought to be some of America’s most haunted locations with sophisticated equipment housed in a decked-out traveling “ghost lab.”  This on-site high-tech lab enables investigators to analyze data on the premises in real time, helping them to more narrowly focus their investigations on suspected “hot spots.”
◊“King’s Ransom” (7 p.m. on ESPN): This documentary explores the shocking trade of hockey player Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988. And it kicks off ESPN’s “30 for 30” film project centered on the last 30 years in sports.
◊“Man Caves” (8 p.m. on DIY): Former NFL player Tony “The Goose” Siragusa and contractor Jason Cameron return for a fourth season of offering ideas and do-it-yourself instruction designed to help any guy turn an extra room into the ultimate guys’ hangout.
◊“Parking Wars” (9 p.m. on A&E): The series, which for the past two seasons has followed the men and women on the front lines of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, expands beyond the City of Brotherly Love to hit the road in a new town where cars mean everything — Motor City. The ticket-writers and booters of Detroit’s Municipal Parking Department are called every name in the book, but they have the skills and attitude to get it done.
◊“Weird, True & Freaky” (8:30 p.m. on Animal Planet): This episode features a segment on the world’s deadliest spider —  the Brazilian Wandering Spider — that was reportedly found in the produce aisle of a Tulsa grocery store in March.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7, 2009
◊“Art in the Twenty-First Century” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): This series invites viewers to meet 14 of today’s most accomplished artists as they create works that reflect important and timely global issues. Season 5 shows a broad range of artistic practice, technical innovation, and experimentation, from artists tackling large-scale collaborative projects in hangar-like studios, to those working in the quiet of more intimate studio settings.
◊“The Bureau” (8 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This new series profiles the modern Federal Bureau of Investigation and explores the determination required to solve some of the most mystifying cases of the 21st century.
◊“Clean House” (9 p.m. on Style): Host Niecy Nash (”Reno 911!”) and her no-holds-barred team of experts encounter homes “possessed by possessions” and in dire need of rescue. The Season 8 premiere The season premiere finds the “Clean House” cameras at Niecy’s own house. Her mother has moved in and the belongings she brought with her are cluttering up Niecy’s home.
◊“Craft in America” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The Season 2 premiere episode focuses on the origins of the American craft movement and features artists who tie their work to early craft techniques and pass on these techniques to others.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The Behavioral Analysis Unit investigates a case in Rossi’s hometown that involves both his personal and professional life. Cynthia Watros (”Lost”) and D.B. Sweeney (”Jericho”) guest star.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): When two bodies are discovered at the North and South ends of the city, Mac and the team deftly begin to navigate the trail of evidence left behind by the killer. Skeet Ulrich (”Jericho”) guest stars in a recurring role as Hollis Eckhart, a mastermind killer, who takes the CSI team on the ride of their careers. Sarah Carter (”Shark”) returns as Haylen Becall.
◊“Dive to the Bottom of the World” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This new special chronicles the dedication of biologists, engineers, geologists and oceanographers as they collaborate to invent, design, build and deploy a state-of-the-art deep-sea vehicle that is more maneuverable than any other in history.  The underwater vehicle’s mission: to provide researchers with an eye on the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean floor, and retrieve invaluable biological and geological samples for further study.
◊“Hollywood Ex-Wives: True Hollywood Story” (9 p.m. on E!): In exclusive new interviews, Gretchen Bonaduce, Sharise Neil, Sandra Carradine and Darcy LaPier – the ex-wives of Danny Bonaduce, Vince Neil, Keith Carradine and Jean-Claude Van Damme – come together to compare notes on their former spouses.  No topic is off-limits as these ladies share how they went from rags to riches – and, in some cases, back to rags – and struggled to reinvent themselves without their famous husbands. 
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (8 p.m. on NBC): When a young woman goes missing, her ex-convict neighbor (Stephen Rea, “V for Vendetta”) becomes the primary suspect.
◊“Man Shops Globe” (9 p.m. on Sundance): This new series follows Keith Johnson, the buyer-at-large for the innovative specialty retailer Anthropologie, as he travels the globe in search of fantastic and unusual decorative objects, furniture, and textiles, as well as artists and crafts people.
◊“Mythbusters” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Hosts Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman test the classic physics textbook theory “bullet dropped versus bullet fired.”  In a scientifically complex experiment, they ask:  If one bullet is fired and the other is dropped simultaneously from the same height, which will hit the ground first?
◊“Secret Girlfriend” (9:30 p.m. on Comedy Central): This new series makes the viewer the central character in the irreverent life of a 20-something single guy, his two best friends and roommates, Phil and Sam, and the two women in his life he’s trying to keep secret from each other – psycho ex-girlfriend Mandy and new girlfriend Jessica.

THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 2009
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): When two office mates plot to rob a casino, their plan ends with the CSIs investigating a murder. Wayne Knight (”Seinfeld”) guest stars.
◊“FlashForward” (7 p.m. on ABC): Mark and Janis travel to Germany to speak with an imprisoned Nazi who claims to have knowledge about the blackouts, and an anonymous tip leads Demetri to believe his deepest fears about his future. Gabrielle Union (“Night Stalker”) guest stars.
◊“Fringe” (8 p.m. on Fox): Recuperating from the traumatic and alarming meeting with Massive Dynamic founder William Bell (Leonard Nimoy, “Star Trek”), Agent Dunham consumes a powerful “fringe” concoction that Dr. Bishop prescribes to stimulate her memory.
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW): Sam and Dean decide to start hunting together again and their first case leads them to a small town whose inhabitants are being killed by famous dead icons like Abraham Lincoln and James Dean’s car.  However, after two teenage girls come forward and claim their friend was kidnapped by Paris Hilton (“The Simple Life”), the brothers aren’t sure what they are hunting anymore.
◊“The This Old House Hour” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): For the eighth season, the show’s experts are once again traveling the country to help puzzled homeowners tackle all sorts of common household problems. Submit questions at www.thisoldhouse.com/askaquestion and you may hear the experts knocking on your door.
◊“Vampire Diaries” (7 p.m. on CW): At a fund-raising car wash, Bonnie is surprised by abilities she didn’t know she possessed and seeks advice from her grandmother (Jasmine Guy, “A Different World”).

FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 2009
◊“Brothers” (7 p.m. on Fox): Mike and Chill hire their cousin Kenny (Snoop Dogg, “Down for Life”), 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.
◊“Dollhouse” (8 p.m. on Fox): Echo and Victor’s imprints collide when Echo is sent on an assignment as a fun-loving, seductive college student and Victor is imprinted as the psychotic nephew of a Dollhouse shareholder (Michael Hogan, Battlestar Galactica”).
◊“I’m Alive” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): This new series features death-defying and moving stories of people who—regardless of the obstacles or consequences—were determined to survive an animal attack. It combines victim interviews with true-to-life reenactments, giving a replay of the split-second decisions that saved lives.
◊“Sanctuary” (9 p.m. on Syfy): In the Season 2 opener, Ashley remains captured, in the dangerous hands of the Cabal.  While searching for her, Magnus, Will, Druitt and Tesla encounter a quick-talking con artist with Cabal connections.
◊“Ugly Betty” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 4 premiere, Betty finds that everything is changing as she begins her new job as associate features editor, especially since her boss is her ex-boyfriend, Matt Hartley, who is still unhappy about their breakup. Lynn Redgrave (“Teachers Only”) and Kristen Johnston (“3rd Rock from the Sun”) guest star.
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (7 p.m. on Disney): In the Season 3 premiere, Justin becomes fed up with Alex constantly going through his stuff and creates a female monster to guard his room and to think like Alex.  However Justin’s plan backfires when the monster and Alex become fast friends.

SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 2009
◊“Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team” (8 p.m. on CMT): The new recruits for Season 4 quickly learn that professional cheerleading takes hard work, determination and nerves of steel. Hundreds of girls will fight to make the team, but only 36 will be selected to cheer in the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
◊“Good Eats 10th Anniversary” (9 p.m. on Food Network): To celebrate 10 years, host Alton Brown and company put on a variety show full of strange cooking devices, a parade of guest stars and a strange birthday cake.
◊“Imagination Movers” (9 a.m. on Disney): The Movers help a bicyclist (Willie Garson, “Sex and the City”) overcome his fears in this new episode. The Movers are members of the New Orleans band who introduce preschoolers to the group’s energetic rock and roll style of music while emphasizing creative problem solving skills.
◊“Mega Fault” (8 p.m. on Syfy): Eriq La Salle (“ER”) and Brittany Murphy (“Tribute”) star in this new
movie about an earthquake that triggers a crack in the earth’s crust.
◊“Saturday Night Live” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): Drew Barrymore (”Grey Gardens”) returns as host for her sixth time. She first hosted the show on Nov. 20, 1982, at seven years old, making history as the youngest host to ever appear on the show.
◊“Wanda Sykes: I’ma Be Me” (9 p.m. on HBO): Taped in August before a live audience at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the special features the outspoken comic performing material featured in her current national stand-up tour, where she addresses such topics as having a new “cool” black President, coming out, the real Michelle Obama, being a new mom, getting her first bikini wax, healthcare town halls, pirates and working as an entertainer on a gay cruise.

