16 TV Premieres and Finales airing
March 22-28
"The Penguins of Madagascar" (Nickelodeon Photo)
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 March 22.
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
••“The Spectacular Spider-Man,” 6:30 p.m. Monday on Disney XD (network premiere).
••“Roomates,” 8 p.m. Monday on ABC Family (series premiere).
••“Sophie,” 8:30 p.m. Monday on ABC Family (series premiere).
••“Table For 12,” 9 p.m. Monday on TLC (series premiere).
••“Revealed,” 7 p.m. Wednesday on Gospel Music Channel (series premiere).
••“American Idol Extra,” 6 p.m. Thursday on Fox Reality Channel (fourth-season premiere).
••“In the Motherhood,” 7 p.m. Thursday on ABC (series premiere).
••“The Penguins of Madagascar,” 8:30 p.m. Saturday on Nickelodeon (series premiere).
ENDINGS
••“Camp Woodward,” 7:30 p.m. Sunday on Fuel TV (series finale).
••“Big Love,” 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO (third-season finale).
••“Eastbound & Down,” 9:30 p.m. Sunday on HBO (first-season finale).
••“The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” 7 p.m. Monday on ABC Family (first-season finale).
••“Bad Girls Club,” 9 p.m. Tuesday on Oxygen (third-season finale).
••“Real Vice Cops Uncut,” 10 p.m. Tuesday on SPIKE (second-season finale).
••“Little Miss Perfect,” 9 p.m. Wednesday on Wetv (first-season finale).
••“Mistresses,” 8 p.m. Friday on BBC America (first-season finale).
Top 55 TV Programs for March 22-28, 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 March 22:
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
◊“Big Love” (8 p.m. on HBO): In the third-season finale, Nicki’s web of secrets gets more tangled when a surprise visitor comes to see her at the compound.
◊“Camp Woodward” (7:30 p.m. on Fuel TV): This series, which followed three teenaged action sports athletes spending the summer at a sports training facility in Pennsylvania, ends its run. See what new tricks and life lessons Larry Schmidt and Cody Davis and BMXer Hunter Bagent take away from their camp experience.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): The team tries to determine if a homeless and severely delusional paranoid schizophrenic killed his former psychiatrist by arson in 2004 — before dropping out of college and fully losing his grip on reality. Songs recorded by John Lennon are featured throughout the episode.
◊“The Color of Magic” (6 p.m. on ION): Based on the first two books in best-selling author Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, this four-hour miniseries follows the adventures of a wizardry student (David Jason, “Hogfather”) who guides a tourist (Sean Astin, “Rudy”) through a magical realm.
◊“Craig Ferguson: A Wee Bit O’ Revolution” (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): “The Late, Late Show” host Craig Ferguson steps out from behind his desk for his first stand-up comedy special in which he speaks about his experiences in rehab and living life on the edge.
◊“Dateline” (6 p.m. on NBC): With exclusive accounts from insiders and whistleblowers speaking out for the first time, NBC News’ Chris Hansen reports on who knew what and when, and explains how risky home loans helped cause a chain reaction that led to failures on Wall Street and the near collapse of the American Economy.
◊“Eastbound & Down” (9:30 p.m. on HBO): Kenny says goodbye to his life as a school teacher after scoring a big-league job offer in Miami.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): The team travels to Tucson, Ariz., to rebuild the home for the family of a 14-year-old girl suffering from a life-threatening blood disease who has dedicated her life to spreading awareness about blood donations. Jo Frost (“Supernanny”) volunteers with Designer Eduardo Xol at one of the family’s blood drive events for collecting and redistributing toys for ill children in the community.
◊“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): Complications arise when Gath and Shiloh military officials gather to sign the much-anticipated peace treaty.David’s noticeable absence at the peace treaty signing is called into question by Gath’s leader, impeding the ceremony.
◊“Storm Stories” (7 p.m. on The Weather Channel): A search and rescue operation is launched when a California family looking for a Christmas tree in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains gets lost when a snowstorm hits.
◊“The Unit” (9 p.m. on CBS): Series star Dennis Haysbert (Jonas) directed this episode in which the Unite fights to rescue Jonas’ old friend. But a broken helicopter gas tank and nearby guerillas impede their mission.
◊“Yellowstone” (7 p.m. on Animal Planet): This new special follows the grey wolf, grizzly bear and herds of buffalo and antelope over the course of a year in one of the world’s most spectacular wildernesses.
MONDAY, MARCH 23
◊“Chuck” (7 p.m. on NBC): Chuck doesn’t know who to trust anymore when he finds the creator of the Intersect computer. Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”) guest stars.
◊“CMT Crossroads: Shooter Jennings and Jamey Johnson” (9 p.m. on CMT): Known for their outlaw ways and their tremendous songwriting, rocker Shooter Jennings and Grammy nominee Jamey Johnson come together for a concert special taped before an invitation only audience in Nashville earlier this month. The duo collaborate on Johnson’s “High Cost of Living,” “Between Jennings and Jones” and his Grammy-nominated single “In Color.” They also perform Jennings’ “God Bless Alabama” and a cover of his father, Waylon Jennings’ song, “Outlaw Bit.”
◊“Heroes” (8 p.m. on NBC): The identity of “Rebel” is revealed with chilling consequences. Swoosie Kurtz (“Pushing Daisies”) guest stars.
