Top 55 TV Programs for July 19-25, 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 July 19:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
SUNDAY, JULY 19
◊“AFI Life Achievement Award Tribute to Michael Douglas” (8 p.m. on TV Land): Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Matthew McConaughey, Tobey Maguire, Martin Sheen, Oliver Stone, Benicio Del Toro, and Kathleen Turner are among those honoring Michael Douglas as the American Film Institute’s 37th recipient of the award. His father Kirk Douglas, the 1991 AFI honoree, also makes an appearance.
◊“Held Hostage” (6 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Three masked men break into the home of Michelle Estey (Julie Benz, “Dexter”), an asistant bank vice president, and hold her and her daughter captive. It is part of the network’s “Best Seller Summer” and is based on the novel by Michelle Renee.
◊“Hell Hounds” (8 p.m. on Syfy): After his bride (Amanda Brooks, “Flightplan”) is poisoned at their wedding, a young Greek warrior (Scott Elrod, “Men In Trees”) risks a journey to Hades to rescue her from the God of the Underworld and bring her back to life. When he leaves with her, Hades sends his hellhounds to track them down and kill them. Ricky Schroeder (“Strong Medicine”) directed the movie.
◊“HGTV Design Star” (9 p.m. on HGTV): The competition series is back for Season 4 with 11 creative finalists and a judging panel featuring Genevieve Gorder (Dear Genevieve), Candice Olson (Divine Design) and Vern Yip (Deserving Design). The finalists must navigate demanding design challenges and dazzle the judges with creativity until one wins their own show on HGTV.
◊“Labor Pains” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): This new original movie stars Lindsay Lohan as an assistant at a publishing company who pretends to be pregnant in order to avoid being fired by her boss. Cheryl Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Chris Parnell (“Saturday Night Live”), Luke Kirby (“Tell Me You Love Me”), Kevin Covais (“American Idol”) and Janeane Garofalo (“24”) also star.
◊“Life After Film School” (6:30 p.m. on Fox Movie Channel): Film students interview Barry Josephson, producer of the 20th Century Fox release “Aliens in the Attic.” He discusses his new film starring Ashley Tisdale, Kevin Nealon, Doris Roberts and a group of kids who confront
aliens invading their vacation home. The movie opens in theaters July 31.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment “They Do It With Mirrors,” Miss Marple must summon all her uncanny attention to detail to solve the case of a murder that takes place during the confusion that ensues when the power goes out during a rehearsal for an amateur show.
◊“Merlin” (7 p.m. on NBC): Arthur becomes love-struck with a mysterious girl and stands to lose more than just his heart.
◊“Most Popular” (9 p.m. on WEtv): Graham Norton (”The Graham Norton Show”) hosts this new series that will test an audience of 100 women on snap-judgments that could cost one of seven contestants a cash prize of $10,000. The show kicks off with a special bridal episode featuring brides from the sixth season of “Bridezillas.”
◊“NewNowNext” (11 p.m. on Logo): This new special features an intimate interview with award-winning music artist Stevie Nicks. She discusses various aspects of her career as a solo artist and part of legendary rock band Fleetwood Mac. Nicks also opens up about her own inspirations and future projects.
◊“Pawn Star$” (9 p.m. on History): This new series takes viewers inside the doors of the only family-run pawnshop in Las Vegas, where three generations of men from the Harrison family – grandfather, father and son – amusingly clash while running the business together. Each episode features an array of quirky characters attempting to sell, purchase or pawn items.
◊“Shark Therapy” (8 p.m. on Smithsonian): In an attempt to overcome her shark phobia, Tanya Streeter travels to the shark hot-spot, the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. In this difficult personal journey, she freedives at night amongst feeding white-tips, discovers the curious deep-living zebra shark and comes face to face with the largest fish in the sea, the whale shark.
◊“State of Creativity” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): To prove that Oklahoma lives up to the show’s title, the producers picked one county from which to features stories. The result is 10 stories demonstrating creative ideas from Noble County, including a segment on Travis Brorsen from Perry. Last summer, he showed TV viewers that he has the “Greatest American Dog” by winning the CBS competition series and $250,000.
MONDAY, JULY 20
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): A major shootout leaves two patrol cops and an 18-year-old boy dead with lots of unanswered questions as to what happened and who else might have been involved. The investigation is made all the more difficult by the involvement of Capt. Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell, “Battlestar Galactica”) of the Force Investigation Division.
◊“Dating in the Dark” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): In this new reality series, three men and three women share a house in which they are sequestered from the opposite sex apart from an opportunity to “date” in a completely dark room. After several days of this blind dating, each participant will pick one member of the opposite sex to be revealed in the light.
◊“Great American Road Trip” (7 p.m. on NBC): The families leave Missouri and head out into the prairies of Kansas and Oklahoma to see buffao and the actual setting of “Little House on the Prairie.” The dad must step up to the plate at the “King of the Road: BBQ challenge.
◊“History Detectives” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Items investigation include a recording that may have played a part in the World War II treason trial of Tokyo Rose and a diary of a World War II pilot.
◊“Moonshot” (8 p.m. on History): This new special puts viewers in the cockpit alongside the crew of Apollo 11 at the moment when man first lands on the Moon. The dramatization of the Apollo 11 flight is combined with original NASA archival footage converted to high definition, news footage from around the world, mission transcripts, background interviews and other source materials.
◊“Prom Night in Mississippi” (8 p.m. on HBO): This documentary chronicles the historic journey of Charleston High School in Mississippi that that holds its first integrated senior prom in 2008. In 1997, Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman (??), a Charleston resident, offered to pay for the prom, under one condition: that it be integrated. Though his offer was ignored, he made it again in 2008, and this time, the school accepted.
◊“Raising the Bar” (9 p.m. on TNT): Moments after being acquitted on a weapons charge, one of Jerry’s clients is re-arrested on a parole violation for weapons possession.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Much to Audrey’s dismay, Jeff’s chauvinist father, who expects Audrey to wait on him hand and foot, extends his visit after spraining his ankle. Brian Dennehy (”Murder in the Heartland”) guest stars.
◊“Solved” (8 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This series, back for its second season, goes deep undercover to expose some of the career-defining cases of police officers and FBI agents. Each episodes features a mysterious murder case told through first person accounts.
◊TCM Goes to the Moon: Atronaut Buzz Aldrin joins TCM host Robert Osborne to introduce an evening of movies commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The movie lineup includes 1989’s “For All Mankind” (7:15 p.m.), 1983’s “All the Right Stuff” (9 p.m.) and 1969’s “Marooned” (12:30 a.m.).
◊“Three Sheets” (9 p.m. on FLN): This series, entering its fourth season, follows comedian Zane Lamprey as he engages in drinking customs around the world and befriends the people who take part in them. This season, Zane, who can say “I’m buying” in more than 37 languages, will visit Poland, Iceland, Lithuania, St. Martin, New Zealand, Panama, Namibia, Tuscany, Barbados, New Castle, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Tanzania.
◊“Torchwood: Children of Earth” (8 p.m. on BBC America): In this five-part miniseries, airing over consecutive nights, the future of the human race is in danger as every child in the world stops his routine to announce, ‘‘We are coming.” As Torchwood investigates, a trap closes around Captain Jack (John Barrowman) and sins of the past return as long-forgotten events from 1965 threaten to reveal an awful truth.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): Convinced that Alan’s family doesn’t fully appreciate him, Melissa invites Alan to live with her and her mom. Carol Kane (”Taxi”) guest stars.
◊“Wake Up With Al” (6 a.m. on The Weather Channel): In this new weekday morning show, Al Roker (”Today”) will explore all aspects of the day’s weather. He will appear both in the studio, interacting with guests and viewers, and in the field, reporting on the most compelling weather stories of the day.
◊“The Wanted” (9 p.m. on NBC): This new series brings together an elite team with backgrounds in intelligence, unconventional warfare and investigative journalism. It focuses on real operators in search of real targets — all in an effort to see individuals brought to justice.
◊“Yard Crashers” (8 p.m. on DIY): In this series, now in its third season, professional landscape contractor Ahmed Hassan waits at home improvement stores looking for the perfect weekend warrior who could use his help. Once he finds his target, Ahmed and his team follow the surprised shoppers home and transform their yards.
TUESDAY, JULY 21
◊“18 Kids and Counting” (8 p.m. on TLC): While in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., the Duggars meet Dolly Parton (“9 to 5”), who is a Duggar fan. And what will the Duggars and Dolly do when they meet? Sing, of course.
◊“California in Crisis” (8 p.m. on CNBC): The world’s eighth largest economy is on the brink. This news special takes viewers inside the budget impasse, speaking to government officials, CEOs and bondholders. The ramifications of a financial failure here will impact the entire US economy as well as companies and investors worldwide.
◊“The Colony” (9:01 p.m. on Discovery): This new series challenges 10 strangers in a controlled experiment that attempts to determine exactly what it would take to survive and rebuild a functioning new society when the world has been destroyed. With no electricity, no running water and no communication with the outside world, all they have to work with are their skills and whatever tools and supplies they scavenge from their surroundings.
◊‘Hawthorne” (8 p.m. on TNT): The ER is plunged into chaos when the hospital director agrees to take on extra patients because another local ER is closed down. Among the patients is a study partner of Christina’s daughter, Camille.
◊“Hell’s Kitchen” (7 p.m. on Fox): Chef Gordon Ramsay welcomes 16 aspiring chefs to a sixth course of his unscripted series that begins with a two-hour season. Unlike past seasons, the signature dish challenge becomes a team challenge, pitting the men against the women. After the signature dishes of each team are presented to Gordon, one team will receive a coveted special prize, while the others will experience the agony of losing in Gordon’s kitchen.
◊“Moving Up” (7 p.m. on TLC): Hosted by Doug Wilson, this series follows along as three people move into new homes and renovate and redecorate them. Then, they have a chance to revisit their former house and see the changes – will they like what the new owners have done, or will they regret moving out of their house? In addition to great design tips, this season Doug has some surprises in store for the homeowners that help make the transformation complete. The new series premiere Tuesday, July 21 at 8 PM.
◊“NOVA scienceNow” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment looks at the science of picky eaters, capturing carbon and talking walruses.
◊“NYC Prep” (8 p.m. on Bravo): In the season finale, Kelli works on her singing career by meeting with a prominent voice coach, Taylor has her hands full with schoolwork and social activities and Jessie works on the benefit for Operation Smile.
◊“P.O.V.” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Filmmaker Ellen Kuras made her directing debut with “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon),” a harrowing, Oscar-nominated account of how her co-director, Thavisouk Phrasavath, and his family escaped from Laos during the Vietnam War. Their arrival in their new home, however, forced them to face a different kind of war.
◊“Ruby & the Rockits” (7:30 p.m. on ABC Family): This new series stars Patrick Cassidy (”I’ll Do Anything”) as a former teen idol whose quiet life with his wife and two sons is upset when his former Rockits bandmate and brother, played by David Cassidy (”The Partridge Family”), shows up unexpectedly with his newfound teenage daughter, Ruby. Alexa Vega (“Spy Kids”) plays Ruby and also sings the opening title song written by Shaun Cassidy.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): Graces chases after a rape and kidnapping suspect on foot and suddenly disappears, possibly becoming his latest victim. But nothing about the situation seems to make any sense, including Earl’s activities close to the investigation.
◊“Starz Inside: Zombiemania” (9 p.m. on Starz): This special traces the evolution of the zombie from its roots in African folklore and Haitian Voodoo to its curent role as pop culture icon. It features clips from a vast library of zombie films and zombie experts.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22
◊“Black in America 2″ (7 p.m. on CNN): In the first installment of this two-part special, CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien reports on how community organizers across the country are creating progress and improvements at a local level. Part two airs at 7 p.m. Thursday and focuses on solutions aimed at developing black leaders of tomorrow.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): When the Mayor’s dead body falls from the ceiling at a charity fundraiser, Stella and her date find themselves in the middle of the crime scene. Craig T. Nelson (”Coach”) guest stars.
◊“Dark Blue” (9 p.m. on TNT): Team leader Carter has less than 12 hours to wrangle $100,000 in order to save the life of one of his undercover officers.
◊“Deadly Dance Under the Sea” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This marine wildlife documentary film features breathtaking underwater combat scenes where all marine creatues hunt, feed, attack, bite, swallow, hide and fear. From the tiniest creatures to the monster with razor sharp teeth, each has its own hunting and suvival strategy.
◊“Leverage” (8 p.m. on TNT): When the Leverage crew tries to get a corrupt mixed martial arts promoter to invest everything he has in a fake cable television network, their con is discovered. Now, Eliot must throw a fight in order to save the day. Professional mixed martial arts fighters Ed Herman (“The Ultimate Fighter 3”) and Matt Lindland (“Ultimate Fighting Championship”) guest star.
◊“Over a Barrel: The Truth About Oil” (9 p.m. on ABC): With Americans facing yet another summer season of rising gas prices, ABC News’ Charlie Gibson has traveled the country to uncover some of the little known secrets of the oil industry, including why prices fluctuate so much and who exactly is pulling the strings. One of his stops is at a remote outpost in Cushing, where the price of a barrel of oil there dictates the price nationally.
◊“The Philanthropist” (9 p.m. on NBC): Teddy takes his ex-wife on a journey as he tells her about his business venture to Kosovo, a country full of depression and poverty since the 1990s when the Serbian army attacked the Albanian Muslims, who make up the majority of the population.
◊“Radical Hollywood Remedies” (9 p.m. on E!): This special takes an inside look at the trends and treatments found at the most elite Hollywood spas and doctor’s offices. It examines the ins and outs of the elaborate and sometimes scary treatments that have helped make the stars who they are.
◊“Time Team America” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The team digs into the lives of freed slaves at the site of an Illinois town founded by a freed slave.
◊“Toddlers and Tiaras” (9 p.m. on TLC): This chronicles the lives of tiny beauties and their passionate parents as they stop at nothing to win the ultimate crown at America’s top child beauty pageants. Season 2 will feature more state and national level competitions, including the several pageants by Gold Coast Pageants — the pageant system that inspired the movie “Little Miss Sunshine.”
◊“Wide Angle” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This new documentary “The Market Maker” follows an Ethiopian economist, who sets up her country’s first commodities exchange in hopes of revolutionizing Ethiopia’s market system and end its food shortages. Unfortunately, she hadn’t counted on the disastrous collapse of the global financial market.
THURSDAY, JULY 23
◊“16 & Pregnant” (9 p.m. on MTV): The finale special hosted by Dr. Drew Pinsky will feature all six teen mothers profiled in the first season. Dr. Drew will discuss each girl’s episode and update viewers on what’s going on in their lives now. This open discussion will address the controversial topics from Season 1, including birth control, adoption, abortion, marriage, religion, gossip, finances, high school graduation and employment.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): When the CSIs are called to a murder scene at a familiar motel, Nick is thrown for a loop as he pieces together three separate murder investigations that all took place at the same establishment over the course of a year. Taylor Swift (best-selling musical artist of 2008) guest stars as Haley Jones, a teenaged girl whose family runs the seedy Vegas motel.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): Derek’s confidence is shaken like never before as he faces off with Addison over what course is best for their dying pregnant patient; Cristina calls the abilities of a renown surgeon into question after she botches a standard procedure; and Bailey, who has decided to pursue a fellowship in Pediatrics, is appalled by the Chief’s less-than-stellar recommendation letter. Faye Dunaway (”Network”) guest stars.
◊“How Do I Look?” (8 p.m. on Style Network): The series returns for a 10th season of giving the fashion challenged a brand new look and a stronger sense of style. The series gets its own makeover, as it moves into a chic new penthouse loft, debuts some cool high-tech tools and spices up each big reveal with celebrity stylist and fashion guru Jeannie Mai as the new host.
◊“The Listener” (9:01 p.m. on NBC): When it appears a serial rapist has struck again, Toby senses Detective Marks’ guilt over failing to convict him on a previous occasion.
◊“Samantha Who?” (7 p.m. on ABC): Sam discovers that billionaire Winston Funk’s (Billy Zane, “Titanic”) ex-wife, Gigi (Angie Harmon, “Law & Order”), played an important role in her life before the accident.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (8 p.m. on Fox): On the show’s 100th episode, two of the final eight dancers will be sent home.
◊“Soundstage” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): With their stadium rock riffs and anthem choruses, Chicago-based Fall Out Boys offers up unparralleled energy in this set that includes their recent hits “America’s Suitehearts” and “I Don’t Care.”
◊“Southern Belles: Louisville” (9 p.m. on SoapNet): Shea’s perfect life is turned upside down when she receives some shocking news that no one saw coming on the Season 1 finale.
