Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2008 > November
November 2008
This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“Celtic Women: The Greatest Journey,” 6 p.m. on PBS — The vocal ensemble performs holiday music as images of Ireland decorate the screen. Pretty to hear, pretty to see.
“Desperate Housewives,” 8 p.m. on ABC — The Wisteria Lane gang struggles to recover from a deadly fire. There are hints that injuries from the fire may have happy consequences for Carlos and Gaby — which probably means Carlos regains his sight and Gaby will be forced to re-glamourize.
Monday
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 7:30 p.m. on ABC — Boris Karloff narrates this 1966 animated tale of a gnarly curmudgeon and the sweet souls of Whoville.
Tuesday
“Panda Tales,” 7 p.m. on PBS — The story of San Diego’s giant panda cub Zhen Zhen and the zoo’s conservation efforts on behalf of a once dwindling species. The fuzzy fellows are aw-shucks cute.
“New York Earthquake,” 9 p.m. on Discovery — A terrifying what-if about the devastating effects a major earthquake would have on New York City.
Wednesday
“Three Tenors Christmas,” 7 p.m. on PBS — Taped in 1999, the special features José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti performing popular Christmas songs and carols.
“Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Beyoncé, Tony Bennett, Neil Boyd, the Jonas Brothers, Harry Connick Jr., David Cook, Rosie O’Donnell and the Broadway Kids, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts and Solange Knowles are scheduled to perform at the 76th annual tree lighting celebration in New York.
“The Grammy Nominations Concert Live: Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Grammy nominations are announced live, with scheduled performances by Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, B.B. King, John Mayer and Taylor Swift.
Thursday
“Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2008,” 9 p.m. on ABC — Among those whom Walters dubs “fascinating” are Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Tina Fey, Rush Limbaugh, Miley Cyrus and Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps.
“ER,” 9 p.m. on NBC — In an episode with the holiday-themed title of “Let It Snow,” Alex and Sarah get into a nasty car accident, and Neela testifies in a lawsuit over a dead patient. Sounds jolly.
Friday
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Jim Carrey plays the green curmudgeon who hopes to quash Christmas in this big-screen version.
“Greatest Holiday Moments: TV & Film Countdown,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Highlights of cherished holiday specials, from “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’’ and “It’s a Wonderful Life’’ to ‘’Home Alone’’ and “A Christmas Story.’’
Saturday
“Dancing With Dogs,” 8 p.m. on Animal Planet — Dog-and-owner dance teams prepare to compete in the Animal Planet Cup. Think canine “Dancing with the Stars.”
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Britney doc on MTV, “Meet the Press” close to naming host
Can an empathetic 90-minute documentary provide a springboard for Britney Spears to attempt yet another comeback?
You be the judge.
MTV spent three months filming “Britney: For the Record,” which airs Sunday night at 9. MTV publicity proudly crows that the film allowed the pop-wreck “to tell her side of the story in her own words.” Presumably that means she’s going to spew all about her alleged breakdown, substance abuse, weight gain and parenting and marital woes.
The behind-the-scenes look at Britney Past and Present also is an attempt to promote “Circus,” her new CD, which already has been surprisingly successful. The first single, “Womanizer,” topped the Billboard pop chart and is holding steady.
Clearly Spears hopes to be taken seriously as a singer, but she needs to polish her tarnished tabloid image first. Maybe a splashy MTV special and a hit CD will do the trick — assuming Brit can stay out of the negative limelight for a while.
Who will take over “Meet the Press?”
NBC executives are believed to be close to naming a successor to the late Tim Russert. That announcement could come within a week, which means that Tom Brokaw, who has been subbing since Russert died of a heart attack in June, could stepped down Dec. 7.
Likely contenders for the prime hosting job include NBC White House reporter David Gregory, NBC chief foreign affairs reporter Andrea Mitchell and NBC political director Bruce Todd. The only non-NBC name floating around is Gwen Ifill, moderator of PBS’s “Washington Week” and a frequent guest on “Meet the Press” during Russert’s tenure.