◊“One Tree Hill” (8 p.m. on CW): Lucas and Julian hit a setback with the production of the film. Peyton and Haley help Mia with her new single. James Van Der Beek (“Dawson’s Creek”) guest stars.
◊“The Powder & the Glory” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): Narrated by Jane Alexander, this one-hour presentation chronicles the lives and careers of Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, two immigrant visionaries who started with next to nothing and transformed cosmetics into a necessity for all women.
◊“Roomates” (8 p.m. on ABC Family): Tamera Mowry (“Sister, Sister”) stars in this new comedy series that follows a group of friends in Manhattan trying to figure out love and life in their post-collegiate years.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): The death of a woman in the home of a well-known architect (Elias Koteas, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) opens Grace’s eyes to a new world. And Clay has a new friend (Malcolm David Kelley, “Lost”) who is also helping out at the police station.
◊“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In the first-season finale, Amy gives birth to her son as friends and family gather at the hospital to support the Juergens family. After hours of labor the baby is finally born, and a deliriously tired Amy and Ashley decide to name him together.
◊“Sophie” (8:30 p.m. on ABC Family): This new series follows Sophie Parker (Natalie Brown), who appears to have everything in order: a sweet boyfriend, a successful talent agency and good friends. But all at once, everything falls apart.
◊“The Spectacular Spider-Man” (6:30 p.m. on Disney XD): The network will welcome the animated series to its lineup with three back-to-back episodes from the show’s first season. The second season of the series, based on Marvel Entertainment’s popular Super Hero, will debut with all-new original episodes in Summer 2009.
◊“Table For 12″ (9 p.m. on TLC): This new series follows the Hayes family, previously seen on the TLC special “Twins, Twins, and Sextuplets.” Eric, a police officer, and Betty, a stay-at-home mom, raise a brood that consists of 12-year-old twin boys Kevin and Kyle, 10-year-old twins Kieran and Meghan, and 4-year-old sextuplets Tara, Rachel, Ryan, Connor, EJ and Rebecca, who has cerebral palsy and is extremely special to the family.
◊“Top Gear” (7 p.m. on BBC America): James travels to California to take a look at what is being hailed as the future of motoring — the hydrogen powered Honda Clarity. The star with the reasonably priced car segment features singer Tom Jones.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): The guys bump into Jake’s former teacher (Alicia Witt, Cybill”) who became a stripper after a fling with Charlie. Charlie tries to help her out by giving her a room and a job, but things spiral out of control.
TUESDAY, MARCH 24
◊“According to Jim” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): Penny Marshall (“Laverne & Shirley”) directed this episode in which Jim realizes that Cheryl has taken a strong interest in yoga with a male instructor she raves about. Jim becomes jealous and tries to figure what the hype is all about by joining her class.
◊“Bad Girls Club” (9 p.m. on Oxygen): In the third-season finale, the girls return from Mexico for their final days in the house. But the days don’t end quietly when Amber M. admits that she has a problem with one of the roommate’s closets friends.
◊“Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood” (7 p.m. on TCM): Oscar-winning filmmakers Peggy Stern and John Canemaker (‘‘The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation”) delve into the memories of Hollywood animator Chuck Jones, who created Daffy Duck, Pepe Le Pew and the Road Runner. The half-hour film also includes an interview with Jones and newly created animated segments.
◊“Cruise Inc: Big Money on the High Seas” (8 p.m. on CNBC): Get a look inside the $30 billion dollar cruise industry in this report from Correspondent Peter Greenberg, who spends seven days aboard the Norwegian Pearl, one of the newest in Norwegian Cruise Line’s fleet. The 14-story floating city that sails the Caribbean has a full-service medical center, a state-of-the-art surveillance system and offers passengers everything from sushi-making to Bingo to Botox.
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Interviews with leading fiscal experts and insiders in government finance illuminate this film, which investigates the causes, possible outcomes and potential solutions to America’s staggering $10 trillion debt.
◊“Nova: Extreme Ice” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This National Geographic special follows photojournalist James Balog to apline and arctic locations across the Northern Hemisphere to capture time-lapsed footage for his Extreme Ince Survey. His findings reveal massive glaciers and ice sheets splitting apart, collapsing and disappearing at a rate that has more and more scientists alarmed.
◊“Without a Trace” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): During the search for a missing psychologist, the team discovers the victim’s brother was imprisoned for serial rape, which makes them question if his brother’s past is connected to the disappearance. Meanwhile, Martin’s relationship with Kim (Vanessa Marcil, “Las Vegas”) heats up.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25
◊“Great Performances” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Ian McKellen (“Lord of the Rings”) gives a tour-de-force performance as Shapespeare’s tragic titular monarch in this special television adaptation of the Royal Shapespeare Company’s (RSC) production. This marks McKellen’s return to the RSC after a 17-year hiatus.
◊“Law & Order” (9 p.m. on NBC): While investigating the murder of television reporter Dawn Prescott, detectives Lupo and Bernard discover that she was involved in a love triangle involving another reporter at the station.
◊“Lie to Me” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the wake of a building collapse in a small town outside Washington, Lightman is brought in to determine who is at fault and winds up discovering a massive cover-up.
◊“Life” (8 p.m. on NBC): When a Los Angeles coroner is found murdered, his co-workers become prime suspects. Crews and Seever are under pressure to quickly solve the case, because if the killer is another coroner, countless murder cases could be compromised.