Also, Kellie makes several impulsive decisions regarding her boyfriend Jeff, and Hadley questions her relationship with bad boy Russ.
◊“Wild Russia” (7 p.m. on Animal Planet): This new six-part documentary reveals the fierce beauty of the country and the animals that have adapted to survive there. It was filmed over three years and focuses on the brown bear, sea eagle, Amur tiger and arctic fox.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
◊“According to Jim” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): When Jim chokes on a shrimp puff, he dies and arrives at Heaven’s gate. With Jim on trial to prove his selfless acts on earth, best friend Andy is summoned to heaven to defend him. As Jim attempts to prove his good works to God (Lee Majors, “The Fall Guy”), his sister-in-law Dana represents the Devil (Erik Estrada, “CHiPs”), arguing that Jim’s selfishness should mean a certain trip to hell.
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on Fox): Celebrity contestants Bill Goldberg (??) and Sugar Ray Leonard (??) return to the classroom to test their knowledge of elementary school subjects ranging from geography and art to math and history. Find out how much information these stars have retained – or forgotten – since their grade-school days.
◊“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (7 p.m. on AMC): Paul Newman and Robert Redford star in this quirky 1969 Western as turn-of-the-century outlaws who become the targets of a posse after committing one too many train robberies. Oscars went to Burt Bacharach and Hal David for their score and the song ‘‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” as well as to screenwriter William Goldman and cinematographer Conrad L. Hall.
◊“The Chopping Block” (7 p.m. on NBC): The remaining two couples battle it out one last time to win the competition. In order to succeed they must remodel the restaurants, come up with a menu and provide service that is above and beyond anything they have achieved so far. Piers Morgan (”America’s Got Talent”) guest stars.
◊“Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m. on CBS): In this episode directed by series star Jennifer Love Hewitt, Melinda confronts a crisis that grips the whole town — the unearthing of a grave that leads to a mass haunting. But that’s not nearly as scary to her as the woman who shows up to accept the engagement ring Sam bought for her.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team has only four hours to stop a group of hijackers who take a bus full of Hollywood tourists hostage. Fisher Stevens (”Early Edition”) guest stars.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
◊“5 Ingredient Fix” (11:30 a.m. on Food Network): Chef Claire Robinson returns for a second season of straightforward cooking that proves delicious dishes need no more than five ingredients – making cooking easier and faster.
◊“Being Human” (8 p.m. on BBC America): This new series revolves around three twenty-somethings and their secret double-lives – as a werewolf, a vampire and a ghost. Russell Tovey (”Doctor Who”), Lenora Crichlow (”Doctor Who”) and Aidan Turner (”The Clinic”) star as housemates trying to live normal lives, despite their strange and dark secrets.
◊“The Bill Engvall Show” (8 p.m. on TBS): Bill gets upset when he finds out Susan and her friends discuss their husbands during girls-only game night, and he’s determined to find out what has been said about him.
◊“Dances With Wolves” (7 p.m. on AMC): Kevin Costner directed and starred in this 1990 Academy Award winner for best picture. Costner plays an idealistic Civil War lieutenant who befriends a Sioux tribe. The picture also won Oscars for best director, screenplay, cinematography, film editing, music and sound.
◊“Dirty Sexy Money” (9 p.m. on ABC): Now a partner with Simon Elder, Tripp asks Patrick to try to reverse Congressman Charles Whatley’s (John Schneider, ??) standing against Simon’s bio-fuel that Tripp had helped influence many years earlier. And Simon tells Nola that he suspects that Jeremy’s amnesia isn’t real.
◊“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): The locally-produced show seeks out wheelchair accessible tourists destinations and explores Robbers Cave State Park on horseback.
◊“GoldenEye” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Pierce Brosnan makes his entrance as dashing Agent 007 and does a credible job filling the natty shoes of his predecessors. Perhaps even more importantly, the special effects, gags and drop-dead gorgeous women appearing in this recent James Bond outing live up to the high standards of previous films.
◊“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): In the series finale, Jack and William make plans for Jack to take his father’s place as King of Gilboa. To everyone’s surprise, Silas is alive and David escapes Shiloh to warn Silas about the chaos to come. Macauley Culkin (”Home Alone”) guest stars.
◊“Primeval” (7 p.m. on BBC America): In the Season 3 finale, Helen Cutter decides the only way to stop the destruction of life on Earth is to stop humans ever evolving. So she goes back in time to the Pliocene period, intent on poisoning the very first humans that evolved in the Rift Valley in Africa.
◊“The Star Wars Spectacular” (1 p.m. on G4): This two-hour special will feature never-before-seen footage, breaking news, surprise announcements, guest stars and more. In addition, G4 will present three hours of live coverage from the San Diego Comic-Con floor beginning at 3 p.m.
◊“True Jackson, VP” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): True finds out that she will be helping the Mad Style team create a window display for the fanciest department store in New York City. True is especially excited about this assignment since it has been a childhood dream of hers. Willow Smith (daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith) guest stars.
–Penny TV
Karl Malden remembered with TCM movie marathon
Karl Malden was inducted into the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s Hall of Great Western Performers in 2005. The year before, he was honored with a Life Achievement Award by the Screen Actors Guild.
On Friday, TCM will pay tribute to Malden with a three-movie marathon. He died July 1 at age 97.
The movie marathon collection features his Oscar-nominated performances in “On the Waterfront” (7 p.m.) and “A Streetcar Named Desire” (9 p.m.).
His Western characters in such films as “The Gunfighter” (1950) and “How the West Was Won” (1962) eaned him his place in the Oklahoma museum.
–Penny TV
TCM’s July 10 Tribute to Karl Malden
••7 p.m. — “On the Waterfront” (1952): Malden earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as a priest who helps prize-fighter wannabe Marlon Brando come to terms with a corrupt boss. Elia Kazan’s gritty drama co-stars Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint and Lee J. Cobb.
••9 p.m. — “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1951): Malden took home an Oscar when he reprised his Broadway role for Elia Kazan’s adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play. Fellow Oscar winners Vivian Leigh and Kim Hunter co-star, along with screen powerhouse Marlon Brando.
••11:15 p.m. — “Birdman of Alcatraz” (1962): Malden co-starred opposite Burt Lancaster in this true story about Robert Stroud, a convict who became a world-renowned bird expert. Thelma Ritter, Betty Field, Neville Brand and Telly Savalas also star in this John Frankenheimer drama.
Top 55 TV Programs for July 12-18, 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 July 12:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
SUNDAY, JULY 12
◊“Addicted to Surrogacy” (9 p.m. on BBC America): This special follows the stories of the women who are addicted to giving babies away. Approximately one thousand surrogate babies have been born in the United Kingdom over the past two decades. In recent years, half of them have been born to serial surrogates: women who’ve been surrogates more than once.
◊“Amazing Octopus” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): Shot off the southern coast of New Zealand, this film tells the life story of a single female octopus, from birth to old age. that includes her encounters with squid, paddle crabs, sea eggs, anemones and cod.
◊“Big Daddy’s House” (12:30 p.m. on Food Network): Big Daddy creates a sandwich menu that includes a fall-off-th-bone braised short rib sandwich.
◊“Drop Dead Diva” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): This new series tells the story of a shallow model-in-training who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurface in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney. She must come to terms with inhabiting a curvier frame in the ultimate showdown between brains and beauty.
◊“Entourage” (9:30 p.m. on HBO): When Season 5 ended last year, Vince was on the verge of ending a prolonged career slump, thanks to an offer to star in Martin Scorsese’s next movie. Now, with “Gatsby” about to open, he’s a hot property once again.
◊“Expedition Africa” (8 p.m. on History): See the two-hour conclusion of this series following four modern-day explorers as they relive Sir Henry Stanley’s journey to find Dr. David Livingstone. They confront obstacles and dangers similar to those encountered by the explorers before them.
◊“Expedition Borneo” (8 p.m. on Planet Green): A team of explorers, biologists and filmmakers travel through Borneo’s swamps, caves cliffs and jungle in search of new species.
◊“I Survived …” (8 p.m. on BIO): Season 3 features eight new episodes exploring first person accounts of extraordinary true-life tales of those who found the strength and courage to endure when faced with unforeseen, life-threatening situations.
◊“Let’s Hear It for the Laurie Berkner Band” (6 p.m. on Noggin): This special features 17 music videos from the band, including a music video for the new song “My Family” and preschool favorites “Victor Vito” and “Pig on Her Head.” Noggin’s Moose and Zee serve as hosts and play interactive music and movement games throughout the special that promote creativity and foster an appreciation for music.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment “Murder is Easy,” Miss Marple investigates a string of murders in a peaceful village town.
◊“Merlin” (7 p.m. on NBC): A mysterious man from the past arrives in Camelot and delivers a bunch of enchanted flowers to Morgana, and she becomes ill when a spider creeps from the boquet and enters her ear.
◊“Meteor” (8 p.m. on NBC): As smaller meteorites begin to lay waste to major cities around the globe, two scientists (Christopher Lloyd, Marla Sokoloff) discover that Kassandra, a giant slab of space rock three times the size of Mount Everest, is barreling straight toward Earth, but a military scientist (Jason Alexander) discounts their dire warnings.
◊“The Next Food Network Star” (8 p.m. on Food Network): The remaining four finalists met Ted Allen (”Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”) and learn of their next challenge: creating a dish for a restaurant at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
◊“Stories From the Vaults” (7 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel): Tom Cavanagh (”Ed”) hosts returns for Season 2 of the series that goes beyond exhibit halls for an insider’s tour of Smithsonian’s vast collections. The season premiere focuses on food in a fun but educational lesson in three different museum locations, concluding a visit to the National Museum of Dentistry to explore the effect of food on our teeth.
◊“Surprise Vacations With Karen Duffy” (7 p.m. on FLN): In this new series, one unsuspecting and deserving person is surprised by family, friends and co-workers with the vacation of their dreams. Edmond resident Amy Eldridge, who helped found the Love Without Borders organization, is featured in the premiere episode.
◊“Wild Pacific” (7 to 10 p.m. today and Monday on Discovery): These three-hour specials explore the largest ocean on Earth, the isolation of its islands and the
extraordinary journeys that wildlife and people have gone through to reach these specks of land.
◊“Z Rock” (9 p.m. on IFC): The band plays a wrestling-themed children’s party in which they get to dress up in tights and capes. Chris Jericho (professional wrestler) guest stars.
MONDAY, JULY 13
◊“The Blonde Mystique” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This Canadian documentary brings together three women — two natural brunettes and one natural blonde — for a series of real-world experiments that test blonde stereotypes.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): Brenda’s team investigates the shooting death of a popular online “hook-up king” who was in the process of putting together a television pilot for a men’s cable network. Meanwhile, Pope does a rotation as a regular member of Brenda’s squad.
◊“Here Come the Newlyweds” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): The final two couples learn that the seven newlywed couples they competed against will be the ones to decide who will win the life-changing grand prize. Host Pat Bullard also takes the two final couples to a retirement home where long-married couples tell them what makes a strong, successful marriage.
◊“History Detectives” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Items investigated include Navajo rug that features a controversial design and a 1933 Chicago World’s Fair souvenir silver baby cup.
◊“Immokalee USA” (8 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary chronicles the daily lives of migrant farm workers and their challenges and struggles to make a living in Immokalee, Fla.
◊“Raising the Bar” (9 p.m. on TNT): Jerry takes on a pro bono case in which he defends a man arrested for running over his crooked lawyer with a car. But it looks like he’s going to have to rely on jury sympathy instead of facts to get an acquittal.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Adam’s mother, Fay, comes to visit, Audrey warns Jennifer about the judgmental tendencies of a mother-in-law,
however, it’s Jennifer who discovers that she is the one who is critical of Fay and her kooky lifestyle. Peggy Lipton (”The Mod Squad”) guest stars.
◊“Teddy: In His Own Words” (8 p.m. on HBO): This documentary profiles U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, using his own words and previously unseen home movies. It chronicles his childhood and the 46-year Senate career that began in the shadows of his ill-fated brothers, John and Robert, culminating with his speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
◊“The Wendy Williams Show” (noon on KAUT-43): Radio personality Wendy Williams is known for being audacious, bold and original. She raises the talk show bar with her new nationally syndicated show that will combine the latest buzz and hot topics with a diverse mix of celebrities from the arenas of film, music, sports and television.
TUESDAY, JULY 14
◊The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game (7 p.m. on Fox): Play-by-play announcer Joe Buck and analyst Tim McCarver call the action live from Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
◊“Bob le Flambeur” (1 p.m. on Sundance): This 1956 French film follows an aging gambler plotting one final score. It is the first film in a triple feature dedicated to French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville and airing in honor of Bastille Day. The other films include 1962’s “Le Doulos” (2:45 p.m.) and 1969’s “Army of Shadows” (4:45 p.m.).
◊“Food Party” (10:15 p.m. on IFC): In the Season 1 finale, Thu is pregnant and plans on making a special dinner for her husband and two children. But, after cooking Tamarind soup and birthing a kitten, the night goes awry when a mysterious villain stalks her family.
◊“Great American Road Trip” (7 p.m. on NBC): The remaining families travel to Branson, Mo., where they perform skits in front of stars Andy Williams and Yakov Smirnoff.
◊“Hawthorne” (8 p.m. on TNT): Christina spends the day giving special attention to a young heart patient who is beginning to suffer from seizures, but the brash young surgeon called in to handle the case has an ego that rubs Christina the wrong way.
◊“Miami Social” (9 p.m. on Bravo): this new docu-series shows viewers what life is like in the energetic social scene of South Beach. It explores the lives of a group of hot, young professionals – corporate types by day and party animals by night – as they navigate the sometimes murky waters of Miami’s hottest locales.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): A slain sergeant’s private life is on full display as the team must determine if a suspected act of treason lead to his death. Chris Carmack (”The O.C.”) guest stars.
◊“NOVA scienceNOW” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment looks at two drugs that may aid children with muscular dystrophy, the demise of the dinosaurs and the danger of the northern lights.
◊“Oxygen’s 25iest: Celeb-U-Tots” (10 p.m. on Oxygen): This special counts down the offspring of celebrities, including Trey, Jaden and Willow Smith (Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s children), Emme and Max Muniz (Jennifer Lopez and and Marc Anthony’s children) and Suri Cruise (daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise).
◊“P.O.V.” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installnent “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court” chronicles the work of the first permanent court created by more than 120 countries for the purpose of prosecuting crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): During a case that puts Grace’s spirituality to the test, the squad investigates the murder of a Hasidic Jew whose body is found near a herd of dead cows. Miyam Bialik (”Blossom”) and Michael Lerner (”Barton Fink”) guest star.
◊“Square Roots: The SpongeBob SquarePants Story” (8 p.m. on VH1): Commissioned by Nickelodeon to commemorate the anniversary of the series’ first episode, the documentary chronicles the beloved character’s journey to international pop culture icon status and showcases the series’ impact on everyone from President Barack Obama, children across the globe and San Quentin inmates who sing its catchy theme song.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 15
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): A Russian tourist is found stabbed to death and the CSIs come face to face with the frightening realities of human trafficking. Solving this case becomes personal when it directly affects a prominent member of the NYPD. Julia Ormond (”The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) guest stars.
◊“Dark Blue” (9 p.m. on TNT): This new series stars Dylan McDermott (”The Practice”) as Carter Shaw, who leads a team of undercover cops in Los Angeles. In the series premiere, he is determined to bring a gang leader down while ensuring that one of his officers has not switched loyalties. Oklahoma actress Nicki Aycox plays Jamie Allen, the newest member of the team.
◊“Gordon Ramsay’s F Word” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Chef Gordon Ramsay travels to Oklahoma for an extraordinary food adventure spent catfish noodling, in which he attempts to catch sharp-toothed catfish using nothing but his hands.
◊“The Kid: The Life and Death of Ted Williams” (9 p.m. on HBO): This documentary explores the life of Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams, who was a tireless fundraiser, expert fisherman and all-around outdoorsman extraordinaire. His final years were marked by ill health; following his death, the decision to have his body preserved in a cryonics facility inspired public disputes among his family and friends, sparking controversy and ridicule.
◊“Leverage” (8 p.m. on TNT): In the Season 2 premiere, Nate Ford reluctantly reassembles the team to pit the local Irish mob against a banker who is gaming a government bailout. Charles Martin Smith (”The Untouchables”) guest stars.