The Sunday morning political show, which has been a powerful force for 61 years, is the dominant program in its genre, far ahead of ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’s “Face the Nation” in the Nielsen ratings. Russert was popular throughout his 17 years on the program, and Brokaw managed to increase the show’s lead over the competition.
Of course NBC could always pull a surprise and pick someone nobody’s ever heard of (unlikely) or go with multiple anchors (said to be a distinct possibility, like “Nightline” after Ted Koppel left). Stay tuned.
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“Dancing” and “Shield” — two finales, two shocks
Last night was a Really Big TV Night!
If you recorded either the “Dancing with the Stars” finale or the last episode of “The Shield,” consider this your official SPOILER ALERT!!
Both shows had shocking conclusions:
Brooke Burke, who was always the best dancer in the group but never generated passionate squeals from the audience, won the prized mirror ball on “Dancing.” She and professional partner Derek Hough looked genuinely stunned that they beat out lovable-huggable football champ Warren Sapp and flashy former pop star Lance Bass.
“Unbelievable,” Burke whispered as confetti fell and the studio audience shrieked.
But when Burke, a 37-year-old married mother of four, turned in a final Viennese waltz that earned perfect 10s from the panel of judges, the upset seemed possible.
Upset? Yes, women rarely win “Dancing.” Kelly Monaco and Kristi Yamaguchi are the only females to win in the show’s previous six seasons.
The gender slant may be partly due to the number of male athletes who have competed and done well — and to the young female viewers who are smitten with guys who shouldn’t be able to dance so gracefully but do.
The two-hour telecast was overstuffed with filler and trips down memory lane, but the final result was worth the wait. There’s no question Burke, a little-known TV host (“Wild On” and “Rock Star”), was the superior hoofer.
Meanwhile, “The Shield” ended its violent seven-season run on FX with a stroke of irony and a whiff of ambiguity. Anyone who thought corrupt cop Vic Mackey would either commit suicide, die in a shoot-out with cops or gangsters or get locked up for life, well, they thought wrong.
Shane blew himself away and took his pregnant wife and young son with him. That was a deeply chilling scene and pretty much of a shock. It wasn’t surprising that Shane, who reached the end of his rope months ago, killed himself. But taking his family out? That was a stunner.
After squeezing an immunity deal out of the feds, Mackey couldn’t wind up in jail — at least not as long as he held up his end of the deal.
But his punishment, which was almost comical, was to be assigned a desk job that required him to wear a tie, punch a clock and file tons of paperwork. No more chasing bad guys, no more fun on the streets.
In the final scene, we saw Mackey stare dolefully at photos of the family that betrayed him, then stuff a gun into the waistband of his suit pants and march out of his dark, empty office.
Is he going after he ex-wife Corinne, who told his secrets to police? Was he going after the cops and feds he blamed for his predicament? Or was he just going …
We’ll never know. It’s hard to imagine actor Michael Chiklis ever wanting to resurrect this tortured character, but the door stays open with this ending.
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“Lights” returns to NBC Jan. 16
Mark your calendars: “Friday Night Lights” will return to “regular TV” on Friday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m.
The critically acclaimed drama about small-town Texas life (and filmed right here in the Austin area) has been airing exclusively on DirecTV since October. Now the non-satellite subscribers among us can finally catch up on the action.
The third season will find Tami Taylor promoted to principal of Dillon High, which technically makes her Coach Taylor’s boss. Heh heh.
Matt Saracen faces a challenge for his starring role as QB of the Dillon Panthers, Smash is heading off to college and paralyzed Jason Street will leave town for a new life. Comings and goings …
Can’t wait!
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‘The Shield’ finale … Will Vic live or die?
“The Shield,” easily the most violent and hard-edged show on basic cable, ends its seventh and final season tonight at 9 on FX. It’s a 90-minute send-off, so set your DVR accordingly if you can’t watch it live.