◊“Revealed” (7 p.m. on Gospel Music Channel): This new series takes viewers behind the scenes with gospel artists, who perform and share the stories behind the hits they have created. The first episode will feature Third Day with and in-depth look into the making of their album Revelation.
◊“Survivor: Tocantins” (7 pm. on CBS): This special Wednesday episode features a re-cap of what happened during the first 15 days in Tocantins, Brazil, and includes some never-before-seen footage.
◊“They Killed Sister Dorothy” (7 p.m. on HBO2): Martin Sheen (“The West Wing”) narrates this new documentary tells the story of a U.S. nun’s murder in the Brazilian rainforest and the trial that followed.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26
◊“American Idol Extra” (6 p.m. on Fox Reality Channel): Jillian Reynolds (“Good Day LA”) and Ace Young (Season 5 “American Idol ” finalist) co-host Season 4 of the series that gives viewers the first in-depth interview each week with the Top 10 Idol finalists, moments after their emotional elimination. Constantine Maroulis (Season 4 “American Idol” contender) returns as a special field correspondent.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): The half-eaten body of Cam’s former fiancee is found in the tiger cage at the zoo, and Booth and Brennan determine the death was no accident. Chad Lowe (“Life Goes On”) guest stars.
◊“ER” (9 p.m. on NBC): Many of the emergency room doctors and nurses help out at Camp Del Corazon, a camp for youngsters who have had open heart surgery. Tom Arnold (“Roseanne”) guest stars as the camp counselor.
◊“Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m. on Fox): During dinner service in a packed restaurant, tensions always run high. However, when a few celebrities (guest stars Eric McCormack and Robert Patrick) stop by for dinner the intensity really heats up.
◊“In the Motherhood” (7 p.m. on ABC): Megan Mullally (“Will & Grace”) and Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) star in this new comedy that takes a look at the importance of family and friends while trying to juggle motherhood, work and love lives in an overly complicated modern world. It is based on a popular Web series of the same name.
◊“Private Practice” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): Cooper struggles with a patient’s mother, who is allowing her 12-year-old daughter to be sexually active. Josh Hopkins (“Swingtown”) and Amanda Detmer (“What About Brian”) guest star.
FRIDAY, MARCH 27
◊“The Electric Company” (4 p.m. on OETA-13): With the help of her hypnotist uncle, Annie switches brains with Lisa. The Electric Company needs to find a way to switch them back before Annie ruins Lisa’s good name with her neighborhood pranks. Grammy award-winning musician Wyclef Jean guest stars.
◊“Friday Night Lights” (8 p.m. on NBC): Lyla is still reeling after discovering that her father gambled away her college fund after she has been accepted to the college of her dreams.
◊“The Game” (7:30 p.m. on CW): When the recently fired Tasha discovers that Kelly is still working at ISM, she accuses her friend of betrayal. Stacey Dash (“Clueless”) guest stars.
◊“Her Story” (7 p.m. on ESPN): Hannah Storm (“SportsCenter”) hosts this special that highlights up-and-coming athletes, as well as the issues they face. It includes interviews with Courtney and Ashley Paris, daughters of former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Bubba Paris, who will help the University Oklahoma contend for the NCAA women’s basketball title.
◊“Mistresses” (8 p.m. on BBC America): In the Season 1 finale, Trudi struggles with her shocking discovery about Paul, while Siobhan wrestles with her decision about keeping the baby.
◊“Party Down” (9:30 p.m. on Starz): Fred Savage (“The Wonder Years”) directed this episode in which the catering team works the California College Conservative Union Caucus and anxiously awaits the arrival of keynote speaker Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
◊“Stargate: The Ark of Truth” (8 p.m. on SCI FI): This new movie starring “Stargate” series favorites Amanda Tapping, Beau Bridges, Ben Browder and Claudia Black, picks up after the “SG-1″ series finale. Searching for an ancient weapon which could help them defeat the sinister Ori force, SG-1 discovers it may be in the Ori’s own home galaxy and the crew finds themselves fighting two powerful enemies.
◊“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (7 p.m. on Fox): Fearing for her life, Sarah stashes John in a safe house with the only person she believes she can rely on, Charley Dixon (Dean Winters, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”).
SATURDAY, MARCH 28
◊The 22nd Annual Kids’ Choice Awards (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hosts this star-studded, slime-filled live telecast in which youngsters honor their favorites from the worlds of film, music, sports and television. Stars scheduled to appear include Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, Michael Phelps, Rihanna, Will Smith, Jennifer Aniston, Anne Hathaway and Reese Witherspoon.
◊“Nora Roberts’ Midnight Bayou” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Harvard-educated lawyer Declan Fitzpatrick (Jerry O’Connell, “Carpoolers”) gives up his comfortable life to buy a newly restored plantation manor near New Orleans. Legend has it the place is haunted, and shortly after Declan moves in, he starts hearing voices and seeing inexplicable apparations.
◊“The Penguins of Madagascar” (8:30 p.m. on Nickelodeon): This new animated comedy series is based on the penguin brothers from the “Madagascar” movies. It features all-new adventures of Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private, who rule the roost at their Central Park Zoo home. Throughout the season, new animals will be introduced along with old friends from the “Madagascar” movies.
Program Planner: Jan. 18-24
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 Jan. 18:
SUNDAY, JAN. 18
◊“America’s Next Top Model Obsessed” (10 a.m. on Oxygen): In addition to airing a 12-hour marathon of the most current season, this programming block will include vignettes featuring past contestants and judges.