–Penny TV

Christian Slater in "the forgotten'

   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 Sept. 20.
   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.
 
BEGINNINGS
••“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO (seventh-season premiere).
••“Bored to Death,” 8:30 p.m. Sunday on HBO (series premiere).
••“The Last 10 Pounds Boot Camp,” 9 p.m. Sunday on FLN (third-season premiere).
••“Between the Lions,” noon Monday on OETA-13 (ninth-season premiere).
••“The Mighty B!” 4:30 p.m. Monday on Nickelodeon (second-season premiere).
••“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” 7 p.m. Monday on CMT (syndicated premiere).
••“Dancing With the Stars,” 7 p.m. Monday on ABC (ninth-season premiere).
••“Heroes,” 7 p.m. Monday on NBC (fourth-season premiere).
••“House,” 7 p.m. Monday on Fox (sixth-season premiere).
••“How I Met Your Mother,” 7 p.m. Monday on CBS (fifth-season premiere).
••“Accidentally on Purpose,” 7:30 p.m. Monday on CBS (series premiere).
••“Two and a Half Men,” 8 p.m. Monday on CBS (seventh-season premiere).
••“The Big Bang Theory,” 8:30 p.m. Monday on CBS (third-season premiere).
••“Castle,” 9:01 p.m. Monday on ABC (second-season premiere).
••“CSI: Miami,” 9 p.m. Monday on CBS (eighth-season premiere).
••“Madventures,” 9 p.m. Monday on Travel Channel (series premiere).
••“NCIS,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on CBS (seventh-season premiere).
••“NCIS: Los Angeles,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on CBS (series premiere).
••“the forgotten,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“The Good Wife,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on CBS (series premiere).
••“The Naughty Kitchen,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Oxygen (series premiere).
••“Epitafios,” 10 p.m. Tuesday on HBO2 (second-season premiere).
••“Mercy,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on NBC (series premiere).
••“The New Adventures of Old Christine,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on CBS (fifth-season premiere).
••“Gary Unmarried,” 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on CBS (second-season premiere).
••“Criminal Minds,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS (fifth-season premiere).
••“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on NBC (11th-season premiere).
••“Modern Family,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“Whatever, Martha!” 8 p.m. Wednesday on FLN (second-season premiere).
••“Cougar Town,” 8:30 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“CSI: NY,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on CBS (sixth-season premiere).
••“Eastwick,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“FlashForward,” 7 p.m. Thursday on ABC (series premiere).
••“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” 8 p.m. Thursday on CBS (10th-season premiere).
••“Grey’s Anatomy,” 8 p.m. Thursday on ABC (sixth-season premiere).
••“The Mentalist,” 9:01 p.m. Thursday on CBS (second-season premiere).
••“Brothers,” 7 p.m. Friday on Fox (series premiere).
••“Ghost Whisperer,” 7 p.m. Friday on CBS (fifth-season premiere).
••“Law & Order,” 7 p.m. Friday on NBC (20th-season premiere).
••“Smallville,” 7 p.m. Friday on CW (seventh-season premiere).
••“Dollhouse,” 8 p.m. Friday on Fox (second-season premiere).
••“King of Clubs,” 8 p.m. Friday on Playboy TV (series premiere).
••“Medium,” 8 p.m. Friday on CBS (sixth-season premiere).
••“NUMB3RS,” 9 p.m. Friday on CBS (sixth-season premiere).
••“48 Hours Mystery,” 9 p.m. Saturday on CBS (21st-season premiere).
••“Saturday Night Live,” 10:29 p.m. Saturday on NBC (35th-season premiere).
••“Cheaters,” midnight Saturday on KOCB-34 (10th-season premiere).

ENDINGS
••“Top Gear,” 7 p.m. Monday on BBC America (seventh-season finale).
••“Warehouse 13,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on Syfy (first-season finale).
••“The Colony,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Discovery (first-season finale).
••“Making Over America With Trinny and Susannah,” 7 p.m. Friday on TLC (first-season finale).
••“Masters of Reception,” 9 p.m. Friday on TLC (first-season finale).

NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)