The latest television news from NewsOK.com

Top 55 TV Programs for Aug. 23-29, 2009

 Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Aug. 23:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

SUNDAY, AUG. 23, 2009
◊“Cold Case” (8:59 p.m. on CBS): The team investigates the 1958 murder case of a newlywed Ivy League graduate who spearheaded the lucrative concept of developing suburban communities with affordable housing outside of Philadelphia. Ken Howard (“The White Shadow”) and Constance Towers (“General Hospital”) guest star.
◊“Defying Gravity” (9 p.m. on ABC): It’s a humbling moment for the crew of the spaceship, as each of them deals with a personal point of no return. The Antares itself crosses a critical boundary when going back to Earth is no longer an option.
◊“Drop Dead Diva” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Jane represents a woman whose daughter begins to get sick after following a diet guru’s “EZ Thin Plan.” Kathy Najimy (“Sister Act”) and Teri Polo (“The Wedding Bells”) guest star.
◊“Entourage” (9:30 p.m. on HBO): On his first day at his new job with a management company, Eric butts heads with one of the managers over who can close Bob Saget as a client.
◊“Fearless Planet: Great Barrier Reef” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): A team of marine biologists and geologists investigate the clues of how the Great Barrier Reef was born, what makes it thrive and how it may disappear within our lifetime.
◊“Life After Film School” (6:30 p.m. on Fox Movie Channel): Film students interview Phil Traill, director of the 20TH Century Fox release “All About Steve” that stars Sandra Bullock as an eccentric crossword puzzler convinced that a news cameraman is her true love. The movie opens in theaters Sept. 4.
◊“Miss Universe 2009″ (8 p.m. on NBC): Billy Bush (“Access Hollywood”) and Claudia Jordan (“Celebrity Apprentice”) co-host the 58th annual event airing live from the Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas. Artists Flo Rida, Heidi Montag, David Guetta and Kelly Rowland will perform during the telecast, which will conclude with Venezuelan native Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, crowning her successor.
◊“Patton Oswalt: My Weakness Is Strong” (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): In this new stand-up special, Patton Oswalt (“King of Queens”) spins drab topics like depression and weight into laugh-out-loud anecdotes.
◊“Stories from the Vaults” (7 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel): Host Tom Cavanagh (“Trust Me”) explores the crime “scene” in the Smithsonian’s vaults, including photographic evidence from the Crime of the Century.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Angela Lansbury is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among her films airing are 1955′s “A Lawless Street” (8:30 a.m.), 1944′s “Gaslight” (7 p.m.) and 1978′s “Death on the Nile” (10:30 p.m.).
◊“What Would Brian Boitano Make?” (Noon on Food Network): In this new daytime series, Olympic figure skater Brian Boitano demonstrates his culinary skills and talent for one-of-a-kind entertaining.
◊“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the final installment of a special 10th anniversary run of the game show, host Regis Philbin receives a visit from Nancy Christie of Tulsa. She was the show’s first woman to win $1 million.

MONDAY, AUG. 24, 2009
◊“Burn on the Bayou” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary follows a group of volunteers over the seven months of work following Hurricane Katrina. The volunteers, who came from the Burning Man event in the Nevada desert, converged in Biloxi and Pearlington, Miss. had in common the shared experience of collaborating and building in harsh environments and the strongly held belief that when people need help, you help them first, and ask questions later.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): Kevin Bacon (husband of series star Kyra Sedgwick) directed this episode in which Brenda and the squad investigate the stabbing death of a woman who was apparently killed by someone wearing a Ninja outfit. Xander Berkeley (“24″) and Barry Corbin (“One Tree Hill”) guest star in the summer finale, which is preceded by an 11-hour marathon of the show’s Season 5 episodes beginning at 9 a.m.
◊“Dating in the Dark” (8 p.m. on ABC): A former FBI profiler helps six new singles with finding love in the dark on the show’s Season 1 finale.
◊“The Fresh Beat Band” (11 a.m. on Nickelodeon): This new live-action music comedy series for preschoolers centers on four best friends in a band who attend music school. Children and their parents can sing and laugh along with The Fresh Beats as they tackle daily adventures in each episode.
◊“History Detectives” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Items investigated include a miniature painting that may depict President George Washington and a balloon scrap that may be a missing piece of a secret weapon.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): When Lily and Marshall hear that Ted’s college girlfriend, Karen, has moved to New York City, they finally reveal how much they hated her back then. Lauren Prepon (“That ’70s Show”) guest stars as Karen.
◊“Kamp Katrina” (9 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary set in post-Katrina New Orleans follows a small group of people who have taken refuge in a garden transformed into a tent city. Their self-made tent community is in the backyard of Ms. Pearl, a 56 year old Upper 9th Ward resident and Native American, who ends up playing the role of bouncer, psychologist, nurse, mother, domestic abuse counselor and housing advocate.
◊“Make It or Break It” (8 p.m. on ABC Family): All of the girls’ hard work is put on the line as they compete in Boston for a spot on the National Gymnastics team. Leading up to the mid-season finale, viewers can catch up on all of the show’s drama, dismounts and deceptions with a nine-hour marathon beginning at 10 a.m.
◊“Out of Egypt” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Join Dr. Kara Cooney, UCLA Professor of Egyptian Art and Architecture, as she bolts the lecture hall for tombs and temples around the world to bring a new perspective to the most fascinating riddles in history. In the premiere episode titled “Pyramids,” she takes a closer look at these iconic monuments.
◊“The Rachel Zoe Project” (9 p.m. on Bravo): The second installment of this fashion-forward drama delves further into the inner workings of Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe and her team as they jet from coast to coast throwing charity auctions, attending store openings and laboring to find the perfect gowns to adorn the red carpet during award season. The new season includes some of the world’s most influential and respected designers including Giorgio Armani, John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, Giambattista Valli, Diane Von Furstenberg and Matthew Williamson.
◊“Raising the Bar” (9 p.m. on TNT): In the summer finale, Jerry takes over one of Bobbi’s clients, a pregnant woman who is addicted to heroin. Michelle is determined to do everything she can to keep her in jail so she doesn’t continue shooting up with a baby in her womb.
◊“The Soup Presents: The Best Clips of ’09 So Far” (9 p.m. on E!): This special counts down 20 of this year’s most outrageous television clips that range from “American Idol” to “The Bachelorette.”
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Fredric March is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1949′s “Christopher Columbus” (2:30 p.m.), 1935′s “Les Miserables” (7 p.m.) and 1935′s “Anna Karenina” (10:45 p.m.).
◊“Top Gear” (7 p.m. on BBC America): Jeremy Clarkson tests the new Porsche Cayman S. Soccer player Ian Wright makes a guest appearance as “the star in the reasonably priced car.”
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): Series star Jon Cryer (Alan) directed this episode, in which Charlie reluctantly agrees to let Chelsea move in as he mourns the loss of his bachelor pad.
◊“Where is Warehouse Mouse?” (7:25 a.m. on Disney): This new short-form series stars the puppet character from the Playhouse Disney series “Imagination Movers.” It spotlights Warehouse Mouse as he tries his hand at creative problem solving like his mentors.
◊“Which Way Home” (8 p.m. on HBO): This documentary follows several unaccompanied child migrants as they journey through Mexico en route to the U.S. on a freight train called “The Beast.” Each year, thousands of Latin American migrants travel hundreds of miles to the United States, and roughly five percent of those traveling alone are children.
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (5 p.m. on Disney): Series star Selena Gomez (Alex Russo) introduces her favorite episodes of the show in this 2-hour marathon.

TUESDAY, AUG. 25, 2009
◊“10 Things I Hate About You” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): When Bianca gets asked to Padua High’s Fall Fling by Beau Bradley, the captain of the soccer team, she sets out to convince Patrick to take Kat to the dance since their father has prohibited Bianca from dating until Kat does.
◊“The Cleaner” (9 p.m. on A&E): While William watches his daughter Lula rehearse for a ballet recital, he begins to suspect that the star ballerina is addicted to drugs.
◊“Nova ScienceNOW” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Topics explored include the repair mission for the Hubble space telescope, studies on the brain of an epileptic and using new data from the Mississippi riverbed to understand how and why earthquakes strike in the heartland.
◊“Shaq VS” (8 p.m. on ABC): NBA standout Shaquille O’Neal will challenge women’s beach volleyball gold medal Olympians Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh to a 2-on-2 match at the Hermosa Beach volleyball courts in California. Shaq will visit and train with his friend, Serena Williams, to understand the psyche of female athletes and prepare himself for the final volleyball challenge that will not have a handicap and will be played straight up to the finish.
◊“The $ports Take” (5:30 p.m. on Versus): This new series hosted by Rick Horrow (“The Sports Professor”) will offer insight about the hottest topics in sports business and will feature high-profile guests, including league commissioners, sportscasters, politicians and celebrities giving their candid opinions and analysis. The premiere episode features in-depth insight from Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Bryan Trubey, key architect on the new 100,000-seat Cowboys Stadium.
◊“Starz Inside: Villainz” (9 p.m. on Starz): This special investigates the psychology behind classic villains and the often startlingly simple way in which they grind on the audience’s nerves while playing on their fears. Among those interviewed are James Cromwell (“Spider-Man 3″), Kristanna Loken (“Painkiller Jane”), Malcolm McDowell (“Heroes”) and Daryl Hannah (“Kill Bill”).
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Merle Oberon is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1948′s “Berlin Express” (5:30 p.m.), 1938′s “The Divorce of Lady X” (10:30 p.m.) and 1939′s “The Lion Has Wings” (midnight).
◊“The Universe” (8 p.m. on History): This installment titled “The Day the Moon Was Gone” examines the effects on Earth without the moon. If the moon disappeared, solar gravity would redirect ocean water, causing flooding in coastal spots around the globe. Sea currents would shift, resulting in freakish weather patterns. And Earth’s axis would begin to fluctuate, causing climate change to grow more extreme.
◊“Warehouse 13″ (8 p.m. on Syfy): Pete and Myka are dispatched to Las Vegas to retrieve an artifact that seems to grant good fortune to a couple of gamblers. But their mission gets complicated when Myka becomes trapped in Lewis Carrol’s mirror.
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (5 p.m. on Disney): Series star Jake T. Austin (Max Russo) introduces his favorite episodes of the show in this 2-hour marathon.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26, 2009
◊“Bad Girls” (7:30 p.m. on Logo): In the Season 7 finale, newcomer Miranda Miles joins G-wing. Julie J also returns to Larkhall still seeing ghosts of Jim.
◊“Billionaire Crime Scenes: Was It Murder?” (9 p.m. on E!): This special takes viewers behind the scenes of real life crimes of passion, revenge and greed to reveal the disturbing details of several billionaire murders and find out find out if justice was ultimately served.
◊“Crash Course” (8:02 p.m. on ABC): Orlando Jones (“Drumline”) and Dan Cortese (“Surviving Suburbia”) co-host this new automotive competition reality series. Each week, five teams of two will compete against each other for a chance to win $50,000. The show will put the couples’ navigating skills to the test and test drive their relationships and patience.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): Dr. Reid embarks on his own investigation into the murder of a young boy years earlier in Las Vegas that he strongly believes has a connection to his own childhood. Jane Lynch (“Glee”) guest stars as Dr. Reid’s mother, Diana Reid.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): Series star Melina Kanakaredes (Stella) wrote this episode in which Stella discovers that New Yorkers are being murdered over ancient Greek artifacts. She hands over her badge to follow a clue that leads to Greece and, together with Mac, she uncovers one of the greatest mysteries in history.
◊“Dark Blue” (9 p.m. on TNT): Carter taps into his collection of friends in low places to target a highly decorated, extremely corrupt cop.   But working to bring down a fellow officer weighs heavily on Ty, especially after his wife drops a bombshell in his lap. Michael Biehn (“Aliens”) guest stars.
◊“Dinner: Impossible” (9 p.m. on Food Network): Host Robert Irvine heads to Six Flags Great America in Chicago to prepare a meal for 250 roller coaster fanatics. He has nine hours to create a menu using foods found only in the restaurants and stands within the park.
◊“Ghost Hunters” (8 p.m. on Syfy): The team investigates two historic locales: Maryland’s Samuel Mudd House that is famous for being a pit stop for John Wilkes Booth on his escape route following Lincoln’s assassination and Virginia’s Edgewood Plantation that is the former home of U.S. Presidents William Henry and Benjamin Harrison.
◊“Great Performances” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The 90-minute documentary “Harlem in Montmartre” tells the story of the jazz age in Paris between the first and second World Wars, exploring an often neglected era in black cultural history.
◊“Leverage” (8 p.m. on TNT): The team is forced to go head-to-head against another crew of thieves in order to retrieve their clients’ priceless artwork. Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) and Griffin Dunne (“Trust Me”) guest star.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): After one too many cheap shots on her by the mean moms at Ritchie’s snotty private school, Christine decides to enroll him in public school — which is not as easy as she anticipated. Kathleen Wilhoite (“Gilmore Girls”) guest stars as a down-to-earth mom at the new school.
◊“Operation Valkyrie” (9 p.m. on Military Channel): Produced in collaboration with the official German Foundation dedicated to the memory of the conspirators, this special features testimonials and eyewitness accounts from all the aristocratic families involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler on Juloy 20, 1944.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Yul Brynner is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1967′s “Triple Cross” (2:30 p.m.), 1956′s “The King and I” (7 p.m.) and 1973′s “Westworld” (11:45 p.m.).
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (5 p.m. on Disney): Series star Jennifer Stone (Harper) introduces her favorite episodes of the show in this 2-hour marathon.