◊“Michael & Michael Have Issues” (9:30 p.m. on Comedy Central): Long-time comedic partners Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter star in this new twist on narrative and sketch comedies. Viewers will get a first hand look at issues that the two misguided stars wrestle with as they confront their own issues of insecurity and jealousy and attempt to undermine each other.
◊“Monsters Inside Me” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): In Oklahoma, a chemical sprayer’s cough is the result of parasitic worms that multiply in the human lung. Learn how these pests have manipulated reproduction to overwelm their host.
◊“Porn: Business of Pleasure” (8 p.m. on CNBC): This new CNBC original production takes an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look inside the multibillion pornography business, from the threats to its profitability to the one issue that could bring the adult industry to it’s knees.
◊“Time Team America” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Scientists travel to the swamps of South Carolina in an effort to discover when people first came to North America. Many experts think humans followed big game here about 13,000 years ago, but others think it may have been much earlier.
THURSDAY, JULY 16
◊The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations (7:35 a.m. on www.emmys.tv): Chandra Wilson (”Grey’s Anatomy”) and Jim Parsons (”The Big Bang Theory”) will join Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Chairman John Shaffner at NOKIA Theatre L.A. Live to announce the nominees. The Emmy Awards will be handed out on Sept. 20, and the ceremony will air live on CBS.
◊“Are We Alone?” (8 p.m. on Discovery): This new special ventures to Earth’s strangest, most extreme regions to uncover clues to the universe’s evolution. From Death Valley, California, to the glaciers of Chile; from the harsh desert climates of Africa to the lush seascapes of the Caribbean, the world’s top astrobiologists and astrophysicists examine the geological record and the biological influence of life forms that created and continue to sustain life on Earth.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): Series star David Boreanaz (FBI special agent Seeley Booth) directed this episode in which a bungee-jumping couple plunges off a bridge and come face-to-face with a corpse lying at the bottom of a gorge.
◊“Gallery” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Meet the man who saved Oklahoma City’s Paseo District and turned it into a vibrant arts community. It was built in 1929 as Oklahoma City’s first commercial shopping district, and it was almost torn down in the late 1970s.
◊“J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life” (7 p.m. on ABC): Timed to the release of the newest Harry Potter film, this hourlong documentary follows the author during the months prior to publication of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” the final book in the series. Cameras also travel back to her hometown and discover where many of the Harry Potter characters originated.
◊“The Listener” (9:01 p.m. on NBC): After Toby witnesses a young woman revive a badly injured baby, he feels a strong kinship and curiosity about her gift.
◊“Stateline” (8:30 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment of the locally-produced documentary series follows the men and women of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Fires Brigade as they train at Fort Hood, Texas, for their mission in Iraq.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Barbara Stanwyck was born on this day in 1907, and TCM celebrates by airing three of her films: 1929’s “The Locked Door” (5 a.m.), 1940’s “Remember the Night” (6:30 a.m.) and 1944’s “Double Indemnity” (8 a.m.).
◊“Watch What Happens: Live” (11 p.m. on Bravo): Bravo programming executive Andy Cohen hosts this new interactive series. He will sit down with guests from some of Bravo’s most popular series, as well as from the world of entertainment, to chat about what has transpired on-air and in pop culture that week.
FRIDAY, JULY 17
◊“According to Jim” (8 p.m. on ABC): Jim uses his passion for sports to connect with son Kyle. But sports-challenged Kyle identifies more with fellow sci-fi nerd Andy, forcing a reluctant Jim to dress up as a Cyclops at a sci-fi convention in order to win his son back. Williams “Refrigerator” Perry (former NFL player) guest stars.
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on Fox): Star Jones (“The View”) and Jack Hanna ((”ZooLife with Jack Hanna”) compete for $1 million for charity by testing their elementary school knowledge in subjects ranging from art and geography to math and social studies. Real students will offer to help them if they are unsure of an answer.
◊“Call 911″ (7 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This installment of the show, which features actual 911 recordings between operators and callers, includes a tornado survivor is pinned inside his truck that is surrounded by downed live electrical lines.
◊“Catch It Keep It” (9 p.m. on Science Channel): During each episode of this new series, three contestants test their scientific and engineering mettle against Science Channel’s “engineer of destruction” Mike Senese, who devises dastardly schemes uniquely designed to obliterate the prize of the week. The contestants must brainstorm, plan and construct a way to rescue the item within the span of 48 hours.
◊“Fats Domino: Walkin’ Back to New Orleans” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This special chronicles musician Fat Domino’s return to the stage after Hurricane Katrina’s devastation to his hometown of New Orleans. It features performances from a 2007 benefit concert for the city, as well as interviews with Domino and singers Robert Plant and Randy Newman.
◊“Flashpoint” (8 p.m. on CBS): After hearing on the radio that a talk show host is holding a prominent politician hostage, the Strategic Response Unit races to the station to talk the host out of killing him on the air.
◊“Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand-Up” (9 p.m. on Starz): Doug Williams (”The Bernie Mac Show”) returns as host of the show that presents up-and-coming comics and established stars performing before a live audience.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): Don looks toward his newly found religious beliefs to help him contend with an escaped criminal bent on revenge. David Gallagher (”7th Heaven”) guest stars.
◊“SpongeBob SquarePants” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): Nickelodeon kicks-off a 50-hour marathon with the premiere of “To SquarePants or Not to SquarePants”, which follows SpongeBob after his square pants have shrunk in the dryer. Unable to find a new pair, he tries round pants, but no one seems to recognize him as SpongeBob RoundPants. Patchy the Pirate hosts the marathon that will include 11 “SpongeBob” premieres.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: James Cagney was born on this day in 1899, and TCM celebrates by airing three of his films: 1935’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (11:45 a.m.), 1936’s “Something to Sing About” (2 p.m.) and 1955’s “Love Me or Leave Me” (3:45 p.m.).
SATURDAY, JULY 18
◊“Barefoot Contessa” (12:30 p.m. on Food Network): Host Ina Garten showcases portable food with full flavor made for two desk-bound friends.
◊“The Bill Engvall Show” (8 p.m. on TBS): Bill and Susan are feeling the economic pinch, just as Lauren prepares to take an expensive trip for spring break. Bill is certain her disappointment in not being able to go will permanently scar their father-daughter bond.
◊“Discovery Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): This installment of the locally-produced program visits Okmulgee State Park and Discoveryland.
◊“Dirty Sexy Money” (9 p.m. on ABC): While the Darlings are away for Thanksgiving, Clark the chauffeur offers his version of various Darling family rumors to a persistent reporter. This is one of the series’ final episodes scheduled to air over the next four Saturdays.
◊“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): After imprisoning Jack and Savid for treason, Silas continues with his plan to hand over Port Prosperity to long-time enemy Gath.
◊“Mamma Mia!” (7 p.m. on HBO): In this musical inspired by the songs of the Swedish pop group ABBA, Amanda Seyfried plays a young bride-to-be who wants to know her father’s identity before she walks down the aisle. Her mother (Meryl Streep) isn’t much help on that count, so she invites the likeliest candidates (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard) to the nuptials.
◊“Mending Fences” (8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): When a Los Angeles journalist (Laura Leighton) visits her ailing mother (Angie Dickinson) and the farm she grew up on, she finds out that her mother’s vision is deteriorating and that her hometown has been struggling with a terrible drought that is forcing many residents to sell out to a casino developer.
◊“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): This 2002 comedy transfers writer and star Nia Vardalos’ stage show to film, thanks to producers Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Vardalos plays a Greek woman who risks her tradition-bound family’s wrath when she falls for, then plans to wed, a decidedly non-Greek educator (John Corbett, ‘‘Sex and the City”).
◊“Outdoor Oklahoma” (6 p.m. on OETA-13): Produced by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, this series keeps Oklahoman informed about fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation, as well as policies and programs. Learn about the latest quail research, what’s happening with deer season or where fisheries personnel have found the biggest catfish in the state.
◊“SpongeBob SquarePants” (9 a.m. on Nickelodeon): The marathon continues with the Top 10 most memorable “SpongeBob” episodes as picked by fans on Nick.com. The night will be capped off with “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” at 9 p.m.
◊“Tom Jones” (7 p.m. on TCM): This adaptation of Henry Fielding’s novel, which won the best picture Oscar for 1963, follows the adventures of the title character (Albert Finney), whose enjoyment of the earthly delights of 18th-century England almost get him hanged.
–Penny TV
Top 55 TV Programs for July 5-11, 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 July 5:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
SUNDAY, JULY 5
◊“18 Pregnant Schoolgirls” (9 p.m. on BBC America): This documentary tells the story of what happened when an unusually large number of teenage girls in Gloucester, Mass., turned up for pregnancy tests at a school clinic. Officials announced that they would be investigating an apparent teenage “pregnancy pact” responsible for the fact that at least 17 girls in the high school were expecting babies, four times more than the previous year.
◊“Angel and the Badman” (8 p.m. on Hallmark): John Wayne’s grandson, Brendan Wayne, appears in a remake of the Duke’s 1947 classic. The Western also stars Lou Diamond Phillips and Luke Perry as a pair of rival outlaws, one trying to change his ways and the other which murder on his mind.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): Rush and team reopen the 2005 murder case of a young African-American politician who vowed to rid the lower-class neighborhood he grew up in of drug dealers who prey on young kids. Jonathan LaPaglia (”The District”) guest stars as Assistant District Attorney Curtis Bell.
◊“Hannah Montana” (7 p.m. on Disney): In the one-hour special titled “He Could Be the One?,” Miley tries to tell Robby that she’s dating Jake Ryan (Cody Linley, “Dancing With the Stars”) again. Brooke Shields reprises her roles as Miley’s late mother.
◊“Malcolm in the Middle” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): Twentieth Television’s complete seven-season library of the award-winning series joins the network’s lineup. It centers on teen genius Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) and his dysfunctional family and originally ran from 2000-6 on Fox.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Julia McKenzie (”Cranford”) takes over the role of spinster sleuth Jane Marple in a new series of Agatha Christie-based mysteries that opens with “A Pocket Full of Rye.” She investigates the deaths of a businessman, his young wife and their housemaid under circumstances that bizarrely recall a nursery rhyme.
◊“Merlin” (7 p.m. on NBC): Merlin barely escapes the attack of a magical winged creature when a young man, Lancelot, appears and fighhts the creature away. Merlin sets out of a mission to convince Arthur of Lancelot’s nobility and great fighting skills.
◊“The Next Food Network Star” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Rachael Ray (”Rachael Ray”) challenges the remaining six finalists to create kid-friendly dishes and convince a group of children to experiment with food they’ve never tried before.
◊“Ruby” (7 p.m. on Style Network): After capturing viewers’ hearts last season and after a 100-pound weight loss, southern sweetheart Ruby Gettinger continues her journey to lose weight and get healthy. Hard work and determination pay off as she passes below 350 pounds for the first time in her adult life (having once weighed 716 pounds).
◊“Untamed & Uncut” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): The second season of extreme animal stories takes viewers on a journey around the world to meet the people whose lives are forever changed by their heart-pounding encounters with animals. The season premiere includes an encounter between a hawk and a cockatoo and its handler.
MONDAY, JULY 6
◊“100 Concerts in 100 Days” (10 a.m. and 10 p.m. today through Oct. 13 on VH1 Classic): New and historically significant rock concerts and festivals will air over the next 100 days. The concert series kicks off with the “Us Festival” from 1983 featuring INXS, The Clash, Men at Work, and The English Beat. Additional highlights from the 100 days of programming include “Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same,” “Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live in NYC,” “Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon” and “Iron Maiden: Somewhere Back in Time.”
◊“Desperate Landscapes” (8 p.m. on DIY): In Seson 5, licensed general contractor Jason Cameron visits a viewer’s home armed with a wheelbarrel full of creative solutions to the toughest lanscaping problems. In one day, Jason and his team transform the property into a show place.
◊“The Great Debate” (9 p.m. today through Friday on VH1): Boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer, famous for this catchphrase “Let’s get ready to rumble,” hosts this five-night event that will settle the most burning questions and heated debates of pop culture. Celebrities, including Gilbert Gottfried, Hulk Hogan, Jerry Springer and Perez Hilton, will appear to make their arguments regarding “Star Trek” vs. “Star Wars,” Beatles vs. Rolling Stones and boxers vs. briefs.
◊“Ham on the Street” (1 p.m. on FLN): George Duran, a young chef and comic, hosts this show that combines food facts and hiden-camera comedy. He also creates fast and easy dishes for the everyday cook.
◊“History Detectives” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Items invedstigated include a gun that may have belonged to a member of Al Capone’s gang, a letter allegedly written by John Wilkes Booth’s father and a device meant to guard against grave robbers.
◊“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (9 p.m. on Bravo): After failing to win a Grammy, Kathy decides to try to reclaim the spotlight by writing a tell-all book about her friends and family. Michael McDonald (“MADtv”) and Nicole Sullivan (“Rita Rocks”) guest star.
◊“King of Dirt” (8:30 p.m. on DIY): Licensed landscape contractor Gino Panaro doesn’t use a computer or graphic technology to create an outdoor space. He uses his imagination and his hands to make high-end landscapes.
◊“SportsNation” (3 p.m. on ESPN2): This new series hosted by Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle invites viewers to weigh in on topics via e-mail, text, Twitter or telephone. Fans will determine what the topics are, and they can also interact with the hosts, producers, athletes and coaches appearing on the show.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Janet Leigh was born on this day in 1927, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of her films, including 1951’s “Angels in the Outfield” (9:15 a.m.) and 1953’s “Houdini” (3 p.m.).
TUESDAY, JULY 7
◊“10 Things I Hate About You” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): This new series inspired by the 1999 movie of the same name stars Larry Miller (reprising movie role) as the over-protective father to the Stratford sisters — Kat (Lindsey Shaw, “Aliens in America”), a feminist with a razor-sharp tongue, and Bianca (Meaghan Martin, “Camp Rock”), a girl with a plan to climb the social ladder at her new school. Ethan Peck (“Adopt a Sailor” and grandson of Gregory Peck) plays resident bad boy Patrick Verona (originated by Heath Ledger in the 1999 film).
◊“Fantastic Plastic Brain” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This two-part special tells the story of people with braisn that have the capacity to adapt under extraordinary circumstances.
◊“Great American Road Trip” (7 p.m. on NBC): Comic Reno Collier hosts this eight-episode reality series in which seven families from Texas, Illinois, New York, California, Alabama and Connecticut take a memorable journey together along Route 66, competing in a series of challenges along the way that will reward one family with a dream prize.
◊“NOVA scienceNOW” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment focuses on the Kepler telescope, using computers to authenticate paintings and discovering genes for Alzheimer’s and autism.
◊“P.O.V.” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Promising guitarist Jason Crigler seemed to be on the fast track for stardom before he suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage during a 2004 performance date in Manhattan, leaving him in a near-vegetative state. His friend, filmmaker Eric Daniel Metzger, chronicles the journey that followed in ‘‘Life.Support.Music.”
◊“State of Creativity” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): To prove that Oklahomans are creative, the show’s producers picked one county in the state as the focal point for Season 2. The result is 10 stories from Noble County, from an innovative farmer to a unique prairie learning experience.
◊“Warehouse 13″ (8 p.m. on SYFY, formerly called SCI FI): Eddie McClintock (“Crumbs”) and Joane Kelly (”Vanished”) star in this new series that follows Secret Service agents who are reassigned to a strange warehouse in South Dakota that houses a wild collection of supernatural objects.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8
◊“Baseball Wives: True Hollywood Story” (9 p.m. on E!): This installment spends a “day in the life” of baseball wives to bring viewers the play-by-play of what their lives are really like. Among those featured are Heidi Hamels, wife of Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels; Carrie Proctor, wife of Florida Marlins pitcher Scott Proctor; and Katie Hamilton, wife of Texas Rangers player Josh Hamilton.
◊“The Conscience of Nhem En” (7 p.m. on HBO2): This documentary short revisits Cambodia 30 years after Khmer Rouge’s reign, when 16-year-old soldier Nhem En was instructed to photograph thousands of men, women and children as they passed through a processing center on their way to certain death. The portraits he took bear witness to the unspeakable suffering and loss endured by the country.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Gary learns the lesson of never mixing business with family when he’s is forced to lean on Allison’s brother (Matthew Lillard, “Scooby-Doo”) for financial guidance after he is faced with an audit from the Internal Revenue Service.
◊“Ghost Hunters International” (8 p.m. on SYFY): Season 2 returns with a squad of real-life “ghost-busters” — ordinary people who investigate and attempt to debunk claims of otherworldly activity. This summer, the team travels to Austria, Ireland, Italy, Chile, Argentina and the Czech Republic in pursuit of the truth behind bizarre supernatural claims.