◊“Another Cinderella Story” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): This high-energy, comedic twist on the classic fairy tale stars Selena Gomez (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) as downtrodden teen Mary Santiago, Drew Seeley (“High School Musical” concert tour) as pop idol Joey Parker and Jane Lynch (“Talladega Nights”) as Dominique, Mary’s evil legal guardian.
◊“Big Love” (8 p.m. on HBO): In the face of a do-it-yourself market and a crackdown on polygamists, Bill wants to protect his growing family and his chain of Home Plus superstores by diversifying his business operations and building neighborhood goodwill. And as if his life wasn’t complicated enough already, he wants to take a fourth wife.
◊“Desperate Housewives” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the show’s 100th episode, neighborhood handyman Eli Scruggs (Beau Bridges, “Stargate SG-1”) dies, and all the women reminisce about how he touched their lives — from helping Gabrielle (Eva Longoria Parker) make friends when she was new to Wisteria Lane to lending a hand to an overwhelmed Lynette (Felicity Huffman).
◊“Flight of the Conchords” (9 p.m. on HBO): In the show’s second season, transplanted New Zealanders Jemaine and Bret resort to a variety of unconventional strategies in an attempt to jump-start their lives and music careers.
◊“The L Word” (8 p.m. on Showtime): A major character is dead, and the show’s final season will be devoted to flashbacks of the events leading up to the tragedy.
◊“Masterpiece Classic” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This new adaptation of Emily Bronte’s novel “Wuthering Heights” stars Tom Hardy (‘‘Marie Antoinette”) as Heathcliff, the foundling who is taken in by a wealthy family and falls in love with his adoptive sister, Cathy (Charlotte Riley).
◊“Oklahoma High School Sports Express” (11 p.m. on KOKH-25): This locally-produced sports show hosted by Van Shea Iven will feature plays of the year from football and highlights from several basketball tournaments.
◊“State of Creativity” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): The premiere episode of this documentary series focuses on Kyle Bratcher, 7, from Midwest City and his battle against radiation necrosis, a devastating consequence of cancer treatments performed to save his life.
◊“United States of Tara” (9 p.m. on Showtime): Tony Collette (“Little Miss Sunshine”) plays the title character, a wife and mother who has several alternate personalities, including a promiscuous teenage girl, a happy homemaker and a biker dude.
◊“We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial” (6 p.m. on HBO): Scheduled performers for the event that kicks off the inaugural opening festivities are Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, John Legend, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Texas A&M in women’s basketball action airing live at 3 p.m. on FSOK.
MONDAY, JAN. 19
◊“The American Future: A History by Simon Schama” (7 p.m. today and Tuesday on BBC America): This four-part series shot against the backdrop of the U.S. presidential campaign features historian Simon Schama traveling throughout America to dig deep into the conflicts of its history to understand just what is at stake right now. Schama is a Professor of Art History and History at Columbia University.
◊“CSI: NY” marathon (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday on SPIKE): It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and SPIKE celebrates with 10 back-to-back episodes of the CBS crime drama.
◊“Look Around You” (12 a.m. on Cartoon Network): This British comedy series offers parodies of educational programs of the ‘70s and early ‘80s. Series creators Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz start in the show and perform the music for the series.
◊“The Powerpuff Girls Rule!!!” (7 p.m. on Cartoon Network): This new half-hour animated special follows super-powered sisters Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup as they take to the skies once more for their biggest battle yet. Craig McCracken, who created the Emmy-winning series “The Powerpuff Girls,” selected his favorite episodes for a 14-hour marathon airing from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.
◊“Paranormal State” (9 p.m. on A&E): Ryan Buell, the director and founder of the Paranormal Research Society (PRS), returns for a third season of this real-life series. He and his group of Penn State University students delve into other worlds to solve a variety of cases.
◊“The Story of India” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Michael Wood’s “10,000-year epic” concludes with the coming of Islam to the Indian subcontinent and the time of the British occupation of India.
◊“Will Work For Food” (7:30 p.m. on Food Network): Adam Gertner, who was a finalist on Season 4 of “The Next Food Network Star,” pairs his comedic timing with an adventurous spirit in this new series.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20
◊“10 Items of Less” (10 p.m. on TBS): Paramount rejects Leslie’s idea of holding a Star Trek convention at Greens & Grains, so he decides to hold a Star Trok convention instead. And when Jolene Blalock from “Enterprise” shows up for her celebrity appearance, an exploding refrigerator compressor traps her in the store.
◊“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): On the night of Barack Obama’s historic inauguration, the series examines the rich personal and political biography of the 44th president of the United States.
◊“The Neighborhood Inaugural Ball” (7 p.m. on ABC): This event airing live from the Washington Convention Center will include the President and First Lady’s first dance of the night and performances by various recording artists.
◊“Nova” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment titled “The Big Energy Gamble” looks at what’s being done to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels. Actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. and ‘‘Science Guy” Bill Nye are among the commentators.
◊Presidential Inauguration 2009 (9 a.m. on ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox News, 10 a.m. on PBS): Barack Obama takes the oath of office as the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Patricia Neal was born on this day in 1926, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of her films, including 1949′s “John Loves Mary” (8:30 a.m.) and 1968′s “The Subject was Roses” (4:30 p.m.).
◊Norman takes on Westmoore in high school basketball action airing live at 6 p.m. on Cox.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
◊“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. Tim Matheson (“The West Wing”) directs the episode.