Vic Mackey, the rogue cop-turned-vigilante, has twisted himself into such an evil knot that death or incarceration seem to be the only way out of this moral quagmire.
Brilliantly played by Michael Chiklis, whose journey from lightweight roles in “Daddy-O” and “The Commish” has been astonishing, Vic is the definition of raw brutality. In the first episode of the series, Vic shot one of his cop pals in the face, covered it up and walked away without so much as a second of regret.
“I’m a different kinda cop,” he would say while beating the stuffing out of some gang-banger or drug dealer.
Vic didn’t just cross the line; he erased it. Ostensibly perpetrating evil on bad guys for the greater good, Vic increasingly became indistinguishable from the thugs he sought to wipe off the seedy streets of Los Angeles.
If he had a conscience, Vic didn’t show it. But the show’s creator, Shawn Ryan, threw one redeeming trait into this nasty brew when he made Vic devoted to his ex-wife and three children. Vic didn’t always handle things right, but it was clear that he loved his family.
“The Shield” broke new ground on basic cable, spewing out language and violence previously only seen on HBO and Showtime. Only the f-word was off limits for “The Shield.” Everything else — and lots of it — was fair game.
“The Shield” served up a mix of good cops, bad cops, creepy villains and sometimes even creepier politicians. Captain-turned-councilman David Aceveda was by far the creepiest. Cases lurched from Armenian gangs to Mexican cartels to city hall corruption.
Vic and his “strike team” — Ronnie, Lem and Shane — broke rules together and eventually turned against each other.
The level to which this once tight quartet had fallen was shockingly evident when Shane tossed a bomb into Lem’s car and killed him.
Heading into tonight’s finale, Shane is on a fast-moving downward spiral, running from the law and snorting cocaine with abandon.
But the big question is what will happen to Vic? Will there finally be consequences for his sins? Will he meet a gruesomely violent end or flee to a foreign land? Or will he slither through the cracks yet again and stroll into the sunset in an ambiguous conclusion?
The resolution is near … it’s going to be juicy.
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A trio of ABC series nearing cancellation
As the November sweeps come to an end (Wednesday) and the viewership-challenged holiday season arrives, the networks will begin quietly doing away with shows that have failed to perform.
Three of ABC’s most imaginative and elaborately produced series are on the chopping block: the sweet fantasy tale “Pushing Daisies,” the rich-family sudser “Dirty Sexy Money” and the hallucination-filled semi-legal drama “Eli Stone.”
All three are second-year series, and all are struggling in the ratings. “Pushing Daisies” has sunk from an already low 7 million its first season to 6.5 million so far this season. The story of a pie maker who can bring people back to life (briefly) to solve their murders (including his girlfriend) is wildly expensive to produce and hasn’t quite caught on with the mainstream audience.
“Dirty Sexy Money” — with a star-studded cast that includes Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, Jill Clayburgh, William Baldwin, Blair Underwood and Lucy Liu — has an even smaller prime-time audience. The night soap focuses on a super-wealthy New York family that has more problems than money, which seems impossible but is true.
“Eli Stone” has been doing considerably better than its dying siblings, averaging more than 8 million viewers a week. But the bone-heads at ABC apparently believe that “Dancing with the Stars,” which precedes the drama on Tuesdays, is giving the show an inflated boost. So what? It’s such a fun, clever show … why not keep it on and see what happens?
Final hoofing tonight on “Dancing”
The remaining three couples compete on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” (7 tonight), with the winner crowned tomorrow night on the season finale.
What do you think? Will yet another jock twirl away with the mirror ball? Athletes have had an advantage in the past four seasons: football great Emmitt Smith (Season 3), Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno (Season 4), race car driver Helio Castroneves (Season 5) and Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi (Season 6).
And women have been at a disadvantage in the show’s seven seasons. Soap star Kelly Monaco won the first title, but until Yamaguchi, it was all guys.