THURSDAY, AUG. 27, 2009
◊“Bully Beatdown” (8:30 p.m. on MTV): Pro MMA fighter Jason “Mayhem” Miller is back for Season 2 of the show where bullies and their victims are brought together for the ultimate showdown. The bully is put up against a stronger person and challenged to withstand two rounds of fighting. There is $10,000 of prize money on the table, and all money lost by the bully is given to the victim. 
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): Catherine revisits one of the very first cases she worked as a CSI when the convicted felon in the murder (Henry Thomas, “ET”)  claims the verdict was based on faulty evidence.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (7 p.m. on ABC): After learning at a deposition that more of his patients have died than survived, Derek decides to quit, even as Meredith refuses to give up on him. Meanwhile Bailey and the Chief continue to bicker over her peds fellowship — until Adele (Loretta Devine, “Boston Public”) steps in to mediate.
◊“Guys ‘N Divas” Battle of the High School Musicals” (7:30 p.m. on Showtime): This documentary follows the drama, both on stage and off, at Indiana’s Floyd Central High School, New Albany High School and Jeffersonville High School as each school spends tens of thousands of dollars on musical productions in order to compete for admission to the prestigious International Thespian Festival.
◊“The Kennedy Brothers: A Hardball Documentary” (6 p.m. on MSNBC): Chris Matthews (“Hardball”) reports on the Kennedy brothers’ legacy. He sits down with key Kennedy insiders, including Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, biographer Peter Canellos and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, to gain privileged access to their opinions on this enigmatic family.
◊“Marked” (8 p.m. on History): This new series will explore the world of tattoos belonging to the intense modern day tribes that operate at the edges of society, including motorcycle clubs, hardcore prisons, urban gangs and street culture. Tattoo artists, members and cultural experts will explain the technique and history behind the ink and the group it adorns, putting the personal experiences of the show’s main characters into perspective.
◊“Nitro Circus” (9 p.m. on MTV): Season 2 continues to center around freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana and his crew of top action-sport athlete buddies. Whether acting as human cannonballs, walking without a parachute on the wings of a plane thousands of feet above the surface of the earth or racing at speeds some car speedometers can’t even read, Travis and his crew provide viewers with adrenaline-fueled action each episode.
◊“Pranked” (9:30 p.m. on MTV): This new series showcases the best pranks ever caught on camera and posted online.  Known for their seven part Prank War, which has received over 5 million views online, College Humor.com’s Streeter Seidell & Amir Blumenfeld provide commentary during each episode.
◊“Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory” (8 p.m. on MTV): Skateboarding standout Rob Dyrdek and his crew are back at the Fantasy Factory, the first indoor concrete skate plaza where anything Rob can imagine becomes reality. In Season 2, the ridiculousness reaches new levels as Rob purchases and then jockeys his own racehorse, teams up with musician John Mayer to write an apology song for Rob’s Mom and returns to the stage as Bobby Light alongside Travis Barker at a Blink-182 show. 
◊“Royal Pains” (9 p.m. on USA): In the Season 1 finale, Hank treats a hallucinating woman. Samantha Mathis (?”A Stranger’s Heart”) and Bruno Campos (“Nip/Tuck”) guest star. Catch all Season 1 episodes during a 10-hour marathon beginning at 5 a.m.
◊“Stateline” (8:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Oklahoma is not the most obese state in the United States, but that could change. Health officials contend there are many reasons for the shape of Oklahomans, and this installment of OETA’s Emmy Award-winning documentary series explores factors not limited to a lack of healthy diet and exercise.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Ida Lupino is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among her films airing are 1955′s “Women’s Prison” (1:30 p.m.), 1956′s “While the City Sleeps” (5 p.m.) and 1942′s “The Hard Way” (9 p.m.).
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place” (5 p.m. on Disney): Series star David Henrie (Justin Russo) introduces his favorite episodes of the show in this 2-hour marathon.

FRIDAY, AUG. 28, 2009
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on Fox): TV news reporter Deborah Norville, three-time NBA champion Rick Fox and actress Jennie Garth (“90210”) head back to the classroom to test their grade school skills for charity.
◊“CMT Comedy Stage Presents Terry Fator Live From Las Vegas” (9 p.m. on CMT): Filmed in high-definition earlier this year, this special features comedic impersonations, ventriloquism, an audience interaction segment and musical numbers by Terry Fator (“America’s Got Talent” Season 2 winner). Joining Fator on stage are six of his infamous puppets, including Winston the Impersonating Turtle; Maynard Tompkins; Vicki “the cougar”; and Walter T. Airedale, all collaborating with the ventriloquist on hit songs by Etta James, Sonny & Cher, ZZ Top, The Bee Gees and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
◊“Eureka” (8 p.m. on Syfy): Global undergoes a Sonic Cleaning while Tess records a databank of Eurekan’s memories when the town experiences a communal form of memory loss.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA): Natalie becomes convinced that a critic who panned her daughter Julie’s performance was responsible for a murder at the same time as the show. Dylan Baker (“Kings”) and Bernie Kopell (“The Love Boat) guest star.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Frank Sinatra is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1949′s “On the Town” (1 p.m.), 1959′s “Never So Few” (4:45 p.m.) and 1956′s “High Society” (9:30 p.m.).
◊“Today” (7 a.m. on NBC): Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”) will be the season-ending performer for the Toyota summer concert series. The performance marks Cyrus’s second live concert on the morning program.  Her first performance in July 2008 was one of “Today’s” biggest concerts ever.
◊“Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie” (7 p.m. on Disney): In this adventure-themed movie inspired by the series, Manhattan’s magical wizard siblings Alex, Justin and Max Russo accompany their parents on a Caribbean vacation where Alex’s inadvertent magic spell makes it so her parents have never met. When they learn the only thing that will reverse the spell is the magical Stone of Dreams, they embark on a quest through the jungle to find it.

SATURDAY, AUG. 29, 2009
◊“The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania — The World Television Premiere” (8 p.m. on NBC): This special will relive all the action and excitement of WrestleMania 25 held April 5 in Houston. More than 72,000 fans representing 24 countries and all 50 states packed Reliant Stadium for the event featuring WWE Superstars such as John Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Big Show and the Undertaker.
◊“The Bill Engvall Show” (8 p.m. on TBS): After Susan grounds Lauren for three weeks for lying to her, Bill has trouble agreeing with the severity of the punishment.  And Paul enlists the aid of Bryan and Trent to create an online profile that will make him look good to the ladies.
◊“Forbes Presents: Michael Jackson – Follow the Money” (9 a.m. on E!): In celebration of what would have been Michael Jackson’s 51st birthday, this special will uncover the money trail left behind by the superstar. In 2006, Jackson held a meeting in a $9,000 a night luxury suite in Dubai. Surrounded by a huge staff, he spared no expense and yet was on the verge of bankruptcy.
◊“Incredible Story of Tap Dancing” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This special traces the development of tap dancing from its beginnings, through the 20th century and up to the present where it is now enjoying a resurgence in popularity the world over.
◊“Jimmy Kimmel’s Big Night of Stars” (9 p.m. on NBC): Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel gets up close and personal with celebrities from the world of television, sports, film and music. It features interviews with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Oscar nominee Salma Hayek and comedian Tracy Morgan, as well as appearances by Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”), Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers), Rachael Ray, William Shatner (“Star Trek”) and many more.
◊“Mayweather/Marquez 24/7″ (9:15 p.m. on HBO): Liev Schreiber (“The Manchurian Candidate”) narrates this new four-episode all-access series that spotlights a host of intriguing storylines leading up to the Sept. 19 pay-per-view boxing showdown between Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez. Mayweather (39-0 with 25 KOs) is back after a brief self-imposed retirement. Marquez (50-4-1 with 37 KOs) is moving up from the lightweight ranks.
◊“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” (6 a.m. on Disney): This 3-hour marathon spotlights Mickey’s loyal pal, Pluto, and includes the premiere of the new episode “Pluto’s Playmate” at 8 a.m. that was inspired by the original 1941 Pluto cartoon of the same name that features Salty the seal.
◊“Outdoor Oklahoma” (6 p.m. on OETA-13): In this installment, learn about the latest quail research, what’s happening with deer season or where fisheries personnel have found the biggest catfish in the state.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Peter Sellers is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1966′s “The Wrong Box” (1:30 p.m.), 1962′s “Lolita” (7 p.m.) and 1962′s “Waltz of the Toreadors” (10 p.m.).

–Penny TV

---

TV Premieres and Finales airing Aug. 2-8, 2009

  

 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 Aug. 2.
   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
••“Megan Wants a Millionaire,” 8 p.m. Sunday on VH1 (series premiere).
••“Defying Gravity,” 8 p.m. Sunday on ABC (series premiere).
••“The Dan Patrick Show,” 8 a.m. Monday on DirecTV’s 101 Network (series premiere).
••“Ultimate Cake Off,” 9 p.m. Monday on TLC (series sneak peek).
••“Real Chance of Love 2: Back in the Saddle,” 8 p.m. Monday on VH1 (second-season premiere).
••“Forensics: You Decide,” 9 p.m. Monday on Investigation Discovery (series premiere).
••“Rock Solid,” 9 p.m. Monday on DIY (fifth-season premiere).
••“Indoors Out,” 9:30 p.m. Monday on DIY (third-season premiere).
••“Big Ideas for a Small Planet,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on Sundance (third-season premiere).
••“Addicted to Beauty,” 10 p.m. Tuesday on Oxygen (series premiere).
••“Giuliana & Bill,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on Style Network (series premiere).
••“House Crashers,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on DIY (series premiere).
••“How’d You Get So Rich?” 9 p.m. Wednesday on TV Land (series premiere).
••“Make My Day,” 9:30 p.m. Wednesday on TV Land (series premiere).
••“Police Women of Broward County,” 8 p.m. Thursday on TLC (series premiere).
••“Skins,” 8 p.m. Thursday on BBC America (second-season premiere).
••“The Suite Life on Deck,” 7:30 p.m. Friday on Disney (second-season premiere).
••“Monk,” 8 p.m. Friday on USA (eighth-season premiere).
••“Mr. Friday,” 8 p.m. Friday on FLN (series premiere).
••“Chefs vs. City,” 9 p.m. Friday on Food Network (series premiere).
••“Psych,” 9 p.m. Friday on USA (fourth-season premiere).

ENDINGS
••“The Next Food Network Star,” 8 p.m. Sunday on Food Network (fifth-season finale).
••“Gimme Sugar: Miami,” 9 p.m. Monday on Logo (second-season finale).
••“The Superstars,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on ABC (season finale).
••“The Little Couple,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on TLC (first-season finale).
••“Paris Hilton’s My New BFF,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on MTV (series finale).
••“So You Think You Can Dance,” 7 p.m. Thursday on Fox (fifth-season finale).
••“Burn Notice,” 8 p.m. Thursday on USA (third-season finale).
••“Surviving Suburbia,” 7 p.m. Friday on ABC (first-season finale).
••“The Goode Family,” 8:30 p.m. Friday on ABC (first-season finale).
••“Jeffery and Cole Casserole,” 10 p.m. Friday on Logo (first-season finale).
••“Can You Duet,” 8 p.m. Saturday on CMT (season finale).
••“Dirty Sexy Money,” 9 p.m. Saturday on ABC (series finale).