◊“Lie to Me” (8:02 p.m. on Fox)(Fox Photo of cast above): This new series stars Tim Roth as superobservant Dr. Cal Lightman, who works with law enforcement. His specialty is lie detecting; he can spot a fib a mile away, and this skill is in demand from more than just the police.
◊“Lost Clip Show” (7 p.m. on ABC): This special will take an in-depth look at the mysteries of the island, its inhabitants, the Oceanic 6, outside influences such as Charles Widmore, and also delve into some of the questions that have been answered, and others that still remain a mystery. The show’s fifth season premieres at 8 p.m.
◊Oklahoma State University takes on Missouri in men’s basketball action airing live at 8 p.m. on KOCB-34.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Nebraska in men’s basketball action airing live at 8 p.m. on ESPNU.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Colorado in women’s basketball action airing live at 8 p.m. on Cox.
THURSDAY, JAN. 22
◊The 2009 Academy Awards Nominations (7:30 a.m. on ABC, NBC, CBS, E!): Nominations for the 81st annual Academy Awards will be announced. Oscars will be handed out at the awards ceremony airing live Feb. 22 on ABC.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): As time runs out for Bailey’s young patient, Meredith fights to grant a death row inmate’s wish to donate his organs to the boy. Jessica Capshaw (“The Practice”) and Eric Stoltz (“Mask”) guest star.
◊“Living With rhe Tribe” (10 p.m. on Travel): In Season 3, explorers Mark Anstice and Oliver Steeds travel to the Peruvian Amazon to experience life with the remote Machigenga.
◊“The This Old House Hour” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): A Brooklyn brownstone built in 1904 is the show’s latest renovation project. The building used to be a rooming house and will be transformed into a three-family home. Designer Carole Freehauf joins the team for this project.
◊Winter X Games (8 p.m. on ESPN): Coverage of the 13th annual sporting event begins with finals in snowmobiling, SuperPipe skiing and snowboarding. ESPN and ABC will televise 15 hours of live high-definition programming through Jan. 25.
FRIDAY, JAN. 23
◊“Friday Night Lights” (8 p.m. on NBC): Smash struggles with his confidence on the field as Coach Taylor preps him for college tryouts.
◊“Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m. on CBS): Series star Jennifer Love Hewitt (Melinda Gordon) makes her directorial debut with this episode, in which Melinda confronts a crisis that grips the whole town — the unearthing of a grave that leads to a mass haunting.
◊“Supernanny” (8 p.m. on ABC): Jo Frost handles two sets of twins at once for the first time when she returns to the United Kingdom on a mission to save a family on the brink.
◊“Wolverine and the X-Men” (7 p.m. Friday on Nicktoons, channel 153 on Cox Digital Cable, 178 on Dish Network): This new animated series based on Marvel Comic’s popular Super Heroes follows Wolverine as he reunites the X-Men in an attempt to save the world.
◊Edmond Memorial takes on Edmond North in high school basketball action airing live at 6 p.m. on Cox.
SATURDAY, JAN. 24
◊“The Diplomat” (6 p.m. on ION): This four-hour miniseries inspired by actual events stars Dougray Scott as Ian Porter, a disillusioned British diplomat who is believed to be doing business with a Russian arms and drugs trafficker. When he refuses to cooperate with Scotland Yard, suspicions mount and Porter must try to complete his secret mission before warring intelligence agencies and incompetent police forces cause irreparable damage to worldwide security.
◊“Gone Country” (7 p.m. on CMT): Singer John Rich (Big & Rich) returns as host of this series that brings together celebrities hoping to create a hit country music single. Contenders for Season 3 are Rock and Roll Hall of Famer George Clinton, Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner; actress Taylor Dayne (“Rude Awakening”), The Monkees drummer Micky Dolenz, percussionist Sheila E., actor Richard Grieco (“Booker”) and “American Idol” alum Justin Guarini.
◊“Miss America Live” (7 p.m. on TLC): Mario Lopez (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) will host the 84th annual event live from the Planet Holllywood Resort and Casino in Nevada. Representing Oklahoma will be Kelsey Cartwright of Collinsville.
◊“Prayers for Bobby” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Sigourney Weaver plays a devout mother who can’t accept her son’s homosexuality and urges him to get more involved in the church. Eventually the young man is overcome with depression and commits suicide, and his guilt-ridden mother reaches out to the gay and lesbian community and becomes a gay rights activist.
◊Oklahoma State University takes on Texas A&M in women’s basketball action airing live at 6 p.m. on KOCB-34.
◊Oklahoma State University takes on Nebraska in men’s basketball action airing live at 3 p.m. on KOCB-34.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Baylor in men’s basketball action airing live at 3 p.m. on ESPNU.
◊Games from the Jenks Basketball Tournament will air live at 7 p.m. on Cox.
–Penny TV
Program Planner: Nov. 30-Dec. 6
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 Nov. 30:
SUNDAY NOV. 30
◊“Britney Spears: For the Record” (8 p.m. on MTV): Britney Spears granted access to filmmaker Phil Griffin to tell her side of the story in her own words in this 90-minute documentary. It includes footage of Spears recording her new album “Circus” that will be released Dec. 2 on her 27th birthday.
◊“Britz” (7 p.m. today and Monday on BBC America): This two-part drama tells the story of brother and sister Sohail and Nasima (Riz Ahmed, Manjinder Virk), British-born Muslims who have conflicting personal experiences in post 9/11 Britain.