So what does that mean for tonight’s trio? Football champ Warren Sapp has the jock advantage. But pop warbler Lance Bass has a devoted fan base right now. TV host Brooke Burke is by far the most talented non-pro dancer and probably should win on points. And yet … Burke hasn’t stirred as much enthusiasm thus far. People seem to appreciate how good she is, but voters also are looking for personality and charm.
I could be wrong, but I’m feeling a surge for Bass right now. We’ll see. He might collapse on his final two dances. Then it would be a total toss-up between lovable Sapp and the dazzling Burke.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
‘American Music Awards,’ 7 p.m. on ABC — Jimmy Kimmel hosts this made-for-TV awards show, with tonight’s scheduled performers including Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, The Jonas Brothers, Alicia Keys, Pink, Rihanna and Kanye West.
‘24: Redemption,’ 7 p.m. on Fox — Jack Bauer tries to save kids from being drafted into an African dictator’s bloodthirsty army. It’s a so-so interlude to hold fans over until the taut conspiracy series returns in January.
‘True Blood,’ 8 p.m. on HBO — In the first-season closer of Alan Ball’s weird vampire drama, Austin actor Mehcad Brooks plays Benedict “Eggs” Talley, a mellow fellow from the school of hard knocks. An Anderson High grad, Brooks’ credits include “Boston Public,” “Glory Road,” “In the Valley of Elah,” “Desperate Housewives” and “The Game.”
Monday
‘Boston Legal,’ 9 p.m. on ABC — Shirley’s intimate Thanksgiving dinner with Carl turns into a dysfunctional family affair when she invites Alan, Denny, Jerry, Katie, Edwin and his 6-year-old foster son. Last week’s preview looked outrageous.
Tuesday
‘Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,’ 7 p.m. on ABC — Kick that football, Charlie! We know he’ll miss it, but the Peanuts special marks the beginning of the holiday season.
‘Dancing with the Stars,’ 8 p.m. on ABC — One of the three remaining celebrities — Brooke Burke, Warren Sapp or Lance Bass — will take home the cheesy looking mirror ball.
‘The Shield,’ 9 p.m. on FX — The 90-minute series conclusion will wrap up years of corruption, violence and every bad deed you can think of. Will Vic Mackey live or die? Will we ever see another show this raw?
Wednesday
‘The White House: Behind Closed Doors,’ 8 p.m. on History — President and Mrs. George W. Bush invite viewers on a 90-minute televised tour of the White House; antiquary twins Leslie and Leigh Keno join the tour, offering insights.
‘Sons of Anarchy,’ 9 p.m. on FX — Season finale: In the wake of a tragedy, the club must re-evaluate its bonds of brotherhood. Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman, and Katey Sagal star in this edgy drama about a close-knit motorcycle club in Northern California.
Thursday
‘Texas vs. Texas A&M,’ 7 p.m. on ESPN — A prime-time pigskin outing of our favorite showdown, Longhorns vs. Aggies. I’m betting a lot of Texans will be planning their turkey gobbling accordingly.
‘Downtown,’ 8 p.m. on PBS — Learn how influences from live music venues such as the Vulcan Gas Co. and the Armadillo World Headquarters have become part of today’s Austin culture.
Friday
‘The Polar Express,’ 7 p.m. on ABC — The gorgeous 2004 animated telling of Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 book. Tom Hanks voices the conductor.
Saturday
‘Charlie Wilson’s War,’ 7 p.m. on HBO — A hard-drinking, womanizing Texas congressman (Tom Hanks), a sexy socialite (Julia Roberts) and a CIA agent (Philip Seymour Hoffman) crusade for freedom fighters in Afghanistan. Very entertaining flick in spite of the bad Texas accents.
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“Jericho” joins The CW
“Jericho” fans, who saved the apocalyptic drama once by sending tons of peanuts to CBS’s home office, were unable to keep the production going.
But starting Sunday, Nov. 30, at least these ardent fans can ease their mourning with reruns on the CW.
That’s because the weblet (seen in Austin on KNVA Channel 54) has dumped the entire Sunday night of programming that was added in September in an outsourcing deal with Media Rights Capital.
