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Turner Classic Movies celebrates Elvis Presley on 75th birthday, 20-hour movie marathon to air Jan. 8

PRESS RELEASE PROVIDED BY TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC.:

Seventy-five years ago this January, the future of popular music was changed forever with the birth of the one-and-only Elvis Presley.

On Friday, Jan. 8, Priscilla Presley and longtime friend Jerry Schilling will join Robert Osborne as Turner Classic Movies (TCM) celebrates the 75th anniversary of the birth of “The King.” Their introductions will be part of a 20-hour marathon of movies and concert documentaries.

“Priscilla Presley and Jerry Shilling knew Elvis Presley as well as or better than anyone who’s still with us,” Osborne said. “It’s a treat to be able to talk with each of them and share their memories of both the man and the legend.”

Priscilla Presley is an actress and business woman who achieved popularity for her work in the “Naked Gun” films and the television series “Dallas.”  In 1982, she founded Elvis Presley Enterprises and chaired the company’s board until 1998.  Although Priscilla and Elvis divorced in 1973, they remained close friends and shared custody of the daughter, Lisa Marie, until Elvis’ death in 1977.  Priscilla wrote about her life with Elvis in the bestseller “Elvis and Me,” published in 1985.  Priscilla and Lisa Marie later collaborated on the book “Elvis by the Presleys,” published in 2005.

Schilling first met Elvis Presley when Schilling was only 12 years old.  Years later, Schilling became one of Presley’s bodyguards.  Schilling briefly managed the Beach Boys and Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie.  To this day, he lives in a house bought for him by Presley.

TCM’s tribute will begin Jan. 8 at 5 a.m. and will feature such titles as “Kissin’ Cousins” (1964), “Speedway” (1968), “Blue Hawaii”(1961) and “Viva Las Vegas” (1964).  Priscilla Presley and Jerry Schilling will join Robert Osborne in primetime to introduce the concert documentaries “Elvis on Tour” (1972), with sequences co-edited by Schilling and Martin Scorsese, and the 2001 re-edited version of the 1970 film “Elvis: That’s the Way It Is,” as well as the film considered by many to be Elvis’ best, “Jailhouse Rock” (1957).

The following is a complete schedule for TCM’s 75th birthday celebration of Elvis Presley:
♦♦♦ 5 a.m.              Harum Scarum (1965)
♦♦♦ 6:45 a.m.         Kissin’ Cousins (1964)
♦♦♦ 8:30 a.m.         Spinout (1966)
♦♦♦ 10:15 a.m.       Roustabout (1964)
♦♦♦ 12 p.m.            Girl Happy (1965)
♦♦♦ 1:45 p.m.         Speedway (1968)
♦♦♦ 3:30 p.m.         Blue Hawaii (1961)
♦♦♦ 5:15 p.m.         Viva Las Vegas (1964)
♦♦♦ 7 p.m.              Elvis on Tour (1972)
♦♦♦ 9 p.m.              Elvis: That’s the Way It Is Special Edition (2001)
♦♦♦ 11 p.m.            Jailhouse Rock (1957)

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Top 55 TV Programs for Dec. 20-26, 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 Dec. 20:
(NOTE: All times are CT. For ET, add one hour)

SUNDAY, DEC. 20, 2009
◊“Addicted to Psychics” (9 p.m. on TLC): This special focuses on people who cannot eat, sleep of move without consulting a psychic. In the premiere episode, discover the secret world of Gabby, the psychic hotline addict who can not find peace until she gets her regular psychic fix. And watch as self-confessed psychic junkie Susie consults her readers on matters from real estate deals to what designer shoes to buy.
◊“Christmas in Washington” (7 p.m. on TNT): George Lopez hosts the 28th holiday event that is annually attended by the President and First Lady and benefits the National Children’s Medical Center. Scheduled performers include Mary J. Blige, Neil Diamond, Sugarland, Rob Thomas and Usher. This marks the 28th event overall and 11th broadcast on TNT.
◊“Future 2025″ (9 p.m. on MSNBC): The third installment of MSNBC’s four-part environmental series will focus on the most desperate — but rarely discussed — crisis currently facing our global landscape: the severe threat to our water supply due to global warming and vast population growth. 
◊“The Gigantic World of Epics” (7 p.m. on TCM): This special looks at Hollywood’s biggest screen spectaculars from all sides, including the genre’s beginnings, literary adaptations, great epic directors and actors, the challenges of making big-budget movies, classic set-pieces and epic music scores.
◊“History in HD: The Last Bomb” (8 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel): This special documents one of the 21st Bomber Command’s long distance, low altitude, daylight strikes over Tokyo during the spring and summer of 1945. This rare Technicolor film, transferred to stunning HD, covers the mission in its entirety – from General Curtis Lemay’s initial planning stage, through fighter action and “bomb’s away,” and finally to final touchdown back at the base on Iwo Jima.
◊“Kendra: Here Comes Baby” (8 p.m. on E!): This holiday special follows reality star Kendra Wilkinson (“Kendra”) who is expecting her first child with her new husband, Indianapolis Colts football player Hank Baskett. They are busy trying to settle into their new life before becoming parents.  The baby is coming quickly, but the nursery is still in shambles, and the couple can’t seem to decide between baby blue and Colt blue for their future wide receiver.
◊“Nature: Christmas in Yellowstone” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): From the unique crystals of individual snowflakes to the grand sweep of Yellowstone’s Hayden Valley, this is a Christmas like no other.
◊“She Survived That … Pregnant?” (8 p.m. on TLC): Four pregnant women face the most harrowing moment of their lives and leave their unborn babies hanging in the balance.
◊“Two Weeks in Hell” (7 p.m. on Discovery): This two-hour special reveals the grueling Green Beret Special Forces selection process. Over 14 days, a candidate’s true character is exposed through physical and mental challenges. Sixty percent of the candidates will not last the two weeks — and passing this test is just for the opportunity to start real Green Beret training.
◊“White House Christmas” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Designer Genevieve Gorder offers viewers an insider’s look at how dozens of volunteers find inspiration in this year’s decor theme, “Reflect, Rejoice, Renew,” to give the White House a traditional yet fresh and eco-friendly transformation for the holidays. During the one-hour special, President Barack Obama and his family light the National Christmas Tree in a special ceremony.
◊“With All Due Respect” (9 p.m. on HLN): This roundtable discussion on the biggest stories of 2009 is hosted by HLN anchor Robin Meade and features TNT NBA analyst Charles Barkley, TBS MLB analyst Dennis Eckersley and TNT NASCAR analyst Kyle Petty giving their opinions on topics ranging from sports to world news, entertainment and current events.

MONDAY, DEC. 21, 2009
◊“ABC World News” (5:30 p.m. on ABC): Diane Sawyer (“Good Morning America”) anchors the newscast today and Tuesday. She is replacing former anchor Charles Gibson, who has retired. Sawyer will permanently take over the anchor spot in January.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): In this episode directed by series creator James Duff, Mary McDonnell reprises her guest role as Capt. Raydor, with whom Brenda forms an unlikely partnership to close an emotional murder case.
◊“CSI: Miami” (9 p.m. on CBS): The CSIs make a shocking discovery about their murder victim, while Horatio tries to save his son from Julia’s erratic behavior. Elizabeth Berkley (“The L Word”) guest stars as Julia.
◊“Find My Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 1 finale, the search team lends a helping hand to a grieving daughter in search of her birth mother after losing her adoptive mother to ovarian cancer. The team gives her news she never could have expected.
◊“Great Performances: Nutcracker” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi hosts this broadcast of the San Francisco Ballet’s production of “Nutcracker.” It s reset during the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition.
◊“I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!” (7 p.m. on ABC): This 2003 animated special reunites the updated Peanuts gang and the yuletide season. It centers on ReRun, the younger brother of Linus and Lucy, who asks Snoopy to invite his canine brother Spike to come for a visit during Christmas break.
◊“Inside the Actors Studio: Kate Hudson” (6 p.m. on Bravo): Host James Lipton interviews Kate Hudson, who without relying on her personal role as the daughter of Goldie Hawn has become a notable presence on the big screen over the past 10 years.
◊“Little Chocolatiers” (8 p.m. on TLC): Meet the Hatches, little people who own a chocolate shop in Salt Lake City. Watch as Steve and Katie attempt to produce 600 chocolate dice for a casino night party and build a life-sized all-chocolate flower garden for a couples’s fifth anniversary.
◊“Make My Day” (9 p.m. on TV Land): Each episode of this laugh-filled hidden camera series follows a clueless participant who is enjoying a day filled with lucky coincidences and even chance encounters with favorite celebrities, never guessing for a second the whole thing is set up by the show’s production team.
◊“Rufus Wainwright: Prima Donna” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This special chronicles the career of musician Rufus Wainwright as he tackles his grandest project yet: mounting his first classical opera “Prima Donna.”
◊“Search for the Star of Bethlehem” (8 p.m. on Science Channel): This special unveils how modern science is re-examining the mystery behind the Star of Bethehem. Recent developments in computer technology are allowing astronomers, historians and scientists to map the ancient world’s star with exceptional accuracy.
◊“The Sing-Off” (7 p.m. on NBC): Nick Lachey (“Charmed”) hosts this live finale in which viewer votes decide which a cappella group wins the $100,000 prize and an Epic Records/Sony recording contract.
◊“Top Gear Polar Special” (7 p.m. on BBC America): In this special, hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond set out on a 450 mile land race in the the vehicles of their choice from the town of Resolute in Northern Canada to the magnetic North Pole.
◊“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. Meanwhile, Alan scores a hot date with the help of Charlie’s Mercedes. Michael Clarke Duncan (“The Green Mile”) guest stars.
◊“Unlikely Angel” (2 p.m. on ABC Family): This 1996 movie stars Dolly Parton as a brassy lounge singer who accidentally drives her car off a cliff. She meets St. Peter (Roddy McDowell) at the Pearly Gates, and he sends her back because she hasn’t earned her wings.
◊“World Chocolate Championship” (9 p.m. on TLC): Nineteen of the best chocolatiers in the world assemble in Paris to compete for the title of World Chocolate Master. These elite pastry chefs must use all their skills, creativity and cunning to impress judges in five mouthweatering categories.

TUESDAY, DEC. 22, 2009
◊“The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now?” (7 p.m. on NBC): In this encore presentation, viewers can catch up with contestants from the previous seven seasons. Danny Cahill from Broken Arrow won Season 8.
◊“Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special” (7 p.m. on Fox): In this encore presentation, the Grammy-winning and multiplatinum country singer performs holiday songs and selections from her albums. Performers joining Underwood onstage include Kristin Chenoweth, David Cook, Dolly Parton and Brad Paisley.
◊“Chelsea Lately Bloopers” (9:30 p.m. on E!): This is the first of three comedy specials highlighting hilarious outtakes and never-before-seen moments from Cheslea Handler’s latenight series.
◊“The Good Wife” (9 p.m. on CBS): Alicia and Will have only 72 hours to find the smoking gun that proves the train company, and not the three engineers, is responsible for the crash, thus securing the widows their pensions the company is holding back. Martha Plimpton (“Grey’s Anatomy”) guest stars as the train company’s very pregnant attorney.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): While stuck working on a case over Christmas, the team searches for a suspect presumed dead…and begins to discover some startling personal revelations. Peter Coyote (“The 4400″) guest stars.
◊“Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” (9 p.m. on HBO): Departing from the show’s regular format, host Bryant Gumbel leads correspondents Mary Carillo, Frank Deford, Jon Frankel, Bernard Goldberg and Andrea Kremer in a spirited roundtable discussion of 2009, touching on everything from favorite stories of the year to the interviews and pieces that had the greatest impact on them.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 2009
◊“The 11th Annual A Home for the Holidays With Faith Hill” (7 p.m. on CBS): Grammy and Country Music Association Award winner Faith Hill headlines this holiday special that celebrates the joys of adoption from the perspectives of the adoptive families and the children who finally have found stable homes. Joining Hill are musicians Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Mary J. Blige, Michael Franti and Shakira. Jenna Elfman (“Accidentally on Purpose”) and Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”) are among the celebrities presenting inspirational stories about adoption.
◊“Christmas at Belmont” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Country music singer Trisha Yearwood hosts this annual concert at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The three-time Grammy winner will be joined by Belmont University’s 10-voice, pop, R&B, rock, and alternative ensemble, Phoenix;  female a cappella ensemble, Session;  12-voice, Blues, Swing, Bebop and contemporary jazz group, Jazzmin;  and Women’s Choir.  Yearwood graduated from Belmont in 1987 and now lives in Owasso with husband Garth Brooks.
◊“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (7 p.m. on ABC): The 1966 animated holiday story based on the classic children’s book by Dr. Seuss takes viewers inside a snowflake to Whoville, the magical land of the Whos. But high above this holiday-loving town resides the Grinch, a hateful creature with a heart three sizes too small, who despises Christmas and plots to steal it from the Whos.
◊“E! Entertainment Special: Jonas Brothers” (9 p.m. on E!): Through intimate interviews with brothers Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas, as well as those who know them best, this special uncovers the phenomenon surrounding these gifted performers.
◊“Glee” (8 p.m. on Fox): Will thinks the glee club desperately needs more of an edge, so he brings in his former classmate, April Rhodes (Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies”), to spice things up. Will’s plan seems to be going smoothly until he realizes he may be losing a key member of the club.
◊“Mega-Tsunami: 5 Years Later” (7 p.m. on TLC): This special about the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami is told almost entirely through amateur archive footage that delivers a powerful story of confusion and panic, heartbreak and heroism, death and survival.
◊“Mercy” (8 p.m. on NBC): As her secret affair with Dr. Sands becomes less and less a secret, Veronica takes a cue from a cancer patient and contemplates coming clean to her husband. Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”), Ann Meara (“The King of Queens”) and Jerry Stiller (“The King of Queens”) guest star.
◊“Sports Jobs With Junior Seau” (9 p.m. on Versus): The pressure is on as Junior learns how to jack up the car, fill it with gas and change the tires — and do it all to have Scott Dixon’s car back on track in seven seconds.