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

---

Top 55 TV Programs for Aug. 2-8, 2009

    Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Aug. 2:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

SUNDAY, AUG. 2
◊“Blood in the Water” (8 p.m. on Discovery): The network’s 22nd annual Shark Week opens with this two-hour re-enactment of the true events that inspired ‘‘Jaws” — a 1916 series of shark attacks along the New Jersey shore, which turned the waters near the beach into a killing ground and triggered a nationwide panic.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): The team searches for a recently missing teenager while also investigating the five-month-old murder of the boy’s father, both of whom were in a witness protection program as the father prepared to testify against a mob boss. Steve Eckholdt (“The West Wing”) and Jason Gedrick (“Desperate Housewives”) guest star.
◊“Defying Gravity” (8 p.m. on ABC): This new space thriller is set in the very near future and follows eight astronauts from
five countries who undertake a mysterious six-year space mission covering eight billion miles. The series stars Ron Livingston (“Office Space”) as Antares flight engineer Maddux Donner, Laura Harris (“24”) as ship geologist Zoe Barnes, Malik Yoba (“New York Undercover”) as Antares commander Ted Shaw, Christina Cox (“Blood Ties”) as biologist Jen Crane, Florentine Lahme (“Impact”) as pilot Nadia Schilling, Paula Garces (“The Shield”) as on-board documentary producer Paula Morales, Eyal Podell (“24”) as psychiatrist and medical officer Evram Mintz and Dylan Taylor (“House Party”) as theoretical physicist Steve Wassenfelder.
◊“Entourage” (9:30 p.m. on HBO): With production on his next film delayed, Vince searches for ways to amuse himself, and Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) takes Turtle shopping for back-to-school clothes.
◊“The Ford HBCU Business Classic” (10:30 p.m. on TV One): Darryl Bell (“A Different World”) hosts this reality-style special that brings together some of the nation’s most talented young business minds from prestigious historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to compete for scholarship money while they hone their entrepreneurial skills in a business plan competition.
◊“Legally Blondes” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Reese Witherspoon (“Legally Blonde”) serves as producer for the third installment of the movie franchise, and she passes the blonde-baton to British twin sisters Becky and Milly Rosso (“The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”). They play Elle’s cousins Izzy and Annie Woods, who move to Californina to attend a posh prep school and end up becoming the target of  the school’s wealthy “queen.”
◊“Megan Wants a Millionaire” (8 p.m. on VH1): Megan Hauserman, who had her heart broken by Bret Michaels in “Rock of Love 2 and lost out on the $1 million check on “I Love Money,” is back to find both love and money. Seventeen eligible multi-millionaires will vie for her heart in this new reality series.
◊“Merlin” (7 p.m. on NBC): A mysterious black knight arrives in Camelot to reveal deep, dark secrets from the past that King Uther would rather keep buried.
◊“Mountain Gorilla” (6:15 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This is the first of 21 IMAX films that the cable network has scheduled for Sundays in August. Today’s line-up also features “T-Rex: Back to Cretaceous” (7 p.m.), “China: The Panda Adventure” (8 p.m.) and “Mission to Mir” (9 p.m.).
◊“The Next Food Network Star” (8 p.m. on Food Network): In the Season 5 finale, Alton Brown (“Good Eats”) spends one-on-one time with the final two contenders to learn more about their culinary points of view before directing their pilots. And all the finalists return and join a live audience to find out who will be the next Food Network star.
◊“Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew Top 10 Performances of All Time” (8 p.m. on MTV): Randy Jackson (“American Idol”) will count down the best crew performances from seasons past in this hourlong clip show. Season 4 of the show premieres Aug. 9.
◊“The Storm” (8 p.m. on NBC): In the finale to this two-part TV movie, scientist Kirk Hafner (James Van Der Beek) seeks to save the world from the potential devastation to be caused by billionaire Robert Terrell’s (Treat Williams) obsession with controlling the weather. As weather conditions continue to worsen, Hafner turns to Detective Devon Williams (Marisol Nichols) to help him maneuver his way through Terrell’s deadly game.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: James Mason is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1946′s “The Wicked Lady” (7 a.m.) and 1946′s “They Were Sisters” (9 a.m.).
◊“Tony Bennett: An American Classic” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Grammy winner Tony Bennett performs duets of his greatest hits with other Grammy winners, including Barbra Streisand (“Smile”), Elton John (“Rags to Riches”) and Stevie Wonder (“For Once in My Life”). Woven throughout the special are narratives by special giests, including Billy Crystal, John Travolta and Robert DeNiro.
◊“Ty’s Great British Adventure” (7 p.m. on ABC): “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” host Ty Pennington crosses the Atlantic to help the seaside town of Portreath in southwest England bring life back to the town’s park. The once-thriving park suffered neglect and eventually became a rusty, muddy mess, and infighting and indecision amongst the town leaders and community members led to a stalled effort to get anything done.
◊“Without a Trace” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): The team searches for a man who goes missing after a late night dive and try to zero in on who could be responsible for his disappearance. Oscar winner Martin Landau (“Ed Wood”) reprises his role as Frank Malone, Jack’s father.
◊“Z Rock” (10 p.m. on IFC): While the band is having difficulty being signed to a label, John Popper (Blues Traveler lead singer) helps ZO2 with the next best things – lunch, and an audition for Paulie for the lead on Broadway’s “Rock of Ages.” Constantine Maroulis (“American Idol”) and Joan Rivers (“Celebrity Apprentice”) also guest star.

MONDAY, AUG. 3
◊“Boy Interrupted” (8 p.m. on HBO): This documentary from director Dana Perry and her husband, Hart, tells the story of how their teenage son, Evan Scott Perry, ended his lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder in 2005 by jumping from his New York bedroom window.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): A man (Bruce Davison, “Knight Rider”) who confessed to murder while Brenda was away on her honeymoon gets details of the crime wrong during his allocution, causing Brenda to reopen the case.  Cynthia Watros (“Lost”) also guest stars.
◊“The Dan Patrick Show” (8 a.m. on DirecTV’s 101 Network): Syndicated sports talk radio host Dan Patrick’s new weekday series is more than just a simulcast of the radio hours. It will include behind-the-scenes antics and video segments as Patrick interacts with his production staff to create a unique blend of situational comedy and sports commentary. 
◊“Day of the Shark 2″ (9 p.m. on Discovery): See what happens when a great white breaks through a 300-pound aluminum shark cage and traps the divers inside. Another shark tackles a former Navy Seal in shallow waters off the coast of St. Petersburg, Florida. And a bull shark invades a spear-fishing trip in the Bahamas.
◊“Deadly Waters” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Survivorman’s Les Stroud is back for more nail biting – shark chomping action, and this time, he’s taking on the deadliest waters around the world. His quest is simple – which water is the deadliest? Starting from historical data from the Florida Museum Of Natural History’s famed “Shark Attack Files”, Les will begin his journey to test the waters in the world’s sharkiest “hotspots”
◊“Forensics: You Decide” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This new series shows how the prosecution and defense can reach two very different conclusions on what truly happened and allows viewers to decide for themselves whom they believe. The premiere episode focuses on the 2008 case of Lawton resident Greg Maurek, who stood trial for the murder of his brother, Peter.
◊“Get Down Tonight  —  The Disco Explosion” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Hosted by KC and the Sunshine Band, Karen Lynn-Gorney (“Saturday Night Fever”) and Denny Terrio (“Dance Fever”), this special includes performances by artists featured on the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.
◊“Gimme Sugar: Miami” (9 p.m. on Logo): In the Season 2 finale, Charlene tries to convince her bosses Linda and Michelle to allow Charlene manage the “Truck Stop” launch event in Miami again after previous altercations with local Miami club promoters. As her entire future with the company rests on its success, Charlene relies on her newly found friends in Miami to offer the support she needs to make her career aspirations a reality.
◊“Indoors Out” (9:30 p.m. on DIY): Cousins Dean Marsico and Derek Stearns are back for a third season of this show dedicated to expanding homes with outdoor rooms  —  from fully outfitted kitchens to spa showers.
◊“Invitation Only: Brad Paisley” (8 p.m. on CMT): Country music artist Brad Paisley performs his greatest hits as well as new music from his album, American Saturday Night, in this new special.  He also takes part in a laid-back question and answer session and talks about his interests outside of the entertainment industry, his family and how his marriage stays strong.
◊“Real Chance of Love 2: Back in the Saddle” (8 p.m. on VH1): Bachelor brothers “Real” and “Chance” are back and still eager to find the fillies of their dreams. These former “I Love New York” contestants are single again and ready to restart the dual search for Ms. Right with a new set of challenges that promise to be both outlandish and true tests for the new contenders.
◊“Rock Solid” (9 p.m. on DIY): Cousins Derek Stearns and Dean Marsico return to host Season 5 of this show dedicated to helping viewers increase their home’s value by starting in the yard. They are stonemasons, and they demonstrate how to create sturdy stone-top tables, outdoor shows, fire pits and more.
◊“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Everyone returns from their summer vacations, and george makes a big revelation to Anne. Prior to this new episode, viewers can catch up on the show with a six-hour marathon beginning at 1 p.m.
◊“Sugarland: Live on the Inside” (7 p.m. on ABC): The Grammy-winning country music duo made up of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Brooks takes fans behind the scenes of one of its concerts in this special that airs the day before the duo’s new CD and DVD hits music stores. Filmed with 20 cameras at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., the show features previously unseen footage of Sugarland performing hits such as ‘‘Settlin’ ” and ‘‘All I Want to Do.”
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Marion Davies is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among her films airing are 1935′s “Page Miss Glory” (5:15 p.m.) and 1933′s “Going Hollywood” (11:30 p.m.).
◊“Ultimate Cake Off” (9 p.m. on TLC): Here’s a sneak peek at the new competition series that pits three cake artists against each other as they creaye edible masterpieces in hopes of winning $10,000 and and having their cakes featured at marquee events. The series premieres Aug. 31.

TUESDAY, AUG. 4
◊“Addicted to Beauty” (10 p.m. on Oxygen): This new reality workplace dramedy follows the outrageous staff at Changes Plastic Surgery and Spa, located in Southern California.  Dianne York-Goldman, socialite and marketing expert, has brought her over-the-top employees from her previous spa to help with this new venture with well-known plastic surgeon Dr. Gilbert Lee.
◊“Big Ideas for a Small Planet” (7 p.m. on Sundance): Each week, this documentary series brings a different green theme into focus through the work of forward-thinking innovators. The Season 3 premiere looks at the music industry’s ideas of a green record label, sustainable stages and green guitars. Featured innovators include singer Jackson Browne, Emmett Malloy of Brushfire Records and Neal Turley of Sustainable Waves.
◊“The Cleaner” (9 p.m. on A&E): Rebecca Gayheart (“Dead Like Me”) guest stars as a speed addicted nurse whose shares her addiction and a relationship with her surgeon. The hospital administrator reaches out to William to help the duo kick their problem before they embark on major heart surgery on a child.
◊“The Colony” (9 p.m. on Discovery): Volunteers manage to secure the basic necessities in order to survivea global catastrophe, but turning their focus to one creature comfort they really miss — a hot shower — proves to be costly as it leaves them open to a massive attack.
◊“Dolly: Live in London O2 Arena” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Grammy-winning country singer Dolly Parton performs many of her classic hits to a sell-out crowd in London. She also sings selections from her recent release “Backwoods Barbie.”
◊“Hawthorne” (8 p.m. on TNT): Christina treats a female patient who may have been abused by her boyfriend, but things might be different than they seem at first.  Sarah Lancaster (“Chuck”) and Judy Reyes (“Scrubs”) guest star.
◊“Hell’s Kitchen” (7 p.m. on Fox): Stopping by for dinner service are Drew Lachey (“Dancing With the Stars”), “John O’Hurley (“Dancing With the Stars”), Tom Green (“Grind”), Melinda Clarke (“The O.C.”) and Kristy Swanson (“Early Edition”).
◊“The Little Couple” (9 p.m. on TLC): In the Season 1 finale, Jen and Bill are anxious to start a family. But they have major concerns about Jen’s safety during pregnancy, so they’ve made an appointment with a doctor who is an expert on little people pregnancies.
◊“One Life to Live” (1 p.m. on ABC): Latin music star Frankie Negron will perform a unique version of his song “Holding on to Love” in both English and Spanish during a private rooftop performance for Todd (Trevor St. John) and Tea (Florencia Lozano).
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): The bizarre murder of a drug company whistle blower becomes a potential national news story for Butch’s reporter girlfriend, Kendra Burke.  Grace’s brother Leo is convinced his next door neighbor is keeping a dead body in his house.  And Johnny pressures Grace to arrange a chance for him to finally meet Earl.
◊“Scrubs” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): J.D.’s fantasy comes to life as he bids Sacred Heart Hospital a final farewell. Guest starring in “My Finale” are Christa Miller (“The Drew Carey Show”), Nicole Sullivan (“Rita Rocks”), Tom Cavanagh (“Ed”), Michael Learned (“The Waltons”) and Katheryn Joosten (“Joan of Arcadia”).
◊“Sharkbite Summer” (8 p.m. on Discovery): This new special revisits the attack sites and builds an exact picture of the bloody summer of 2001 using news archive, interviews with victims, witnesses, surgeons, family members and shark experts.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: James Coburn is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1967′s “The President’s Analyst” (7 p.m.) and 1975′s “Hard Times” (9 p.m.).
◊“Warehouse 13” (8 p.m. on Syfy): When a sculpture is stolen thanks to an American Indian artifact that allowed the thief to walk through the steel walls of a vault, Pete and Myka are sent to New York City to investigate. Joe Flanigan (“Stargate: Atlantis”) and James Naughton (“The Devil Wears Prada”) guest star.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5
◊“America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. on NBC): Grammy winner Mariah Carey will perform her new single “Obsessed” on the first results show. “Obsessed,” written and produced by Carey, The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, is the first single pick from her album “Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.”
◊“Country Bluegrass Homecoming” (8:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Country, bluegrass and classic gospel singers gather together in this musical celebration hosted by Bill Gaither. The special includes appearances by Vince Gill, George Jones and Marty Stuart.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): When Prentiss and Reid go undercover to investigate possible child abuse at an underground cult, they get trapped inside the compound when a federal raid goes bad. Luke Perry (“Beverly Hills, 90210″) guest stars as cult leader Benjamin Cyrus.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): When a former medical examiner is found murdered, a white powder found at the scene provides the CSIs with a major lead in tracking the killer when it is discovered that the powder is heroin made from human bodies. Pop Singer and Actress Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz (“Fall Out Boy”) guest star as “Bonnie and Clyde Wannabes.”
◊“Dark Blue” (9 p.m. on TNT): Ty and Dean go after a major Korean gang into everything from drugs to counterfeiting.  Their target is known as President Lee, an old-school mob boss who doesn’t take lip from anyone.  But their biggest problem might be more internal, as Ty and Dean butt heads over every aspect of the case, with Ty being too cautious and Dean throwing caution to the wind.
◊“Giuliana & Bill” (8 p.m. on Style Network): This new reality series looks inside the marriage of E! news anchor Giuliana Rancic and best-selling author Bill Rancic as they juggle high-profile careers and married life while traveling between homes in Los Angeles and Chicago.
◊“Great White Appetite” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Observe first hand the experiments that uncover the Great Whites unique eating habits. Cameras will travel the globe, stopping at three major Great White feeding grounds – Seal Island, South Africa; Adelaide, Australia and Guadalupe Island, Mexico to administer visual experiments in an effort to better understand the shark’s appetite.
◊“House Crashers” (9 p.m. on DIY): In this new series, host and contractor Josh Temple stalks the aisles of home improvement stores in search of daring weekend warriors willing to let him remodel a room in their home. With the help of his expert crew, Temple takes on top-to-bottom transformations, and trusting homeowners cash in the ultimate home improvement lottery.
◊“How’d You Get So Rich?” (9 p.m. on TV Land): In this new series, Joan Rivers (“Celebrity Apprentice” winner) explores the lifestyles of the rich and lucky. She takes viewers on a journey to meet the millionaires who
struck gold as she tours the most lavish and extravagant homes and introduces them to folks who made a lot of money in really interesting ways.
◊“Leverage” (8 p.m. on TNT): While trying to recover embezzled cash from a Madoff-like funds manager, the team finds themselves acting as unlikely fairy godparents to the mark’s lovable loser stepson.
◊“Make My Day” (9:30 p.m. on TV Land): This new comedic hidden-camera series provides a window into one day in the life of an unsuspecting participant. Tune in as cameras capture the action as they experience weird coincidences, extraordinary situations and surprise celebrity appearances for one whole day.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Harold Lloyd is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1928′s “Speedy” (7 p.m.) and 1933′s “Feet First” (10:30 p.m.).
◊“War Dogs of the Pacific” (9 p.m. on Military Channel): This program tells the story of the U.S. Marine war dog platoons of World War II, following the marines and their dogs through training and into combat.