Those new scripted programs — “Valentine,” “Easy Money,” “4 Real” and “In Harm’s Way” — never attracted a small gathering, let alone a crowd of viewers. It was unclear from the beginning why the CW wanted to add a night of programming that came from a non-network source.
Joining “Jericho” next Sunday night will be “Everybody Hates Chris,” “The Game” and reruns of “The Drew Carey Show.”
According to the industry publication “Broadcasting & Cable,” the CW is currently in the process of “trying to regroup.” No kidding …
Austin model Chantal guests on CBS soap
Austin area semi-celeb Chantal Jones, who was a runner-up on “America’s Next Top Model,” will pop into an episode of the soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful” next week.
On the Tuesday installment, Chantal (billed as Heather Chantal Jones) will play (surprise, surprise!) a model.
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Meteorologist Laura Skirde leaving KXAN
Laura Skirde, KXAN’s ace weekend meteorologist and part-time reporter, is leaving Austin for the mountains of Denver, where she anticipates landing another job but doesn’t have one yet.
Her last weekend on the air here will be Nov. 29 and Nov. 30. Sniff, sniff.
“It’s a leap of faith but a very calculated move,” says Skirde, who came to KXAN from a morning roost in Peoria, Ill., in 2002.
“I’ve thought about it very deeply. My contract here was up, and they made me a nice offer to stay, and I do love the station, especially working with Jim Spencer. But I’m ready for a new challenge in my career.”
Specifically, Skirde, 35, is ready for prime time, and KXAN’s chief meteorologist Spencer is firmly entrenched in that top job.
“Laura is so talented, a terrific meteorologist,” said Michael Fabac, news director for KXAN. “Jim isn’t going anywhere, and Laura wants to free up her options. She’s been working weekends for a long time and wants to grow. She has the ability to do so much more than she’s doing.”
The station already has hired Skirde’s replacement, Natalie Stoll, a meteorologist from Sioux City, Iowa.
Since arriving in Austin, Skirde, who grew up in Denver and earned her degree at the University of Colorado at Boulder, has become a serious runner. A fixture on the hike-and-bike trail, she has run one marathon and plans to run more. She also enjoys golf and boating.
As she waits to land from her “leap of faith,” Skirde plans to spend a relaxed holiday season with her family in Denver. A white Christmas with time on the slopes sounds good to her.
And when she can announce that new job, which sounds like it’s more than just a possibility, Skirde says she’ll let us know.
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Katie Couric has another “get” tonight
In case you haven’t noticed, CBS anchor Katie Couric is on a roll.
On the stiletto heels of her newsmaking interview with Republican veep hopeful Sarah Palin, Couric has landed the first sit-down with Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat-turned-Independent-turned-sometime-Republican.
Lieberman, a former Democratic vice-presidential nominee, threw his devoted support to John McCain during the presidential campaign. The Connecticut senator traveled with McCain, made speeches and fundraising pitches for McCain and even made a fervent case for his pal at the Republican convention.
The Democrats, with whom Lieberman officially caucuses, were not amused. But after a recent tongue-lashing by Democratic leaders, they decided to keep him in the mix.
Couric’s interview with Lieberman, his first since all this post-election shakedown, will air tonight on the “CBS Evening News” (5:30 p.m. on KEYE).
Meanwhile (and not in the same league at all), ABC’s Diane Sawyer has landed the first interview with disgraced former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s prostitute pal, Ashley Alexandra Dupre. That riveting sit-down will air Friday on “20/20” (9 p.m. KVUE).
“Masterpiece Classic” gets a new master
Laura Linney, a movie star who recently won an Emmy for her portrayal of Abigail Adams in the HBO miniseries “John Adams,” has been tapped to host of PBS’s “Masterpiece Classic.”