THURSDAY, DEC. 24, 2009
◊“2009 Hollywood Christmas Parade” (7 p.m. on My Network TV): This encore presentation features floats, marching bands and Santa Claus coming down the Tinseltown parade route. Susan Lucci (“”) is the 2009 Grand Marshal.
◊“American Story” (7 p.m. on MSNBC): Journalist Bob Dotson (former KFOR-4 reporter and producer) hosts this special that highlights the extraordinary lives of ordinary Americans throughout the United States. For more than three decades, Bob Dotson has been traveling this country uncovering the stories of people who are practically invisible, the ones who quietly change our lives, but who don’t seek fame or fortune.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): Angela’s psychic, Avalon Harmonia (Cyndi Lauper, “Vibes”), reveals while reading Angela’s tarot cards that there are multiple bodies buried under a Washington, D.C. fountain. Angela shares the information with Brennan and Booth, but they’re both a little skeptical considering the source.
◊“Christmas at The Cathedral – Beacon of Hope” (12:05 a.m. on CBS): This special features highlights from the concert series at St. Joseph Cathedral, the seat of the diocese which covers 35,000 square miles east of the Missouri River. The event filled with music and song focuses on the universal story of the Prince of Peace.  A prayerful message and Christmas blessing will be lead by the Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, The Most Reverend Paul J. Swain.
◊“Courgar Town” (8:30 p.m. on ABC): A very wealthy potential home buyer (Scott Foley, “Felicity”) feigns interest in an overpriced home in order to get Jules’ attention.  Meanwhile, Ellie begrudgingly leaves the baby with Andy for a day to prove to herself that she trusts her husband.
◊“CSI: NY” (7 p.m. on CBS): Mac informs an ex-con that he served time for a crime he didn’t commit, and Anna tells Danny “it’s time” for the first CSI baby to be born. Charles S. Dutton (“Threshold”) and Mare Winningham (“Clubhouse”) guest star.
◊“Faith Hill, Joy to the World: A Soundstage Special Event” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Singer Faith Hill, backed by an orchestra led by conductor David Campbell, presents favorites from her holiday album “Joy to the World.”
◊“The Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special” (9 p.m. on BBC America): Last season ended with Gavin and Stacey reuniting after a difficult separation and happily celebrating the birth of Smithy and Nessa’s baby. Now it’s Christmas Eve and Stacey’s family decide to join Gavin’s for one of his dad’s famous turkey dinners. The British series returns for Season 3 next year.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (9 p.m. on ABC): As Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s pass, Miranda is visited by her father, who disapproves of her choices in life; meanwhile, Mark and Lexie must cope with the shocking arrival of a woman from his past, and Thatcher Grey questions the Chief’s recent behavior as Meredith comes to his defense. Frankie Faison (“Silence of the Lambs”) and Kim Raver (“Lipstick Jungle”) guest star.
◊“It’s a Wonderful Life” (7 p.m. on NBC): This special presentation of director Frank Capra’s 1946 film will be described for the blind and visually impaired by former President George Bush. His descriptions will inform the viewer of what is occurring on the screen, filling in blanks where no dialogue or other sounds tell viewers what is happening.
◊“Modern Family” (8 p.m. on ABC): Christmas is in full swing at the Dunphy house until the kids get in some trouble and Phil and Claire threaten to take away Christmas until one of them fesses up. Meanwhile, Jay struggles with wanting to stick to his holiday traditions while Gloria and Manny want to incorporate some of their Colombian practices. Fred Willard (“Best in Show”) guest stars as Phil’s dad.
◊“Raising the Bar” (7 p.m. on TNT): The canceled legal drama will conclude its two season run with a three-episode marathon.

FRIDAY, DEC. 25, 2009
◊“America’s Children’s Holiday Parade” (8 a.m. on OETA-13): Mark Curry (“Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper”) hosts the 2009 parade featuring children’s favorites appearing as giant ballons and characters waiving from floats. This event in downtown Oakland, Calif., is produced by renowned parade professionals and has a complete focus on children.
◊“The Bold and the Beautiful” (12:30 p.m. on CBS): Encore presentation of a classic episode from Christmas 2007.
“Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” (9 a.m. on ABC): The 26th annual parade hosted by Kelly Ripa (“Live With Regis and Kelly”) at Walt Disney World and Ryan Seacrest (“American Idol”) at Disneyland will feature performances by the Jonas Brothers (“Jonas”), Demi Lovato (“Sonny With a Chance”), Selena Gomez (“Wizards of Waverly Place”), Kris Allen (“American Idol:) and Grammy winners Celine Dion and Stevie Wonder.
◊“Don’t You Forget About Me” (5:40 p.m. on Encore): This documentary follows a group of young filmmakers searching for director John Hughes. It was filmed a year before his untimely death and includes appearances by Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, Andrew McCarthy, Kevin Smith, Alan Ruck, Kelly LeBrock, Justin Henry, Roger Ebert, Jason Reitman and Richard Roeper.
◊“Forbes’ Most Bankable Stars” (7:30 p.m. on E!): The experts at Forbes came up with a formula that determined how much money, on average, an actor/actress earned for every $1 he/she was paid. And this special counts down the 10 men and 10 women Hollywood can count on to rake in the big bucks at the box office without breaking the bank.
◊“Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m. on CBS): Melinda helps a family in turmoil after a freak accident.  Meanwhile, Delia has her first haunting and discovers why sometimes it’s easier to be a skeptic than a believer. Sharon Lawrence (“NYPD Blue”) guest star.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): Allison works on a seemingly routine missing persons case, but her dreams lead her to suspect that the missing woman’s children may have something to do with her disappearance.  Also, Joe’s sister moves in when she thinks her husband is cheating. Guest stars include James Van Der Beek (“Dawson’s Creek”), Morena Baccarin (“V”) and Amanda Detmer (“What About Brian”).
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team has only hours to investigate a last-minute tip that could exonerate a dangerous mob boss on the eve of his execution. Meanwhile, Charlie’s attempt to help the CalSci basketball team break their incredible losing streak leads to some interesting outside help. Gina Gershon (“Face/Off”) and Los Angeles Lakers players Pau Gasol and Jordan Farmar guest star.
◊“The Price Is Right” (10 a.m. on CBS): Encore presentation of a Christmas 2008 episode.
◊“Saturday Night Live Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas” (7 p.m. on NBC): This encore presentation features guest appearances by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, as well as sketches with troublemaker Gilly (played by Kristen Wiig) and holiday-themed sketches from the show’s 35-year history.
◊“Til Death” (7:30 p.m. on Fox): When Eddie and Joy pay a visit to his parents in Florida, Eddie discovers that his parents are planning to divorce in order to qualify for medical insurance. Eddie refuses to accept the idea and tries to convince his mother (Valerie Harper, “Valerie”) that it’s a bad decision to put his father (Jerry Adler, “Rescue Me”) back on the market .
◊“The Young and the Restless” (11:30 a.m. on CBS): Encore presentation of a classic episode from Christmas 2003.

SATURDAY, DEC. 26, 2009
◊“5 Ingredient Fix” (11:30 a.m. on Food Network): In the Season 3 premiere, host Claire Robinson cooks up a no-fuss cocktail party menue perfect for any gathering. She prepares bite-sized Beef Wellington, sweet and spicy cocktail nuts, shortbread and a classy cocktail.
◊“Doctor Who: The End of Time, Part One” (8 p.m. on BBC America): It’s the Tenth Doctor’s final journey, but his psychotic nemesis the Master has been reborn on Christmas Eve. With both determined to cheat death, the battle ranges from the wastelands of London to the mysterious Immortality Gate. Meanwhile, the alien race Ood warn of an even greater danger approaching.
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m. on NBC): When Detectives Benson and Stabler arrive on the scene of a single murder, they discover two more dead bodies in the apartment next door. Carol Burnett (“The Carol Burnett Show”) and Matthew Lillard (“The Pool Boys”) guest star.
◊“The Suze Orman Show” (8 p.m. on CNBC): Host Suze Orman celebrates with a new “best calls you’ve never heard,” plus a look back at her year in jackets.
◊“Three Sheets: New Year’s Eve in New York” (8 p.m. on FLN): This special introduces viewers to the premier bar scenes in the city that never sleeps, so drink and be merry with host Zane Lamprey who takes being “spirited” to a whole new level.

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Dec. 13-19, 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 Dec. 13:

(NOTE: All times are CT. For ET, add one hour)

SUNDAY, DEC. 13, 2009
◊“Brothers” (6 p.m. on Fox): With the help of cousin Kenny’s (Snoop Dogg, “Old School”) legal aid, Coach’s brother Maurice is released from jail and arrives at the Trainors’ home to spend time with the family. And Jimmy Johnson (former OSU and Dallas Cowboys football coach) stops by the restaurant to talk football.
◊“Christmas at the White House: An Oprah Primetime Special” (9 p.m. on ABC): Oprah Winfrey will usher in the holidays at the White House, visiting President Obama and the First Lady as they prepare for their family’s first Christmas there. The special will include a one-on-one conversation with the president and will showcase behind-the-scenes preparations as the White House gets ready for the holiday season.
◊“The Christmas Hope” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): This new holiday movie stars Madeleine Stowe (“The Last of the Mohicans”) and James Remar (“Dexter”) as a couple in a troubled marriage. When Patricia, a social worker, brings home a foster child who has no place to go on Christmas, they set aside their differences to give the young girl a special holiday.
◊“Christmas With the Annie Moses Band” (6 p.m. on OETA-13): The Annie Moses band, an all-sibling group that plays an eclectic blend of classical, jazz and pop music, will perform a mix of holiday classics.
◊“Cold Case” (8 p.m. on CBS): The team tries to determine who murdered a minor league ice hockey player on the memorable night that the U.S. hockey team beat the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. Jude Ciccolella (“24″) and Brian Scannell (“Brotherhood”) guest star in the episode, which features the music of Grammy winner Bob Seger.
◊“Dexter” (8 p.m. on Showtime): In the Season 4 finale, the final challenge between Dexter and Arthur comes. Debra finds out a long hidden truth. Rita admits that her marriage is troubled. Batista’s and LaGuerta’s relationship must face consequences.
◊“A Golden Christmas” (8 p.m. on ION): This new holiday film stars Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”) as a recently widowed woman who  decides she needs to start over and moves back home with her son. She hopes to buy the old house as a Christmas surprise, however, her plan goes awry when she discovers that her parents have already sold it.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Six-time Grammy winner Mary J. Blige traveled with the team to Erie, Pa., to help build a new home for Clara Ward, who has cast the adversity of her health and surroundings aside to run a nonprofit youth development and family center from her home.
◊“I Dreamed a Dream: The Susan Boyle Story” (8 p.m. on TV Guide Network): Piers Morgan (“America’s Got Talent”) will host this special that chronicles Susan Boyle’s journey from the small Scottish village of Blackburn to superstardom following her audition on “Britain’s Got Talent.” Her story will be told alongside performances and exclusive interviews with Susan, friends and celebrity fans.
◊“The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty” (8 p.m. on A&E): This new real-life series chronicles the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion, while also coming to terms with Michael’s tragic loss.
◊“Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In this new sequel to the 2006 movie “Santa Baby,” Jenny McCarthy returns as Mary Class, Santa’s business-minded daughter. She is forced to step in to help save Christmas when Santa (Paul Sorvino) decides he is tired of the responsibilities of the job.
◊“Life After Film School” (6:30 p.m. on Fox Movie Channel): Film students interview Jon Landau, producer of the upcoming film “Avatar.” He discusses his ongoing partnership with James Cameron and delivering James’ unique vision to the screen using newly developed 3-D technology that realistically bring the characters to life.
◊“Talhotblond” (9 p.m. on MSNBC): This film tells the true story of a tumultuous online romance turned chilling real-life murder. During a chance encounter in an online-gaming chatroom, Thomas Montgomery, a lonely husband and father of two, meets a 17-year-old girl named Jessi and convinces her that he is a young marine named Tommy. But his love for Jessi turns to jealous obsession as she flaunts another lover—a co-worker of his — and the love triangle saga ends with a twist that Montgomery never saw coming.