◊“I’m a Major League Eater” (9 p.m. on BIO): This special uncovers the competitive world of professional eating and explores the preparation rituals of the eaters. There are currently 100 high octane competitive eating events in the United States and more than 9,000 active members in the sport of Major League Eating.
◊“Okie Noodling II” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): In 2002, filmmaker Bradley Beasley brought the strange subculture of bare-handed catfishing to TV audiences. In this sequel, Beesley returns to his home state of Oklahoma to chronicle the sport’s evolution over the last decade. Lee McFarlin, 2005 Okie Noodling Champion, is featured.
◊“Time Team America” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This new series takes viewers to major U.S. historical site with a crack archaeological team that has three days to make a discovery. The team of scholars and scientists must use their combined skills and knowledge to find out what time itself has buried. Dr. Joe Watkins, Director of the Native American Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma, is a member of the team.
◊“Top Chef Masters” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Chefs Anita Lo, Douglas Rodriguez, John Besh and Mark Peel must cook eggs with one hand tied behind their backs, then dazzle several high-profile guests including Neil Patrick Harris (”How I Met Your Mother”), with their culinary artistry.
◊“Wide Angle” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Heart of Jenin” recounts a tragic 2005 incident on the West Bank, where a 12-year-old Palestinian boy was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers who mistook his toy gun for a real weapon.
THURSDAY, JULY 9
◊“Big Brother” (7 p.m. on CBS): Julie Chen returns for an eleventh season as host, and a new group of strangers share a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and microphones recording their every move, 24 hours a day. One by one, the Houseguests will vote each other out of the house. At the end of three months, the last remaining Houseguest will receive the Grand Prize of $500,000.
◊“The Chicas Project” (6 p.m. on mun2): Crash and Yasmin are back for their fourth season of this reality lifestyle series. They once again criss-cross the Unites States finding thrills, spills and adventures. This time along the way, the chicas collect the thoughts and concerns of young Latinas across the country, head to Capitol Hill, and present their accumulated messages to the President & CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): During the course of an investigation, the CSIs discover that their victim, a young woman who was murdered and found with several different blood types in her system, is the daughter of a wanted criminal. Nicholas Turturro (”I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”) giest stars.
◊“In the Motherhood” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): In the series finale, Jane (Cheryl Hines) needs to prove to her boss that she still has what it takes to be a great employee and that motherhood isn’t getting in the way of her work. Meanwhile, Rosemary (Megan Mullally) makes Horatio choose between being friends with her or a fellow nanny.
◊“Inside Track: Refueling the Business of NASCAR” (8 p.m. on CNBC): This documentary takes viewers inside the garage of driver-turned-owner Tony Stewart and offers a never-before-seen look at how NASCAR sponsors are looking for business from each other.
◊“LA Ink” (9 p.m. on TLC): Tattoo artist Kat Von D returns to TLC for a third season of her reality series. While Kat is focused on expanding her product line and writing a new book, the shop faces unexpected – and unwelcome – changes. The introduction of new shop manager, Aubry Fisher, (from “Rock of Love” fame) is just one example.
◊“Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand-Up” (9 p.m. on Starz): Doug Williams (”The Bernie Mac Show”) returns as host of the show that presents up-and-coming comics and established stars performing before a live audience.
◊“Samantha Who?” (7 p.m. on ABC): Samantha is shocked to learn that she has been kept in the dark about having an aunt (Christine Ebersole, “Grey Gardens”) and a grandmother (Florence Henderson, “The Brady Bunch”) because of a feud over a family heirloom between Regina and her sister.
◊“Soundstage” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Indie rock favorite-turned-mahor-label sensation Death Cab for Cutie presenst a set that includes songs from the band’s new EP “The Open Door” and the 2008 studio album “Narrow Stairs.”
◊“Wicked Attraction” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): The series returns for a second season of examining what happens in the mind of the average person when they fall under the spell of a sadistic predator.
FRIDAY, JULY 10
◊“Against the Grain” (1 p.m. on DIY): In this new series, master builder Jimmy DiResta brings his unique blend of function and artistry to even the simplest projects, such as barstools made from baseball bats and pool tables that concert to dining room tables.
◊“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (7 p.m. on Fox): Larry the Cable Guy (“The Blue Collar Comedy Tour”) competes for $1 million by testing his knowledge in the subjects ranging from art to geography and math to social studies. There is a way for him to “cheat” in this classroom, as he can get help from real grade-schoolers who will offer what they think is the correct answer.
◊“The Assistants” (7:30 p.m. on The N): This new 13-episode series takes a comedic look at four showbiz assistants working for a big-shot producer as they strive to make it in Hollywood. Coffee runs, answering phones and helping actresses break out of rehab are just part of the glamorous and not-so-glamorous lives of these four 20-somethings.
◊“Crimson Tide” (7 p.m. on Bravo): This 1995 post-Cold War drama stars Gene Hackman as a submarine commander and Denzel Washington as his executive officer. When an unconfirmed order instructs the crew to fire the sub’s nuclear missiles, the two go head to head in a tense standoff.
◊“Eureka” (8 p.m. on SYFY): The second half of Season 3 picks up at the mid-season cliffhanger with Jack Carter being removed from his job as Eureka’s sheriff and Allison announcing that she is expecting her recently-deceased husband’s baby.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): When a vigilante group goes after a known criminal mastermind, Charlie is forced to turn to his rival for help. Also, Don wrestles with his emotions towards embracing religion. Colin Hanks (”Roswell”) guest stars.
◊“The River Wild” (5 p.m. on HBO): In this 1994 action thriller, Meryl Streep plays an unhappy wife and former white-water guide who takes her husband and son on a river expedition. After coming to the aid of two young rafters, the family is soon at the mercy of murderous thieves on a harrowing trip through some dangerous rapids.
SATURDAY, JULY 11
◊“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): This installment of the locally-produced program visits the Rock Cafe in Stroud, the world’s highest hill near Poteau and the Ames Meteor Crater.
◊“Eli Stone” (9 p.m. on ABC): In the series finale, Eli’s visions leads him to believe someone close to him will die in a plane crash. As Eli tries to unravel the mystery of who among his friends may meet their fate on the doomed plane, he and Keith take on the case of a woman named Diane who’s in need of a heart transplant, but the religious parents of a donor refuse to give her their daughter’s heart to her because she is an atheist. Tom Cavanagh (”Ed”) guest stars.
◊“The Gambler, the Girl and the Gunslinger” (8 p.m. on Hallmark): When con man Shea McCall (Dean Cain) wins ownership of half of a cattle ranch, he immediately butts heads with BJ Stoker (James Tupper), the hard-nosed owner of the other half of the ranch. But when the two uncover a secret Mexican invasion plot, they’ll have to put aside their differences in order to save the ranch, whoever’s property it is.
◊“Keyshawn Johnson: Tackling Design” (11 a.m. on A&E): In this new series, former NFL player Keyshawn Johnson tries to negotiate clients and a cast of assistants while tackling a variety of interior design dilemmas. From a master bedroom to a gourmet kitchen, Johnson and his team will show clients how to work within their budget to make choices that make sense.
◊“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): David finds out where his true loyalties lie when he goes on trial for treason.
◊“Primeval” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Abby’s visiting brother, Jack, persists in snooping around in an attempt to find out the truth about her job but only winds up being menaced by a giant and very lethal carnivorous insect from the future that chases him into an anomaly. That forces the team to enter a harsh futuristic world teeming with hungry predators to rescue him.
◊“Tombstone” (7 p.m. on History): In this 1993 adaptation of the O.K. Corral story, Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) gets out of Dodge and attempts to settle down in Tombstone, Ariz., with his brothers (Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton) and buddy Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). But Wyatt can’t hang up his six-shooters until he takes care of the outlaw gang that’s stirring up trouble.
◊“Viva Daisy!” (8:30 a.m. on Food Network): Host Daisy Martinez returns for a second season of giving viewers tips and tricks for creating quick, simple, mouth-watering meals inspired by her love of Latin cuisines.
–Penny TV
Top 55 TV Programs for June 28-July 4, 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 28:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)
SUNDAY, JUNE 28
◊The BET Awards ’09 (7 p.m. on BET): Jamie Foxx (“Ray”) will host the ninth annual event that celebrates the achievements in music, sports and entertainment. The O’Jays will be honored with a lifetime achievement award.
◊“Built to Shred” (7 p.m. on Fuel TV): In Season 2 of this build-and-ride sports show featuring top skateboarders, BMXers and surfers, host Jeff King works with pros to design, build and try out a new obstacle.
◊“Celebrity Rides: Hollywood Speeding Bullitt” (6 p.m. on DIY): Chad McQueen, son of actor Steve McQueen, helps build a 1968 GT Fastvack Mustang made famous by the movie “Bullitt.”
◊“Comedy You Can Believe In With David Alan Grier” (9 p.m. on TBS): David Alan Grier (“Chocolate News”) will perform his own stand-up and introduce comedians Bruce Bruce, Jo Koy, Mark Curry, Aries Spears and Marina Franklin.
◊“Gene Simmons Family Jewels” (8:30 p.m. on A&E): While Gene Simmons rings the bell at the New York Stock Exchange and spreads the word about investing in America, Shannon does some spending of her own when she gets addicted to late-night infomercials.
◊“HGTV Showdown” (9 p.m. on HGTV): A new line-up of challengers and celebrity guests take the design stage for Season 3 of the show. Host Jamie Durie will guide viewers through the action as two teams of expert designers and builders compete to design and execute a winning room makeover for one lucky homeowner. The homeowner also will win a professional design plan and $10,000 toward the redesign of a room in their home.
◊“Hung” (9 p.m. Sunday on HBO): In this new and very adult comedy, Thomas Jane stars as Ray Drucker, a high school basketball coach and divorced dad who sets out to change his fortune.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment “Mrs. McGinty’s Dead,” crime novelist Ariadne Oliver (Zoe Wanamaker, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) joins Poirot (David Suchet, “Henry VIII”) to save a man who has been sentenced to hang for the murder of his landlady.
◊“Merlin” (7 p.m. on NBC): The witch Nimueh casts a spell with a monster that poisons Camelot’s drinking water, spreading a sickness throughout the city. When Gwen’s father falls ill, Merlin disobeys Gaius’ orders and tries to help.
◊“The Next Food Network Star” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Bobby Flay tests the remaining seven finalists by having them out their culinary point of view on a classic American dish — the burger. Guy Fieri (“Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”) surprises the finalists and challenges them to create a dish using a basket of international ingredients for a group of returning American soldiers.
◊“Prehistoric New York” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Travel back in time through the lost worlds of New York City’s past, when mammoths once trampled down Fifth Avenue and some of the world’s first dinosaurs roamed where the New York Giants now play.
◊“Waging War on Cancer With Paula Zahn: The Future” (1:30 p.m. on OETA-13): This program seeks to demystify cancer by explaining where it comes from. In many cases, it has to do with chronic injury to tissue.
MONDAY, JUNE 29
◊“Blood, Sweat + Gears: Racing Clean to the Tour de France” (9:30 p.m. on Sundance): This documentary follows the journey of an American cycling team seeking to compete in its first Tour de France, the French bicycle race that covers over 3,500 kilometers in 22 grueling days. The 2009 Tour de France runs from July 4-July 26.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): Brenda and her squad are temporarily deputized into the FBI when a missing person case turns into a full-blown murder investigation involving drug trafficking at gay dance parties. The case gives Brenda and Fritz the chance to work together again, but her investigative tactics don’t exactly fit FBI protocol.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): When a murderer kidnaps an innocent baby, Horatio and the team must find him before the child becomes his next victim. Teri Polo (”Meet the Parents”) guest stars in this of the show’s 150th episode.
◊“Dance Your … Off” (9 p.m. on Oxygen): Marissa Jaret Winokur (“Hairspray”) hosts this new dance/weight-loss competition series featuring full-figured contestants who struggle with their weight and dance to unleash their inner thin.
◊“History Detectives” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment focuses on an invention that may have been used in the atomic bomb, a 23-pound block of beeswax with strange markings and a French manuscript kept by an American family for 160 years.
◊“JoMoPro 2009″ (7 p.m. on Fuel TV, 265 on Cox Digital Cable, 536 on U-verse, 618 on DirecTV): This BMX event in Joplin, Mo., offers a $20,000 prize purse and features a best-trick contest that awards the winning rider a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
◊“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Kathy seeks out Paris Hilton. The new BFFs spend the day buying trendy clothes on Robertson Blvd., pose for hundreds of photographers trailing their every move and make a call to Snoop Dog.
◊“NewsHour With Jim Lehrer” (5 p.m. on OETA-13): The segment “A Future That is Bright and Green” features Nathan Wright and Casey Wenzel, who are among the first students at Oklahoma State University to participate in a new degree program in wind turbine technology. They are hopeful about finding jobs that are not only close to home, but that are safer, cleaner and more stable than those in the oil and gas industry.
◊“Operation Emeril” (7 p.m. on Planet Green): In this special, chef Emeril Lagasse visits the Army Center of Excellence Subsistence (ACES) at Fort Lee in Richmond, VA, and meets service men and women training to become military cooks. He shows the soldiers how to mix new combinations of food while in the kitchen and prepare healthy and delicious meals for the masses.
◊“Raising the Bar” (9 p.m. on TNT): When an innocent picture of a little boy in a bathtub winds up on a child pornographer’s Web site, Jerry has his hands full defending the father against Balco’s aggressive prosecution.
◊“Shouting Fire: Stories From the Edge of Free Speech” (8 p.m. on HBO): In collaboration with her father, First Amendment attorney Martin Garbus, Oscar nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus explores the social and political trends that have shaped America’s attitudes about free speech and how they can threaten the very tenets upon which the country was built.
◊“Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This film looks at the life and music of Arthur Russell, a little-known composer, producer, cellist, singer and songwriter who died of AIDS in 1992.
TUESDAY, JUNE 30
◊“18 Kids and Counting” (8 p.m. on TLC): Josh and Anna Duggar don’t know if their first child will be a boy or girl — but the “Today” show does. Watch as the Duggars are kept in the dark until it’s revealed live on national television via a special cake from the “Cake Boss.”
◊“The Best Thing I Ever Ate” (8:30 p.m. on Food Network): Food Network stars Guy Fieri (“Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”), Duff Goldman (“Ace of Cakes”) and Aida Mollenkamp (“Ask Aida”) talk about their favorite foods made with bacon.
◊“HawthoRNe” (8 p.m. on TNT): Christina scrambles to create a makeshift ICU bed for a woman whose son isn’t ready to let her go. And Camille spends the day sneaking around the hospital when she’s supposed to be working on an English essay.
◊“NOVA” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Musical Minds” investigates the impact music can have on the human brain through case studies from neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks’ book “Musicophilia.”
◊“NOVA scienceNOW” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Host Neil deGrasse Tyson returns for Season 4, which is packed with provocative new stories from the frontlines of science, technology, and medicine. In the premiere episode, a blindfolded Tyson is led to a top-secret “diamond farm” to investigate breakthroughs in the engineering of artificial diamonds. Indistinguishable from the real thing, these glittering creations may one day replace silicon transistors in everything from super computers to high-speed electric trains.
◊“P.O.V.” (9:30 p.m. on OETA-13): The family of a French gay man who was brutally murdered by three neo-Nazi skinheads undergoes an astonishing personal journey as its members struggle to seek justice while coming to terms with their unthinkable loss in ‘‘Beyond Hatred.”
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): Matthew (F. Murray Abraham, “Amadeus”), one of Earl’s fellow angels, hits a rough patch when it comes to winning souls, and he starts honing in on Earl’s territory.
◊“Stager Invasion” (7 p.m. on TLC): In this new series, professional stager Lisa Lynch visits houses that are on the market by homeowners but aren’t getting much interest. Lynch and a staging team help transform the homes – using mostly items already part of the decor – while battling 8-hour timelines to get everything ready for showings.
◊“Wake Steady” (7 p.m. on Fuel TV, 265 on Cox Digital Cable, 536 on U-verse, 618 on DirecTV): Catch wakeboarding and wakeskating champions attacking still waters worldwide.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1
◊“10 Grand in Your Hand” (8:30 p.m. on DIY, 111 on Dish Network, 171 on Cox Digital Cable, 230 on Direct TV, 454 on U-verse): This series shows homeowners how to cut up to $10,000 from their renovation and remodeling projects. It offers advice on new materials and technologies, as well as how-to info on doing some of the basic work themselves.