◊“Cheech & Chong Roast” (9 p.m. on TBS): In this new special, friends and fellow stars pay tribute to Richard Anthony “Cheech” Marin and Tommy Chong. Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) hosts the event and roasters include Tom Arnold (“Roseanne”), television journalist Geraldo Rivera, magicians Penn & Teller and Wilmer Valderrama (“That ’70s Show”).
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): Rush and the team reopen the 2005 murder case of a young black politician who vowed to rid the lower-class neighborhood he grew up in of drug dealers. Jonathan LaPaglia (“The District”) guest stars as Assistant District Attorney Curtis Bell.
◊“Faith Hill, Joy to the World” (7 p.m. on CMT): backed by an orchestra led by conductor David Campbell, the Grammy winner performs holiday favorites from her upcoming Christmas album “Joy to the World.”
◊“Home For the Holidays” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Monica Pedersen (“Designed to Sell”) hosts this new special that shows viewers how HGTV’s top designers celebrate the season. Among those sharing holiday traditions with viewers are Vern Yip (“Deserving Design”), Kim Myles (“Myles of Style”) and Steve Watson (“Don’t Sweat It”).
◊“Laffapalooza!” (10 p.m. on TBS): Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”) hosts this comedy show that will feature performances by comedians Mark Curry, Sheryl Underwood, Earthquake, Corey Holcomb and Lavell Crawford.
◊“Mindhunter” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): Former FBI agent John Douglas interviews two of the nation’s most disturbing and violent serial killers, Joseph Kondro and Donald Harvey.
◊“Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood” (9:30 p.m. on E!): The series once again takes viewers inside the heartwarming, hilarious and refreshingly normal home life of this international icon and his family. Visitors to “Tha Hood” in Season 2 include football superstars Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, David Spade (“Just Shoot Me”) and Roy Jones Jr. (“The Matrix Reloaded”).
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on Connecticut in women’s college basketball action airing live at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
MONDAY, DEC. 1
◊“All of Us” (5 p.m. on Showtime): Airing on World AIDS Day, this new documentary profiles Mehret Mandefro, a doctor from Ethiopia who’s studying — and trying to stop — the spread of HIV among black American women.
◊“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (7:32 p.m. on ABC): Boris Karloff (“Frankenstein”) narrates and voices the
green-skinned grouch in this 1966 animated holiday story loved by all tall and small.
◊“Handy Manny” (8 a.m. on Disney): When Manny’s new vintage motorcycle breaks down on a deserted road, the tools are afraid they won’t be able to fix it before it gets dark. They search the motorcycle’s saddlebags and discover Flicker, a talking flashlight, that joins the cast in this animated series recently honored with an Environmental Media Award for best children’s live action/animated television program.
◊“I Am Because We Are” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This new documentary about Malawi’s AIDS orphans was written and produced by Madonna.
◊“I Survived …” (8 p.m. on Biography): Season 2 features all-new first-person survival accounts of ordinary people who encountered extraordinary challenges to their lives and survived to tell about it.
◊“Mom’s Cooking” (10 a.m. on Lifetime): In each episode of this new culinary series, host Joe Corsano follows participants as they surprise and enlist their mother to teach them how to make a treasured recipe step-by-step.
◊“Shrek the Halls” (7 p.m. on ABC): “Twas the night before Christmas and not a swamp rat did creep, as mother and babe played kazoo in their sleep….” That’s the story America’s favorite green ogre tells his family in this animated special featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Woody Allen was born on this day in 1935, and TCM celebrates by airing three of his films — 1969′s “Take the Money and Run” (1:30 p.m.), 1977’s “Annie Hall” (3 p.m.) and 1986’s “Hannah and Her Sisters” (5 p.m.).
TUESDAY, DEC. 2
◊2008 World Music Awards (7 p.m. on My Network TV): The 20th annual event will include performances by Alicia Keys, Kid Rock, Beyonce, Solange and others. Ringo Starr will accept the Diamond Award on behalf of The Beatles for selling more records than any other recording-artist in the history of the music industry.
◊“According to Jim” (8 p.m. on ABC): Jim Belushi returns for his eighth season as Jim, an all-American guy who is devoted to his wife and their five children. He loves his family, but he continues to test his wife’s patience with his stubborn antics.
◊“The Bad Girls Club” (9 p.m. on Oxygen): Season 3 will bring seven new “bad girls” together in a Los Angeles mansion. They have issues with anger, trust and control, and claim they want to change.
◊“Party Monsters: Cabo” (9 p.m. on E!): This new competition reality series takes nine party planners to the oceanfront LG Villa in Cabo to see who can throw the ultimate party. The contestants will present their party ideas to celebrity guests including P. Diddy, Carmen Electra, Brody Jenner and Lil Jon. The winner will receive a coveted celebrity event-planner position at LG worth $100,000.
◊“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” (7 p.m. on ABC): In this perennial favorite created in 1970 by Rankin-Bass Productions, Fred Astaire narrates the story of Kris Kringle, a young boy with a desire to do good things for others.
◊“Shatner’s Raw Nerve” (9 p.m. on Biography): Emmy winner William Shatner (“Boston Legal”) headlines his own edgy and off-beat celebrity interview series. In each 30-minute episode, Shatner will attempt to probe his guest’s most sensitive subjects and touch upon a “raw nerve.”