MONDAY, DEC. 14
◊“The 2009 WWE Slammy Awards” (7 p.m. on USA Network): Dennis Miller (“Saturday Night Live”) will host the 15th annual event that is World Wrestling Entertainment’s version of the Oscars. Award categories include WWE superstar of the year, WWE match of the year, and WWE diva of the year. 
◊“Anatomy of a Pandemic” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Ray Suarez (“PBS NewsHour”) reports from the front lines of the efforts to combat the H1N1 swine flu pandemic, including the vaccination program. The special also surveys the current health crisis in the context of earlier pandemics, such as the 1918 influenza outbreak that caused between 50 and 100 million deaths worldwide.
◊“Bank of Hollywood” (9 p.m. on E!): This new series hosted by comedian Bryan Callen unites a panel of celebrities to dish out money to people with the most compelling needs for cash. The panelists include best-selling author and entrepreneur Candy Spelling, international poker phenomenon Vanessa Rousso, Wilhelmina Models President Sean Patterson and Pussycat Dolls singer Melody Thornton who determine which hopefuls are truly deserving of their riches.
◊“The Big Bang Theory” (8:30 p.m. on CBS): A visit from Leonard’s mother (Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”) delights Sheldon and horrifies Leonard.
◊“The Closer” (8 p.m. on TNT): The discrediting of a crime lab frequently used by the LAPD brings several old cases up for review, including one Provenza closed seven years ago with his former partner, Det. Andrews (Beau Bridges, “Stargate: Continuum”)  Andrews comes out of retirement to help with the case, but he isn’t exactly prepared to testify in the new trial, throwing a wrench into a case that is already interrupting Brenda and Fritz’s vacation plans.
◊“Every F—ing Day of My Life” (9 p.m. on HBO): This documentaty records the final days of freedom for one woman as she prepares to be incarcerated for the murder of her abusive husband. In the early-morning hours of May 1, 2005, Wendy Maldonado, a mother of four in Grant Pass, Ore., called 911 in hysterics. “I just killed my husband,” she confessed, adding, “I just want my kids to be safe.”  When the operator asked how long her husband had abused her, Maldonado replied, “Every f—ing day of my life.”
◊“Healthy Minds: Bipolar Disorder” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Broadcast journalist Jane Pauley speaks candidly about living with bipolar disorder while she was co-host of the national TV morning show “Today.” She discusses the diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of her manic depression.
◊“House” (7 p.m. on Fox): House and the team encounter a teenager who collapsed during her high school Christmas program. They soon find the troubled teen dealt with more than her share of bullying at school, and as her condition continues to deteriorate, the team must delve deeper to get to the bottom of her mysterious illness. Lori Petty (“The Cleaner”) guest stars.
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): The gang struggles to quit smoking while Robin clashes with her new jaded co-worker. Harvey Fierstein (“Hairspray”) guest stars as Lily’s smoking voice. 
◊“Jennifer Hudson: I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (7 p.m. on ABC): In this one-hour special, the Academy Award-winning singer and actress (“Dreamgirls”) heads back to her hometown of Chicago to share childhood memories of the music, people and places that set the stage for her success. Joining Hudson in her first holiday music special is Grammy winner Michael Buble.
◊“Lie to Me” (8:01 p.m. on Fox): During a political protest in Washington, D.C., a disgruntled farmer parks his explosives-packed tractor near the Treasury Department building, forcing Lightman and his team to make some crucial life-or-death decisions.
◊“Picturing the President: George Washington” (7 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel): Today is the anniversary of Washington’s death (1799), and this documentary tells the story of the most famous American portrait – Gilbert Stuart’s painting of George Washington. The portrait captures the spirit of this victorious general, stalwart leader and pioneering president of the United States.
◊“The Sing-Off” (7 p.m. on NBC): In this new competitive reality series hosted by Nick Lachey (“Clash of the Choirs”), a cappella groups from across the United States vie for a recording contract with Sony. Each week, one group will be eliminated, and the series culminates Dec. 21 in a live finale where the winners will be decided by viewers.
◊“Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m. on CBS): Charlie coaches Jake on the art of infidelity while his girlfriend is away for Christmas. Carl Reiner (“Life With Bonnie”) guest stars as Marty Pepper, a legendary TV Producer, whom Evelyn invites to Charlie’s for Christmas dinner.
◊“The Vampire Diaries” (7 p.m. on CW): This week-long marathon offers viewers the opportunity to relive the saga from the start. It begins with the first two episodes, and two more will follow each night through Friday.
◊“What Would Jesus Buy?” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This documentary looks at the commercialization of Christmas as it follows the adventures of Reverend Billy Talen and the congregation of the Church of Stop Shopping. Their itinerary includes college campuses, shopping malls, suburban streets and Disneyland.
◊“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” (2 p.m. on Nick Jr.): Widget and Wubbzy are hanging out with their friend, Ty Ty the Tool Guy (Ty Pennington, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”), when a nearby family lose their home due to the sneezes of a pet elephant.  Ty Ty proposes that everybody band together to build the family a new house.

TUESDAY, DEC. 15, 2009
◊“A Charlie Brown Christmas” (7 p.m. on ABC): This hour will include the digitally-remastered 1965 special, as well as a series of Christmas-themed animated stories entitled “Charlie Brown Christmas Tales” in which each of the beloved PEANUTS characters – Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and Sally – star in his or her own charming animated vignette.
◊“The Forgotten” (9 p.m. on ABC): The case of a John Doe (Jarrod Bunch, former New York Giants football player), left beaten on the street and ravaged by past injuries, leads The Forgotten Network into the world of professional football.
◊“Funniest Commercials of the Year” (9 p.m. on TBS): Kevin Nealon (“Weeds”) and Fred Willard (“Best in Show”) count down the cleverest commercials from around the world. The special features up to 50 spots, 10 of which are voted on by the public in advance to determine the funniest commercial of the year.
◊“Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live” (8 p.m. on Fox): Chef Gordon Ramsay (“Hell’s Kitchen”) will be giving America a one-on-one cooking lesson, providing viewers with a real-time demonstration and step-by-step instructions on how to cook a three-course meal in just 60 minutes. For a shopping list of ingredients to prepare the angel hair pasta with shrimp appetizer, Steak Diane with sauteed potatoes and peas main course and Quick Tiramisu dessert, go to http://blog.newsok.com/television.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): When the enlisted son of retired Colonel-turned-preacher is found dead, the team believes he may be the victim of a hate crime. Meanwhile, Gibbs’ father (Ralph Waite, “The Waltons”) comes for a holiday visit. Joe Regalbuto (“Murphy Brown”) and Corey Reynolds (“The Closer”) also guest star.
◊“Paranormal State” (9 p.m. on A&E): Season 4 continues to chronicle the case files of the Paranormal Research Society (PRS), a renowned group that began with Penn State University College Students. The team uses a cache of resources, including Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) recordings, client interviews, video documentation, cutting-edge technologies and old-fashioned research.
◊“Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal” (8 p.m. on A&E): Season 2 spotlights even more children who live with psychic abilities. Helping them uncover the truths and managing their abilities are psychic/mediums Chip Coffey, Chris Fleming and Kim Russo — who themselves grew up with these senses — and licensed therapist Edy Nathan.
◊“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” (2 p.m. on Nick Jr.): Wubbzy and Daizy need to round out their footy-football card collections with the very rare Touchdown Tiki (Tiki Barber, “NFL Monday Night Football”) card.  So when Earl gets it, they both try to become Earl’s best friend hoping he will give one of them his coveted card. 

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 2009
◊“Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Hermann” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Tony Award-winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell joins the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for an hour of favorite seasonal songs. The special also features actor Ed Hermann (“Gilmore Girls”) reading “The Christmas Story.”
◊“CNBC Investigates: Illegal Gambling” (8 p.m. on CNBC): This special takes an inside look at the multi-billion dollar business of illegal gambling. Millions are cashing in. Some get rich, while others pay the ultimate price.
◊“CSY: NY” (9 p.m. on CBS): A reformed drug addict with everything to live for is found dead in an alley.  The CSI’s discover he was the victim of a premeditated plot. Kim Kardashian (“Keeping Up With the Kardashians”) guest stars as a fiance of a recovered addict musician and musician Pat Monahan (“Train”) guest stars as the recovered addict.  Vanessa Minnillo (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) and Lala Vazquez (“Charm School With Ricki Lake”) also guest star.
◊“Eastwick” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): Max asks a reluctant Joanna to help him crack a famous unsolved Eastwick murder, but their snooping leads them to a perilous situation with Eleanor (Cybill Shepherd, “The L Word”).
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): When Gary and Allison worry that Tom is hanging out with the wrong crowd at school, they take it upon themselves to probe into Tom’s personal life. Real-life husband and wife and professional athletes, Laird Hamilton (professional surfer) and Gabrielle Reece (professional volleyball player), guest star as themselves. 
◊“Maxim’s Hottest Moments of 2009″ (9 p.m. on E!): Maxim Magazine counts down the most unforgettable moments — from scandalous proposals to outrageous outbursts.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine reluctantly attends her neighbor’s holiday block party where she discovers a juicy secret. Molly Shannon (“Saturday Night Live”) guest stars as Christine’s neighbor, Jeannie, and Michaela Watkins (“Saturday Night Live”) returns as Matthew’s girlfriend, Lucy.
◊“So You Think You Can Dance” (7 p.m. on Fox): Host Cat Deeley will reveal who has been chosen as America’s favorite dancer on the two-hour season finale.
◊“Top Chef: Las Vegas — Watch What Happens Reunion” (8 p.m. on Bravo): Host Padma Lakshmi, hed judge Tom Colicchio and judges Gail Simmons and Toby Young join Season 6′s chef’testants to answer questions from viewers and dish on the good, bad and overcooked.

THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 2009
◊“Biography: Dave Thomas” (9 p.m. on CNBC): The installment “Dave Thomas: Made to Order” tells the inspirational story of the creator of Wendy’s, one of the most famous food chains in the United States.
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): The half-eaten body of a doctor is found in the tiger cage at the zoo following a hospital charity event, and Booth and Brennan determine the death was no accident. They question the suspects, including Brandon Casey (Chad Lowe, “24”), who must be hypnotize in order to jog his memory about what he saw the night of the gala.
◊“Christmas in Connecticut” (7 p.m. on TCM): Barbara Stanwyck stars in this 1945 romatic comedy as a lifestyle journalist who is lauded by her readers as the most efficient homemaker in the countryside but who lives in a city apartment. But when her boss suggests she host a soldier on leave for the holidays, she needs to come up with a home, child and cooking skills fast.
◊“FlashForward” (7 p.m. on ABC): Mark, Demetri, Gough and MI6 agent Fiona Banks (Alex Kingston, “ER”) investigate a Blue Hand club and its possible connection to some recent suicides.
◊“Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m. on ABC): Everyone’s struggling after losing one of their own and turning to any distraction they can find. Meredith and Derek seem to be consummating their marriage anywhere and everywhere, while Cristina and Owen have been instructed to abstain from sex by Dr. Wyatt. Jessica Capshaw (“The Practice”) guest stars.
◊“The Mentalist” (9 p.m. on CBS): While Jane and the team examine the crime scene where a baseball scout is found murdered, Jane is clocked in the head by a ball and flashes back to his childhood with his overbearing father (Nick Chinlund, “Desperate Measures”).
◊“Saturday Night Live Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas” (7 p.m. on NBC): This holiday special will include guest appearances by Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, brand-new sketches with the infamous troublemaker “Gilly” (played by Kristen Wiig), and favorite holiday-themed sketches from SNL’s 35-year history.
◊“The Truth About Online Anorexia” (7 p.m. on BBC America): British TV and radio personality Fearne Cotton examines the ongoing trend for super-slim women and immerses herself in the worrying world of “pro-ana” websites that encourage anorexia and starvation as a life choice.
◊“The Will: Family Secrets Revealed” (8 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): The pilot episode of this potential series examines the compelling stories of family dynamics as the final wishes of their deceased loved ones are revealed.

FRIDAY, DEC. 18, 2009
◊“ABC World News” (5:30 p.m. on ABC): Anchor Charles Gibson, who announced his retirement several months ago, will officially depart from the nightly newscast today. Replacement Diane Sawyer, who will anchor the Dec. 21 and 22 broadcasts, will permanently take over the anchor spot in January.
◊“Dollhouse” (7 p.m. on Fox): As his contract with the Dollhouse expires, Victor is released back into the world, where his military past threatens his future with Sierra. Meanwhile, Echo is deemed too dangerous and is sent into her worst nightmare.
◊“Four Weddings” (9 p.m. on TLC): Get a sneak peek at this new series in which four brides agree to be guests at each other’s weddings and then judge which one was the best. The 10-episode series premieres Jan. 30.
◊“Frosty the Snowman” (7 p.m. on CBS): Adapted from a popular Christmas song, this 1969 animated musical features the voice of Jackie Vernon as the happy-go-lucky snowman who comes alive when a youngster places a magic hat on his head.
◊“Frosty Returns” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): This animated 1992 special stars John Goodman as the voice of Frosty the Snowman, who arrives in the town of Beansborough following the first snowstorm. But his visit may have to be cut short when a new invention, a snow-removal spray called Summer Wheeze, is introduced.
◊“Law & Order” (7 p.m. on NBC): Detectives Cyrus Lupo and Kevin Bernard investigate the murder of an environmentalist’s wife. Ned Beatty (“Homicide: Life on the Street”) and Sherry Stringfield (“ER”) guest star.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): When a super computer is the prime suspect in the death of cutting-edge scientist, the team must use new means to crack the case. Nancy Travis (“The Bill Engvall Show”) guest stars.
◊“Oxygen’s 25iest: Hollywood’s Most Outrageous Holiday Gifts” (10 p.m. on Oxygen): This special takes a close look inside the holiday gifting habits of celebrities, including Johnny Depp, Lauren Conrad and Lady Gaga. From a romantic over the top Christmas engagement in an igloo to stuffed animals and fake eyelashes, the gifts range from extravagant to just plain bizarre.