◊“American Masters” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This new 90-minute episode goes behind the scenes of the radio show ‘‘A Prairie Home Companion,” created by humorist and commentator Garrison Keillor. It follows Keillor and his crew of actors and misicians as they travel across the country broadcasting and recording shows.
◊“Clean House: Search for the Messiest Home in the Country” (8 p.m. on Style Network): In the first-season finale host Niecy Nash (”Reno 911!”) unveils 2009’s messiest home in the country and documents its full makeover. The home belongs to a detective, and it is crammed with suff in every room.
◊“Monsters Inside Me” (8 p.m. on Animal Planet): This new series explores the shocking, gruesome and sometimes deadly details of a parasitic infection. Every episode is a constant battle for life as doctors and scientists attempt to unravel each case.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine and Barb are informed by the parent company of their gym franchise that they’ve broken a contractual clause and may lose the gym. Megan Mullally (”Will & Grace”) guest stars as the corporate representative from the gym’s parent company.
THURSDAY, JULY 2
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (7 p.m. on CBS): When a series of victims are found deceased seemingly in the middle of everyday activities, the CSIs must determine what is causing them to remain upright after death. Alex Kingston (”ER”), Jeffrey Tambor (”Arrested Development”) and Will McCormack (”Dirt”) guest star.
◊“The Listener” (9 p.m. on NBC): After witnessing a fatal shooting in Chinatown, Toby uses his telepathic gift to help a blind woman solve the murder of her brother. He discovers a cover-up involving a Chinese crime boss who has a lot to hide from the police.
◊“Moments of Impact” (8 p.m. on Discovery): From terrifyingly close calls on the jet way to a sudden avalanche to unexpected animal attacks, this new series provides a spectacular tour de force of real life spills and chills.
◊“Science of the Movies” (9 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): This installment goes behind the scenes of Sony Pictures Animation’s 3D feature “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”
◊“Soundstage” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Sugarland presents a versatile set that includes pop songs, country sounds and soulful ballads.
◊“Twilight Zone” marathon: (7 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. July 5 on SCI FI): The network’s annual event, running Thursday through Saturday, features episodes from the 1980s version of the series, as well as the classic 1960s show.
◊“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 50 Years of Magic” (6 p.m. on TCM): This special was made in 1989, as it has actually been 70 years since ‘‘Oz” came out. Like the movie, though, it’s still enjoyable and will enhance your appreciation of the film, as actress Angela Lansbury (”Murder, She Wrote”) takes a look back at the production of the 1939 classic.
FRIDAY, JULY 3
◊“According to Jim” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): Jim convinces Andy to play snow football even though Andy’s girlfriend, Mandy, warns him against it. Now injured, Andy has to hide his injury from Mandy, so Jim stages a freak accident for Andy in his home. Garry Marshall (“Race to Witch Mountain”) guest stars.
◊“Alex Haley’s Queen” (9 a.m. on TV One, 157 on U-verse, 167 on Cox Digital Cable, 328 on DirecTV): Halle Berry stars in the six-hour miniseries that chronicles the tale of Alex Haley’s paternal grandmother, Queen, who was the daughter of a black slave and a white plantation owner.
◊“Bathtastic” (8 p.m. on DIY, 111 on Dish Network, 171 on Cox Digital Cable, 230 on Direct TV, 454 on U-verse): Host Matt Muenster shares design tips, information on cutting-edge materials and know-how that will revitalize any bathroom, great or small.
◊“Good Evening Ev’rybody: In Celebration of Louis Armstrong” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This is a presentation of a never-before-released concert performance of Louis Armstrong and other musical greats at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival in celebration of Armstrong’s 70th birthday. Armstrong performs several of his greatest hits throughout the concert and rehearsals, including ‘Pennies From Heaven” and “Wonderful World.”
◊“Invitation Only” (10 p.m. on CMT): In this installment of the concert series, Darius Rucker performs before a small studio audience in Nashville, takes questions from fans and delivers revealing and candid answers.
◊“Margaret Cho: Beautiful” (10 p.m. on Showtime): Returning to her stand-up roots, Margaret Cho examines the nature of beauty and the importance society has placed on appearance.
◊“The Ultimate Power Lunch: 50 Years of The Four Seasons” (11 a.m. on CNBC): CNBC correspondent Bill Griffeth will speak one-on-one with the most powerful people in finance, media and fashion, asking them about the economy, the markets and their power lunches at the restaurant over the years.
SATURDAY, JULY 4
◊“Apollo 13″ (6:30 p.m. on Cinemax): Ron Howard, who was born in Duncan, directed this 1995 movie about the near-disastrous 1970 Apollo 13 mission. Headed for the moon, Cmdr. Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) and his crew, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert (Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon), experience an on-board explosion.
◊“Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular” (9 p.m. on CBS): Talk show host Craig Ferguson (”The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson”) returns for his third year as host of the special broadcast live from the Charles River Esplanade in Boston. Grammy winner Neil Diamond will perform some of his classic hits with The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra under the direction of conductor Keith Lockhart. The final 21 minutes of the broadcast, featuring the spectacular fireworks display, will be presented commercial free.
◊“Burn After Reading” (7 p.m. on HBO): Brad Pitt, who was born in Shawnee, stars as a gym worker in this movie directed by Oscar-winners Joel and Ethan Coen (”No Country for Old Men”). John Malkovich plays a newly resigned CIA agent whose secrets are swiped by his divorce-seeking wife (Tilda Swinton) and ultimately land in the hands of gym workers.
◊“A Capitol Fourth” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits returns to host this spe3cial live from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol. Barry Manilow will open and close the broadcast with a medley of hits and patriotic classics along with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Choral Arts Society of Washington. Others scheduled to appear are Aretha Franklin, Natasha Bedingfield, Michael Feinstein, Andrew von Oeyen, the Tony Award-winning cast of “Jersey Boys” and the “Sesame Street” gang.
◊“Choking Man” (9 p.m. on Sundance): This film explores the immigrant experience, as it follows a near-mute dishwasher from Ecuador who is quietly nursing a crush on a radiant fellow immigrant in Queens.
◊“Detonators” (7 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): This series focuses on a specialized team that demolishes skyscrapers, blows up helicopters on movie sets and detonates 50-gallon drums of explosives to quell deadly oil well fires.
◊“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): King Silas sends David on a quest to recover a national treasure, the Charter of Gilboa. While on the mission, David discovers shocking information about his father’s death. Leslie Bibb (Confessions of a Shopaholic”) guest stars as Katrina, who is engaged to Jack.
◊“Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular” (8 p.m. on NBC): “Today” correspondents Natalie Morales and Tiki Barber co-host the special live from New York City. The nation’s 233rd birthday extravaganza will include performances by rock singer Rob Thomas country singer Jewel and the cast from the 2009 revival of “West Side Story.” The fireworks display featuring more than 40,000 shells will be set of from six barges positioned between 24th and 50th Streets on the Hudson River.
◊“Mantracker” marathon (11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): Terry Grant is an expert outdoorsman trained to track and retrieve missing persons in the deep wilderness. His mission in each episode is to track two contestants through rough country and capture them before they can reach the finish line.
◊“Sweet Land of Liberty” (5 p.m. on OETA-13): Music selections include “America the Beautiful,” “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “God Bless America.”
◊“Tribute to Liberty” (5:30 p.m. on OETA-13): Music selections include “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “This Is My Country.”
–Penny TV
Top 55 TV Programs for June 7-13, 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 7:
SUNDAY, JUNE 7
◊“The 63rd Annual Tony Awards” (7 p.m. on CBS: Neil Patrick Harris (”How I Met Your Mother”) hosts the event live from Radio City Music Hall in New York. The musical “Billy Elliot,” based on the 2000 movie about a coal miner’s son with a passion for ballet, is nominated for 15 awards, tying 2001’s “The Producers” for the record. In the play category, “God of Carnage” has the distinction of having all its cast members nominated for acting honors: James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis.
◊“Amazing Wedding Cakes” (9 p.m. on WEtv): Season 2 takes viewers behind the scenes of seriously high-stakes cakes that are works of art. The series also captures how the bakers dip into new ventures, ranging from opening a new shop with new staff, to working with wealthier clientele, including unpredictable brides that change their minds last minute.
◊“Army Wives” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): In the Season 3 premiere, Frank gets ready lead mission in Iraq that could cause hurt for Denise.
◊“Bridezillas” (8 p.m. on WEtv): Season 6 introduces multiple women who will do anything to make their perfect weddings come true, no matter who they have to run over in the process. The premiere episode focuses on a California bride whose ego is matched only by her violent temper.
◊“Brooke Knows Best” (9 p.m. on VH1): Hulk Hogan’s daughter is back for a second season. While she has broken free from the family nest, she continues to deal with the pressure of adulthood including the advancement of her recording career as well as coping with family drama.
◊“Denise Richards: It’s Complicated” (9:30 p.m. on E!): From reconnecting with old friends to recharging her acting career, to supporting her dad’s new social life, Season 2 of the series will present a fresh look inside the hectic world of Denise Richards (”Starship Troopers”).
◊“Gene Simmons Family Jewels” (9 p.m. on A&E): Former Kiss rocker Gene Simmons and his unconventional family are back for Season 4 of their unscripted series. The 15-episode season kicks off with Sophie’s sweet sixteen party, giving viewers an all access pass to the milestone celebration.
◊“How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” (9 p.m. on BBC America): From all across the United Kingdom, thousands of singers and actresses audition in hopes of becoming Maria in the musical “The Sound of Music.” Graham Norton (“The Graham Norton Show”) visits with auditioners, and sitting at the judges table are Andrew Lloyd Webber (Tony and Grammy-winning composer) and John Barrowman (“Torchwood”).
◊“Ideal” (10:30 p.m. on IFC): British comedian Johnny Vegas stars in this eight-part series about Moz, a small-time dealer who lives in a run-down flat with his long-term girlfriend. Moz is content, but his girlfriend has aspirations for a better life.
◊“The International Sexy Ladies Show” (8:30 p.m. on G4): This new series features women in some of the funniest and most provocative television programming from around the globe with hilarious commentary from popular comedians.
◊“Kendra” (9 p.m. on E!): This new series follows the outrageous antics of the “Girls Next Door” star Kendra Wilkinson as she leaves her pampered world and adjusts to a new life filled with daily domestic duties. However Kendra’s adventures are only just beginning as she is busy planning her June wedding with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett at the Playboy Mansion.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): World War II-era sleuth Christopher Foyle (Michael Kitchen) investigates the murder of a young doctor in the “Foyle’s War” mystery “Broken Souls.” The victim was quite unpopular, so there are plenty of suspects, and Foyle feels a strong empathy for one of them. Sam (Honeysuckle Weeks) helps a friend whose husband, an injured former prisoner of war, has trouble adjusting to changes on the home front.
◊“The Next Food Network Star” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Television’s most challenging food fight is back for Season 5. Ten hopeful TV chefs will compete for the ultimate dream job: his or her own Food Network show. Iron Chef Bobby Flay leads the selection committee that will decide the winner.
◊“The Sun” (7 p.m. on Discovery): Take a journey to the sun using the latest technology, advances in astronomy and cutting-edge CGI animation. See how the sun was born, exists today and how our world will end when the sun consumes us all.
◊“Web Soup” (8 p.m. on G4): Stand-up comedian Chris Hardwick hosts this new series that offers a fresh look at the best – and worst – moments from the week’s Internet mayhem and presents topical web videos and viral classics with sarcastic tongue-in-cheek commentary.
◊“World’s Tallest Children” (9 p.m. on TLC): What is it like to tower head and shoulders above all of the teachers at your school, let alone your classmates and all of the older kids? Find out whether these vertically challenged kids enjoy being the world’s tallest children.
◊“Yankee Doodle Dandy” (7 p.m. on TCM): James Cagney won his only best actor Oscar for his performance in this 1942 musical. It is the first of 13 films Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe winner John Lithgow (”3rd Rock from the Sun”) will present during “TCM Essentials Jr.” airing Sundays in summer. All films are ideal for parents to introduce to their children.
◊“Z Rock” (10 p.m. on IFC): The series loosely based on the real lives of a New York based rock band returns for a second season. Brothers Paulie and David Z. and friend Joey Cassata make up the rock band ZO2 by night and the children’s party band The Z Brothers by day.
MONDAY, JUNE 8
◊“American Experience” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): The installment “The Living Weapon” chronicles the United States’ efforts to create a biological weapons program in the 1940s and ’50s in response to reports that Germany and Japan were developing their own.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): Brenda Johnson, the Los Angeles deputy police chief with the unconventional approach but excellent crime-solving record, is back for another season of cracking tough homicide cases. In the season premiere, she and the squad have their hands full investigating a quadruple murder that may be tied to a case the FBI is involved with.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): When the CSIs investigate a murder in Miami’s hippest fashion boutique, Horatio discovers that Julia’s instability has turned her into a ticking bomb. Elizabeth Berkley (”Saved By the Bell”) guest stars.
◊“Greek” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): It’s Homecoming Week and the Kappa Taus’ team up with the ZBZ to go against IKI and the Omega Chis in the annual float competition. Tim Matheson (“Animal House”) directs this episode filled with homecoming floats fiascos and perilous pranks.
◊“Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In the Season 5 premiere, Kathy Griffin considers offering a bribe in hopes of getting her comedy album nominated for a Grammy. But she doesn’t need to bribe Bette Midler, who wants to give Griffin a cameo in her Las Vegas stage show.
◊“Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (8 p.m. on NBC): In the NBC premiere, Detectives Goren and Eames enter the steamy world behind the pulpit when a devout celebrity doctor is murdered.
◊“Nurse Jackie” (9:30 p.m. on Showtime): Edie Falco (‘‘The Sopranos”) plays the title character in this new comedy-drama series, a nurse in a busy New York hospital who’s not afraid to lie or bend the rules if she thinks it’s in a patient’s best interests.
◊“Private Screenings: Stanley Donen” (7 p.m. on TCM): He received an honorary Oscar in 1998 for his body of work, but director Stanley Donen never won the Academy Award for any of his films, which included “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and “Kismet.”
◊“Raising the Bar” (9 p.m. on TNT): In the Season 2 premiere, Jerry defends a man charged with abetting in the sale of crack.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): Jake disappears with the daughter of Charlie’s neighbor, a former NFL player, and Charlie is left to cover his back. Michael Clarke Duncan (“The Green Mile”) guest stars.
◊“Weeds” (9 p.m. on Showtime): Following the events of her bombshell announcement, the Season 5 begins as Nancy digs deeper into the drug world and finds comfort in an unlikely family member.
TUESDAY, JUNE 9
◊“Food Party” (10:15 p.m. on IFC): Brooklyn artist Thu Tran hosts this new series shot on location in a technicolor handmade, cardboard kitchen. Each episode features Thu interacting with a cavalcade of puppets, humans, baked goods, vegetables and other critters as they embark on journeys to bizarre, unexpected lands.
◊“Live From Lincoln Center” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Silk Road Ensemble, a multinational group that shares music traditions from around the world, joins cellist Yo-Yo Ma for an outdoor show at the Damrosch Park band shell.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): The team must rely on information from some questionable individuals to stop a criminal bent on stealing government secrets. David Eigenberg (“Sex and the City”) guest stars.
◊“Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment” (9 p.m. on Discovery): It is the final leg of the group’s journey in Alaska. The snow has fallen, temperatures have plummeted, and they are out of food. The search for signs of civilization has grown ever more important if they want to make it out of the wild.
◊“Starz Inside: The Face Is Familiar” (9 p.m. on Starz): This new documentary features actors and filmmakers discussing the struggles and significance of character actors in Hollywood. Among those starring in the special are Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction”), Joan Cusack (”What About Joan”) and Jane Lynch (“Glee”).
◊“Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” (9 p.m. on Style): The show’s 100th episode features wedding planner James Tramondo surprising a Dallas couple with an amazing – and totally free – dream destination wedding in Alaska. But there’s one big catch — they have only 100 hours to plan and pull off their perfect nuptials.
◊“The Wrong Door” (10:30 p.m. on IFC): This new Computer-Generated Imagery
enhanced British sketch comedy series is set in a parallel universe governed by the laws of comedy, not nature, where special effects seen in the movies and on television are part of everyday life.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10
◊“American Masters” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment titled “Neil Young: Don’t Be Denied,” the musical artist uses previously unseen footage from his own archives to trace his long career from his early success with Buffalo Springfield through his stardom with Crosby, Stills and Nash and Crazy Horse to his later forays into new-wave music.