THURSDAY, AUG. 6
◊“Bollywood Hero” (9 p.m. on IFC): Chris Kattan (“Saturday Night Live”) stars in this Bollywood musical-style miniseries, in which he fleas Hollywood and travels to India to star in the Bollywood film “Peculiar Dancing Boy.”  The three-part, six-hour miniseries airing today through Saturday also stars Maya Rudolph (“Away We Go”), Julian Sands (“A Room with a View”), Neha Dhupia (former Miss India) and Pooja Kumar (former Miss India U.S.A).
◊“Burn Notice” (8 p.m. on USA): In the Season 3 finale, a recently widowed woman hires Michael and Fiona to get her away from a group of violent con men. Michael turns to Madeline for help, but he may ask her to go too far.
◊“Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This special is the essential collection of Celtic Woman’s most beloved and memorable songs. It showcases vocalists Lisa, Chloë, Órla, Méav, Hayley, Alex, Lynn and fiddler Máiréad, and all of the songs are intertwined using stunning scenic and landscape images of Ireland.
◊“Daniel O’Donnell: Hope and Praise” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This special, taped in November before 2,500 fans in Branson, Mo., features Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell performing multi-denominational hymns, up-tempo gospel and pop songs. He is backed by a 24-member young adult choir, a 12-member children’s choir, an orchestra and his band.
◊“Hawaii: Message in the Waves” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): This documentary features the wildlife of Hawaii’s famous surf zone and the surfers and scrientists who are fighting to protect it. Turtles, dolphins, monk seals and albatrosses all have to cope with the growing number of people using the island beaches, but now animals face a new threat from washed-up plastic.
◊“Police Women of Broward County” (8 p.m. on TLC): This new reality series follows the four tough-talking police women of Broward County in Florida as they battle crime. In the premiere episode, Andrea tackles a drug dealer twice her size, Ana outsmarts a stripper hiding drugs, Julie goes undercover as a prostitute and Shelunda investigates a bloody fight.
◊“Shark After Dark” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Sharks are most aggressive and most active in the dark, but the fact is, we know very little else about the nocturnal nature of these creatures. Now, armed with the latest in infrared thermography cameras and night vision technology, a team of divers travels around the world, and descends into the sharks dangerous after-dark hunting grounds.
◊“Skins” (8 p.m. on BBC America): This award-winning British series returns for a second season and continues to push boundaries and tell shocking and sometimes heartbreaking stories about the trials of adolescence. The Class of 2009 is headed up by the beautiful and mysterious Effy (Kaya Scodelario), returning as the new queen bee. Effy is as enigmatic and elusive as ever. She’s joined by best friend, Pandora (Lisa Backwell), sweet and kooky, she keeps the gang together.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (7 p.m. on Fox): Find out who will be crowned America’s favorite dancer live from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Judy Garland is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among her films airing are 1950′s “Summer Stock” (5 p.m.) and 1945′s “The Clock” (9 p.m.).

FRIDAY, AUG. 7
◊“Chefs vs. City” (9 p.m. on Food Network): Acclaimed chefs Chris Cosentino and Aaron Sanchez test their food knowledge and competitive spirits in this new series. Each week, they will travel to a different city, where they will be pitted against two local foodies in a winner-takes-all race in five different challenges that could include eating spicy dishes and crab fishing in a gator-infested river.
◊“The Goode Family” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): Gerald thinks Trish and Mo (guest stars Julia Sweeney, Laraine Newman) want him as the sperm donor for their next child in the Season 1 finale. Meanwhile, when Ubuntu starts sprouting his first facial hair, Charlie decides it’s time to take his grandson under his wing and teach him how to be a man, much to Gerald and Helen’s dismay.
◊“Great Performances” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment highlights Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday celebration from Madison Square Garden. Joining the folk singer for the concert event taped in May are Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson and many others.
◊“Jeffery and Cole Casserole” (10 p.m. on Logo): In the Season 1 finale, Jeffery and Cole attempt to use their friend “Becky” to get to Boca Raton, Fla. — all for the love of vampires and musical theater.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA): When an attempt is made on the life of a former child star who recently publiushed her tell-all biography, Monk is thrilled to act as her bodyguard  —  until he learns how different she is from her TV alter ego. Guest starring in the Season 8 premiere are Rena Sofer (“Blind Justice”) and Elizabeth Perkins (“Weeds”).
◊“Mr. Friday” (8 p.m. on FLN): This new docu-series follows former model and jet-setter Derek Friday, who has never done a day’s work in his life. He is forced by his wealthy, philanthropic mother to switch places with a hardworking recipient and perform various tasks from cleaning and feeding reptiles to working in the circus in exchange for his weekly trust-fund check.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): A stolen pair of “kicks” leads the team into the world of sneaker collecting after a foreign Ambassador finds his prized pair missing.
Grammy winner Eve guest stars.
◊“Psych” (9 p.m. on USA): In the Season 4 premiere, Shawn and Gus outwit a notorious international art thief, Despereux (Cary Elwes, “The X Files”). When they travel to the ski slopes of Vancouver, they discover that he’s not an art thief but an insurance scam artist.
◊“Surviving Suburbia” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 1 finale, Steve motivates Anne to break away from her manipulative mother after her parents abuse the new cell phones they gave them. And Dr. Jim counsels Henry after he reprimands Rhonda for glamorizing teen pregnancy in front of Courtney.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Glenn Ford is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among his films airing are 1949′s “Mr. Soft Touch” (2 p.m.) and 1946′s “Gilda” (7 p.m.).
     
SATURDAY AUGUST 8, 2009
◊“The Bill Engvall Show” (8 p.m. on TBS): Bill invests a hefty chunk of money in his brother Dan’s (Stephen Dunham, “The Mummy”) latest sure-thing business proposition, something he’s done too many times before.  Determined to put a stop to it, Susan pushes Bill to talk to his brother about being a responsible adult.
◊“Dirty Sexy Money” (9 p.m. on ABC): After being stabbed by Nola, the badly wounded Simon is secretly taken to the Imperial to recuperate. While there, Nick forces Simon to reveal how he is controlling Nola and why he had her prosecute Letitia for Dutch’s murder. Entanglements arise with Nick and the pregnant Karen’s budding romance when it’s revealed that his ex-wife, Lisa, is writing a tell-all book about the Darlings. Gary Collins (“Born Free”) and John Schneider (“Smallville”) guest stars.
◊“George Lopez: Tall, Dark & Chicano” (9 p.m. on HBO): Comedian George Lopez delivers an all-new stand-up show before a live audience at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.  Some of the hot topics he’s expected to cover are Latino perspectives on change in America, kids today, parenting and “rednecks” who date Latino women.
◊“Handy Manny” (7:30 a.m. on Disney): When Manny is the 100th customer at Mr. Diller’s (guest star Henry Winkler, “Happy Days”) Variety Store, he wins his choice of any item in the store and shares his prize with the tools.
◊“iCarly: iFight Shelby Marx” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In this special hourlong movie, features Victoria Justice (“Spectacular”) as Shelby Marx, a female championship fighter who challenges Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) to meet her in the ring.
◊“Lars and the Real Girl” (8 p.m. on Showtime): Ryan Gosling stars as Lars, a loner who surprises everyone with his  introduction of a girlfriend — actually a lifelike doll that others decide to treat like a living being. Patricia Clarkson plays his psychologist.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Bette Davis is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among her films airing are 1937′s “Marked Woman” (11:30 a.m.) and 1946′s “Deception” (9 p.m.).

–Penny TV

---

TV Premieres and Finales airing June 21-27

   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 June 21.
   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
••“Just For Laughs,” 6 p.m. Sunday on ABC (third-season premiere).
••“Merlin,” 7 p.m. Sunday on NBC (series premiere).
••“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” 7 p.m. Monday on ABC Family (second-season premiere).
••“History Detectives,” 8 p.m. Monday on OETA-13 (seventh-season premiere).
••“Make It or Break It,” 8 p.m. Monday on ABC Family (series premiere).
••“Gimme Sugar: Miami,” 9 p.m. Monday on Logo (second-season premiere).
••“The Superstars,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“America’s Got Talent,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on NBC (fourth-season premiere).
••“The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on Food Network (series premiere).
••“Bite Me With Dr. Mike,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Travel Channel (series premiere).
••“The Cleaner,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on A&E (second-season premiere).
••“Golf in America,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Golf Channel (series premiere).
••“NYC Prep,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Bravo (series premiere).
••“Primetime: Family Secrets,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“Gospel Dream,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on Gospel Music Channel (fourth-season premiere). 
••“The Philanthropist,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on NBC (series premiere).
••“Primetime: Crime,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series premiere).
••“The Real World: Cancun,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on MTV (22nd-season premiere).
••“Penn & Teller: Bull…,” 9 p.m. Thursday on Showtime (seventh-season premiere).

ENDINGS
••“HGTV $250,000 Challenge,” 9 p.m. Sunday on HGTV (first-season finale).
••“Women Behind Bars,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Wetv (first-season finale).
••“I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on NBC (second-second finale).