SATURDAY, DEC. 19, 2009
◊“Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars” (8 p.m. on BBC America): In the one of the last three episodes starring David Tennant in the title role, all will be revealed as the Doctor and his companion Adelaide (Lindsay Duncan, “Rome”) face terror on the Red Planet in one of the scariest adventures yet. The remaining episodes starring Tennant will air over the holiday season as a two-part special.
◊“Elf” (7 p.m. on CBS): This 2003 comedy stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a human who was adopted by elves as an infant and grows up thinking he’s just a large version of his adoptive father (Bob Newhart). When Buddy finds out the truth about his parentage, he is crushed and goes out into the real world to find his dad (James Caan). Unfortunately, Dad has his own family and isn’t interested in rehashing the past.
◊“Sandra Lee Celebrates: Winter Wonderland Party” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Vy Higginsen, the leader of an organization that provides musical training to underprivileged youth, works with Sandra lee to throw an over-the-top holiday party for her neighborhood. With a classic holiday menu that will feed a large crowd – along with festive, budget-friendly décor ideas – viewers will see Sandra transform Vy’s traditional New York dwelling into the ultimate winter wonderland party.
◊“Saturday Night Live” (10:29 p.m. on NBC): James Franco makes his second appearance as host of show, and the British rock trio Muse is the musical guest.
◊“Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Peter O’Toole and Marcia Gay Harden star in this 2008 movie that looks at the inspiration nehind Thomas Kinkade’s painting The Christmas Cottage and how the artist was motivated to begin his career after discovering his mother was in danger of losing their family home.
◊“The Three Gifts” (7 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Dean Cain (“Out of Time”) stars in the spirited story as Jack Green, a toymaker who, along with his wife (Jean Louisa Kelly, “Yes Dear”), temporarily takes in three unruly orphans during the holiday season.  The troublemakers soon turn their act around when they think that the Greens are considering adopting one of them, and do their best to get off the Naughty List.
◊“WWE Tribute to the Troops” (8 p.m. on NBC): WWE Superstars and Divas will head to Iraq this holiday season to put a smile on the faces of the troops serving in the U.S. military and to give thanks for their commitment to our country.  This trip marks the seventh consecutive year that WWE will make its annual pilgrimage to the front lines.

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Nov. 29-Dec. 5, 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 Nov. 29:
(NOTE: All times are CT. For ET, add one hour)

SUNDAY, NOV. 29, 2009
◊“The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert” (7 p.m. on HBO): This four-hour event spotlights a host of musicians with performances culled from live concerts in late October. Among the artists featured are Eric Clapton, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Friends Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2 and Stevie Wonder.
◊“650 Lb. Virgin: The Weight Is Over” (9 p.m. on TLC): After losing 400 pounds without resorting to gastric bypass surgery, David Smith has become an inspiration for others. Now, along with his trainer and best friend Chris, he’s on a mission to help reshape the nation.
◊“2009 Soul Train Awards Show” (8 p.m. on BET): Taraji P. Henson (“The Division”) and Terrence Howard (“Street Time”) co-host the event that features performances by Toni Braxton, Trey Songz,  Boyz II Men, Chrisette Michele, Erykah Badu, Brian McKnight and Mario.
◊“America’s Funniest Home Videos” (6 p.m. on ABC): Former “America’s Funniest Home Videos” host Bob Saget returns as a guest co-host with Tom Bergeron in an episode that salutes the show’s funniest moments in its two decades on the air. In its 20 seasons to date, the show has given away over $10 million in prize money and evaluated more than half a million videotapes from home viewers.
◊“A Dog Named Christmas” (8 p.m. on CBS): A mentally challenged young man (Noel Fisher, “The Riches”) with a penchant for caring for animals in need sets out to convince his family and community to participate in the local shelter’s inaugural “Adopt a Dog for Christmas Program.”
◊“The Dog Who Saved Christmas” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): Mario Lopez (“Nip/Tuck”) provides the voice of Zeus, the misguided guard dog who saves the Bannister family’s Christmas when he thwarts a burglary attempt by two inept thieves.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Patrick Dempsey (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and the team travel to Lyme, NH, to tell Jay and Elena Marshall that their moldy and rotting home will be rebuilt in seven days.
◊“Frost/Nixon: The Original Watergate Interviews” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This program features David Frost’s entire 1977 Watergate interview with President Nixon. The original broadcast was watched by 45 million Americans and drew the biggest worldwide audience for a news interview.
◊“Half-Ton Teen: Confronting Addiction” (7 p.m. on TLC): Billy Roberts, once the world’s heaviest teenager, is gaining weight again. In the third installment of “Half Ton Teen,” doctors make a desperate attempt to save Billy from self-destruction.
◊“Legend of the Seeker” (5 p.m. on KOCB-34): Kahlan and Richard set out to rescue a mysterious girl named Annabelle (Aimee Teegarden, “Friday Night Lights”), the only other living Confessor, and try to prevent her from accidentally unleashing the powers she possesses.
◊“Pavarotti: Salute Petra” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This tribute concert taped October 2008 at the historial site of Petra in Jordan marks the first anniversary of the death of Luciano Pavarotti. The line-up features opera singers and musicians who performed with the Italian tenor, including Placido Domingo, Angela Gheorghiu and Andrea Bocelli.

MONDAY, NOV. 30, 2009
◊“Castle” (9 p.m. on ABC): Castle is wrestling with how to repair his relationship with Beckett, while struggling to finish his soon-to-be-published bestseller, Heat Wave. But circumstances force the pair back together to investigate the mysterious murder of a man found dead, tangled in the limbs of a tree. Authors Stephen J. Cannell and Michael Connelly guest star as themselves.
◊“Emeril Green California” (7 p.m. on Planet Green): This special takes viewers to one of the country’s most progressive and dedicated organic and sustainable farming areas – Sonoma and Napa Valleys.
◊“Hoarders” (9 p.m. on A&E): The second-season premiere introduces viewers to Augustine, whose son Jason was removed from her home by Child Protective Services 14 years ago, because of her hoarding. It follows Jason as he tries one last time to rescue his mother from the filth he escaped from years ago.
◊“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (7 p.m. on ABC): This 1966 animated holiday story takes viewers inside a snowflake to Whoville, the magical land of the Whos. But high above this holiday-loving town resides the Grinch, a hateful creature with a heart three sizes too small, who despises Christmas and plots to steal it from the Whos. The voice cast includes Boris Karloff as The Grinch/Narrator and June Foray as Cindy Lou Who.
◊“Jim Thorpe: The World’s Greatest Athlete” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This special chronicles Jim Thorpe’s life  —  from his boyhood in Oklahoma and his gold-medal wins at the 1912 Summer Olympics to his advocacy of American Indian rights and self-sufficiency. It recounts these events and others through interviews with Thorpe’s surviving children, dramatic recreations and archival photos and film.
◊“The Lady From Shanghai” (7 p.m. on TCM): This 1948 thriller stars Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth and features the famed hall-of-mirrors climax. It is the first of four films guest programmer Anthony Hopkins (“The Silence of the Lambs”) selected to air. The others are 1948′S “The Treasure of Sierra Madre” (8:45), 1940′s “The Grapes of Wrath” (11 p.m.) and 1954′s “Rear Window” (1:15 a.m.).
◊“How I Met Your Mother” (7 p.m. on CBS): Ted tries to prove he’s not pathetic for getting left at the altar, and Barney tries to impress Robin by fighting with patrons who are sitting in their favorite booth. Will Sasson (“MadTV”) guest stars.
◊“Intervention” (8 p.m. on A&E): The eighth-season premiere features Linda, who after graduating from college found success working as an extra in HollywoodBut her dreams died when she came down with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and started taking the painkiller Fentanyl.
◊“Shrek the Halls” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): This 2007 animated holiday special Shrek’s plans for a cozy family celebration end up spiraling into one truly unforgettable Christmas. The voice cast includes Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.
◊“Smokey Robinson Tribute on Ice” (5 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Singer Smokey Robinson will perform while a stellar cast of Olympic, World and National figure skaters — including Brian Boitano, Todd Eldredge and Jennifer Robinson — cut through the ice.