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3
◊“Christmas in Rockefeller Center” (7 p.m. on NBC): David Cook from Tulsa and Joe Don Rooney from Picher are planning to perform during the 76th annual tree lighting extravaganza at Rockefeller Center. Rooney will be there with his bandmates from Rascal Flatts. The telecast will be in high definition, so it will feel like you are there (except you won’t be as cold as those standing outside). Al Roker (”Today”) will host the event.
◊“Eyes on Kenya” (7 p.m. on My Network TV): Join Sir Roger Moore, Louis Gossett, Jr., Dean Cain, Shannon Elizabeth and other celebrities as they travel through Kenya. They travel through Nairobi visiting children in need, then go on safari to view animals in the wild.
◊“The Grammy Nominations Concert Live: Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night” (8 p.m. on CBS): For the first time, nominations for The 51st Annual Grammy Awards will announced live. The special will also celebrate the grand opening of the Grammy Museum at L.A. LIVE and feature performances by Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, B.B. King, John Mayer and Taylor Swift.
◊“Jacques D’Amboise in China: The Other Side of the World” (5:30 p.m. on HBO): This new special chronicles the dancer’s journey to Shanghai to direct a cross-cultural ensemble in a performance for the Shanghai Grand Theatre. D’Amboise is the founder of the National Dance Institute in New York City.
◊“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (7 p.m. on CBS): The navigational prowess of “the most famous reindeer of all” will again illuminate Santa Claus’ way into the Christmas season with this digitally re-mastered version of the 1964 animated special. Burl Ives narrates the story based on the popular song of the same title by Johnny Marks.
◊“Secret Millionaire” (7 p.m. on Fox): Based on the hit British series of the same name, this unscripted drama reveals the personal return that participating millionaires receive when they leave their fortunes to invest in those less fortunate.
◊“Spectacle: Elvis Costello With …” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This new music/talk series features an intimate conversation between host Elvis Costello and his guests, punctuated by musical performances by Costello, his guests and a wide variety of musicians. Confirmed guests for the 13-part series include Sir Elton John (first episode), Tony Bennett, Lou Reed and President Bill Clinton.
◊“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” (9 p.m. on CBS): Models Alessandra Ambrosio, Selita Ebanks, Doetzen Kroes, Adriana Lima, Marisa Miller and Miranda Kerr hit the runway for this edition of the special. Heidi Klum is also scheduled to make an appearance, and Usher is the musical guest.
THURSDAY, DEC. 4
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): When a young singer is found dead outside an infamous Las Vegas nightclub, the CSI team uncovers a link between the present day crime and a murder from over 50 years ago. Golden Globe Award winner Tippi Hedren (“The Birds”) and Emmy Award winner Robert Guillaume (“Benson”) guest star.
◊“Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2008” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): This list is drawn from the year’s most prominent names in entertainment, sports, politics and pop cultre. A few of the people making the 2008 honor roll include Tom Cruise, Tina Fey, Will Smith, Rush Limbaugh, Miley Cyrus and Michael Phelps. Last year, “Harry Potter” scribe J.K. Rowling took the No. 1 spot.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): Cristina is awarded the first solo surgery among the residents, but must give it up and choose her replacement. Guest stars include Melissa George (“Alias”), Mary McDonnell (“Battlestar Gallactica”) and Kevin McKidd (“Rome”).
◊“Eleventh Hour” (9 p.m. on CBS): When college students in Oklahoma begin dying of the bends — a condition of sudden decompression normally seen in scuba divers — Dr. Hood’s investigation uncovers a medical cover-up on campus.
◊Oklahoma State University takes on Washington in men’s college basketball action airing live at 10 p.m. on FSOK.
◊The University of Oklahoma takes on USC in men’s college basketball action airing live at 6 p.m. on ESPN2.
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
◊“Greatest Holiday Moments: TV & Film Countdown” (7 p.m. on NBC): This new special counts down the most memorable holiday moments from the big and small screens, from the old standbys such as ‘‘It’s a Wonderful Life” to modern classics such as ‘‘Home Alone.”
◊“Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): Drake Bell and Josh Peck reunite to make holiday memories in this original TV movie. Henry Winkler (“Happy Days”) and mixed martial arts fighter Kimbo Slice guest star as a fair-minded judge and good-hearted ex-jailbird who help Drake and Josh keep their Christmas promise to a family of foster kids.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): The bombing of a 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.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6
◊“The Christmas Choir” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Emmy winner Rhea Perlman (“Cheers”) and Jason Gedrick (“Windfall”) star in the new movie inspired by the true story of an accountant who convinces a nun to turn members of a homeless shelter into a choir.
◊“CMT Giants: Alan Jackson” (8 p.m. on CMT): This tribute to country music superstar Alan Jackson will feature performances by George Strait, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Dierks Bentley, Lee Ann Womack and Miranda Lambert.
◊“Flirting With Forty” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Heather Locklear (“Spin City”) stars as a divorced mother of two on the brink of her 40th birthday who, while on vacation, enters into a romance with a younger man (Robert Buckley, “Lipstick Jungle”).
–Penny TV
TV Talk: Oct. 26-Nov. 1
The Oklahoman’s TV Talk personalities Penny Soldan and Heather Warlick tape a weekly video for Newsok.tv that highlights upcoming TV programs worth watching.