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

---

Top 55 TV Programs for June 21-27, 2009

 Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of June 21:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

SUNDAY, JUNE 21
••“Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life” (6 p.m. on BBC America): Marking the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his world-changing book, On the Origin of Species,” Sir David Attenborough (“Nature’s Most Amazing Events”) shares his personal insight on Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, explaining why he believes it’s more important now than ever before.
••“Exodus Earth” (8 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): In this six-part series, Dr. Basil Singer investigates whether people could possibly call Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturns’s moon Titan or Jupitor’s moons Callisto and Gliese 581c home in the future. The series continues with airings at 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
••“HGTV $250,000 Challenge” (9 p.m. on HGTV): Builder Carter Oosterhouse (“Carter Can”) will lend his expertise to help the final two families create captivating new curb appeal to the front of the house and an outdoor oasis in the backyard. Once the dust settles, viewers will find out who wins $250,000.
••“Impact” (8 p.m. on ABC): David James Elliott (:JAG”), Natasha Henstridge (“Eli Stone”), Steven Culp (“ER”) and James Cromwell (“Babe”) star in this two-part, four-hour movie, which concludes June 28. They play a small group of international astronauts, scientists and soldiers who band together in a race against time to save humanity when a meteor shower results in a direct hit to the moon, leaving it on a collision course with Earth.
••“Just For Laughs” (6 p.m. on ABC): Gags featured in the Season 3 premiere of the hidden-camera comedy series include a massage chair with a mind — and hands — of its own and a bike ride in the park that turns into a race to the finish line.
••“Killer Hair” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Maggie Lawson (“Psych”) stars as Lacey Smithsonian, a fashion columnist for a Washington, D.C., newspaper who ends up reporting on more than just style when dead bodies keep mysteriously crossing her path.
••“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): David Suchet returns as Agatha Christie’s Belgian detective Hercule Poirot for a new series of adventures. In the new installment “Cat Among the Pigeons,” he investigates a case involving a Middle Eastern princess who is hidden in an English girls school until someone starts killing the teaching staff.
••“Merlin” (7 p.m. on NBC): This new drama updates the story of the infamous sorcerer of Arthurian legend.  When Merlin, a young man with magical powers, arrives in Camelot, he quickly makes enemies with Prince Arthur. But he begins using his talents not just to survive but also to unlock Camelot’s mystical secrets.
••“Ruby: The First 100 Pounds” (7 p.m. on Style Network): This special looks back at Ruby Gettinger’s journey, as the severely overweight Savannah resident has lost more than 100 pounds since the first season of her reality show. Season 2 of “Ruby” begins July 5.
••“Storm Stories” (7 p.m. on The Weather Channel): After many years without incident, Florida residents were reminded in August of l992 of just how destructive a hurricane can be. The experience is told through the eyes of a young couple expecting their first child who ride out Hurricane Andrew in a bathroom.
••“Somali Pirate Takedown: The Real Story” (9 p.m. on Discovery): In April, news of U.S. Navy snipers bringing a swift end to the Somalia pirate standoff captivated the world.  However, the heroic stories of the Maersk Alabama’s crew and the U.S. Navy’s courageous maneuvers have not been shared fully, until now.
••“Timewatch: The Last Day of World War I” (9 p.m. on Military Channel, 104 on Cox Digital Cable, 195 on Dish Network, 259 on U-verse, 287 on DirecTV): This special goes to the places where American, British, French, Canadian and German troops were fighting as the war came to an end on Nov. 11, 1918. It tells the story of soldiers who were killed in the final minutes leading up to the cease-fire, as well as those who lost their lives after the Armistice had been signed.
 
MONDAY, JUNE 22
••“Aaron Stone” (8 p.m. on Disney XD): Xero captures the world’s most feared fighter, World Champion Billy “The Body Bag” Cobb, to teach them the moves necessary to program his combat suit. Chris Jericho (“WWF Smackdown!”) guest stars.
••“Cheat Sheet to the Mysteries of the Universe” (8 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): Dr. Michio Kaku demystifies the universe with credible and understandable explanations.
••“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): A man is found handcuffed and stabbed in his hotel room, while a prank at the lab causes a rift in the CSI team and threatens their investigation. Lucy Lawless (“Xena Warrior Princess”) guest stars.
••“Gimme Sugar: Miami” (9 p.m. on Logo): Charlene reassesses her life in Season 2. She leaves the hills of the west coast and heads down to Miami to face the vibrant club scene and some of the toughest challenges yet.
••“History Detectives” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Featuring a broad range of historical periods, multiple cultures and fascinating personalities, five super sleuths set out to prove that an object found in an attic or backyard could be anything but ordinary.
••“Make It or Break It” (8 p.m. on ABC Family): Gymnastics newcomer Emily Kmetko (Chelsea Hobbs, “Lords of Dogtown”) has dreams of becoming an Olympic gymnast. But when she shows up at The Rock gymnastics training center in Colorado, she inadvertently shakes up the gym’s status quo.
••“Nurse Jackie” (9:30 p.m. on Showtime): An elderly patient (Eli Wallach, “The Holiday”) treats his serious heart disease with chicken soup. And pharmacist Eddie learns he is being replaced by an automated pill despenser, which is bad news for Jackie.
••“Rules of Engagement” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): After a long line of female assistants, Russell learns that a having a male assistant (Adhir Kalayan, “Aliens in America”) can be very advantageous.
••“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In the Season 2 premiere, Anne is dealing with the surprising news of her own pregnancy, while Amy is slowly adjusting to motherhood and a new life filled with midnight feedings and diaper changes.
••“Storm Stories” (7:30 p.m. on The Weather Channel): This episode  follows three sets of Galveston County residents as they struggled for survival last September when the storm surge from Hurricane Ike came earlier than expected.
••“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): One of Charlie’s old partners in crime dies, leaving Charlie to reevaluate his own reckless lifestyle. Emilio Estevez (“The Breakfast Club” and brother of series star Charlie Sheen) guest stars.
••“Weeds” (9 p.m. on Showtime): Just as Nancy gets strict instructions from her doctor to reduce her stress level, she gets an unexpected visit from her estranged sister, Jill (Jennifer Jason Leigh, “Synecdoche, New York”).

TUESDAY, JUNE 23
••“America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m. on NBC): The talent show is back for a fourth season with a new host — comic Nick Cannon — and returning judges David Hasselhoff, Sharon Osbourne and Piers Morgan as contestants compete for a $1 million grand prize.
••“The Best Thing I Ever Ate” (8:30 p.m. on Food Network): Find out what food stars and chefs eat in their free time in this new series. In the premiere episode, Tyler Florence (“How to Boil Water”), Bobby Flay (“Iron Chef America”) and Ted Allen (“Food Detectives”) reveal the best places to get barbeque.
••“Better Off Ted” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): Executives Ted and Veronica try mingling with workers and realize they might be better off staying in a boss/employee relationship.
••“Bite Me With Dr. Mike” (9 p.m. on Travel Channel): Extreme virologist and world traveler Dr. Mike Leahy knows first-hand how even the tiniest of earth’s creatures can create huge problems for unsuspecting travelers. In this new series, he makes it his mission to uncover everything that might want to bite, suck, sting or feed on unsuspecting travelers’ bodies, and he offers advice on how to avoid these encounters while traveling.
••“The Cleaner” (9 p.m. on A&E): Whoopi Goldberg (“The View”) guest stars in the Season 2 premiere as William’s former sponsor, who resurfaces when an addict he is called to help is one she currently sponsors. The addict (Gary Cole, “Wanted”) is a high-profile national news anchor who is a spokesperson for recovery and is struggling with his sobriety.
••“Golf in America” (9 p.m. on Golf Channel): Anthony Anderson (“Law & Order”) hosts this new series that will travel coast-to-coast to discover never-before-told stories, larger-than-life characters and inspirational people to capture the spirit of the game of golf.
••“Mental” (8 p.m. on Fox): The team encounters a movie star who suffered a psychotic breakdown on a nationally-televised talk show. Spike Feresten (“Talkshow With Spike Feresten”) guest stars.
••“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): While stuck working on a case over Christmas, the team searches for a suspect presumed dead…and begins to discover some startling personal revelations. Peter Coyote (“The 4400″) guest stars.
••“NYC Prep” (9 p.m. on Bravo): This new reality series chronicles the lives of a group of privileged teenagers who are key players in Manhattan’s elite high school scene. Whether it’s on sophisticated vacations or to a townhouse for an exclusive midnight party, their lives intertwine as they network, shop, party, study, date and write college applications.
••“P.O.V.” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Puerto Rican rapper Hamza Perez converts to Islam and starts a new religious community in Pittsburgh, hoping to spread his message of faith through hip-hop, only to have the FBI raid his mosque. The new documentary
••“New Muslim Cool” chronicles his surprising spiritual journey through an ever-changing America.
“Primetime: Family Secrets” (9 p.m. on ABC): This limited series goes behind closed doors and reveals firsthand the secrets most families never tak about. Topics explored include teen pregnancy and child abuse.
••“The Real Housewives Of New Jersey Reunion” (8 p.m. on Bravo): The ladies sit down for an explosive reunion special, which concludes at 8 p.m. Thursday. Hosting the first-season reunion is Bravo programming executive Andy Cohen.
••“The Superstars” (7 p.m. on ABC): This new competitive reality series pairs eight professional athletes with eight celebrities for a series of grueling physical challenges. Competitors include athletes Jennifer Capriati, Brandi Chastain and Bode Miller and celebrities Dan Cortese (“Joey”), Julio Iglesias Jr. (“Gone Country”) and Ali Landry (“Bella”).

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
••“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The Behavioral Analysis Unit becomes involved in the case of a family working together to abduct young women. Emmy nominated actor Tim Matheson (“The West Wing”) directed the episode.
••“Criss Angel: True Hollywood Story” (9 p.m. on E!): This installment will expose the secrets of this illusionist and “Mindfreak” star through candid interviews and never-before-seen footage.
••“Gospel Dream” (9 p.m. on Gospel Music Channel): Season 4 features 37 contestants between the ages of 16 and 40 pursuing their dream of a musical career Gospel/Christian music. Celebrity judges, including Michelle William (“Destiny’s Child”) and Kimberly Locke (“American Idol”), will determine the winner, who will receive record and music video exposure, among other prizes.
••“I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here” (7 p.m. on NBC): The last remaining star will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle—winning the largest share of the prize for donation to charity.
••“Music Instinct: Science and Song” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This new documentary provides a groundbreaking exploration into how and why the human organism is moved by music. The program includes performances by Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma.
••“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine cringes at her mother’s constant disapproval, but when she goes home for Thanksgiving, she’s able to thwart one of her criticisms when she discovers a secret they have in common. Brenda Blethyn (“Secrets & Lies”) guest stars as Christine’s mother.
••“The Philanthropist” (9 p.m. on NBC): James Purefoy (“Rome”) stars in this new drama series as billionaire playboy Teddy Rist, whose life is changed irrevocably after he rescues a boy during a hurricane. Buoyed by the experience, Teddy resolves to channel his power, passion and money into helping those in need, while exorcising his own demons in the process.
••“Primetime: Crime” (9 p.m. on ABC): This limited series goes inside real cases with access to the criminal process, new investigations and exclusive interviews. The series also retraces the twists and turns of some cold cases, providing new clues and forensic evidence.
••“The Real World: Cancun” (9 p.m. on MTV): Season 22 invades the sandy beaches of Cancun with eight roommates who work hard and play harder while living it up in Mexico’s hottest hotel, ME Cancun.
••“Top Chef Masters” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Chicago based chef and Oklahoma native Rick Bayless (“Mexico One Plate at a Time”)is among the third group of competing chefs on the series. He cooks off against Cindy Pawlcyn, Wilo Benet and Ludo Lefebvre, and the top chef moves on the the champions round.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25
••“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): Derek’s mother, Carolyn (Tyne Daly, “Cagney & Lacey”), makes a surprise visit to Seattle and meets Meredith for the first time, as Mark tries to conceal his relationship with Lexie from her as well.
••“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): When Ted tells the gang Stella’s intimate secret, he must face the consequences of breaking her trust. Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”) guest stars.
••“In the Motherhood” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): Jane begins to feel inadequate as a parent when boyfriend Shep shows off his parenting skills and quickly bonds with her children. This is the first of the series’ final episoes scheduled to air over the next three Fridays.
••“The Mentalist” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): Lisbon fears that serial killer Red John is drawing Patrick Jane into a trap when the CBI team investigates the murder of a young girl and the abduction of her twin sister. Alicia Witt (“Cybil”) guest stars.
••“Penn & Teller: Bull****” (9 p.m. on Showtime): Season 7 will continue to feature the notoriously outspoken pair on their crusade to expose the inherent hypocrisy of many of the popular beliefs and sacred institutions in our culture. 
••“Samantha Who?” (7 p.m. on ABC): When Sam starts dating rock superstar Tommy Wylder (Duran Duran’s John Taylor) – an idol from a youth that she has no recollection of — she becomes so embarrassed by Andrea and Dena’s fan-like reactions that she unintentionally begins to alienate them.
••“Soundstage” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Grammy-nominated One Republic offers rousing performances of hit singles “Apologize,” “Stop and Stare,” “Say (All I Need)” and “Mercy,” as well as other tracks from their debut CD “Dreaming Out Loud.”