She will make her first appearance when the series premieres with a new adaptation of “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” on Jan. 4. The actress replaces of Gillian Anderson, who introduced the productions the first year “Masterpiece” decided to break its seasons into thirds. (“Masterpiece Theatre” and “Masterpiece Contemporary” are the others.)
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“Monk” to end on high note
Unlike some TV series, that grind away long after creativity and ratings have disappeared, USA’s “Monk” has decided to leave on a high note after its eighth season.
The final 16 episodes, about the defective detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder, will air in the summer of 2009.
Tony Shalhoub has endeared himself to millions of viewers over the years. Both he and the show have won numerous awards, including an Emmy and Golden Globe.
“Monk” remains one of USA’s top-performing programs and a consistent finisher in the top shows among all cable networks.
Shalhoub likely will continue his movie and stage career … and definitely will have no trouble finding a new series if he wants one. He was a shining supporter in NBC’s old comedy “Wings” and no doubt will have network producers knocking on his door by spring.
“Dancing” semi-finalists stumbled
It’s going to be interesting tonight to see who gets bumped off ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”
Huggable favorite Warren Sapp had a less-than-fabulous outing, and even the stunning Brooke Burke had a bad night last night. Burke got her hair and hair ornament tied up on her partner Derek Hough in the middle of her first dance and never regained her footing.
But I bet those two crowd favorites are safe … My money’s on “Hannah Montana” guy Cody Linley to get the boot.
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“Prison Break” racing toward the end?
In tonight’s episode of “Prison Break” (8 p.m. on Fox), Michael and his gang of heroes/convicts make their final preparations for the plot to steal Scylla, a mysterious high-tech device that has serious but unknown implications for the peace of the world.
Also tonight, according to press material, the deliciously evil T-bag “reaches the point of no return.”
The murderer/rapist/child abuser known as T-bag surely has passed that point numerous times, including gnawing off his own hand and becoming a sex slave to various Latino criminals in the clinker.
So it will be interesting, to say the least, to see what constitutes this actual point of no return.
I’ve been a fan of this gritty, fast-paced thriller since its debut four seasons ago. I especially liked the season they shot in Dallas.
But I’m in the shrinking minority. Every season the show has lost viewers, beginning with an already rather meager 9 million the first season and winding up with only 6.5 million so far this season. It’s a hard show to keep up with.
The Hollywood Reporter recently speculated that the drama, now in its fourth season, will bow out with a two-hour finale sometime during midseason. The original schedule had “Prison Break” taking a break after the Dec. 22nd sixteenth episode and then returning “in the future” for the remaining six installments.
But now it looks like that won’t happen.
It’s probably time to end the saga, which has been losing reasons for Michael and Lincoln to be either breaking out of prison or on the run from various law enforcement and corrupt officials for quite some time.
I just hope it goes out with an appropriate bang … and that T-bag has an especially spectacular exit.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“Nature,” 7 p.m. on PBS — A a special on the continent’s most recognizable aerial predator, the bald eagle. Loyal readers may recall that I had to watch a trainer feed mice chunks to a bald eagle last summer at a PBS press conference in Los Angeles. Let’s hope the show will be less gruesome.
“Masterpiece Contemporary: Filth,” 9:30 p.m. on PBS — An intriguing insider drama about British morality crusader Mary Whitehouse and her David-and-Goliath struggle with the BBC in the 1960s.
“Sunday Night Football,” 7 p.m. on NBC — Aren’t we glad KXAN and Time Warner finally kissed and made up? Tonight is the showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins that we might have missed.
Monday
“Chuck,” 7 p.m. on NBC — In my humble opinion, “Heroes” is sinking, but “Chuck” remains wonderfully entertaining. Light-hearted and clever with a top-notch cast and smart writing, the comedy-spy saga is a nice antidote to Blue Mondays.
“Thanksgiving,” 8 p.m. on Food Network — As we gather our recipes old and new, it never hurts to check in on what this superb cable channel has to offer.