They’re not fast talkers, but just in case you didn’t catch all the information for a show of interest, here is their script for the week of Oct. 26:
P: Hi, I’m Penny Soldan, this is Heather Warlick and this is TV Talk, The Oklahoman’s weekly countdown of the Top 10 programs worth watching — or at least setting the DVR or VCR for.
H: There are more than 100 reasons to watch No. 10. And Bravo will countdown those reasons from 3 to 10 p.m. Friday when it airs “100 Scariest Moments” and “Even Scarier Movie Moments.”
P: Our No. 9 pick will feature some real scary moments, as in real, not scripted. “Ghost Hunters Live” will air live from 6 p.m. to midnight Friday on SCI FI, and the TAPS team led by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson will be investigating paranormal events at Fort Delaware.
H: After a night of scary moments, relax with two new movies premiering Saturday and tying for No. 8 on our list. There’s “Center Stage: Turn It Up” at 7 p.m. on Oxygen, which is a sequel to the 2000 theatrical release. And “Archangel” at 7 p.m. on ION is a three-hour mystery movie starring the new James Bond, Daniel Craig.
P: Coming in an No. 7 are two new reality programs. “Coolio’s Rules” at 9 p.m. Tuesday on Oxygen follows the hip-hop star as he returns from life on the road and tries to get his family life in order. And “Shaken Not Stirred” at 8 p.m. Wednesday on My Network TV is the first in a series of specials that combine the old-school roast with edgy nighttime talk.
H: No. 6 is the British version of a popular American reality competition series. It is “Gladiators” and begins at 3 p.m. Saturday on BBC America. It features 12 new Gladiators who rule the arena and control the fate of the contenders.
P: No. 5 are five guest stars making appearances on five primetime shows. See Jamie-Lynn Sigler at 9 p.m. Sunday on HBO’s “Entourage,” Tony Hale at 7 p.m. Monday on NBC’s “Chuck,” Betty White at 9:02 p.m. Monday on ABC’s “Boston Legal,” Lauren Conrad at 8 p.m. Tuesday on ABC Family’s “Greek” and Ralph Macchio at 7 p.m. Thursday on ABC’s “Ugly Betty.”
H: “Lisa Williams: Voices From the Other Side” is No. 4. The English clairvoyant returns with a new five-episode special programming event airing at 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on Lifetime. In each episode, Williams will do one-on-one readings in a studio and impromptu meetings with people on the street.
P: No. 3 is “Legend of the Seeker,” a new syndicated fantasy series. It kicks off with a 2-hour premiere at 5 p.m. Saturday on KOKH-25 and follows the extraordinary travels of a woodsman who must stop a ruthless tyrant from unleashing an ancient evil.
H: No. 2 is the second-season finale of “Mad Men” at 9 p.m. Sunday on AMC. The series that is set at New York City’s Sterling Cooper Advertising Agency in the 1960s, won the Emmy for best drama series for its first season.
P: And No. 1, if you don’t count the Saturday’s college football games pitting the OU Sooners against Nebraska at 7 p.m. on either ABC or ESPN and the OSU Cowboys against Iowa State at 2:30 p.m. on ABC, is “30 Rock.”
H: “30 Rock” won the Emmy for best comedy series for its first and second seasons, and the show’s third season opens at 8:31 p.m. Thursday on NBC. Casady High School graduate Megan Mullally, a two-time Emmy winner herself for “Will & Grace,” will guest star in the season premiere.
P: That’s a wrap for this week. For even more TV choices, consult TV Week in Sunday’s Oklahoman or go online to newsok.com/TV. For TV Talk, I’m Penny, this is Heather, thanks for your time.
TV Preview Podcast: ‘Center Stage: Turn It Up’
Each week, The Oklahoman TV Editor Penny Soldan hosts an audio podcast discussing an upcoming TV premiere.
This week’s premiere is the new Oxygen original movie “Center Stage: Turn It Up” starring Peter Gallagher and Ethan Stiefel.
To hear her discussion with Melissa Hayer, assistant news research for The Oklahoman, click here.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Networks presents Sydney Pollack tributes
Three networks will pay tribute to Oscar-winning filmmaker Sydney Pollack with special screenings of his work.
Pollack, who won best director and best pictures Oscars for “Out of Africa,” died of cancer May 26 at age 73.
The network plans are:
Chiller (channel 199 on Dish Network, 257 on Direct TV) will air two episodes of “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour” that were directed by Pollack: 1962’s “The Black Curtain” (4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday) and 1963’s “Diagnosis: Danger” (5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday).
Oxygen (channel 127 on Dish Network, 166 on Cox Digital Cable, 251 on Direct TV) will air the 1973 film “The Way We Were” at noon Sunday. Pollack directed the romantic drama starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.
TCM (channel 63 on Cox Cable, 132 on Dish Network, 256 on Direct TV) will devote an entire evening of programming to Pollack on Monday. The lineup includes 1965’s “The Slender Thread” (7 p.m.), which marked Pollack’s directorial debut; the 1982 award-winning comedy “Tootsie” (11 p.m.), which ranks second behind Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot on the American Film Institute’s list of best film comedies; and 1972’s “Jeremiah Johnson” (1 a.m.) and 1975’s “Three Days of the Condor” (9 p.m.), two of the filmmaker’s seven collaborations with star Robert Redford.
In July, TCM will present film critic and commentator Elvis Mitchell’s extensive, in-depth interview with Pollack, among the last interviews he ever gave. The interview will air July 7 as the premiere episode of the network’s new original series “TCM Presents Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence.”