TUESDAY, DEC. 1, 2009
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): The final four contestants go home to reunite with family and friends and learn that when they return to the ranch, they will face their toughest challenge yet — running a full marathon. Cheering them along the way with me Season 7 winner Helen Phillips and finalists Tara Costa and Mike Morelli.
◊“Britain’s Missing Top Model” (8 p.m. on BBC America): In this new reality series, eight aspiring models — each with a disability — compete for a photo shoot with one of the United Kingdom’s best known fashion photographers, a four page spread in Marie Claire and an introduction to the head of a top modelling agency.
◊“Christmas Outside the Box” (6 p.m. on TLC): This special will unwrao the rituals of the holiday and reveal a day layeed with mystery, science and honored tradition.
◊“Eyes” (9 p.m. on DirecTV): In the series finale, Wyatt Markum, a bond trader, is murdered under the watch of Jimmy Doyle, a bodyguard and old friend of Harlan’s. The investigation is complicated by detective Ryan Giggs, who believes that Jimmy killed Wyatt. Meanwhile, Jeff’s mother, Dee Dee (Patti D’Arbanville, “New York Undercover”), has been scammed and asks her son for help in catching the con artist.
◊“The Forgotten” (9 p.m. on ABC): The Forgotten Network investigates the death of a John Doe found murdered and stuffed in the trunk of a car four months ago. The investigation takes a turn when a DNA test identifies the Doe as an ex-con who died four years ago. James Van Der Beek (“Dawson’s Creek”) guest stars.
◊“I’m Pregnant And …” (8:30 p.m. on Discovery Health): This new series follows the stories of women facing serious issues — emotional, physical, mental or circumstantial — as they navigate their nine-month journey through pregnancy.  Topics explored throughout the six-part series include “I’m Pregnant and I’m Addicted,” “I’m Pregnant and I Have an Eating Disorder” and “I’m Pregnant and Over 55.”
◊“Invitation Only: Carrie Underwood” (8 p.m. on CMT): Checotah native Carrie Underwood takes the stage to perform her chart-toppers as well as music from her new album “Play On.” She also takes questions from fans and gives revealing and candid answers.
◊“Love In a Time of HIV” (8 p.m. on Showtime): Premiering on the 21st annual World AIDS Day, this documentary takes a walk in the shows of several people around the world living with HIV.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): The death of a NCIS agent leads Gibbs and Tony into the desert to locate a woman who holds the answer to the mystery. Lance Henriksen (“Millennium”) guest stars.
◊“Prep & Landing” (7:30 p.m. on ABC): This new holiday special reveals the never-before-told tale of a high-tech organization of elves that ensures that homes around the world are properly prepared for the yearly visit from The Big Guy, their code name for Santa Claus. The voice cast includes Dave Foley (“NewsRadio”) as Wayne, Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”) as Magee and Derek Richardson (“Men In Trees”) as Lanny.
◊“Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible” (9 p.m. on Science Channel): This new series based on Dr. Michio Kaku’s best-selling book combines his knowledge of theoretical physics with his ability to turn high-level science into blueprints for light sabers, starships, time travel and more. In each episode, Dr. Kaku will illustrate how each fantastic invention would work and could be built.
◊“Scrubs” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 9 premiere, J.D., Turk, Drs. Cox and Kelso and Intern Denise return to Sacred Heart to teach med school, while new med students Lucy, Drew, Cole and Maya are put through the ringer on their first day of school.
◊“Sherri” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): In the Season 1 finale, Sherri finds herself at a crossroads between re-kindling her relationship with Kevin and starting a new future with Randy.
◊“Transgendered and Pregnant” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This special tells the story of a transgendered couple expecting a baby. In spite of ongoing hormone treatments, the male-to-female transgender wife managed to impregnate the female-to-male tramsgender husband, and cameras follow the couple throughout the pregnancy leading up to the birth of their first child.
◊“The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” (9 p.m. on CBS): The annual holiday-themed runway show returns to New York City and will feature supermodels Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes and Marisa Miller. The event will also feature model profiles, behind-the-scenes footage, red-carpet interviews and performances by three-time Grammy Award winners the Black Eyed Peas.
◊“Where the Water Meets the Sky” (9 p.m. on Sundance): Narrated by Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”), this documentary tells the story of a group of Northern Zambian women who learn how to use the art of filmmaking as a way to speak out about their lives and the plight of the staggering number of young women orphaned by AIDS in their country.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 2009
◊“Bank of Mom and Dad” (9 p.m. on SoapNet): Sarah, a 23-year-old self-proclaimed “urban sophisticate” from New Jersey, spends all of her money on clothes and food while her parents foot the bill for her real expenses on the season finale.
◊“Christmas in Rockefeller Center” (7 p.m. on NBC): Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock”) and Zachary Levi (“Chuck”) co-host the 77th annual holiday celebration that has aired on NBC for 12 years. The tree lighting event will also feature performances by Michael Bublé, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Barry Manilow, The Roots, Shakira, and The Radio City Rockettes.
◊“Criminal Minds” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team travels to Fort Lauderdale during spring break to find a serial killer with multiple personalities who is targeting co-eds on vacation. Roma Maffia (“Nip/Tuck”) and Jackson Rathbone (“Twilight”) on “Criminal Minds,” 9 p.m. on CBS.
◊“Dog the Bounty Hunter” (8 p.m. on A&E): Season 6 opens with the show’s 150th episode, and Duane “Dog” Chapman’s target seems to have a taste for drugs and a record of reckless driving.
◊“Eastwick” (9:01 p.m. on ABC): While enduring a visit from her mother, Edie (Joanna Kerns, “Growing Pains”), Roxie discovers a newfound power. After Jamie’s failed attempt to poison Darryl lands Greta Noa (Rosanna Arquette, “The L Word”) in the hospital about to die, Darryl urges Kat to embrace her healing abilities so she can save his friend. Meanwhile, Jamie is forced to team up with Bun and Eleanor (Cybill Shepherd, “The L Word”) to finish the job on Darryl.
◊“The Grammy Nominations Concert Live! Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night” (8 p.m. on CBS, 2:37 a.m. Friday on KWTV-9 in OKC): LL Cool J (“NCIS: Los Angeles”) host host this special broadcast live from Club NOKIA in Los Angeles. It will reveal Grammy nominations in several categories and the world premiere performance of Nick Jonas & the Administration, as well as appearances by Black Eyed Peas, Sugarland and Maxwell.
◊“Launch My Line” (10 p.m. on Bravo): Designers Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED2 host this new series that follows 10 professionals who are paired with 10 established fashion designers who will help them execute their dream clothing line.
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (8 p.m. on NBC): Officer Nate Kendall (Wentworth Miller, “Prison Break”) is called in to help Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler solve a series of rape cases.
◊“Little Parents, First Baby” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): Dwarf couple Becky and Craig Hennon welcomed their first child earlier this year. Cameras revisit the family to see how they are faring and find out if they have learned whether their baby boy will also be a dwarf.  
◊“Rebuilding America” (7 p.m. on CNBC): Are the manufacturing jobs in the U.S. gone forever? Does an economy that doesn’t produce anything have any real value? CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo and some leaders in manufacturing answer those questions and chart our path forward.
◊“Pixar Short Films” (6 p.m. on ABC Family): This two-hour presentation features 20 animated Pixar short films, including Academy Award winners “Tin Toy” (1988), “Geri’s Game” (1991) and “For the Birds” (2001) and Oscar nominees “Luxo Jr.” (1986), “Mike’s New Car” (2002), “Boundin” (2003), “One Man Band” (2005), “Lifted” (2006) and “Presto” (2008).
◊“Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares” (7 p.m. on BBC America): Chef Gordon Ramsay returns for a fifth seaosn of taking on struggles restaurant ventures and passing on tips to owners on how best to cope with the credit crunch.
◊“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (7 p.m. on CBS, 2:37 a.m. Thursday on KWTV-9 in OKC): The longest-running holiday special in television history celebrates its 45th anniversary with this digitally-remastered version. The classic “Animagic” special features a musical score from Johnny Marks and the voice of Burl Ives.
◊“Sports Jobs With Junior Seau” (9 p.m. on Versus): The former New England Patriot linebacker trades in his helmet and pads and tries out the sometimes thankless byt extremely important jobs across the entire sports world. In the premiere episode, Seau will be working as part of the construction crew helping to build the new stadium for the New York Giants/Jets.
◊“Steven Seagal Lawman” (9 p.m. on A&E): This new real-life series chronicles martial arts expert and film star Steven Seagal’s work in law enforcement. For almost 20 years, he has been working as a fully-commissioned deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana. Each episode will allow fans to ride shotgun with Seagal as he and an elite team of deputies respond to crimes-in-progress.
◊“Top Chef: Las Vegas” (9 p.m. on Bravo): The final chef’testants gear up for the high-stakes finale on Dec. 9, as the final four travel to Napa and get narrowed down to three. And the three finalists get a surprise wake-up and fight for the title.
◊“Tulsa A to Z” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): Tulsa video historian Jack Frank takes viewers on a tour of unique and historical places across the city  —  from the Admiral Twins, the city’s last remaining drive-in, to the Indy 500 race cars built by Tulsan Jack Zink.
◊“Whatever, Martha!” (8 p.m. on FLN): To prove that she is in on the show’s joke, Martha Stewart joins co-hosts Alexis Stewart and Jennifer Koppelman Hutt on the couch to reminisce about some of her favorite TV segments, including Martha making a spice rubbed turkey with TV anchor Bryant Gumbel and showing off her new laundry room. The hosts also talk to Martha about what her life was like growing up.

THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2009
◊“30 Rock” (8:30 p.m. on NBC): Tracy takes on the ultimate Hollywood challenge in order to prove is commitment to his wife (Sheri Shepherd, “Sherri”).
◊“BBQ Pitmasters” (9 p.m. on TLC): Each episode of this new series travels to a different competition and shows viewers what it takes to win big in barbecue. An estimated 10 million people visit competitions each year to get up-close and personal with the leading chefs of America’s barbecue circuit. Among the competitions documented are the Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off in Illinois, Diamond State BBQ Championship in Delaware and The Big Pig Jig in Georgia.
◊“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (8 p.m. on CBS): A hypnotist who uses her powers of persuasion to rob banks becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. Jorja Fox reprises her role as Sara Sidle.
◊“Dwarf Adoption Story” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): This hour-long special follows the daily lives of David and Tina King, a dwarf couple who hope to adopt their second child — a 2-year-old dwarf from Albania.
◊“Echo: Queen of the Elephants” (7 p.m. on Animal Planet): This special spotlights the 1,200 elephants that live nestled at the foot of Africa’s tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro, and the researchers who study and hope to protect them. The Kenyan savannah is experiencing one of its worst droughts and, as a result, these elephants that cherish familial ties and experience emotions similar to those of humans must watch as their family members fall victim to thirst, starvation and poaching. It is estimated that hundreds of elephants have died as a result.
◊“FlashForward” (7 p.m. on ABC): Against Wedeck’s orders, Mark and Demetri travel to Hong Kong in search of the woman claiming to know details of Demetri’s fate; Lloyd tries to come clean about his and Simon’s involvement in the global blackout; and Zoey discovers the true meaning of her flashforward.
◊“In the House” (4:30 p.m. on Encore): Hollywood insiders Peter Bart and Peter Guber co-host this new entertainment news and interview show. It will deal with breaking news and industry trends in pop culture and will provide a platform for major stars, key filmmakers and other creative and business leaders who wish to comment on their industry.
◊“Inside the Mind of Google” (8 p.m. on CNBC): Maria Bartiromo (“Closing Bell”) reports on how two graduate students took a one-time research project and in barely a decade and turned it into a global technological powerhouse. With nearly two billion searches being done on its website every day, Google has access to an unprecedented amount of information about its users.
◊“Jersey Shore” (9 p.m. on MTV): This new series follows eight young adults as they move into a summer share to indulge in everything Seaside Heights, NJ, has to offer. It uncovers sometimes surprising, often hilarious and usually over-the-top personalities as they juggle work, love, nightlife, friendship and the drama that ensues. In the end, viewers see that there is more to these tan and buff individuals than hair gel.
◊“The Truth About Binge Drinking” (7 p.m. on BBC America): British pop star Michelle Heaton takes an investigative look into the world of binge drinking, which affects everyone from college to underage kids and from desperate housewives to young professionals.

FRIDAY, DEC. 4, 2009
◊“2009 mtvU Woodie Awards” (9 p.m. on MTV): For the sixth year in a row, college students from all over the country have nominated their favorite artists to vie for mtvU Woodie awards. Nominees Death Cab For Cutie and Matt & Kim will perform along with The Dead Weather, featuring Jack White (White Stripes, The Raconteurs), Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age), Jack Lawrence (The Greenhornes, The Raconteurs) and Alison Mosshart (The Kills).
◊“Expecting 15 Babies” (7 p.m. on Discovery Health): Three families experience the dangerous business of giving birth to and raising multiples, including the first Hispanic sextuplets in the United States, an expecting mother of quadruplets and a family with 22-month-old quintuplets.
◊“One Life to Live” (1 p.m. on ABC): The All-American Rejects (rock band from Stillwater) will appear at Ultraviolet, and Rex surprises his son Shane with the honor of announcing the band. The multi-platinum group is currently making the rounds on an international tour for their latest musical offering, “When the World Comes Down,” and will perform “Mona Lisa” and “I Wanna” from the album.
◊“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (6:30 p.m. on ABC Family): In this film adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s bestseller, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) learns on his 11th birthday that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses magical powers of his own. Three more films in the “Harry Potter” series will air on the network this weekend: “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (3 p.m. Saturday), “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (7 p.m. Saturday) and “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (6:30 p.m. Dec. 6).
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): When samples of a deadly viral disease go missing, Allison’s visions could help prevent a massive bio-terror attack.  Also, Scanlon is ready to propose to Lynn, but Bridgette’s dreams could foreshadow problems on the horizon. Matt Letscher (“Entourage”) guest stars as bio-pathologist Dr. Erik Westphal, who has been working with the virus.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA Network): In the series finale, Monk hunts down his wife Trudy’s killer.
◊“A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa” (7 p.m. on NBC): On Christmas Eve,  Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo and the rest of the gang attempt to deliver three letters to Santa Claus. Guest starring in this special filled with song, mayhem and heaps of holiday spirit are Whoopi Goldberg, Jane Krakowski, Nathan Lane, Jesse L. Martin, Steve Schirripa, Tony Sirico, Uma Thurman and New York’s Mayor Bloomberg.
◊“NUMB3RS” (9 p.m. on CBS): When the team foils a robbery of an armored car full of Federal Reserve money and recover bills that trace back to the infamous D.B. Cooper heist, they call on Agent Roger Bloom, who worked on the Cooper case, for help with the investigation. Henry Winkler (“Happy Days”) returns as former FBI Agent Roger Bloom.
◊“Pit Bulls and Paroles” (9 p.m. on Animal Planet): Running the Villalobos Rescue Center is a financial strain, and it is getting harder for Tia Maria Torres to make ends meet.
◊“The Suite Life on Deck” (7:30 p.m. on Disney): While docked in Sweden, Zack and Cody learn from Mayor Ragnar (Ed Begley Jr., “Gary Unmarried”) that their ancestors were scoundrels, rather than heroes like they thought. Meanwhile, Marcus and Moseby get stuck in a furniture store trying to find a screw for Moseby’s nightstand.
◊“Ugly Betty” (8 p.m. on ABC): Things should be dreamy at the Bahamas resort, where even Shakira (portraying herself) is staying, but Betty has a nightmarish photo shoot after Willie learns her nemesis, Penelope Graybridge (Christie Brinkley, “Vacation”), snagged a coveted job.
◊“White Collar” (9 p.m. on USA Network): In the fall finale, the FBI investigates a jewelry heist, and all clues point to Neal. Now Peter must figure out if Neal is telling the truth or pulling a con.

SATURDAY, DEC. 5, 2009
◊“12 Men of Christmas” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Tony and Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) stars in this romantic comedy, adapted from a novel by Phillipa Ashley. She plays a New York public relations executive who loses her job and her fiance at her office holiday party. To escape everything, she takes a job in Montana and channels her energy to help raise funds for the local search-and-rescue team by producing a steamy calendar of its hunky men.
◊“1000 Ways to Die” (11:30 p.m. on SPIKE): The series, begins Season 2 with back-to-back episodes, showcases some of the most outrageously true stories about those who died in the most unorthodox styles. It moves to at 9 p.m. Wednesdays on Dec. 9.
◊“A Boyfriend for Christmas” (4 p.m. on Lifetime): Kelli Williams (“Lie to Me”) stars in this holiday comedy as Holly, who professes that she doesn’t believe in Santa Claus since she can’t meet the man of her dreams.
◊“Debbie Macomber’s Mrs. Miracle” (7 p.m. on Hallmark Channel): Single dad Seth Webster (James Van Der Beek) is in desperate need of a nanny. At his lowest point, Mrs. Merkle (Doris Roberts) appears and proves herself to be more-than-adept at handling his twin 6-year-old boys.
◊“Guy Fieri’s Top of the Class” (6:30 p.m. on Food Network): This behind-the-scenes special reveals what happens when aspiring teenage chefs gather in San Digo for the National proStar Invitational. Guy Fieri (“Diners, Drive-ins and Dives”) hosts the event as students race to complete a three-course meal before the hour runs out.
◊“Guy’s Disney Holiday” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Guy Fieri explores Disneyland during the holidays and shares the fun, excitement and charm that the park offers through its holiday-themes meals and treats.
◊“iQuite iCarly” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In this original movie based on the Nickelodeon series, a rift between iCarly BFFs’ Carly Shay (Miranda Cosgrove) and Sam Puckett (Jennette McCurdy) puts their friendship to the test and takes its toll on their popular web show.
◊“Radio City Christmas Spectacular Starring the Rockettes” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): This special features Rockette performances that showcase the dancers’ signature precision dance style. Traditional fan favorites such as the “Living Nativity” scene and “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” have been in the show since its inception in 1933.
◊“Robin Hood” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Robin and Gisborne have been forced together to save their half brother and take down the evil Prince John. Tune in to the Season 3 finale find out if their alliance lasts or if Prince John takes down Robin Hood once and for all.
◊“Sandra Lee Celebrates: Magical Merry Christmas” (7 p.m. on HGTV): Following their 13-year-old daughter Kelsea through her recent recovery from cancer, the Henderson family now spends their holiday time brightening the lives of those still in need. Sandra will teach the Hendersons how to create the perfect food, decorations and tree trimmings for their own family, as well as arm them with useful tips on how to use their favorite holiday items to craft a moving ‘pay it forward’ tribute to the hospital where Kelsea spent so much time. 
◊“Shaquille O’Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam” (10 p.m. on Showtime): D.L. Hughley hosts this event that features stand-up from comedians Earthquake, Lavell Crawford, Melanie Comarcho and Arnez J. It was filmed live at the 13th annual American Black Film Festival in Miami.