Tuesday
“The Shield,” 9 p.m. on FX — We’re getting close, Vic Mackey fans. Next Tuesday (Nov. 25) is the series finale, and anybody who’s ever seen this Michael Chiklis cop show knows Vic is going to pay for his sins. This week’s episode sets up the last chapter, so it’s a don’t-miss installment.
“Dr. G: Medical Examiner,” 9 p.m. on TLC — If you find yourself grossed out by all the slicing and dicing on the “C.S.I.” franchise, keep in mind they’re fiction. This documentary series follows the dead-body adventures of a real cop doc searching for clues and scientific evidence.
Wednesday
“Top Chef,” 9 p.m. on Bravo — The new season launched last week, but it’s not too late to get wrapped up in this excellent reality cooking show. You never know what’s going to happen with the kitchen divas.
“NBA Basketball,” 7 p.m. on ESPN — It’s an all-Texas night of round-ball, with the Dallas Mavericks dribbling up against the Houston Rockets.
Thursday
“Life on Mars,” 9 p.m. on ABC — Yes, I remember writing a negative review of this show when it debuted in September. I thought it was too gimmicky, having a cop hit by a car and getting knocked from 2008 to the 1970s. But surprise-surprise! The stories are really good. Last week it was a smackdown between blacks and Puerto Ricans, with Whoopi Goldberg in a terrific guest role. The regular cast? Fabulous — Jason O’Mara, Harvey Keitel, Michael Imperioli and Gretchen Mol couldn’t be better.
Friday
“Ricky Gervais: Out of England,” 7:30 p.m. on HBO — The comedy genius who created and starred in the original British version of “The Office” performs at New York’s Madison Square Garden. This guy’s so funny it hurts.
Saturday
“Austin City Limits” 7 p.m. on PBS — KLRU brings Gnarls Barkley’s eccentric hip-hop and R&B sounds to the stage, followed by the psychedelic beat of Thievery Corporation’s new album “Radio Retaliation.”
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NBC axes two: “Lipstick Jungle” and “My Own Worst Enemy”
It’s November, the month when ratings rule and we give thanks for stuff.
But if you’re NBC, you’re probably not so much thankful as fretful.
The network has lowered the boom on two series, “My Own Worst Enemy” and “Lipstick Jungle.” Neither cancellation is exactly a shock, but “My Own Worst Enemy,” starring Christian Slater in a scenery-chewing role as two characters, was supposed to be a big hit for the Old Peacock.
But it was a dud. “Worst Enemy” plunged to a pitiful 1.8 rating earlier this month — which means more people watched Wolf Blitzer in the afternoon on CNN than Slater in a big-budget spy thriller in prime time. Ouch.
And the glam-girl drama “Lipstick Jungle,” which debuted last season, went from bad to worse when NBC bumped it from Wednesday nights to Friday nights this season. The Brooke Shield fluffer had even lower ratings than “Worst Enemy,” racking up a miserable 1.2 rating in its most recent outing.
Needless to say, this has been a bad fall for network programmers. They blame lackluster ratings on the country’s obsession with watching cable news coverage of the election instead of network entertainment.
NBC’s cancellations weren’t the first of the fall season. Also gone are ABC’s Ashton Kutcher-produced game show “Opportunity Knocks,” Fox’s horrendously unfunny sitcom “Do Not Disturb” and CBS’s promising but ultimately sad-sack romantic comedy “The Ex List.”
And the slumping ratings aren’t just for prime time.
Today Fox announced that it’s late-night sketch show “MADtv” will depart in May, at the end of its 14th lackluster season. The network blamed rising production costs, but nearly invisible ratings had something to do with it, too.
In October 1995, “MADtv” debuted as an allegedly edgier alternative to NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” “MAD” never lived up to that goal, so it’s a miracle it stayed on as long as it did.
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“CMA Awards” … so yesterday?
“The 42nd Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by “American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood and hunky Brad Paisley, roll out tonight at 7 on ABC.
Do you care? I don’t, and I’m trying to figure out why.