FRIDAY, JUNE 26
••“Build It Bigger” (8 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): Host Danny Forster takes viewers behind the scene at NASA where he explores the space organization’s next generation rocket, Ares.
••“The Chopping Block” (7 p.m. on NBC): The four remaining teams prepare an Italian feast for patrons and guest stars including chef Mario Natali and Vincent Pastore (“The Sopranos”).
••“CMT Crossroads: Bryan Adams and Jason Aldean” (8 p.m. on CMT): Platinum-selling singer-songwriter Bryan Adams will share the stage with platinum-selling and chart-topping country rocker Jason Aldean in this new installment of the critically-acclaimed series.
••“The Daily Habit” (8 p.m. on Fuel TV): The show;s 900th episode features a tour of Tony Hawk’s office in Carlsbad, CA, a skating session with Tony Hawk and friends on his secret ramp, interviews, a skateboard cake and more.
••“Let Freedom Hum – An Evening of Comedy Hosted by Martin Short” (9 p.m. on TBS): In this special taped June 18 at The Vic in Chicago, Martin Short (“Saturday Night Live”) will perform his own comedy and introduce five comedians: John Pinette, Kathleen Madigan, Greg Giraldo, Tom Papa and Jeremy Hotz.
••“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): The bombing of an influential charity’s headquarters forces the team to sift through various rumors about the true reach of the organization’s power. Paul Michael Glaser (“Starsky & Hutch”) guest stars.
••“Princess Protection Program” (7 p.m. on Disney): Selena Gomez (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) and Demi Lovato (“Sonny With a Chance”) star in this adventure comedy about two girls, a princess from a small kingdom and a small town girl, who team up to help the would-be queen pass for a regular teen.
••“Virtuality” (7 p.m. on Fox): Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“New Amsterdam”) stars in this science-fiction thriller set in outer space and a seemingly limitless virtual reality. Aboard Earth’s first starship, the Phaeton, a crew of 12 astronauts is on the verge of embarking on an epic 10-year journey crucial to the survival of life on Earth. But as crew members go in and out of reality, they realize that a virus has entered their private world.

SATURDAY, JUNE 27
••“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): This installment of the locally-produced program features a tour of Oklahoma City that starts with Nonna’s and Bricktown, travels down the Oklahoma River Trails and finishes at the National Memorial.
••“Doctor Who: The Next Doctor” (8 p.m. on BBC America): It’s Christman Eve in 1851 and Cyberman stalk the snow of Victorian London. When the Doctor (David Tennant, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”) arrives to investigate a spate of mysterious deathes, he’s surprised to meet another Doctor (David Morrissey, “Viva Blackpool”) with his own sonic screw driver.
••“Ellen’s Bigger Longer and Wider Show” (8 p.m. on TBS): Ellen DeGeneres (“Ellen”) hosts this variety show that was taped June 17 at The Chicago Thearte. It features live music, dancers and unique specialty acts.
••“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): King Silas takes David on a pilfrimage while Queen Rose tries to protect her children. Leslie Bibb (“Confessions of a Shopaholic”) guest stars.
••“The Most AddictingGames Showdown” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In between new episodes of “iCarly” and “True Jackson, VP,” the winners of the best online games will be announced. “Pencil Racer 3: Drive It”, “50 States”, “Porta-Pusher” and “Bloons” are among the games nominated in 10 categories.
••“VH1 Storytellers: ZZ Top” (9 p.m. on VH1): The rock band that holds the record for the most enduring line-up of all original members celebrated its 40th anniversary with this performance taped at Chicago’s Congress Theatre. The Texas trio also took questions from the audience and told the stories behind such hits as “La Grange” and “Sharp Dressed Man.”

–Penny TV

---

TV Premieres and Finales airing June 14-20

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 June 14.
   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
••“True Blood,” 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO (second-season premiere).
••“Hammertime,” 9 p.m. Sunday on A&E (series premiere).
••“Real Estate Intervention,” 10 p.m. Sunday on HGTV (series premiere).
••“It’s On with Alexa Chung,” 11 a.m. Monday on MTV (series premiere).
••“Zeke and Luther,” 7:30 p.m. Monday on Disney XD (series premiere).
••“Joe Buck Live,” 8 p.m. Monday on HBO (series premiere).
••“Wedding Day,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on TNT (series premiere).
••“The First 48,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on A&E (ninth-season premiere).
••“HawthoRNe,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on TNT (series premiere).
••“The Lazy Environmentalist,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on Sundance (series premiere).
••“Chopped,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Food Network (series premiere).
••“Deliver Me,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Discovery Health (third-season premiere).
••“NYC Prep,” 10 p.m. Tuesday on Bravo (series premiere).
••“Saving Grace,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on TNT (third-season premiere).
••“Dance Your Ass Off,” 10 p.m. Tuesday on Oxygen (series premiere).
••“The Othersiders,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on Cartoon Network (series premiere).
••“Survive This,” 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on Cartoon Network (series premiere).
••“Gordon Ramsay’s F Word,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on BBC America” (fourth-season premiere).
••“I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (second-season premiere).
••“Jeffrey and Cole Casserole,” 10 p.m. Friday on Logo (series premiere).
••“Can You Duet,” 7 p.m. Saturday on CMT (second-season premiere).
••“BrainRush,” 7 p.m. Saturday on Cartoon Network (series premiere).
••“Destroy Build Destroy,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday on Cartoon Network (series premiere).
••“The Singing Bee,” 9 p.m. Saturday on CMT (second-season premiere).

ENDINGS
••“Greek,” 7 p.m. Monday on ABC Family (second-season finale).
••“Pros vs. Joes,” 10 p.m. Monday on SPIKE (fourth-season finale).
••“The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Bravo (first-season finale).
••“The Unusuals,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series finale).
••“Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” 7 p.m. Friday on Fox (second-season finale).
••“The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom,” 8 p.m. Saturday on SPIKE (first-season finale).

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

---

Top 55 TV Programs for June 14-20, 2009

 Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of June 14:

SUNDAY, JUNE 14
◊“Cool Tools: Builders Show 2009″ (6 p.m. on DIY): Chris Grundy (“Cool Tools”) and Matt Blashaw (“Project Xtreme”) provide viewers a behind-the scenes peek at the latest in industry innovations from the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, which is not open to the public.
◊“Hammertime” (9 p.m. on A&E): Take a peek inside the life of Stanley Burrell, who rapped and danced his way into the hearts of America in the 1990s as MC Hammer. Known for his thrilling stage shows, powerful dance moves, catchy pop hits and his community commitment, Hammer faced some very public financial woes and now lives a more economically balanced life in Oakland, Calif. with Stephanie, his wife and confidant of more than 23 years, and their family of six kids ranging in ages 4-21. In the series premiere, the Hammer family does some much needed Spring cleaning, uncovering lost memorabilia and wardrobe from Hammer’s closet.
◊“Nature” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): “Killers in Eden” revisits the amazing relationship that developed between whalers and killer whales in the early 20th century. They were both after the same quarry — the humpbacks and other baleen whales that migrated north in the waters off Eden, Australia — and they learned to work together and share the spoils.
◊“Real Estate Intervention” (10 p.m. on HGTV): In this new weekly series, host Sabrina Soto and real estate expert Mike Aubrey will offer a reality check to hopeful home sellers as they navigate through the ever-changing real estate market. During each episode Mike will guide an eager-to-sell family on a tour of similar homes to help them learn from their competition and provide them with straightforward real estate advice. Sabrina will then check back with the homeowners a few weeks later to see if they listened to Mike’s advice.
◊“True Blood” (8 p.m. on HBO): In the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps, the mystery surrounding the serial killer has finally been solved.  But just as things are settling down, deadly new twists threaten Sookie Stackhouse and everyone around her as Season 2 begins..
◊“Twins By Surprise” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special recounts the stories of four women who believed they were pregnant with one child — but actually gave birth to two.

MONDAY, JUNE 15
◊“America at a Crossroads” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Journalist and activist Asra Nomani tells a personal story in the new episode “Mosque in Morgantown.” India-born and U.S.-raised, Nomani moved to Morgantown, W.Va., with her family at age 10. She was working in Pakistan after 9/11 when a broken relationship, a surprise pregnancy and a friend’s murder drove her to return to her hometown, where she found her childhood mosque had been taken over by men she considered extremists.
◊“Greek” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In the Season 2 finale, Casey is sent into an emotional tailspin, questioning her relationship with Max and her lingering feelings for Cappie.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Robin rediscovers the “Woo Girls,” a group of single girls who like to go out and party.  Meanwhile, Ted pitches Barney a design for his company’s new headquarters. Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopranos”) guest stars.
◊“It’s On with Alexa Chung” (11 a.m. on MTV): British television personality Alexa Chung hosts this new daily talk/variety show featuring interviews with celebrity guests and musical performances from mainstream and indie artists, along with Internet-found talent and topical pop culture news.
◊“Joe Buck Live” (8 p.m. on HBO): This new series hosted by sportscaster Joe Buck catches viewers up on the most interesting stories and personalities in sports. The first edition focuses on sports and celebrity.
◊“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Kathy earns a Grammy nomination for best comedy album, so she begins calling former Grammy winners at their homes to solicit votes. Kathy’s obsession takes her all the way to Canada for a meeting with Lily Tomlin (“The West Wing”), one of only two women to have won a Grammy for best comedy album.
◊“Little Parents, Big Pregnancy” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This special follows Becky and Craig Hennon, a dwarf couple awaiting the birth of their first child. With a 75 percent chance of giving birth to a dwarf, the Hennons have chosen to not know their child’s fate ahead of time — nor will they know what kind of dwarfism he may have.
◊“Zeke and Luther” (7:30 p.m. on Disney XD): This new series follows two fearless sidewalk surfers and best friends who put their right foot forward to master the art form of skateboarding (which is also their principle method of transportation). Along the way, they navigate the literal and figurative luge of teen years with all of its tricks, grinds, obstacles and occasional slams.