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Nov. 22-28, 2009

 Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Nov. 22:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Nov. 1-7, 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 Nov. 1:

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

SUNDAY, NOV. 1, 2009
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): The team looks into the 1944 murder of the top pilot from the WASP program, a pioneering group of civilian women who volunteered to fly non-combat missions for the U.S. Army Air Force during WWII. Guest stars include Michael Learned (“The Waltons”) as a former WASP pilot, John Aniston (“Days of Our Lives”) as a WWII Army Air Force pilot veteran and Daniel Baldwin (“Grey Gardens”) as Moe Kitchener, who is out on bail awaiting his trial for running Lilly’s car off the road.
◊“Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): In this new primetime special, Dora continues her magical storybook adventure from last fall (“Dora Saves the Snow Princess”), when the magic crystal that the Snow Princess gave her are stolen by a greedy king (voiced by Richard Kind, “Spin City”). Dora and Boots must help locate the crystals and turn the pale gray kingdom back into a colorful wonderland.
◊“Duel with the Devil” (9 p.m. on Documentary Channel): This documentary follows members of the special homicide task force in Guatemala City as they risk their lives solving thousands of homicides that occur every year.
◊“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (7 p.m. on ABC): Celebrity volunteer Clint Black (“The Celebrity Apprentice”) and the team travel to Daviess County, KY, to tell Steve and Melissa Mattingly that their small single-wide trailer will be replaced by a newly constructed home built in seven days.
◊“Food Network Challenge” (7 p.m. on Food Network): Four cake designers make cakes based on the four main characters from “The Simpsons.” The designers must team up with a “Simpsons” super fan to ensure that every detail of the cake is just right.
◊“Kristi Yamaguchi & Friends” (3 p.m. on NBC): Featuring the musical talents of The Backstreet Boys, who are touring in support of their new album, “This Is Us,” this skating exhibition will showcase Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and her skating friends. Among them are four-time world champion Kurt Browning, eight-time British champion Steven Cousins and two-time Olympic gold medalist Ekaterina Gordeeva.
◊“Masterpiece Contemporary” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Juliet Stevenson (“Truly, Madly, Deeply”) stars as a TV journalist who reopens the unsolved 1963 disapperance of a 13-year-old girl in “Place of Execution,” a thriller adapted from a novel by Val McDermid (“Wire in the Blood”).
◊“Nature” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): The new installment “Born Wild: The First Days of Life” follows the birth and first day of several species, from marmoset to moose and elephant to gorilla.
◊“Nostradamus Decoded” (7 p.m. on Discovery): This special exposes the truth about the world’s greatest prognosticator and offers insight into human nature itself.
◊“Seven Dumpsters and a Corpse” (7 p.m. on Documentary Channel): A tale of two brothers trying to piece together their family history amidst the mess of their deceased mother’s apartment. The saga involves baronesses and counts, stolen lovers and Nazi officers, lawsuits and counter lawsuits and lots of cats.
◊“Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew” (9 p.m. on VH1): Dr. Drew Pinsky and a team of experts on sexual addition guide eight patients through an extensive program in order to get to the root of their compulsive behavior.◊“Strange Sex” (9 p.m. on Discovery Health): This special explores the world of sexual medical anomalies, including a diagnosed sex addict trying to get her life in order and a woman who is allergic to her husband’s semen.
◊“Styl’d” (9 p.m. on MTV): This new series takes viewers inside the competitive world of fashion by following five junior stylists at the Margaret Maldonado Agency. Each week, they assist with the styling of celebrities for various events including music videos, movie premieres and red carpet events.
◊“Three Rivers” (8 p.m. on CBS): In order to save his life, Andy tries a risky new procedure on his wife’s partner who suffers from an aortic aneurysm. Lennie James (“Jericho”) guest stars as Dr. Timothy Maguire, a cardiologist.

MONDAY, NOV. 2, 2009
◊“For the Love of Ray J” (8 p.m. on VH1): R&B artist Ray J is back to find his soul mate. When things with Season 1 finalist Cocktail didn’t end well, VH1 found a new group of 18 women to vie for Ray J’s heart.
◊“Gossip Girl” (8 p.m. on CW): Olivia (“Hilary Duff, “Lizzie McGuire”) says something she regrets during her appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s talk show and tries to keep Dan from finding out.
◊“Ham on Turkey” (2 p.m. on Fine Living Network): George Duran, host of “Ham on the Street,” stages a Mayflower pizza party and unveils the hottest trend in turkey roasting — the bicycle-powered mega-rotisserie.
◊“Heroes” (7 p.m. on NBC): Hiro gets a second chance to save the love of his life. Elsewhere, H.R.G.’s past with his Primatech partner (Elizabeth Rohm, “Law & Order”) is revealed.
◊“I Want to Work for Diddy” (9 p.m. on VH1): Sean “Diddy” Combs returns for a second season in search of a new assistant. He will challenge 11 new hopefuls to see who has the talent and motivation to work for him.
◊“The People V. Leo Frank” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): This program dramatizes the 1913 murder of Mary Phagan and the trial and lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory supervisor accised of her murder. The cast is led by Will Janowitz (“The Sopranos”) and Seth Gilliam (“The Wire”).
◊“Poliwood” (6:30 p.m. on Showtime): Academy Award winner Barry Levinson (“Rain Man”) directed this look at the collision and collusion between politics, Hollywood and the media. Among the celebrities featured are Annette Bening, Susan Sarandon, Hayden Panettiere, Matthew Modine and Tulsa native Alfre Woodard.

TUESDAY, NOV. 3, 2009
◊“90210″ (7 p.m. on CW): DJ Samantha Ronson guest stars as herself, offering dating advice to Navid. Rumer Willis (“Sorority Row”) also guest stars in the episode that features a performance by Pharrell and N.E.R.D.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): The contestants head to Washington D.C. for an unforgettable week that includes a visit to the White House kitchen and the biggest workout in the show’s eight-year history.
◊“By the People: The Election of Barack Obama” (8 p.m. on HBO): Filmmakers Amy Rice and Alicia Sams chronicle the presidential campaign of Barack Obama starting from nearly a year before he announced his candidacy. Interwoven with the drama of the campaign is never-before-seen footage of Obama behind the scenes, as well as interviews and candid moments with wife Michelle Obama, the couple’s young daughters, Malia and Sasha, and senior campaign staff, volunteers, reporters, supporters and opponents. Rice, who grew up in Oklahoma City, conceivced the idea of making the documentary when she saw Obama’s 2004 convention speech on TV.
◊“The Good Wife” (9 p.m. on CBS): As Alicia works with Will on the appeal of a death row inmate, she agrees to a conjugal visit with Peter in order to get information from him since her client was convicted under Peter’s regime as state’s attorney. David Paymer (“Mr. Saturday Night”) returns as Judge Richard Cuesta.
◊“Independent Lens” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): Maggie Gyllenhaal (“SherryBaby”) hosts the new installment titled “Power Paths” that looks at traditional American Indian values regarding conservation and the earth that offer real solutions to America’s energy crisis.
◊“Kathy Griffin: Balls of Steel” (8 p.m. on Bravo): In her seventh original stand-up special for Bravo, two-time Emmy winning comedienne Kathy Griffin dishes about her experience at the Teen Choice Awards with her date, Levi Johnston, and offers her take on recent headlines including Jon and Kate Gosselin, Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus.
◊“NCIS” (7 p.m. on CBS): A murder investigation prompts Gibbs and the team to play family counselor to his former mentor, Mike Franks, in the hopes of preventing a bloody international conflict. Robert Patrick (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) guest stars as First Defense COO Colonel Merton Bell.
◊“Nova: Becoming Human” (7 p.m. on OETA-13): This three-part special investigates new discoveries that are transforming the picture of how we became human. The first installment explores fresh clues about our earliest ancestors in Africa, including the stunningly complete fossil nicknamed “Lucy’s Child.”
◊“Rip-Off!” (8 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This special profiles two of the most notorious white-collar criminals in recent memory — Dennis Kozlowski, chief executive of Tyco, and Marcus Schrenker, owner and operator of Heritage Wealth Management.
◊“State of Creativity” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): With strategic placement on I-35 and I-40, drugs are trafficked to all four corners of our country through the boarders of Oklahoma. Drug trafficking brought the street gangs from southern California here in the 1980s and they brought their culture with them. Violence. Robbery. Vandalism. OETA’s newest documentary series takes a look into the gangster lifestyle and discovers a solution that breaks the cycle of this dangerous culture.
◊“Tabatha’s Salon Takeover” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Tabatha Coffey returns for a second season to help transform the lives and businesses of salon owners in the Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami areas. Fans first met her as an acerbic contestant on the first season of “Shear Genius.” Since that time, Tabatha has earned respect for her unapologetic, brutally honest approach.
◊“V” (7 p.m. on ABC): In this reimagining of NBC’s 1983 miniseries, a bunch of charismatic extraterrestrials led by Anna (Morena Baccarin, “Firefly”) captivates most of Earth’s population. But FBI counterterrorism agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell, “Lost”) suspects the aliens have a far more sinister agenda.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4, 2009
◊“Bill Cosby: The Mark Twain Prize 2009″ (7 p.m. on OETA-13): A roster of top-flight American comics including Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock salutes the Emmy-winning actor as he becomes the recipient of the 12th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The special includes clips of his career highlights from stand-up appearances as well as his groundbreaking role on “I Spy” and the sitcoms that later bore his name.
◊“Criminal Minds” (8 p.m. on CBS): The Behavioral Analysis Unit tracks a serial killer who keeps the eyes of his victims as souvenirs. Salli Richardson-Whitfield (“Eureka”) returns as the sister of a murder victim.
◊“Gary Unmarried” (7:30 p.m. on CBS): Allison is jilted when her new “friend,” Sophia (guest star Nadine Valezquez, “My Name Is Earl”), prefers Gary’s company over hers.
◊“Flowers Uncut” (9 p.m. on TLC): Jeff Leatham, one of the top floral designers in the world, moves from Paris to New York City to set up shop in the event capital of the world. One of his first jobs in an $80,000 floral presentation for the Shila Hotel in Korea.
◊“House of Payne” (8 p.m. on TBS): Kim Fields (“The Facts of Life”) directs two new episodes airing back-to-back. In “Where’s the Payne,” Curtis finds out that he’s being forced into retirement and Calvin discovers that Miranda is missing. In “Recurring Paynes,” Miranda’s mother arrives and confronts Calvin, who has become a suspect in her disappearance.
◊“Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s on Me” (7 p.m. on TCM): Clint Eastwood (“Gran Torino”) executive produced this profile of the gap-toothed composer from Georgia who penned the lyrics, music or both to some of the most beloved songs of the 20th century, including “Hooray for Hollywood,” “Moon River” and “The Days of Wine and Roses.”
◊“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (8 p.m. on NBC): When two young girls are similarly murdered a little over a month apart, Detective Odafin Tutuola decides to investigate the gruesome crimes. John Larroquette (“Boston Legal”) guest stars.
◊“Mercy” (7 p.m. on NBC): Sonia gets relationship advice from a patient and begins to question her arm’s-length approach to dating. Jerry Stiller (“The King of Queens”) and Ann Meara (“Archie Bunker’s Place”) guest star.
◊“The New Adventures of Old Christine” (7 p.m. on CBS): Christine considers herself popular by association when Ritchie is asked to a dance by the most popular girl in school, and Matthew and Richard try to evict an elderly woman (Marion Ross, “Happy Days”) from the apartment they hope to rent.
◊“Strange Sex” (9 p.m. on Discovery Health): This special explores the world of sexual medical anomalies, including a diagnosed sex addict trying to get her life in order and a woman who is allergic to her husband’s semen.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Gig Young was born on this day in 1913, and TCM celebrates by airing nine of his films, including 1950′s “Hunt the Man Down” (11 a.m.) and 1953′s “The Girl Who Had Everything” (4:15 p.m.).
◊“Top Chef All Stars Dinner” (9 p.m. on Bravo): Season 5 fan favorite Fabio Viviani hosts a get-together complete with a challenge as past chef’testants rehash their favorite moments on the series. Chefs taking part include Harold Dieterle (Season 1), Ilan Hall (Season 2), Hung Huynh (Season 3) and Lisa Fernandes (Season 4).