◊“Dollars & Danger: Africa, the Final Investment Frontier” (8 p.m. on CNBC): CNBC correspondent Erin Burnett spent a year traveling to the world’s richest continent to find out why some investors are doubling down. This documentary focuses on Fortune 500 companies putting billions on the line and intrepid investors who say the reward is worth great risk.
◊“Mythbusters” (8 p.m. on Discovery): When hosts Adam and Jamie decide to find out if a sonic shock wave can shatter glass, they bring out the big guns — the Blue Angels. This episode also tests the myth on whether you can bend bullets around obstacles with a side-arm flick.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine agrees to go on a date with a children’s entertainer specializing in reptile parties in order to get Ritchie into the Reptile Club. Jeffrey Tambor (”Arrested Development”) guest stars as Neil, the lizard guy.
◊“Pitchmen” (9 p.m. on Discovery): One of Billy Mays’ most successful products – the Awesom Auger – was developed by a pitch guy who lost his legs in a plane crash. Billy helped him sell his planting sensation and stay in the pitch game by re-vamping the advertisement.
◊“Top Chef Masters” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In this new twist on the ‘‘Top Chef” formula, 24 world-renowned chefs, including Oklahoma City-born Rick Bayless, are pitted against one another to see who’s the best of the best. In the first six episodes, they compete in groups of four, with each group’s winner advancing to the finals. The winner gets $100,000 for his or her favorite charity.
THURSDAY, JUNE 11
◊“16 & Pregnant” (9 p.m. on MTV): According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, more than 700,000 teenage girls in the U.S. become pregnant each year. This show will take an intimate look inside the lives of pregnant teenagers as they face the challenges that come with being a young parent and dealing with relationships, finance, school and other new responsibilities.
◊“How to Find a Husband” (8 p.m. on Fine Living Network): Sally Gray’s search for a husband forced her to warm up to the concept of dating multiple men at once, and now she’s found at least four men of potential husband quality. But now the problem is that she can’t decide which one she wants to take things further with in the Season 1 finale.
◊“Raising Sextuplets” (9 p.m. on WEtv): On June 11, 2007, Jenny and Bryan Masche became first-time parents…of sextuplets. This new series follows the marathon-running parents as they learn the hard way that no training can prepare you for parenthood with multiples.
◊“She’s Got the Look” (8 p.m. on TV Land): Season 2 returns with supermodel Kim Alexis as host and 10 new finalists – all over the age of 35 – competing to become the next great supermodel. In addition to a contract with Wilhelmina Models Inc., and a photo spread in SELF magazine, this season’s winner will also receive a check for $100,000.
◊“Total Drama Action” (8 p.m. on Cartoon Network): This new animated comedy series follows 14 contestants as they face thrilling challenges on an abandoned film studio backlot. It showcases all the elements of reality TV shows — romances and friendships, scheming and sabotage, death-defying stunts and stomach-curdling challenges — all within larger-than-life elimination competition.
FRIDAY, JUNE 12
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): While investigating the death of a former pro surfer-turned park ranger, the team uncovers a shocking connection to another crime. Pro Surfer Brad Gerlach guest stars in this episode directed by Emilio Estevez (”The Breakfast Club”).
◊“Samantha Who?” (8 p.m. on ABC): In an attempt to find new direction in her life, Samantha decides to go to Africa and volunteer to help those in need. Her friends and family are convinced that she’ll chicken out – which she does after discovering the countless vaccinations and obstacles that she would face to make the journey. Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”) guest stars.
◊“Adam Ferrara: Funny as Hell” (10 p.m. on Comedy Central):Join comedian Adam Ferrara as he recalls his first night in jail and discusses the Italian-American medical term for a panic attack.
SATURDAY, JUNE 13
◊“20Q” (7 p.m. on GSN): Cat Deeley (“So You Think You Can Dance”) hosts this new game show based on the handheld game that utilizes artificial intelligence to systematically divine a player’s chosen word based upon a series of questions. Contestants must battle each other to guess a mystery word based on a series of clues that help them reveal the answer.
◊“Discover Oklahoma” (6:30 p.m. on KWTV-9): This installment of the locally-produced program showcases rock climbing in Oklahoma City, a Tulsa culinary school for kids, Hinton’s Medicine Rock Ranch and Buffalo’s Selman Ranch.
◊“Kings” (7 p.m. on NBC): While Jack and David embark on a dangerous mission to Gath, King Silas acts quickly to prevent the outbreak of a deadly plague.
◊“The Money List” (8:30 p.m. on GSN): Fred Roggin (“GSN Live”) hosts this new fast-paced, high-suspense game of knowledge and teamwork. Players must quickly assess and trust their partners’ knowledge by predicting how many correct items they can come up with on a designated list.
◊“Pushing Daisies” (9 p.m. on ABC): In the series finale, the Darling Mermaid Darlings come out of retirement when one-half of the synchronized swimming duo The Aquadolls (Nora Dunn, “Three Moons Over Milford,” and Wendie Malick, “Jake in Progress”) meets with an unfortunate end that may have been murder-by-shark.
◊“Special Agent Oso” (5 a.m. on Disney): This four-hour marathon of the animated series for preschools will feature eight episodes, including the premiere of the new episode “The Living Flashlight / Sand Castle Royale” at 7 a.m.
–Penny TV
TCM pays tribute to Great Directors in June
August is Summer Under the Stars
on TCM. Every day is devoted to a different actor’s work.
But what about the directors who make these great movies? TCM will pay tribute to them in June.
TCM’s month-long Great Directors Festival will feature nearly 350 films from 52 of the silver screen’s best directors. Each weekday will be devoted to the work of two directors (one during the day, one during the night), while weekends will feature 24-hour tributes to directing giants.
Blake Edwards (pictured at right), who was born in Tulsa, will be one of the featured directors on June 19. His movie festival lineup features 1955’s “Bring Your Smile Along” (5 a.m.), 1962’s “Experiment in Terror” (6:30 a.m.), 1972’s “The Carey Treatment” (9 a.m.), 1982’s “Victor/Victoria” (11 a.m.), 1968’s “The Party” (1:15 p.m.), 1964’s “A Shot in the Dark” (3 p.m.) and 1964’s “The Pink Panther” (5 p.m.).
Also airing as part of the Great Directors festival will be documentaries about and interviews with famous directors.
–Penny TV
TCM’s Great Directors Festival Lineup
•• June 1 — Leo McCarey (day), John Ford (night)
•• June 2 — Victor Fleming (day), Frank Capra (night)
•• June 3 — John Sturges (day), King Vidoe (night)
•• June 4 — Sam Wood (day), Ingmar Bergman (night)
•• June 5 — Carol Reed (day), Steven Spielberg (night)
•• June 6 — William Wyler (all day)
•• June 7 — Michael Curtiz (all day)
•• June 8 — Fritz Lang (day), Stanley Donen (night)
•• June 10 — George Sidney (day), Preston Sturges (night)
•• June 11 — John Huston (day), Akira Kurosawa (night)
•• June 12 — Jacques Tourneur (day), Woody Allen (night)
•• June 13 — Billy Wilder (all day)
•• June 14 — Howard Hawks (all day)
•• June 15 — Clarence Brown (day), Elia Kazan (night)
•• June 16 — Robert Wise (day), Orson Welles (night)
•• June 17 — Tony Richardson (day), William A. Wellman (night)
•• June 18 — Jules Dassin (day), Francois Truffaut (night)
•• June 19 — Blake Edwards (day), Martin Scorsese (night)
•• June 20 — Mervyn LeRoy (all day)
•• June 21 — Vincente Minnelli (all day)
•• June 22 — Edward Dmytryk (day), George Stevens (night)
•• June 23 — Otto Preminger (day), Ernst Lubitsch (night)
•• June 24 — W.S. Van Dyke (day), Stanley Kubrick (night)
•• June 25 — Budd Boetticher (day), Federico Fellini (night)
•• June 26 — David Lean (day), Norman Jewison (night)
•• June 27 — Alfred Hitchcock (all day)
•• June 28 — George Cukor (all day)
•• June 29 — Sidney Lumet (day), Cecil B. DeMille (night)
•• June 30 — Robert Z. Leonard (day), Anthony Mann (night)
Turner Classic Movies Remembers World War I With Special Memorial Day Tribute
World War I served as the setting for some great films, and Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will air five of such films on Memorial Day (May 25).
TCM’s Memorial Day movie marathon will also include 31 other films that pay tribute to soldiers who put their lives on the line in the name of freedom. The 72-hour event gets under way at 5 a.m. Saturday, and Monday’s special WWI tribute will be co-hosted by Robert Osborne (”The Essentials”) and Eli Paul (vice president of the National World War I Museum in Kansas City).
–Penny TV
TCM’s tribute to WWI heroes features:
7 p.m. – “Sergeant York” (1941): Gary Cooper took home an Oscar for his performance in this true story of a young pacifist who is drafted into the service and becomes one of the war’s greatest heroes. Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie and June Lockhart co-star, with Howard Hawks directing.
9:30 p.m. — “The Dawn Patrol” (1938): Errol Flynn and David Niven play pilot buddies in France during the war in this tale of wartime camaraderie. Basil Rathbone co-stars as the rigid officer forced to send the young recruits into aerial dogfights.
11:30 p.m. — “The Fighting 69th” (1940): Extraordinary action, sentimental drama and a good dose of comedy make this one of James Cagney’s most memorable films. The exciting story, which follows the famed Irish regiment, also stars Pat O’Brien and George Brent.
1:15 a.m. — “The Big Parade” (1925): Considered to be among the best World War I films ever made, this epic silent film from director King Vidor stars John Gilbert as a clean-shaven soldier whose eyes are opened to the horrors of war. Renee Adoree and Hobart Bosworth co-star.
3:30 a.m. — “The Lost Patrol” (1934): John Ford directed this sterling account of a British military squad lost in the Mesopotamian desert and facing constant threat from the locals. Victor McLaglen takes the lead role that his brother, actor Cyril McLaglen, played in a 1929 silent version. Boris Karloff turns in an outstanding performance as a religious fanatic, and Max Steiner provides a memorable score.
Remainder of TCM’s Memorial Day weekend schedule:
Saturday, May 23
5 a.m. — “Wings of the Navy” (1939)
6:30 a.m. — “Air Force” (1943)
8:45 a.m. — “Task Force” (1949)
10:45 a.m. — “Flying Tigers” (1942)
12:30 p.m. — ‘Back to Bataan” (1945)
2:15 p.m. — “Pride of the Marines” (1945)
4:30 p.m. — “They Were Expendable” (1945)
7 p.m. — “Battleground” (1949)
9:15 p.m. — “A Walk in the Sun” (1946)
11:15 p.m. — “The Fighting Sullivans” (1944)
1:15 a.m. — “Objective, Burma!” (1945)
3:45 a.m. — “The Story of G.I. Joe” (1945)
Sunday, May 24
5:45 a.m. — “Destination Tokyo” (1943)
8 a.m. — “Submarine Command” (1951)
9:30 a.m. — “We Dive at Dawn” (1943)
11:15 a.m. — “Operation Crossbow” (1965)
1:30 p.m. — “Where Eagles Dare” (1969)
4:15 p.m. — “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957)
7 p.m. — “Above and Beyond” (1952)
9:15 p.m. — “The Dam Busters” (1955)
11:30 p.m. — “A Sailor-Made Man” (1921)
12:20 a.m. — “Shoulder Arms” (1918)
1 a.m. — “Ballad of a Soldier” (1959)
2:45 a.m. — “The Fighting Seabees” (1944)
Monday, May 25
4:30 a.m. — “Action in the North” (1943)
6:45 a.m. — “Sahara” (1943)
8:30 a.m. — “Hell is for Heroes” (1962)
10 a.m. — “Men of the Fighting Lady” (1954)
11:30 a.m. — “The Devil’s Brigade” (1968)
1:45 p.m. — “The Dirty Dozen” (1967)
4:30 p.m. — “Kelly’s Heroes” (1970)
Top 55 TV Programs for May 17-23, 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 17 (NOTE: Times are CST; For EST, add one hour; For PST, subtract two hours):
SUNDAY, MAY 17
◊“American Dad” (8:30 p.m. on Fox): Grammy winner Joss Stone provides a guest voice in the season finale, as Stan leaves Francine at home for a night out with the guys, but the evening keeps landing Stan in one compromising situation after another.
◊“Change of Face” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): The final installment of the three-part series follows a young girl who lives with a disfigured lip that only a risky operation can fix; a man with an aggressive cancer that has taken hold of his face in a matter of weeks; and a teenager who turns to facial surgery in the hope that her life will be transformed.
◊“Dane Cook: Isolated Incident” (9 p.m. on Comedy Central): This commercial-free stand-up special follows Dane Cook in a performance that was captured with a single camera using only one raw, unedited take. It includes brand new, cutting-edge material that pushes the envelope to its highest level.
◊“Desperate Housewives” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 5 two-hour finale, Lynette adapts to Tom’s decision to go back to school, Orson takes a beating that Bree cannot comprehend, Gaby’s niece moves to Wisteria Lane and Susan and MJ’s lives are in grave danger at the hands of Dave.
◊“Do You Know Me” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Rachelle Lefevre (”Twilight”) and Jeremy London (”Jason & the Argonauts”) star in this 2009 psychological thriller in which the truth becomes a lie and the familiar becomes the unknown as a woman’s terrifying investigation into her past leads to a secret that could kill her.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (6 p.m. on ABC): Season 6 wraps up with a special two-hour episode in which Ty Pennington and his team travel to Indianapolis to rebuild the deteriorating home of the McFarland family. The Indiana Pacers make a special appearance and donation.
◊“Family Guy” (8 p.m. on Fox): Peter has his palm read by a psychic who reveals that he had a fascinating past life as Griffin Peterson, a dignified gentleman who vied for the love of Lady Redbush in 17th century England and in the newly founded American colony of Quahog.
◊“How Bruce Lee Changed the World” (7 p.m. on History): This two-hour special looks at Bruce Lee’s legacy, revealing the story of his rise from the backstreets of Hong Kong and documenting his qualities that drove him to international stardom. His death at the age of 32 is shrouded in mystery.
◊“King of the Hill” (7:30 p.m. on Fox): When Boomhauer swaps homes with a Canadian family for the summer, Hank and the guys go out of their way to make the new family feel welcome in Arlen.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new installment titled “Wallander: Firewall,” a taxi driver’s murder, the inexplicable death of a systems analyst and the failure of power grid gradually weave a fiendish plot with a gripping countdown to an impending disaster.
◊“Russell Simmons Presents Brave New Voices” (9 p.m. on HBO): In the Season 1 finale, the finest young poets in America take center stage for the Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry Grand Slam Championship. Introduced and encouraged by host Idris Elba (”The Wire”), each team puts its best poetry foot forward over four rounds.
◊“Sarah’s House” (10 a.m. on DIY): This new series follows designer Sarah Richardson through the process of purchasing a house and renovating it room by room.
◊“The Simpsons” (7 p.m. on Fox): When nearby Ogdenville’s economy crumbles due to tainted barley discovered in Krusty’s veggie burgers, the unemployed workers of Ogdenville flock to Springfield. After Mayor Quimby closes Springfield’s borders and enlists private citizens to help patrol them, Homer organizes a border patrol group.
◊“Storm Stories” (7 p.m. on The Weather Channel): In August 2007, Ruth Ross of Mount Vernon, Mo., is thrown from her car by flooding water and clings to a log. Kenneth Mills, who is driving by, pulls his vehicle over to lend a helping hand. However, the pair gets pulled under by a heavy stream and are then both fighting for their lives.
◊“Saturday Night Live Just Shorts” (8 p.m. on NBC): Andy Samberg (“I Love You, Man”) hosts this special featuring many of SNL’s most celebrated short films over the past 34 seasons, including “Synchronized Swimmers,” “TV Funhouse” and “Mr. Bill.”
◊“Survivor: Tocantins” (7 p.m. on CBS): The Season 18 finale begins with four remaining castaways vying for the $1 million prize and title of “Ultimate Survivor.” The finale is followed by a one-hour live reunion show hosted by Jeff Probst.
MONDAY, MAY 18
◊“4th and Long” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): In this new series, former NFL player Michael Irvin is on a mission to uncover the next gtreat Dalls Cowboy. He will oversee a 10-week training camp of 12 pro football hopefuls in which players will be cut each week. The eventual victor will head to training camp with the Dalls Cowboys.
◊“24″ (7 p.m. on Fox): Jack reaches an emotional climax as one of the most stressful days of his life — which has included widespread loss of lives, a White House siege, treachery and betrayal, not to mention the kidnapping and shooting of the president’s husband — ticks down its final two hours.