TUESDAY, JUNE 16
◊2009 CMT Music Awards (7 p.m. on CMT): Bill Engvall (“The Bill Engvall Show”) will host the eighth annual event live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Tenn. Artists with Oklahoma ties who are nominated and/or scheduled to perform include Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn and Reba McEntire.
◊“Births Beyond Belief” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special introduces viewers to three mothers with unique, unconventional birthing plans.  From the exotic to the extraordinary, these empowered parents will stop at nothing to pursue their dream births.
◊“Chopped” (9 p.m. on Food Network): Ted Allen (“Food Detectives”) hosts this new series that challenges four up-and-coming chefs to turn a selection of everyday ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. After each course, a contestant gets “chopped” until the last man or woman left standing claims victory.
◊“Dance Your Ass Off” (10 p.m. on Oxygen): Tony Award-winning actress Marissa Jaret Winokur (“Hairspray”) hosts this new dance/weight loss competition series that gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of the contestants who have had issues with their weight and hope to dance to unleash their inner thin.
◊“Deliver Me” (9 p.m. on Discovery Health): Meet doctors Alane Park, Yvonne Bohn and Allison Hill — friends, mothers and partners in a busy OB/GYN practice. In Season 3, viewers will have a front-row seat for all the drama, emotion and challenges — both professional and personal — the doctors confront every day.
◊“The First 48″ (8 p.m. on A&E): For homicide detectives, the clock starts ticking the moment they are called. Their chance of solving a case is cut in half if they don’t get a lead in the first 48 hours. Season 9 of the non-fiction investigative series takes viewers behind the scenes of real-life investigations with unprecedented access to crime scenes, forensic processing, and interrogations. 
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new report “Breaking the Bank,” producer Michael Kirk attempts to untangle how things went so wrong so quickly in the banking industry and what’s being done to stabilize the situation, focusing on one of the highest-profile institutions affected — Bank of America.
◊“HawthoRNe” (8 p.m. on TNT): This new series stars Jada Pinkett Smith as Christina Hawthorne, the chief nursing officer at a busy hospital who fights for her patients and helps the doctors, administrators and her fellow nurses keep their priorities straight.
◊“I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant” (8 p.m. on Discovery Health): Enid resident Elizabeth Hess explains how she did not know she was pregnant until she gave birth. The 19-year-old college freshman had put on some extra weight, but she simply attributed it to gaining the “freshman 15.”
◊“The Lazy Environmentalist” (8 p.m. on Sundance): In this new series, author, radio and television personality Josh Dorfman will seek out environmental skeptics who are experts in fields as diverse as fashion, food, architecture, business and design in order to prove that a green lifestyle can meet the demands of their professional and private lives.
◊“NYC Prep” (10 p.m. on Bravo): This new docu-series chronicles the lives of a group of privileged teenagers who are key players in Manhattan’s elite high school scene. Students who travel in packs – whether it’s on sophisticated vacations or to a townhouse for an exclusive midnight party, their lives intertwine as they network, shop, party, study, date and write college applications.
◊“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the season finale, all five housewives attend Teresa’s end of the year party. The night turns ugly as shocking secrets come out and alliances are revealed.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): When Grace tries to reach out to a young drug addict who shares visions of Earl, Grace winds up in the middle of what could be a plot by an anti-government group linked to the recent death of a police officer.
◊“Wedding Day” (7 p.m. on TNT): In this new series, deserving people in need get help making their wedding dreams come true. Hosts and wedding planners Alan Dunn and Diann Valentine make it happen with help from the couple’s family, friends and neighbors. In the premiere, they create a day to remember for Holli, who was involved in a near-fatal crash.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): When a young woman is abducted from an affluent neighborhood, the Behavioral Analysis Unit looks to area residents for answers to her disappearance. Michael Boatman (“Spin City”) guest stars.
◊“Gordon Ramsay’s F Word” (8 p.m. on BBC America”): In Season 4 of the series, the world-renowned chef shares his passion for great cuisine and gets people eating, cooking, thinking and talking about food. In addition to offering easy to make, healthy recipes, Gordon’s joined by a revolving cast of celebrities, their friends and families.  He challenges them to prepare a three-course meal for 50 diners using recipes that anyone can cook at home.  But the diners get to decide if the food’s up to scratch and if they’ll pay the bill.
◊“Great Performances” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Josh Groban (“Ally McBeal”), Idina Menzel (“Wicked”) and Adam Pascal (“Rent”) headline this concert revival of the show “Chess” from London’s Royal Albert Hall. Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, the male half of the group ABBA, scored the music for the 1986 project, which is a love story set during the Cold War as U.S. and Soviet chess champs faced off.
◊“I Survived a Japanese Game Show” (8 p.m. on ABC): Host Rome Kanda (“The Pink Panther”) returns for a second season of leading 12 American contestants through zany challenges in Japan. The winner will take home $250,000.
◊“Obese and Pregnant” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special introduces the stories of three expectant mothers experiencing the joy and fear of carrying a child — while also carrying more than 100 extra pounds.
◊“The Othersiders” (7 p.m. on Cartoon Network): This new reality-adventure series follows five friends on real missions to explore mysterious, reportedly haunted locations in search of evidence that will confirm or deny the existence of paranormal activity.
◊“The Queen and I” (7 p.m. on HBO2): Thirty years after joining the revolution to overthrow the Shah and the monarchy in Iran, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Nahid Persson Sarvestani remains fascinated by the former queen, Farah Diba, whose fairytale life had intrigued her as a child.  Now, disillusioned by the Islamic revolution that betrayed her dreams of equality and democracy and forced her into exile, Sarvestani turns her camera on this unlikely subject. This documentary chronicles their time together, the differences they bridged and the improbable friendship they forged.
◊“Survive This” (7:30 p.m. on Cartoon Network): les Stroud (“Survivorman”) hosts this new reality series challenges teenagers ages 14 to 17 to push their limits, overcome fears and develop lifelong survival skills.  Each episode aims to test endurance, wits and self-determination.
◊“The Unusuals” (9 p.m. on ABC): In the series finale, Beaumont and Cole go undercover to find a criminal who breaks into apartments and shoots adult films.
◊“Wipeout” (7 p.m. on ABC): Raging Rapids, Aqua Launch, Crazy Sweeper, King of the Mountain, Waterfall Turntables and Fender Bender are among the wild and outrageous new obstacles included in this week’s episode, as contestants go head to head through four rounds to win the title of “Wipeout Champion” and the $50,000 grand prize.

THURSDAY, JUNE 18
◊“Freebirthing” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special chronicles the growing movement of women in the United States and the United Kingdom who are defying medical advice to give birth with no drugs, no midwife and no medical support. Supporters claim this is how having a baby was always meant to be — but doctors say “freebirthing” has terrible risks.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (8 p.m. on Fox): It’s elimination night on the competition series, and two of the final 18 dancers will be sent home.
◊“Soundstage” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): In this installment, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne performs tunes from his 2008 album, “Time the Conqueror,” as well as such classics as “Doctor My Eyes” and “Boulevard.”
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW): In this episode, that will air in black and white, Dean and Sam investigate several murders at Oktoberfest. The first victim was found with bite marks on her neck, much like a vampire would leave, while the second victim has wounds that look like a werewolf attack. After a mummy rises from his crypt, Dean determines that a shape-shifter demon is terrorizing the town as iconic monsters from the old Hollywood movies.

FRIDAY, JUNE 19
◊“Celebrity Rides: Hollywood’s Speeding Bullitt” (1 p.m. on DIY Network): Chad McQueen, son of actor Steve McQueen, builds his version of a 1968 GT Fastback Mustang made famous by the movie “Bullitt” starring his dad.
◊“The Chopping Block” (7 p.m. on NBC): This reality/competition series, which was pulled after three low-rated Wednesday telecasts in March, returns to NBC’s schedule today to air its final five episodes on Fridays.
◊“Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the Season 2 finale, Deanna Della Cioppa, an Italian caterer and family restaurant owner, competes to help our her family.
◊“Double Identical Twins: Four Years Later” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new special follows the latest adventures of the Morris family, who grew from three members to seven after the birth of a rare set of quads: two identical boys and two identical girls. It examines how this family navigates medical and life challenges, and manages to brave it all with a sense of humor.
◊“Jeffrey and Cole Casserole” (10 p.m. on Logo): In this new webcam-based series, Jeffery and Cole mix their stand-up comedy, traditional sketches, banter and musical numbers to bring the audience a serving of their outrageous comedic casserole.
◊“Mr. Troop Mom” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): George Lopez (“George Lopez”) stars as a single dad who must climb mountains, ford streams and more as “Team Mom” in order to bond with his tween daughter. The film also stars Jane Lynch (“Glee”) as camp director Ms. Hulka and features a special appearance by Nat and Alex Wolff (“The Naked Brothers Band”).
◊“Samantha Who?” (8 p.m. on ABC): After finally telling current boyfriend Owen (James Tupper, “Men in Trees”) that she lives with ex-boyfriend Todd, Sam discovers that Owen’s best friend is also his ex-girlfriend, Willow. But when a romantic spark ignites between Todd and Willow, Sam finds herself becoming jealous and must decide which man is most important in her life.

SATURDAY, JUNE 20
◊“BrainRush” (7 p.m. on Cartoon Network): Host Lamorne Morris puts players to the test with questions and brainteasers all while strapped into an amusement park ride.
◊“Can You Duet” (7 p.m. on CMT): Viewers will witness the on- and off-stage drama in creating a dynamic musical duo in Season 2 of the country music competition series. In addition to critiquing each performance and deciding who will advance to the next round, judges Naomi Judd, Big Kenny of the multi-platinum duo Big & Rich and Big Machine Records’ President Scott Borchetta will serve as mentors to guide, groom and develop the duets along the way.
◊“Destroy Build Destroy” (7:30 p.m. on Cartoon Network): Two teams, with the guidance and assistance of professionals, compete by destroying a large structure, rebuilding it into something different and then destroying it again.  Host Andrew W.K. moderates the mayhem, as each week new teams face new challenges to build from the debris, with strategy, wits and teamwork deciding which team’s creation out-performs the other—and whose hard work goes up in smoke.
◊“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9):  This installment of the locally-produced program showcases the Tulsa Talons and Oklahoma City Redhawks minor league baseball teams, the Guthrie Sports Museum and McGee Creek Lake.
◊“Dream Riders” (7 p.m. on Travel Channel): In this award-winning documentary film, Bill Roulston persuades his son Nico to make a 4,000 mile bicycle journey across the United States in a last ditch effort to rebuild their failing relationship.
◊“Eli Stone” (9 p.m. on ABC): When a news anchor from one of the biggest media corporations loses his job, Eli, Taylor, Matt and Maggie share an awkward car ride to Sonoma to question a witness. This is the first of the series’ final episodes scheduled to air over the next four Saturdays.
◊“The Singing Bee” (9 p.m. on CMT): Melissa Peterman (“Reba”) hosts this new version of the game show that tests contestants’ knowledge of lyrics to well-known country music songs and eliminates those who fail to accurately sing the song lyrics correctly.
◊“The Ultimate Fighter” (8 p.m. on SPIKE): Sixteen American and 16 British fighters will compete in middleweight and welterweight divisions in the live season finale.

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

---

12 TV Premieres and Finales airing May 24-30

   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 May 24.
   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
••“Mas Sabe el Diable,” 7 p.m. Monday on Telemundo (series premiere).
••“Intervention,” 8 p.m. Monday on A&E (seventh-season premiere).
••“Jon & Kate Plus 8.” 8 p.m. Monday on TLC (fifth-season premiere).
••“Cake Boss,” 9 p.m. Monday on TLC (series premiere).
••“Obsessed,” 9 p.m. Monday on A&E (series premiere).
••“Here Come the Newlyweds,” 9:02 p.m. Monday on ABC (series premiere).
••“Hitched or Ditched,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on CW (series premiere).
••“Man Caves,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on DIY (third-season premiere).
••“Mental,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on Fox (series premiere).
••“Science of the Movies,” 8 p.m. Tuesday on Science Channel (series premiere).
••“The Little Couple,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on TLC (series premiere).
••“Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Oxygen (fourth-season premiere).
“Beautiful People,” 9:30 p.m. Tuesday on Logo (series premiere).
“Wipeout,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (second-season premiere).
“The Goode Family,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on ABC (series premiere).
“Your Worst Animal Nightmares,” 8 p.m. Wednesday on Animal Planet (series premiere).
“Tattoo Highway,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on A&E (series premiere).
“Nature’s Most Amazing Events,” 7 p.m. Friday on Discovery (first two installments of 6-part series).
“What Not to Wear,” 8 p.m. Friday on TLC (seventh-season premiere).

ENDINGS
••“In Treatment,” 9 p.m. Monday on HBO (second-season finale).
••“Reaper,” 7 p.m. Tuesday on CW (second-season finale).
••“Ladette to Lady,” 7 p.m. Friday on Sundance (third-season finale).
••“The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” 10:35 p.m. Friday on NBC (series finale).

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

---

Top 55 TV Programs for May 24-30, 2009

 Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of May 24:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

SUNDAY, MAY 24
◊“2009 National Memorial Day Concert” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): For the fourth time, Emmy winner Gary Sinise (“CSI: NY”) and Joe Mantegna (“Criminal Minds”) return as co-hosts for this concert honoring the men and women in America’s armed forces. Broadcast from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, this year’s 20th anniversary telecast includes appearances by Colin Powell and actors Katie Holmes, Dianne Wiest and Laurence Fishburne, as well as singers Katharine McPhee, Trace Adkins and Denyce Graves.
◊“Diamonds” (8 p.m. on ABC): In this new two-part TV movie, the daughter of U.S. Senator Joan Cameron (Judy Davis) is killed in a massacre at an African diamond mine. That starts a chain of events that uncovers the darkest secrets of the international diamond trade.
◊“Stand” (8 p.m. on TV One): This documentary chronicles a road trip taken by broadcaster Tavis Smiley and 10 black male friends. The journey took place around the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
◊“Storm Stories” (7 p.m. on The Weather Channel): A total of six tornadoes appeared throughout Oklahoma in February 2009, but the most powerful of these destroyed the entire town of Lone Grove.

MONDAY, MAY 25
◊“American Experience: Buffalo Bill” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): William “Buffalo Bill” Cody’s legendary exploits helped create the myth of the American West. This program draws upon rich archival materials of the period to explore the man behind the legend, revealing the complexity of Buffalo Bill’s extraordinary life.
◊“Cake Boss” (9 p.m. on TLC): This new series focuses on master baker Buddy Valastro as he struggles to make his bakery in Hoboken, N.J., a household name.
◊“Hallowed Grounds” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This Memorial Day special visits American military cemeteries in 23 countries, including England, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Tunisia and the Philippines. It weaves historical elements with contemporary scenes of the cemeteries and features personal stories of the men and women who are buried there.
◊“Here Come the Newlyweds” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): Comedian Pat Bullard hosts this new series in which nine just-married couples compete for a life-changing cash prize to help kick-start their new lives together and realize their dreams.
◊“In Treatment” (9 p.m. on HBO): In the Season 2 finale, Paul and Gina reach a crossroad in their relationship.
◊“Intervention” (8 p.m. on A&E): This Emmy-nominated series opens Season 7 with new profiles of individuals at the boiling point of a personal crisis. They are confronted by friends and family who have made the decision to plan an intervention.
◊“Jon & Kate Plus 8” (8 p.m. on TLC): Season 5 features more adventures of the Gosselin family, comprised of parents Jon & Kate, plus eight-year-old twins and a set of sextuplets. This season, the family celebrates the sextuplets’ fifth birthday and tackles training the new puppies.
◊“Mas Sabe el Diable” (7 p.m. on Telemundo): This new primetime novela tells the story of Angel, a young man who never met his father and grew up torn between his mother’s love and the wild world of his neighborhood streets.
◊“Obsessed” (9 p.m. on A&E): This new series profiles people suffering from extreme anxiety disorders and their efforts to overcome them.
◊“Our City Dreams” (6 p.m. on Sundance): This special visits the creative spaces of five women artists, each of whom possesses her own energy, drive and passion.  The artists profiled are Nancy Spero, Marina Abramovic, Kiki Smith, Ghada Amer and Swoon.
◊Six Gun Birthday Salute to John Wayne: Encore Westerns (202 on Cox Digital Cable, 342 on Dish Network, 529 on DirecTV, 940 on U-verse) celebrates The Duke’s 102nd birthday by airing 28 hours of his movies, beginning with “The Undefeated” at 7 p.m. The marathon is interspersed with interviews with former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Senators John McCain and John Kerry, director Steven Spielberg, producer Norman Lear, Wayne’s son Ethan and others.
◊“Super Why! Hurray for Heroes” (7 a.m. on OETA-13): This special two-hour marathon includes two new interactive episodes featuring the page-turning storybook adventures of Super Why and his fellow reading superheroes as they unveil what the power of reading can do. In-between the episodes, youngsters will share their thoughts about what it means to be a hero. 