THURSDAY, NOV. 5, 2009
◊“30 Rock” (8:30 p.m. on NBC): While Liz and Pete try to rig the audition process, Tracy and Jenna decide it’s in their best interest to conduct their own search for a new “TGS” actor. Brian Williams (“NBC Nightly News”) guest stars.
◊“Broke and Famous: Willie Aames” (9 p.m. on VH1): This special chronicles the journey of Willie Aames, a once rich and successful celebrity who descended into poverty, as he works to transform and rebuild his life. Sarano Kelley, a financial guru and life coach, will be tasked with giving Willie the wake-up call he needs and helping him to reshape his financial future.
◊“Cold Blood” (9 p.m. on Investigation Discovery): This series, beginning its second season, presents competing versions of what may have happened as investigators follow forensic clues in search of the truth.
◊“Community” (7 p.m. on NBC): When the gang finds out Jeff is living out of his car, they offer their help. Eric Christian Olsen (“Fired Up!”) guest stars.
◊“The Doctors” (3 p.m. on KWTV-9): Brooke Burke (“Dancing With the Stars”) joins the daytime talk show as a “Mommy Correspondent.” She will make house calls and act as the liaison between mothers and the doctors — Dr. Travis Stork (E.R. physician), Dr. Lisa Masterson (obstetrician and gynecologist), Dr. Andrew Ordon (plastic surgeon) and Dr. James Sears (pediatrician).
◊“FlashForward” (7 p.m. on ABC): Mark, Demetri, Gough and MI6 agent Fiona Banks (Alex Kingston, “ER”) investigate a Blue Hand club and its possible connection to some recent suicides. Meanwhile, Demetri comes clean with Zoey (Gabrielle Union, “Life”) about his lack of a flashforward.
◊“Gallery” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): After months of painstaking work, Lego brick artist Kurt Zimmerle is back home in Michigan working on his Halloween haunted houses. What he’s left behind is a masterpiece that will benefit Oklahoma City’s poverty stricken children for years to come. Zimmerle constructed about 50 Oklahoma City buildings like the state capital, the Skirvin Plaza, Bricktown and the as yet un-built Devon tower. (The Lego version stands 9 feet tall) out of Lego bricks.  Kurt hasn’t done an exact count because he says he does not have time, but he estimates he has used over 1,000,000 bricks to construct OK Cityscapes.  
◊“The Office” (8 p.m. on NBC): Jim and Pam are out of excuses, so they have no choice but to go on a double date with Michael and Helene (Linda Purl, “First Monday”).
◊“The Real Housewives of Orange County” (9 p.m. on Bravo): In Season 5, the Southern California girls welcome Alexis Bellino to the group and say farewell to longtime housewife Jeana Keough. The series also takes a turn with shifting relationships and the tough economy hitting the women and their families hard.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Vivien Leigh was born on this day in 1913, and TCM celebrates by airing four of her films, including 1938′s “A Yank at Oxford” (6:45 a.m.) and 1941′s “That Hamilton Woman” (10:30 am.).

FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 2009
◊“Fanboy and Chum Chum” (8 p.m. on Nickelodeon): This new animated comedy spin-off from the Nicktoons Network series “Random! Cartoons” centers on a comic book-loving 11-year old named Fanboy and his best friend and trusty sidekick, Chum Chum, whose wide-eyed acceptance of the bizarre is the perfect complement to his friend’s enthusiasm and imagination. In every episode, Fanboy and Chum Chum, donning their tights and capes, embark on a daily quest to turn an average day into a fun one.
◊“Ghost Adventures” (8 p.m. on Travel Channel): The crew travels to Poveglia Island in Italy to investigate the cursed ground. Locals and tourists are forbidden from visiting this location.
◊“Ghost Adventures Live: Post Mortem” (7 p.m. on Travel Channel): One week after being locked down live in West Virginia’s Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum for seven hours, Zak, Nick and Aaron relive the best moments of the event.
◊“Greg Behrendt: That Guy From That Thing” (11 p.m. on Comedy Central): Best known for his book “He’s Just Not That Into You,” Greg Behrendt brings his blunt and humorous observations to this stand-up special. He leaves the self-help at home to take action against what Criss Angel did to magic, ponder the nature of God and explain why guys shouldn’t quote lines from porn movies.
◊“Live From Abbey Road” (10 p.m. on Sundance): The music series, back for its third season, features performances and interviews with musicians filmed at London’s Abbey Road Studios.
◊“Medium” (8 p.m. on CBS): When Allison’s car is wrecked, the SUV she rents turns out to have some unusual features, including a satellite radio that allows her to hear other people’s conversations. Faith Prince (“Huff”) guest stars as Lauren Portman, whose daughter causes the damage to Allison’s car.
◊“SpongeBob SquarePants: Truth or Squared” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): Celebrity guest stars Rosario Dawson, Craig Ferguson, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, LeBron James, P!nk, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Robin Williams appear as themselves in live-action sequences throughout this special, which follows SpongeBob and the Bikini Bottom gang as they reminisce through a series of original, never-before-seen flashbacks.  Ricky Gervais narrates the special and Cee-Lo Green (Gnarles Barkley) performs a cover of the SpongeBob theme song to an all-new stop-motion opening title sequence.
◊“Ugly Betty” (8 p.m. on CBS): Matt asks someone else to be his “plus one” at Wilhemina’s fund-raiser for Tibetan orphans. Meanwhile we learn the truth behind Nico’s (YaYa Dacosta, “All My Children”) dire straits.

SATURDAY, NOV. 7
◊“Handy Manny” (7:30 a.m. on Disney): Season 3 of this multicultural series for preschoolers will introduce 10 new tool characters. Guest stars this season include Rosario Dawson (“Gemini Division”) as a marine biologist, Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a race car driver, Jim Belushi (“According to Jim”) as a drawbridge operator and Giada De Laurentiis (“Giada at Home”) as the owner of a pizza parlor.
◊“Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” (8 p.m. on CBS): Fedor Emelianenko of Russia, the world’s top-ranked mixed martial arts heavyweight fighter, will face undefeated American Brett Rogers of Minnesota in the marquee match up. Also appearing on the live four-fight primetime card are middleweights Jake Shields and Jason “Mayhem Miller, who will battle for the recently vacated Strikeforce middleweight title.
◊“Til Debt Do Us Part” (9 p.m. on CNBC): Financial author and columnist Gail Vaz-Oxlade takes a tough-love approach to getting couples in financial crisis to face reality. Some couples are on the verge of bankruptcy and others are just getting by. Either way, they all learn how to work their way out of debt and get the skills they need to plan for their financial future.
◊“Too Late to Say Goodbye” (7 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Rob Lowe stars in this new film inspired by the true story of an outwardly charming couple whose deceit and secret affairs result in fatal consequences. It is based on Ann Rule’s best-selling book.
◊“The Wanda Sykes Show” (10 p.m. on Fox): Wanda Sykes, fresh off her funny HBO special and her recurring role in “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” joins the late-night talk show arena with her own blend of comedy and topical commentary, which is set to include panels to discuss current events.

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Oct. 18-24, 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 Oct. 18:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Oct. 11-17, 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 Oct. 11:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Penny TV

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Top 55 TV Programs for Sept. 13-19, 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 Sept. 13:

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

SUNDAY, SEPT. 13, 2009
◊“2009 MTV Video Music Awards” (8 p.m. on MTV): Russell Brand (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) returns as host of the 26th annual event. Beyonce and Lady Gaga, who earned nine nominations each, are scheduled to perform along with Taylor Swift, Green Day, Jay-Z and P!nk.
◊“Defying Gravity” (9 p.m. on ABC): An impending solar flare threatens the crew of the Antares with dangerous radiation, while the strange force in Pod 4 finally sends out a siren call that proves utterly irresistible.
◊“Drop Dead Diva” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Jane is determined to see if she can get a boutique to drop its refusal to sell plus sized clothing after being told the store doesn’t sell that kind of clothing. Paula Abdul (“American Idol”) guest stars.
◊“Entourage” (9:30 p.m. on HBO): The guys step up their security following a suspicious break-in. And Drama follows up on an insider tip on Vince’s suspected stalker.
◊“Hung” (9 p.m. on HBO): In the first-season finale, Tanya ends up battling Lenore for control of Ray, who is worried about his future after hearing rumors from Mike about layoffs at school.
◊“HGTV Design Star” (9 p.m. on HGTV): The final two designers go head to head in making over an entire home for a deserving family. Even with the help of a crew of carpenters, it’s a daunting task that takes everything they’ve got. When the dust settles, the final two designers stand before the judges one last time, and a new Design Star is chosen.
◊“King of the Hill” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the series finale, Bobby becomes quite the ladies’ man when several girls in his class consider him a potential date for the Homecoming dance. And Hank is shocked when his mother announces she is marrying a man she has only known for a few weeks.
◊“Life After” (9 p.m. on TV One): Omarosa (“The Apprentice”), Daryl “Chill” Mitchell (“Brothers”) and Al Reynolds (Star Jones’ ex) participate in this new series that explores the turning points in celebrities’ lives.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new episode “Inspector Lewis, Series II: Life Born of Fire,” Lewis learns about a religious group that seems to be targeted by a serial killer.
◊“Mega Beasts” (8 p.m. on Discovery): Each episode of this new six-part series is a detective story, bringing back to life some of the biggest and most ferocious dinosaurs ever to roam the earth.  Through fossil clues and modern analogues (animals with similar traits used to suggest the mega beasts’ behavior), scientists piece together what these mysterious creatures looked like, how they behaved, how they fought, what they ate…and what ate them.
◊“One Year Later: The Week That Shook Wall Street” (9 p.m. on CNBC): A look at the unprecedented events of last September that included the 158-year-old investment bank Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy, the unexpected union of Bank of America and Merrill Lynch and insurance giant AIG on the brink of collapse before a government bailout.
◊“Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins” (6 p.m. on Cartoon Network): This new live-action movie reveals the never-before-told story of how the Mystery Inc. gang first joined forces. The cast features Robbie Amell (“True Jackson”) as Fred, Kate Melton as Daphne, Hayley Kiyoko as Velma and Nick Palatas as Shaggy.  Frank Welker, a member of the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! voice-cast, provides the voice of Scooby-Doo.
◊“True Blood” (8 p.m. on HBO): On the second-season finale, the mayhem in Bon Temps reaches a fever pitch as Maryann prepares for her ultimate bestial sacrifice, conscripting Sookie to be maid of honor at the bloody nuptials.

MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2009
◊“Amazing Wedding Cakes” (9 p.m. on WEtv): In the second-season finale, the CakeGirls get an order for a simple white wedding cake. But what seemed like an easy cake ends up challenging Brenda when she starts to paint a quilted design.
◊“America’s Got Talent” (7 p.m. on NBC): The eight finalists perform live one last time for a chance at the $1 million prize and the title of most talented person in America. The Season 4 winner is revealed live Wednesday.
◊“Design Inc.” (11 a.m. on FLN): Host and designer Sarah Richardson is back for Season 3 of the show that offers an insider’s view into the hectic workings of an interior fine design firm.
◊“The Dr. Oz Show” (11 a.m. on KOCO-5): After five years and 55 episodes as an “Oprah” show regular, Dr. Mehmet Oz launches his own series in syndication.
◊“Dr. Phil” (3 p.m. Monday on KOCO-5): Dr. Phil McGraw will kick off Season 8 from New York City. He met with viewers in taxi cabs and at the famous Carnegie Deli.
◊“Eddie Griffin: Going for Broke” (9 p.m. on VH1): The comedian has eight children, five exes and an entourage of family and friends who make his life complete. Problem is, he is supporting them all. This new series will give viewers a chance to go along for the rollercoaster ride with Eddie as he struggles to manage it all. 
◊“Gossip Girl” (7 p.m. on CW): As the summer is drawing to a close, Blair and Chuck are madly in love and adjusting to their new “in a relationship” status, breaking all traditional rules of dating as would be expected.
◊“Greek” (8 p.m. on ABC Family): As Rusty and Jordan are awkwardly deciding when to take their relationship to the next level, the Gotcha Game comes between them as the final two players left in the game. Nora Kirkpatrick (“Dorm Life”) guest stars as the Panhellenic President, Katherine.
◊“Have Fork Will Travel” (4 p.m. on FLN): Food lover and comedian Zane Lamprey travels the globe and tries to broaden his American sensibilities as he encounters a world of strange foods and customs.
◊“Inside the Actors Studio” (7 p.m. on Bravo): Join Peter, Lois, Brian the Dog and Stewie as they recount the years they’ve spent together on the Emmy-nominated animated series “Family Guy.” The actors who provide their voices — Seth McFarlane, Alex Borstein, Mike Henry and Seth Green — are interviewed by host James Lipton.
◊“Intervention” (8 p.m. on A&E): This episode titled “Intervention in Depth: Addiction in Uniform” focuses on three Iraq veterans who have fallen into substance abuse as a result of their wartime experiences.
◊“The Jay Leno Show” (9 p.m. on NBC): Former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno moves to prime time for this weeknight talk-variety hour. His first guests are comic Jerry Seinfeld and musical artists Jay-Z, Kanye West and Rihanna.
◊“Lincoln Heights” (7 p.m. on ABC Family): In Season 4 of the NAACP Image Award-winning family drama, the Suttons find themselves dealing with the aftermath of a major earthquake that rattled the town in last season’s finale and destroyed parts of their home. Lincoln Heights has always been a community in need of nurturing, but now with the devastation brought on by the massive quake, their community is struggling to come together.
◊“Martha Speaks” (1 p.m. on OETA-13): Season 2 starts with Martha putting a value on decor by dog when her beloved napping chair winds up on the set of “Antiques Roadshow.”
◊“The Martha Stewart Show” (2 p.m. on KSBI-52): For Season 5, homemaking icon Martha Stewart launches a new monthly segment, “American Treasures.” This unprecedented look at landmark locations across the country acts as an on-air companion to print stories that will appear in Martha Stewart Living magazine throughout the year. Skylands, Martha’s home in Maine, marks the first stop of the new series. Viewers will get Martha’s personal tour of this extraordinary home, whose previous owners were Edsel and Eleanor Ford. 
◊“Monday Night Football” (6 p.m. on ESPN): Season 40 kicks off with two-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady and the New England Patriots taking on wide receiver Terrell Owens and the Buffalo Bills. The commentator team of Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and analysts Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser will call the game.
◊“One Tree Hill” (7 p.m. on CW): Nathan learns of a shocking accusation that could threaten his career, much to the chagrin of his sports agent Clay (new series regular Robert Buckley, “Lipstick Jungle”).
◊“The Oprah Winfrey Show” (4 p.m. on KOCO-5): Oprah launches her 24th season with what she calls “the most anticipated music interview of the decade,” a must-see television event with singing icon Whitney Houston.  This marks Houston’s first interview in nearly seven years and follows the release of her highly touted new album, “I Look To You” on Aug. 31.
◊“The View” (10 a.m. on KOCO-5): Today and Tuesday, Kate Gosselin (“Jon & Kate Plus 8″) sits in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck, who is on maternity leave until mid-October.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 2009
◊“90210″ (7 p.m. on CW): Naomi is still furious with Annie from prom night and contemplates sending out a sexually explicit text message of Annie as payback. John Schneider (“Smallville”) and Rumer Willis (“Sorority Row”) guest star.
◊“Big Brother” (8:01 p.m. on CBS): The series will cap its 11th season with a live two-hour broadcast where the winner will be revealed and the houseguests will then tell-all about their explosive summer for a special season-ending event.
◊“The Biggest Loser” (7 p.m. on NBC): Host Alison Sweeney and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels return for an eighth season of the hit weight-loss show, this time built around “second chances” for the 16 contestants which include Oklahomans Danny Cahill and Sean Algaier.
◊“The Cleaner” (9 p.m. on A&E): William tries to help an old friend (Richard Lewis, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) commit to getting clean and kicking a habit that is jeopardizing his life with his wife and two kids. PK (Whoopi Goldberg, “The View”) tries to plan a surprise party in honor of William’s seven-years-sober anniversary.
◊“Eyes” (9 p.m. on DirectTV): This 2005 series, which which was canceled by ABC after five episodes, returns via DirecTV’s 101 Network, and all 12 episodes produced will air uncut, commercial free and in HD.
◊“More to Love” (7 p.m. on Fox): In the Season 1 finale, Luke has his final one-on-one dates with the two remaining women and is forced to make a difficult decision.
◊“P.O.V.” (10 p.m. on OETA-13): In “The Principal Story,” elementary school principals Tresa Dunbar and Kerry Purcell face similar challenges at their Chicago and Springfield, Ill., schools.
◊“Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” (9 p.m. on HBO): This installment looks at the deadly consequences of high school football concussions, the relationship between blacks and swimming and the decline of the sports section in U.S. newspapers.
◊“Retirement Revolution” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): Paula Zahn (“Paula Zahn Now”) hosts this special in which experts analyze the financial problems of retirement and demonstrate ways to richer, healthier retirement years.
◊“Ruby & the Rockits” (7:30 p.m. on ABC Family): Shirley Jones (“The Partridge Family”) guest stars as David and Patrick’s mother, Shirley, visiting from Pittsburgh. Ruby and Shirley are off to a rocky start when Shirley insists Ruby call her Mrs. Gallagher instead of Grandma.
◊“Shaq VS” (8 p.m. on ABC): In the Season 1 finale, Shaquille O’Neal challenges 14-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps to a series of swimming races. Leading up to the challenge, Shaq learns the basics and get swimming tips from Michael Phelps’ swimming coach Bob Bowman.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2009
◊“The Beautiful Life: TBL” (8 p.m. on CW): In this new series, modeling hopefuls quickly learn that behind the beautiful facade is a world of insecurity and cut-throat competition.
◊“Dark Blue” (9 p.m. on TNT): In the Season 1 final, Carter is the prime suspect in the killing of an undercover DEA officer, with Jaimie, Ty and Dean as witnesses to the shooting.  But Carter’s recollection of the event involves a third person in a blue car, something none of the others remember seeing.  Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”) guest stars
◊“Full Color Football: The History of the American Football League” (7 p.m. on Showtime): This five-part documentary follows the birth of the only league to successfully rival the NFL from its innovative and wild beginnings to the most stunning upset in pro football history and the eventual powerhouse merger.
◊“Glee” (8 p.m. on Fox): Will forms the Acafellas, an all-male acapella vocal group, and spends more time building his own confidence than he does with the glee club. In Will’s absence, the glee club decides to hire a well-known choreographer to help coach them to Nationals. Victor Garber (“Alias”) and Josh Groban (musical artist) guest star.
◊“Great Performances” (9 p.m. on OETA-13): In the special “Vienna Philharmonic Summer Concert 2009,” conductor Daniel Barenboim leads the Vienna Philharmonic in an open-air performance that includes Mozart’s “A Little Night Music” Johann Strauss’ ‘‘1001 Nights Waltz.”
◊“Truth Be Told” (8 p.m. on TLC): Three different families reveal their innermost thoughts and moments as they let the cameras witness daily life coping with Autism, Down’s syndrome and Epidermolysis Bullose (a terminal disease that causes skin to blister and detach).
◊“The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): Rampage Jackson and Rashad Evans coach the best up-and-coming mixed martial artists in the heavyweights division.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 17
◊“Bones” (7 p.m. on Fox): A psychic (Cyndi Lauper, “Vibes”) leads Brennan and Booth to an unmarked grave in the Season 5 premiere.
◊“Community” (8:31 p.m. on NBC): This new comedy focuses on a group of misfits at Greendale Community College. They form a study group and eventually learn more about themselves than their course work.
◊“Extreme Cuisine With Jeff Corwin” (8 p.m. on Food Network): Renowned for his expertise in wildlife and conservation, Jeff Corwin explores human culture through regional cuisine in this new series. With an open mind (and mouth), Jeff enjoys endless surprises as he learns from the natives and samples the exotic foods and local customs that mold each community.
◊“Fringe” (8 p.m. on Fox): Season Two opens with Olivia’s shocking return from a parallel universe, while Peter, unknowingly in a race against time with an ominous mobile force, pursues information about Olivia’s visit.
◊“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (9 p.m. on FX): In Season 5, Dennis, Mac, and Frank go into real estate, while Dee sets out to be a surrogate for a wealthy couple.
◊“The Office” (8 p.m. on NBC): Michael feels left out as the rest of the office gossips about the summer interns. While Michael searched for the next juicy rumor to share, Andy struggles with heterosexuality.
◊“Parks and Recreation” (7:30 p.m. on NBC): When Leslie decides to marry two penguins to promote the local zoo, she inadvertently causes an uproar when both penguins turn out to be male.
◊“Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday” (7 p.m. on NBC): For the first two episodes of this new series, Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”) reunites with ◊“Saturday Night Live” star Seth Meyers behind the anchor desk that they shared on “SNL.” They will skewer today’s top stories in primetime.
◊“Survivor: Samoa” (7 p.m. on CBS): In one of the most beautiful “Survivor” locations yet, 20 castaways will be left to fend for themselves among Samoa’s white sand beaches, lush green valleys and towering waterfalls. Despite the picturesque landscape, the castaways will face exposure to elements and wildlife living in the mysterious rainforests that cover rugged volcanic mountain peaks as they try to outwit, outplay and outlast one another to win $1 million.
◊“Sweethearts of the Prison Rodeo” (6 p.m. on Cinemax): This documentary follows the lives of the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center women’s team from Taft and their journey as they prepare to compete in the Oklahoma Prison Rodeo against inmates from nine other male penitentiaries.
◊“VH1 Divas” (8 p.m. on VH1): Paula Abdul (“American Idol”) hosts this live concert event featuring singers Adele, Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis and Miley Cyrus. The special will raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in American public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child’s complete education.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2009
◊“The 2009 Alma Awards” (7 p.m. on ABC): Eva Longoria Parker (“Desperate Housewives”) and George Lopez (“The Spy Next Door”) co-host the event that celebrates outstanding achievements of Latinos in entertainment. For the first time in the history of the show, the ALMA Awards will broadcast during National Hispanic Heritage Month, a month in which all Americans learn about the Latino community and celebrate the contributions that Latinos have made to this country throughout its history.
◊“The 2009 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards” (noon on E!): Kathy Griffin (“My Life on the D-List”) hosts the event where Emmys are handed out for technical and artistic achievement in television.
◊“Crash” (9 p.m. on Starz): Dennis Hopper (“Speed”) returns for a second season as record producer Ben Cendars, just out of rehab and searching for clues surrounding a personal mysterious death. Joining the cast this season are Eric Roberts (“Heroes”) as Seth, a billionaire entrepreneur who plans to give Los Angeles a long desired new professional football team; and Linda Park (“Star Trek: Enterprise”) as Maggie, a children’s book author who writes of a joyful life but has trouble living it.
◊“Diego’s Arctic Rescue” (9 a.m. on Nickelodeon): In this new hourlong episode, Diego and Baby Jaguar are visiting the Arctic Wildlife Rescue Center playing with the polar bears when they suddenly hear a cry for help from a Mommy Polar Bear.
◊“Guiding Light” (2 p.m. on CBS): This daytime drama, which has spanned 72 years and more than 15,700 episodes, broadcasts its final episode. Throughout its run, the show has won 69 Daytime Emmy Awards, including three for outstanding daytime drama series.
◊“Monk” (8 p.m. on USA Network): To woo the lone holdout on the reinstatement committee, Monk accompanies Lt. Disher on a scouting trip with the man’s troublesome son where nature isn’t the only thing the troop has to fear. Alex Wolff (“The Naked Brothers Band”) and Wade Williams (“Prison Break”) guest star.
◊TCM Birthday Tribute: Greta Garbo was born on this day in 1905, and TCM celebrates by airing seven of her films, including 1940′s “I Take This Woman” (12:15 p.m.) and 1939′s “Dust Be My Destiny” (3:30 p.m.).
◊“The Troop” (7 p.m. on Nickelodeon): This new series created by Oklahomans Max Burnett and Greg Coolidge centers on three ordinary high school students who are members of a secret society and faced with the extraordinary task of managing their town’s paranormal population.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, 2009
◊“Busytown Mysteries” (8 a.m. on CBS): Inspired by the beloved works of best-selling children’s author Richard Scarry, this new series brings the popular adventures of Busytown to preschoolers with an educational, problem-solving twist. Children can follow classic characters such as Huckle, Sally, Lowly, Hilda, Pig Will and Pig Won’t while they scour around Busytown on fun-filled adventures looking for answers to life’s puzzles.
◊“Georgia O’Keeffe” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Joan Allen (“The Contender”) stars in the title role and also serves as producer for this new movie that not only looks at the artist’s provocative, ground-breaking art-work but also delves into her relationship with art dealer/editor Alfred Stieglitz (Jeremy Irons, “Reversal of Fortune”).
◊“Noonbory & the Super 7″ (8:30 a.m. on CBS): When trouble is brewing or super silly villainy is taking place in the whimsical world of Toobalooba, Noonbory and his sensational team of super-sensing problem solvers save the day. Each superhero “bory “has a super sense, including sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, and of course a little common sense and nonsense never hurts.
◊“Reel Impact: The 11th Hour” (7 p.m. on Planet Green): Leonardo DeCaprio (“Revolutionary Road”) narrates this documentary that explores how humanity has arrived at this moment, how we impact the Earth’s ecosystems and what we can do to change our course.
◊“Rollbots” (8 a.m. on CW): In the premiere episode of this new animated series about futuristic robots, Spin and the rest of the Flip City Police Department must deal with a bank robbery on Spin’s first day on the job.

–Penny TV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Penny TV

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