◊“American Experience” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This three-hour installment chronicles the history of the Kennedy family through photographs, archival footage, home movies and interviews with family members, friends and first-hand witnesses to the many chapters of the Kennedy story.
◊“The Bachelorette” (8:02 p.m. Monday on ABC): Thirty bachelors — includes Lawton MacArthur High School assistant football coach Bryan Vardeman — will compete for Jillian Harris’ affections in the Season 5 premiere.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): When Delko goes against Calleigh’s plea and helps his dangerous father, his life is put in jeopardy on the Season 7 finale. Brian Austin Green (”Beverly Hills, 90210″) guest stars as an alleged carjacking victim.
◊“Gossip Girl” (7 p.m. on CW): On the Season 2 finale, Gossip Girl decides to liven things up at the Constance Billard and St. Jude’s graduation by sending out a shocking and damaging email blast in the midst of the commencement ceremony.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Ted pulls an all-nighter working on a pitch in an attempt to bring business to his fledgling architecture firm, Marshall tries to lure him to the roof for a surprise 31st birthday party on Season 4 finale.
◊“Medium” (9 p.m. on NBC): Series star Patricia Arquette (Allison Dubous) directs this episode in which Allison reaches out to a private investigator (Anjelica Huston, “The Royal Tenenbaums”) for help when she begins dreaming about a young woman (Rumer Willis “The House Bunny”), who years earlier was a kidnap victim rescued by the investigator.
◊“One Tree Hill” (8 p.m. on CW): Nathan is released from the Chiefs and is forced to face Haley and Jamie in the Season 6 finale.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 3 finale, Jeff wonders if he and Audrey are lacking spontaneity in the bedroom.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 6 finale, Charlie starts to question his relationship with Chelsea when he hears that his ex-flame Mia (Emmanuelle Vaugier, “Saw II”) is back in town.
◊“The View” (10 a.m. on ABC): This week of hour-long “Hot Topics” will ignite roundtable discussions of current events and spark passionate conversations leading to colorful debates among the show’s five hosts — Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd.
“Wonder Pets” (9:30 a.m. on Nickelodeon): Season 3 of the Emmy-winning animated series for preschoolers opens “Save the Cool Cat and the Hip Hippo!” The late actress/singer Eartha Kitt is the guest voice of Cool Cat and jazz singer Jon Hendricks is Hip Hippo. Friday’s premiere episode celebrates the Wonder Pets’ 100th save.
TUESDAY, MAY 19
◊“2009 CMT Music Awards Nominee Special” (9 a.m. on CMT): This special co-hosted by Kellie Pickler (”American Idol”) and Lance Smith (”Delta Farce”) will feature the music and videos of country music’s elite as decided by fan voting. The 2009 CMT Music Awards will be handed out June 16.
◊“90210″ (8 p.m. on CW): Adrianna and Navid spend their prom night in the delivery room, and Brenda shows up to offer support.
◊“Glee” (8 p.m. on Fox): This special preview of the new musical comedy series follows a high school teacher as he tries to refuel his own passion while reinventing the high school’s glee club and challenging a group of outcasts to realize their star potential. The show will premiere in fall.
◊“Independent Lens” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new documentary “Stranded,” survivors of the 1972 Andes plane crash recall how they beat the odds and managed to survive in the mountains for 72 days with no food, water or supplies.
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m. on NBC): When Pamela Galliano (Sprague Grayden, “Joan of Arcadia”) seeks to have a restraining order reinstated against her ex-boyfriend, the assigned judge has something else on his mind.
◊“The Mentalist” (8 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 1 finale, 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 (”Cybill”) guest stars as a witness in the case.
◊“Most Outrageous” (7 p.m. on NBC): Season 3 of the show features all new outrageous moments from home videos, newscasts, game shows and commercials from around the globe.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): Ziva’s homecoming to Israel with Gibbs and the team is not a happy reunion with her father (”Michael Nouri, “Damages”), the enigmatic and powerful head of Mossad. As tensions rise, Gibbs is forced to make a decision that sends shockwaves through NCIS.
◊“Without a Trace” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): On the Season 7 finale, 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. Martin Landau (”Ed Wood”) reprises his role as Frank Malone, Jack’s father. Adam Kaufman, Poppy Montgomery’s real-life boyfriend, reprises his role as Brian Donovan, the father of Samantha’s son, Finn.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20
◊“American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox): The top 13 contestants from Season 8 reunite onstage during the two-hour finale. Host Ryan Seacrest will milk the suspense before revealing who the newest “American Idol” is.
◊“Clean House: Search for the Messiest Home in the Country” (9 p.m. on Style Network): Host Niecy Nash (”Reno 911″) and her experts travel across the country to find the messiest home, stopping in various cities along the way to help other extreme cases of out of control clutter.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The Behavioral Analysis Unit tracks a serial killer who chooses junkies, prostitutes and the homeless off the streets of Detroit as his victims and takes them across the border into Canada on the two-hour Season 4 finale.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Gary stops by Allison’s to fix her garbage disposal, their deprived love lives gets the better of them and they find themselves in Allison’s bedroom on the first-season finale.
◊“Loot” (7 p.m. on HBO2): During World War II, two young American soldiers on different continents looted valuable treasures amidst the chaos of combat and hid them before returning to civilian life in America. Sixty years later, both men set out to recover the stolen goods, only to discover that digging up the secrets of the past carries its own risks.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine learns some shocking news about New Christine’s father after the two of them rekindle their relationship at Richard’s and New Christine’s wedding. Scott Bakula (”Quantum Leap”) returns as Papa Jeff – New Christine’s father and Christine’s old flame. James Lesure (”Las Vegas”) guest stars as a wedding guest.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: James Stewart was born on this day in 1908, and TCM celebrates by airing six of his films, including 1938’s “You Can’t Take It With You” (8:30 a.m.) and 1959’s “Bell, Book and Candle” (5:15 p.m.).
◊“World War II: Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Using archive material only available since the fall of Communism, the new installment titled “Dividing the World” reveals the unknown forces that were tearing the Alliance apart just as victory was in reach.
THURSDAY, MAY 21
◊“30 Rock” (8:31 p.m. on NBC): Liz meets one of Jack’s old friends, eccentric businessman Gavin Volure (Steve Martin, “The Jerk”).
◊“Crime 360″ (9 p.m. on A&E): The forensic crime solving series that brings real criminal investigations to life returns for a second season. Cases involve investigations in Cleveland, Ohio; Rochester, NY; Little Rock, Ark.; and Indianapolis.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): The prime suspect in a murder case from 12 years earlier comes to the forefront of a new CSI investigation. Joshua Malina (”The West Wing”) guest stars.
◊“Free Radio” (10 p.m. on VH1): In the Season 2 finale, see what Lance Krall and the KBOM morning show staff have in store for celebrity guests Sugar Ray Leonard, Cheech & Chong and Zachary Levi (“Chuck”).
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): After two Marines are ambushed, the NCIS team finds the investigation leads back to Gibbs’ hometown, where secrets about his past are revealed. Ralph Waite (”The Waltons”) guest stars.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (7 p.m. on Fox): Season 5 kicks off with a two-night, four-hour season premiere. Hosted by Cat Deeley, the original dance competition series will inspire and amaze viewers as dancers skilled in styles ranging from hip-hop to ballroom compete to be named America’s favorite dancer.
◊“Southern Belles” (9 p.m. on SoapNet): Meet the sexy Southern Belles of Louisville as they struggle with life, love and careers in this new docudrama.
◊“Southland” (9 p.m. on NBC): The day takes a turn for the worse when officers John Cooper, Ben Sherman, Chickie Brown and Dewey (C. Thomas Howell “War of the Worlds”) find a member of Marta’s Avenue gang dead in a trunk outside Dodger Stadium.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Robert Montgomery was born on this day in 1904, and TCM celebrates by airing nine of his films, including 1937’s “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney” (10:45 a.m.) and 1947’s “Lady in the Lake” (5”15 p.m.).
◊“Ugly Betty” (7 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 3 finale, Billie Jean King (Wimbledon tennis champion) guest stars as Victoria Hartley’s instructor at an exclusive tennis club where Wilhelmina tries to score match point with the high society matriarch.
FRIDAY, MAY 22
◊“Don’t Forget the Lyrics” (7 p.m. on Fox): Meat Loaf (Grammy winner) and his daughter, Pearl Aday, compete for charity on the Season 3 premiere episode.
◊“Good Morning America” (7 a.m. on ABC): Green Day (Grammy winners) kick off the 2009 Summer Concert Series airing live from New York City’s Central Park. Since their 1994 break-out album, “Dookie,” Green Day has sold more than 30 million records, scored their ninth No. 1 single at alternative radio and played to millions of people around the world.
◊“Head Case” (9 p.m. on Starz): Dr. Goode travels back to New York City to get Dr. Myron Finkelstein out of his “mistaken identity” trouble. While there, Dr. Goode sorts through some deep dark issues and sees new patient Jerry Seinfeld. Craig Bierko (”Unhitched”) and Melina Kanakarades (”CSI: NY”) also guest star.
◊“Party Down” (9:30 p.m. on Starz): In the Season 1 finale, the crew is thrilled to be hired to work the very exclusive and star-studded wedding of a Hollywood mogul. But Ron is crushed to discover his team really is just backing up another, better-looking crew led by his archrival (Kristen Bell, “Veronica Mars”).
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Laurence Olivier was born on this day in 1907, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of his films, including 1936’s “Fire Over England” (8 a.m.) and 1968’s “The Shoes of the Fisherman” (4:15 p.m.).
SATURDAY, MAY 23
◊“Deadliest Catch” marathon (noon to 3 a.m. on Discovery): Follow the boats on their quest for crab riches through high seas and sub-zero temperatures.
◊“Flying By” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Heather Locklear and Billy Ray Cyrus star in this 2009 movie about a real estate developer who attends his 25th high school reunion and reunites with his old teenage band.
◊“Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): John C. Danforth, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former U.S. senator from Missouri, serves as the keynote speaker for the foundation’s 23rd annual Academic Awards. The event honors 100 of Oklahoma’s top high school seniors as Academic All-Staters and five outstanding educators as Medal for Excellence winners. David L. Boren, founder and chairman of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, will serve as emcee for the event.
◊“What’s Love Got to Do With It” (6 p.m. on Lifetime): Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne earned Oscar nominations for their portrayals of Tina and Ike Turner in this 1993 biodrama based on Tina’s memoir.
–Penny TV
Top 55 TV Programs for May 10-16, 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 10:
SUNDAY, MAY 10
◊“The Amazing Race” (7 p.m. on CBS): The final three teams race from Beijing to Maui for the final leg and the chance to claim the $1 million prize.
◊“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (6 p.m. on ABC): Seven finalists compete for the last $100,000 video prize of the season. Videos include a little boy with a Lego stuck on his tooth; a kid retrieving his basketball from an overly friendly Labrador; a fake lotto ticket prank; friends dumping their roommate in the trash; a little boy who names the presidents and their famous quotes; and do-gooders saving a squirrel stuck in a tree.
◊“Brothers & Sisters” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): When the Walker family reaches out to Tommy, they’re devastated to find that he may be unwilling to accept their help on the third-season finale. Meanwhile, Robert and Kitty reach a crossroads in their marriage that they may not be able to successfully navigate.
◊“Celebrity Apprentice” (7 p.m. on NBC): Live from the Museum of Natural History in New York City, it’s the season finale. The two finalists must choose among former contestants to fill out their new teams. Then Trump reveals the final task: a pre-theatre VIP party for a Cirque du Soleil show.
◊“A Change of Face” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): In the premiere of this three-part series, cameras go into the operating room to follow three accomplished New York City surgeons who dedicate their lives to perfect, save and reconstruct the human face. They operate at the most critical moments, using cutting-edge medical science, working to transform their patients’ faces and lives.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): In the conclusion of the two-part sixth-season finale, the team intensifies their quest to find the person behind the 2005 slaying of a female cadet. Daniel Baldwin (”Grey Gardens”), Jesse Plemons (”Friday Night Lights”) and Joe Penny (”Jake and the Fatman”) guest star. Pearl Jam songs will be featured throughout the show.
◊“Family Guy” (8 p.m. on Fox): After Peter discovers the writing of Stephen King, he imagines his family and friends in three of King’s most famous works. First, Peter, Quagmire, Cleveland and Joe – as 12-year-olds – travel along a railroad track on a journey of self-discovery narrated by Richard Dreyfuss (guest-voicing as himself). Second, Brian is injured in a bad car crash only to be “rescued” by his “number one fan,” Stewie. Finally, Cleveland and Peter become fast friends in prison.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery! Wallander” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In his first recurring television role, Kenneth Branagh (”Valkyrie”) brings the scruffy Swedish sleuth Kurt Wallander to life for a trio of gritty cases. The three 90-minute whodunits begin with “Sidetracked” and continue with “Firewall” and “One Step Behind” — each adapted from one of Henning Mankell’s international best-selling novels.
◊“The Memory Loss Tapes” (8 p.m. on HBO): This installment of the four-part documentary series “The Alzheimer’s Project” captures the devastating experience of memory loss from the point of view of the person with the disease.
◊“Meteorite Men” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): Modern day treasure hunters Geoff Notkin and Steve Arnold have travelled the world for years to search as a team for remnants of ancient meteorites. In this special, viewers find the pair in Brenham, Kansas where for more than a century pieces of a large meteorite that fell thousands of years ago have been unearthed.
◊“The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” (7 p.m. on HBO): When the agency is hit in a string of break-ins, Grace inspects the damage and reconstructs the crime. Meanwhile, Precious receives an unnerving phone call: Note Mokoti is back in town.
◊“Sandra’s Money Saving Meals” (11 a.m. on Food Network): In her new daytime cooking series, Sandra Lee (“Semi-Home Cooking”) features incredible budget-friendly recipes for every day of the week. To maximize cost-saving success, Sandra shares unique ideas for savvy supermarket shopping, proper pantry stocking and menu price points.
◊“The Simpsons” (7 p.m. on Fox): Marge and Lisa visit the nail salon where they engage in a spirited debate as to whether a woman can be smart, powerful and beautiful all at the same time. To prove their point, they spin four tales of famous women featuring famous Springfield faces: Selma as Queen Elizabeth I, Lisa as Snow White, Marge as Lady Macbeth and Maggie (guest voice Jodie Foster) as the idealistic architect protagonist from Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead.”
◊“Storm Stories” (7 p.m. on The Weather Channel): On February 3, 2009, a massive snowfall followed by melting and refreezing creates horrific driving conditions in Indiana. This sudden burst of snowfall, coupled with impatient driving, leads to what will become the biggest pileup in state history – 35 vehicles strewn across Interstate-69 just outside Indianapolis.
◊“Street Warrior” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): Army sergeant Jack Campbell (Max Martini, “Saving Private Ryan”) returns home from Iraq to visit his brother, who is clinging to life in a coma. Jack discovers that his brother was forced to fight in an underground fight club to replay a gambling debt, and he seeks revenge.
◊“The Unit” (9 p.m. on CBS): On the fourth-season finale, the Unit must locate and diffuse three sets of dirty bombs headed for unknown locations across the United States. Meanwhile, the team prepares for a wedding of one couple and the end of a marriage for another.
MONDAY, MAY 11
◊“24″ (8 p.m. on Fox): Innocent lives remain in the line of fire as this day draws to a close. Jack is faced with an unthinkable situation while his imperiled daughter (Elisha Cuthbert, (“Are You Afraid of the Dark?”), gets involved.
◊“The Big Bang Theory” (7 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 2 finale, Penny is conflicted when Leonard and his friends decide to spend the summer working at the North Pole.
◊“Castle” (9:02 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 1 finale, Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a missing plastic surgeon who is found dead in the front seat of his car after a week of being parked curbside. As they delve into the twisted world of surgery obsessed patients and secret operations, Castle experiences a fatherly rite of passage as Alexis attends her first prom.
◊“Charm School With Ricki Lake” (8 p.m. on VH1): Host Ricki Lake (“Hairspray”) faces the challenging task of transforming thye outrageous women from “Rock of Love Bus With Bret Michaels” and “Real Chance of Love” into selfless angels through various acts of charity. The women will have to take on real responsibilities with non-profit organizations and contribute their time to a different charity each week.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): The CSIs investigate the case of a man boiled alive, Julia spirals out of control, and one of the team’s darkest secrets comes to light. Elizabeth Berkley (”The L Word”) guest stars.