TUESDAY, MAY 26
◊“Alice Neel” (6 p.m. on Sundance): One of the great portrait painters of the 20th century, Alice Neel reinvented the genre by expressing the inner landscape of her subjects, which included luminaries such as Andy Warhol, Bella Abzug and Allen Ginsberg as well as her neighbors in Spanish Harlem. Alice Neel’s grandson Andrew Neel directs this biography of an influential but emotionally troubled painter.
◊“Beautiful People” (9:30 p.m. on Logo): Inspired by the eccentric childhood of style guru Simon Doonan, this new series delves inside Simon’s youthful memories and his desire to escape suburban working class Reading, England.
◊“Gallery” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): OETA’s Emmy-winning arts and culture series travels to the nation’s capitol to share the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian with Oklahomans. The grand opening witnessed the largest gathering ever of Native American tribes to converge on our nation’s capital.
◊“Hitched or Ditched” (8 p.m. on CW): This new series focuses on couples in long-term relationships who have not taken the leap into marriage yet. Will they or won’t they say “I do”?
◊“Independent Lens” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment titled “Steal a Pencil for Me” focuses on concentration camp prisoner Jack Polak, who shared the same barracks as both his wife, Manja, and his new love, Ina. Manja objects to Jack and Ina’s relationship, so the two rely on writing love letters to each other to gain the strength they need to survive.
◊“Jail” (8 p.m. on My Network TV): Back-to-back episodes follow individuals from their initial booking through their first moments in a Tulsa slammer.
◊“The Little Couple” (9 p.m. on TLC): This new series follows newlyweds Bill Klein and Jen Arnold, who are both under four feet tall and share their unique perspectives on life, love, and marriage.
◊“Man Caves” (8 p.m. on DIY): In the Season 3 premiere, hosts Jason Cameron and Tony Siragusa build a free-standing, office-style man cave for “The Office” star Rainn Wilson.
◊“Mental” (8 p.m. on Fox): This new medical drama follows Dr. Jack Gallagher (Chris Vance), a young psychiatrist who serves as Director of Mental Health Services at a Los Angeles hospital. At work he must reconcile his unorthodox treatment methods with his conservative boss, hospital administrator Nora Skoff (Annabella Sciorra), a woman with whom he shares a romantic past.
◊“New World Order” (5:45 p.m. on IFC): This documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at the underground movement of people who want to expose “global elitists,” whom they claim are covertly masterminding a series of destructive events to cause a mass breakdown of the world’s economy and society.
◊“Reaper” (7 p.m. on CW): In the Season 2 finale, Sam and Andi try to find Tony (Ken Marino, “Party Down”) to help them translate the scroll Nina brought back from Hell.
◊“Science of the Movies” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This new series explores the scientific world that exists behind the screen, spotlighting the visionary artists, entrepreneurial spirit, innovative technology and techniques responsible for creating unforgettable moments in  blockbuster films.
◊“Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood” (9 p.m. on Oxygen): Actress Tori Spelling and her husband, Dean McDermott, open their fourth season as they return to the pressures of living and working in Tinseltown, this time with the added stress of new parenthood.
◊“TV’s 50 Funniest Phrases” (7 p.m. on NBC): NBC and The Paley Center for Media count down 50 of the all-time funniest catch phrases said on television in this two-hour special. With great scenes from the shows and interviews with the stars who brought the lines to life, this program will celebrate the history and humor of catch phrases.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27
◊“American Masters” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In “Hollywood Chinese,” B.D. Wong (‘‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”), Nancy Kwan (‘‘Flower Drum Song”) and Joan Chen (‘‘The Last Emperor”) are among the artists sharing their perspectives on how Chinese people have been portrayed in film over the past 90 years.
◊“Criminal Minds” (9 p.m. on CBS): While investigating the kidnapping of a young boy in Las Vegas, Dr. Reid begins to have dreams that may help reveal some buried memories from his childhood. Jane Lynch (“Glee”) guest stars as Dr. Reid’s mother.
◊“George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All-Star Concert” (7 p.m. on CBS): Currently riding the crest of a 25-year career, ‘‘the king of country” is saluted by peers and colleagues at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Scheduled performers include Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack.
◊“The Goode Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): This new animated series from Mike Judge (“King of the Hill”) follows Gerald and Helen Goode, a couple determined to obliterate their carbon footprint on the planet. They’re zealous vegans, they drive a hybrid and they recycle everything possible.
◊“Joan Mitchell: Portrait of an Abstract Painter” (6 p.m. on Sundance): This documentary reflects on the life and art of the late Joan Mitchell. She is revealed as a pioneering female artist and one of the only women who was part of the Abstract Expressionist circle in New York.
◊“The Nine” (9 p.m. on DirecTV): This series aired in 2000 on ABC but was cancelled after nine episodes. All 13 episodes that were produced, including four that were never broadcast, will air on DirecTV’s 101 Network over the next 13 weeks.
◊“Tattoo Highway” (9 p.m. on A&E): In this new series, master tattoo artist Thomas Pendelton and his wife-business partner, Monica, take a cross-country road trip in a 1970s tour bus they have transformed into a rolling tattoo parlor.
◊“True Hollywood Stories: 10 Greatest Stories Ever Told” (9 p.m. on E!): The 500th episode of this documentary series counts down the most memorable installments. The 10 subjects that made the cut were chosen for aspects of their stories that continue to have relevance today.
◊“Wipeout” (7 p.m. on ABC): Season 2 returns with contestants competing on the world’s largest extreme obstacle course. New obstacles include Hurtles and Sweeper Gyro, Gears of Doom and the Motivator, a massive anvil that sneaks up on contestants.

THURSDAY, MAY 28
◊“The 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee” (7 p.m. on ABC): Tom Bergeron (“Dancing with the Stars”) hosts live television coverage of the final championship rounds as 293 spellers from around the world compete. ESPN will air semifinal rounds from 9 a.m. to noon.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): When the CSI team investigates a case involving the world of domination, Grissom pays a visit to Lady Heather (Melinda Clarke, “The O.C.”) to help find some answers.
◊“Guest of Cindy Sherman” (6 p.m. on Sundance): This documentary is a snapshot of photographer Cindy Sherman through her relationship with artist-turned-cable TV-host, Paul Hasegawa-Overacker, aka Paul H-O.
◊“Kick Like a Girl” (5 p.m. on HBO): This documentary tells the story of a third-grade soccer team that defied gender prejudice to compete with the boys.
◊“The Oprah Effect” (8 p.m. on CNBC): This news special hosted by Carl Quintanilla goes inside businesses to explain Oprah Winfrey’s unparalleled impact on their bottom line, their secrets to getting on her show and how this so-called Oprah Effect continues to translate her brand and others into big business.
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW): Sam and Dean are stunned when the spirits of Meg (Oklahoma actress Nikki Aycox, “Over There”) and Agent Henricksen appear and accuse the Winchesters of failing them.

FRIDAY, MAY 29
◊“Agnes Martin: With My Back to the World” (6 p.m. on Sundance): “I’m very careful not to have ideas, because they’re inaccurate,” says abstract expressionist painter Agnes Martin in this documentary about her. But it’s a lie, as she was full of ideas and dispenses them engagingly in the course of this film.
◊“Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (7 p.m. on Fox): Gary Dell Abate (“Baba Booey” from “The Howard Stern Show”) takes center stage to fill in missing lyrics in the hopes of raising $1 million dollars for LIFEbeat, a music industry charity that fights AIDS. When he gets stuck locking in his lyrics, Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray) backs him up.
◊“Ladette to Lady” (7 p.m. on Sundance): It is the final week, and with it will bring the emergence of a lady. The three final ladettes are not only trying to complete their tasks with high marks, but get ready for the graduation ceremony.
◊“Nature’s Most Amazing Events” (7 p.m. on Discovery): This six-hour high definition series spotlights explosive events of nature triggered by seasonal change and vast climate change. The first two installments feature polar bears battling climate change and grizzly bear cubs emerging from winter dens. The remaining installments air Saturday and May 31.
◊“The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (10:35 p.m. on NBC): “Tonight Show” heir Conan O’Brien is scheduled to be the final guest to sit on the couch during Jay Leno’s last show as host of the franchise. O’Brien, who has appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” 16 times previously, will be taking over the hosting duties on June 1.
◊“Un-Broke: What You Need to Know Anout Money” (8 p.m. on ABC): This special takes an unconventional look at the fundamentals of everyday finance with all the facts about credit cards, mortgages and investing in a fresh new format combining information and humor. Will Smith (“Seven Pounds”) gets down to basics with a boardroom full of corporate finance executives while the Jonas Brothers teach screaming teenage girls the mysteries of the stock market.
◊“What Not to Wear” (8 p.m. on TLC): Hosts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly return for a seventh season of makeovers that transform the fashion-challenged from the inside and out. The season premiere features Mayim Bialik (“Blossom”).

SATURDAY, MAY 30
◊“American Idol Rewind: Carrie Underwood Special” (5 p.m. on TV Guide Network, (4 on Cox, 117 on Dish Network, 237 on DirecTV): Through clips and interviews, find out what inspired the girl from Checotah to audition for Season 4 of ◊“American Idol.” She also reveals how she made her very first appearance before the judges a memorable one — by clucking like a chicken.
◊“Maneater” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Sarah Chalke stars in this miniseries as a shallow socialite with an elaborate plan to lasso a filmmaker to marry her. It concludes May 31.
◊“Nature’s Most Amazing Events” (7 p.m. on Discovery): The next two installments of this high definition series feature more than a million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrating on Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains and nearly a billion sardines arriving along South Africa’s east coast.
◊“OKC Metro” (5:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Host Gerry Bonds discusses the recent University of Oklahoma women’s basketball season with head coach Sherri Coale and freshman sensation Whitney Hand.
◊“Pete Correale: The Things We Do For Love” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central): Comedian Pete Correale discusses why gossiping, assembling IKEA furniture and going to nude beaches just wouldn’t be the same without his wife.
◊“Pushing Daisies” (9 p.m. on ABC): ABC has canceled this comedy series, but the network the remaining three unseen episodes. In this episode, Emerson and Chuck team up when Ned refuses to use his “gift.” Richard Benjamin (“Henry Poole Is Here”) and George Segal (“Just Shoot Me!”) guest star.
◊“Safe Harbor” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Treat Williams (“Everwood”) and Nancy Travis (“The Bill Engvall Show”) star in this true story of a Florida couple helping troubled boys chart a new course for their lives.

– Penny TV

---

Casting for “RuPaul’s Drag Race” kicks off May 1

   Miss an episode of Logo’s original series “RuPaul’s Drag Race”? Catch Season 1 episodes online at www.RuPaulsDragRace.com.
   Want to be a contestant on second season of the show? Casting begins May 1 on www.RuPaulsDragRaceCasting.com. Drag performing hopefuls will have the opportunity to submit themselves for consideration for the show which gives viewers a bird’s eye view of what it takes for these performers to transform themselves, as well as a few secrets about the artistry of drag.
   Season 2 is scheduled for an early 2010 premiere on Logo (channel 183 on Cox Digital Cable and U-verse, 272 on DirecTV).
   On the first season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” thousands applied but only nine men were chosen to fight for the title of America’s next drag queen superstar. Bebe Zahara Benet won the title, as well as $20,000 cash, a headlining tour, a feature photo spread in PAPER Magazine and a portrait by renowned photographer Greg Gorman for the l.a. Eyeworks designer eyewear campaign.
–Penny TV

---

Powered by Wordpress | WP Premium theme by WP Remix
Copyright 2007. Television Blog. All rights reserved

• Home
• RSS Feed
• Newsok | A&E