◊“Gossip Girl” (7 p.m. on CW): This flashback episode introduces characters for a spin-off series involving the mother of Serena before she became a mom. Brittany Snow (”American Dream”) plays Lily Rhodes as a 17-year-old Valley Girl in the 1980s. The episode also features a performance by No Doubt.
◊“Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?” (6:30 p.m. on HBO): This installment of the four-part documentary series “The Alzheimer’s Project” was inspired by Maria Shriver’s children’s book “What’s Happening to Grandpa? and her own experience with her father, Sargent Shriver, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. She provides commentary and guidance in five lessons that offer advice on how grandchildren can cope with the experiences of having loved ones with the disease.
◊“Greek” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Cappie and the Kappa Tau’s scramble to return a stash of stolen goods from around the campus after an Omega Chi pledge breaks in and discovers the stockpile. Helen Slater (“Smallville”) guest stars as Dr. Stephanopoulos.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the season finale, House and the team take on a case of mind over matter as a patient’s right and left brain struggle for dominance. Meanwhile, when House refuses to make an appearance in the clinic, Cuddy takes an unconventional approach to force House to make up the time with a particular patient (Carl Reiner, “Ocean’s Thirteen”).
◊“Hubble Live: The Final Mission” (12:30 p.m. on Science Channel, 101 on Cox Digital Cable, 193 on Dish Network, 258 on U-verse, 284 on DirecTV): The network will air live coverage of the Space Shuttle Atlantis launch. This is the fourth and final mission to repair the Hubble telescope.
◊“Inside the Actors Studio” (6 p.m. on Bravo): Emmy and Golden Globe winner Danny DeVito (‘‘Taxi”) chats with host James Lipton about the production company (Jersey Films) he founded with wife Rhea Perlman (‘‘Cheers”), as well as his string of comedy successes that include his role in the FX sitcom ‘‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on NBC): Allison is distraught about the contract she signed at her new job which forbids her from sharing her dreams with anyone outside the company. Tracy Pollan ((“Natalee Holloway”) and David Morse (“Hack”) guest star.
◊“Momentum in Science” (7 p.m. on HBO): This installment of the four-part documentary series “The Alzheimer’s Project” takes viewers inside the laboratories and clinics of 25 leading scientists and physicians, revealing some of the most cutting-edge research advances.
◊“Ni Hao, Kai-Lan” (10 a.m. on Nickelodeon): Back for Season 2, this animated preschool series will take preschoolers on interactive adventures with Kai-lan and her friends as they learn new Chinese words and phrases. This season will also focus on more complex social emotional issues like hitting and separation anxiety, providing lessons to preschoolers on how to better express and deal with their feelings.
◊“Nursery University” (6:30 p.m. on Showtime): The new special explores current-day New York City where a post 9-11 baby boom has turned the pre-school admissions process into a blood sport. With more than 20 applicants for every available spot, parents exhaust contacts and bank accounts to secure application forms.
◊“One Tree Hil” (8 p.m. on CW): Peyton and Lucas’ wedding day has finally arrived and surprise guests attend.Haley plays an unexpected role in the ceremony while Nathan hopes to be called up to the NBA. Nick Lachey (“Charmed”) guest stars.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): While on a double date with Brad and his partner Jackie, Jeff gets annoyed when Jackie helps himself to his meal. Not wanting to hurt Jackie’s feelings, Audrey demands Jeff keep quiet about the incident. Sam Harris (”The Class”) returns as Brad’s Partner, Jackie.
◊“Weaponizers” (8 p.m. on Discovery): This new series combines creativity, military-like strategy and engineering as two teams of master builders — dubbed “Weaponizers” — turn ordinary vehicles into remote-controlled machines of destruction. Once all testing is complete, the teams command their vehicles for the two-round competition.
◊“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” (noon on KOCB-34): Samantha Harris (“Dancing With the Stars”) will sit in as celebrity guest host this week. The host chair has been helmed by Meredith Vieira since the show’s syndication launch in 2002.
TUESDAY, MAY 12
◊“90210″ (8 p.m. on CW): West Beverly High School’s Hollywood-themed prom is full of surprises, but first Harry warns his students that any non-school sponsored parties after the prom will be met with serious consequences. The episode features a performance by The Veronicas.
◊“According to Jim” (7 p.m. on ABC): Jim uses his passion for sports to connect with son Kyle. But sports-challenged Kyle identifies more with fellow sci-fi nerd Andy, forcing a reluctant Jim to dress up as a Cyclops at a sci-fi convention in order to win his son back. William “Refrigerator” Perry (former Chicago Bears player) guest stars.
◊“American Idol” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the show’s 300th episode, the top three finalists from Season 8 take the stage for a live performance. Tune in to see who impresses the judges and who buckles under the pressure.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): In the live finale, all of the Season 7 contestants return for a special reunion and a chance to weigh in one last time. One of the three finalists will be named the biggest loser and win $250,000.
◊“Caregivers” (6 p.m. on HBO): This installment of the four-part documentary series “The Alzheimer’s Project” is a collection of five family portraits that illustrate caring for different stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Each highlights the sacrifices, struggles and successes made by those experiencing their loved ones’ descent into dementia.
◊“Cupid” (9 p.m. on ABC): Trevor aims his Cupid love arrow toward Jack, a radio disc jockey with a love for classic rock n’ roll, and one of his listeners, a single mom named Sarah. On the couple’s first date, Jack and Trevor arrange a performance by Robert Harrison, the lead singer from the indie band Future Clouds and Radar.
“Fringe” (8:04 p.m. on Fox): Setting the stage for the Season 1 finale are a sudden and unexpected attack on someone with close ties to Fringe Division, the return of bioterrorist David Robert Jones and the disappearance of Walter. Find out more about the mysterious events surrounding our trio when questions are answered, observations made, loyalties are tested and the elusive William Bell (Leonard Nimoy, “Star Trek”) is finally introduced.
“Frontline” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment titled “The Madoff Affair” unravels the complicated story of the world’s first global Ponzi scheme, a scam orchestrated by Bernard Madoff that began in the 1960s when he tapped money from Jewish businessmen with promises of steady returns on their investments. Despite repeated Securities and Exchange Commission investigations, Madoff kept running his scam until December, when he admitted it was all ‘‘one big lie.”
“Invention Nation” (9 p.m. on Planet Green, channel 102 on Cox Digital Cable, 194 on Dish Network, 286 on DirecTV, 465 on U-verse): Hosts Micah Donovan, Christopher Martin and Nobu Adilman drive their vegtable oil-powered bus across the U.S. in a quest to uncover earth-friendly inventions. Back-to-back premiere episodes are titled “Deep Fried Diesel” and “Human Powered.”
“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): After a security breach at the SecNav’s residence leads to the death of an ICE agent, Gibbs and the team are forced to work with ICE and the FBI to find his killer. Joe Spano (”NYPD Blue”) guest stars as senior FBI agent T.C. Fornell.
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (10 p.m. on Bravo): In this new entry in the “Housewives” franchise, three of the five women are related by blood or marriage. While family remains a priority for each of these women, their shopping, decorating, dating and even fighting are all over-the-top.
TCM Birthday Tribute: Katharine Hepburn was born on this day in 1907, and TCM celebrates by airing six of her films, including 1938’s “Holiday” (8:45 a.m.) and 1956’s “The Rainmaker” (2:15 p.m.).
“Without a Trace” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): Jack grudgingly agrees to search for Hannah’s boyfriend, who disappears after he runs away from Chicago to be with her in New York. Series star Eric Close (Martin Fitzgerald) directed this episode.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 13
◊“America’s Next Top Model (7 p.m. on CW): In the 12th-season finale, the two finalists shoot their Seventeen magazine cover, then show the judges their fiercest moves when they crawl down the final runway. Upon announcing America’s Next Top Model, Tyra and the winner celebrate the moment with a photo shoot.
◊“CSI: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): When 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. Series star Melina Kanakaredes (Stella) wrote the episode.
◊“Lie to Me” (7 p.m. on Fox): After a terrorist bombing outside of Washington, DC, FBI Agent Ben Reynolds (Mekhi Phifer, “ER”) calls on The Lightman Group to help identify those responsible and prevent more attacks. Zoe (Jennifer Beals, “The L Word”) helps Lightman with the investigation, and both are concerned about their daughter’s safety.
◊“Lost” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 5 finale, Jack’s decision to put a plan in action in order to set things right on the island is met with some strong resistance by those close to him.
◊“Make Me a Supermodel” (9 p.m. on Bravo): The remaining models display items from Grammy Award-winning music producer Dallas Austin’s Rowdy fashion line and take part in a photo shoot with Patrik Andersson. Then they struggle through a catwalk elimination challenge that they must negotiate on wheels.
◊“One Life to Live” (1 p.m. on ABC): The Pussycat Dolls will perform their hit single, the English version of A. R. Rahman’s Oscar-winning song “Jai Ho” (“You Are My Destiny”), during the Llanview High School prom. Additionally, lead singer Nicole Scherzinger will act in scenes with Eddie Alderson (Matthew Buchanan).
◊“Rapper Wives: True Hollywood Story” (9 p.m. on E!): This special features new interviews and intimate access to women who’ve been front and center in the sexy and sometimes scandalous lives of hip hop artists DMX, Mos Def, Paul Wall, Luke Campbell and the late Big Pun.
◊“Rules of Engagement” (7 p.m. on CBS): After learning that his marriage is in trouble, Audrey agrees to allow their friend Steve (Tony Hale, “Arrested Development”) stay with her and Jeff. However, she soon regrets her decision after discovering Steve enjoys giving “inappropriate” hugs.
◊“Wa$ted” (8:30 p.m. on Planet Green, channel 102 on Cox Digital Cable, 194 on Dish Network, 286 on DirecTV, 465 on U-verse): Annabelle Gurwitch (“Pollock”) returns to host a second season of this show that take the average household full of eco-horros and turns it into a clean, green haven that saves participants cash in the process.
◊“World War II: Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Pragmatism prevailed in secret meetings held by Joseph Stalin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill during World War II, with each leader negotiating for the economic and political interests of his country. Historian Laurence Rees chronicles the unknown story of Stalin’s backroom dealings with both the Nazis and the Allies in the new episode ‘‘Cracks in the Alliance.”
THURSDAY, MAY 14
◊“30 Rock” (8:31 p.m. on NBC): Liz enjoys new found fame as a relationship expert. Alan Alda (”M*A*S*H”), Sherri Shepherd (”The View”) and Clay Aiken (”American Idol”) guest star.
◊“Being Erica” (9 p.m. on SoapNet): On the Season 1 finale, Erica must face the death of her only brother, whom she lost without warning. Dr. Tom sends her back to the night of his death for one last chance to say goodbye. But Erica does the unthinkable, leading to a surprise ending that will change the fate of her and everyone around her forever.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): Nearly everyone is a suspect when a corpse is discovered at a popular nightclub called The Lab in the season finale, ‘‘The End in the Beginning.” Former series regular Eric Millegan reprises his role as Dr. Zack Addy; Motley Crue, Ryan O’Neal and Brendan Fehr also guest star.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): In the Season 9 finale, a cache of missing chips from a closed down casino turn up in Vegas and a string of murders follow. That leads Langston to use deadly force for the first time in his career as a CSI. Gerald McRaney (”Jericho”) and Cynthia Watros (”Lost”) guest star.
◊“CSI: NY” (9:01 p.m. on CBS): When transferring Robert Dunbrook’s son (Thad Luckinbill, “The Young and the Restless”) from prison to court, the NYPD is ambushed by a group of professional kidnappers who kill a member of the team. Also guest starring in the Season 5 finale are Craig T. Nelson (”Coach”) and recording artist Nelly.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): After soending time with a fellow cancer paient, Izzie contemplates whether or not to move forward with a risky surgery. In the second part of the Season 5 finale, George delivers stunning news to Bailey, sending shockwaves throughout the hospital.
◊“Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m. on Fox): Chef Ramsay offers the final two chefs some encouraging words of advice before they go head-to-head in the final dinner service. Creativity, consistency, determination and patience are key ingredients both chefs need in order to win and receive a head chef position at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.
◊“My Name is Earl” (7 p.m. on NBC): When Dodge tells Joy he doesn’t want Darnell ro speak at career day, she enlists Earl to pretend to be his father. Norman MacDonald (”Saturday Night Live”) guest stars.
◊“Smallville” (7 p.m. on CW): On the Season 8 finale, Oliver tells Clark he must kill Davis, as Doomsday is a serious threat and must be stopped at all costs. However, Clark struggles with taking a human life, so the Green Arrow and his team decide to take matters into their own hands.
◊“Stateline: The People” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This installment focuses on Oklahoma efforts to preserve American Indian traditions, languages and sacred places.
◊“Supernatural” (8 p.m. on CW ): The apocalypse is coming, and Sam and Dean prepare for the fight in very different ways in the Season 4 finale. Sam joins Ruby on a final run to kill Lilith, while Castiel and Zachariah tell Dean it’s time to play his part in stopping Lucifer.
◊“Ugly Betty” (7 p.m. on ABC): Betty teams with Matt and Marc for their all-important final YETI project, a photo shoot with Grammy winner Adele. But Matt’s slacking off could jeopardize everything they’ve worked for. Christine Baranski ((“Happy Family”) guest stars.
FRIDAY, MAY 15
◊“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (7 p.m. on ABC): This season’s three $100,000 video winners compete for the grand prize in the Season 19 finale. The winner of this year’s best video will receive a membership in Disney Vacation Club and enjoy a choice of vacations from hundreds of destinations around the world every year for 50 years.
◊“Don’t Tell the Bride” (7 p.m. on BBC America): This new series gives $20,000 to 12 cash-strapped couples to create the wedding of their dreams. But here’s the catch—the couple are spilt up for the month leading up to the nuptials, and the groom has to pull off the whole thing in secret. The bride will see the invitations when they come in the mail, the dress hours before she wears it up the aisle and the reception venue and meal when she arrives with the rest of her guests.
◊“The Game” (7 p.m. on CW): In the Season 3 finale, Melanie decides she wants to get married to Derwin right away before the baby arrives, even if it means giving up her dream wedding.
◊“Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m. on CBS): Melinda worries for her unborn child when she experiences a visit from a ghost on the Season 4 finale.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): When Amita is abducted, Don and the team’s frantic search for her leads them to a charismatic sociopath, but it is up to Charlie to discover what the suspect’s bizarre plans for her are on the Season 5 finale. Lou Diamond Phillips (”La Bamba”) and James Callis (“Battlestar Galactica”) guest star.
◊“Party Down” (9:30 p.m. on Starz): Ron forces the team to work his 20-year high school reunion in hopes of proving that he is not the irresponsible party animal he was back then. Jennifer Coolidge (“Legally Blonde”) guest stars.
◊“Prison Break” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the two-hour series finale, familiar faces return to help Michael with his last shot at getting Scylla in the proper hands and dismantling The Company once and for all.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Joseph Cotton was born on this day in 1905, and TCM celebrates by airing four of his films, including 1943’s “Shadown of a Doubt” (8:15 a.m.) and 1949’s “The Third Man” (9:45 a.m.).
SATURDAY, MAY 16
◊“Jim Jefferies” (9 p.m. on HBO): Starring in his first HBO solo special, this rising stand-up star unleashes his outrageous brand of comedy.
◊“MADtv” (10 p.m. on Fox): Fred Willard (“Back to You”) returns to bid a final farewell to the series by hosting “MADtv Gives Back.” Alumni Alex Borstein, Mo Collins, Will Sasso and Debra Wilson Skelton return to recreate their notable MADtv characters as the show takes a look back at the fan-favorite sketches that put this side-splitting sketch comedy series on the map on the series finale.
◊“Talkshow With Spike Feresten” (11 p.m. on Fox): Comedy duo Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim of “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” visit Spike for late-night parodies and laughs on the show’s season finale.
◊“Beverly Hills Groomer” (9 p.m. on Animal Planet): This spinoff from “Groomer Has It” documents the trials and tribulations of 2008 groomer of the year Artist Knox as he recruits furry and fabulous clients, raises funds to open his own shop, balances the demands of being a single father and hopes to beat the odds of becoming a business success.
◊“Primeval” (8 p.m. on BBC America): In the Season 3 opener, Nick Cutter is still reeling from Stephen’s death and the extent of his wife Helen’s betrayal. As he fights to re-focus his embattled team, the anomalies continue to present an unrelenting series of threats.
◊“Saturday Night Live” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): Will Ferrell, an “SNL” cast member for seven seasons, returns as a second-time host of the show for the season finale. Green Day will make their third appearance as “SNL” musical guest.
–Penny TV