Country music has never been my favorite genre, but I’m usually a sucker for awards shows and tend to enjoy listening to singers who are new to me.
I watch the Grammys every year so I can take a peek at folks I’ve heard on the radio but wouldn’t recognize on a stage.
This year? Not caring for country.
I’m curious to see how the ratings hold up for the “CMA Awards” tonight. Is the rest of the country in a similarly non-country mood? Has the influence of Barack Obama and urban cool already begun to spread?
We don’t know whether President-Elect Obama likes country music or not, but at some point during the campaign one of the entertainment magazines printed a list of songs on his iPod. There was jazz and rock and funk and classical … but no country.
Is the shift in the zeitgeist already happening? Or am I just not feeling the need for Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney and Kellie Pickler?
Speaking of Obama and pop culture
According to the tabloid TV show “Access Hollywood,” Obama daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, have been invited by the Disney Channel to appear on their favorite show, “Hannah Montana.”
Star Miley’s father Billy Ray Cyrus has hinted that an appearance sometime in the spring is a possibility, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Seems like that would open up a gigantic wave of possibilities — and distractions — as the First Daughters settle into their new life in Washington.
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McCain on “Tonight,” dozens of People’s Choice Awards nominees
Sen. John McCain took a week off to recover from losing last Tuesday’s presidential election, but he resurfaces tonight in a venue where he’s likely to shine — “The Tonight Show” (10:30 p.m. on NBC).
Although he may be stiff in speeches and debates, McCain loves the late-night limelight and usually does well poking fun at himself with an assortment of hosts.
Before the election, you may recall, the self-proclaimed maverick Republican returned to David Letterman’s “Late Show” in an attempt to patch things up with the host after stiffing him a month earlier.
“I screwed up,” McCain grinned at Letterman by way of explanation. Letterman didn’t seem all that appeased, and the tension continued. But it was funny anyway.
An appearance on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” the weekend before the eleciton went better, as McCain performed opposite Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin in one sketch, made fun of his combustible temper in another and wound up as “sad grandpa” in still another.
Tonight McCain will trade jokes and barbs with Jay Leno, with whom he has a less edgy relationship than Letterman. Maybe the old “straight talk express” finally will return for tonight’s appearance.
Nominees for People’s Choice Awards
The nominees for “The 35th Annual People’s Choice Awards” were announced Monday, with the usual array of odd categories and endless lists of shows and actors.
These awards, based on public opinion polls, are mostly an excuse to trot stars onto a stage so viewers can ogle them. Big ugly crystal things are awarded for music, movies and TV.
We’ll stick to the TV nominees here. And, by the way, this year’s ceremony will air Jan. 7 on CBS.
Among the strange new categories are Favorite TV Drama Diva and Favorite Scene-Stealing Guest Star. And note that just about every single new series is nominated in the favorite new show categories. (That’s the only way to get all these folks to show up for the ceremony.)
FAVORITE TV DRAMA: “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “House”
FAVORITE TV COMEDY: “Samantha Who?” “Two and a Half Men,” “Ugly Betty”
FAVORITE ANIMATED COMEDY: “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons,” “South Park”
FAVORITE SCI-FI / FANTASY SHOW: “Heroes,” “ Supernatural,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”
FAVORITE COMPETITION / REALITY SHOW: “American Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
FAVORITE GAME SHOW: “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” “Deal Or No Deal,” “Jeopardy!”
FAVORITE MALE TV STAR: Patrick Dempsey (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Hugh Laurie (“House”), Charlie Sheen (“Two and a Half Men”)
FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR: Christina Applegate (“Samantha Who?”), Sally Field (“Brothers & Sisters”), Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: SVU”)
FAVORITE TALK SHOW HOST: Ellen DeGeneres, David Letterman, Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa
FAVORITE SCENE-STEALING GUEST STAR: Luke Perry on “ Law & Order: SVU,” Britney Spears on “How I Met Your Mother,” Robin Williams on “Law & Order: SVU”
FAVORITE TV DRAMA DIVA: Holly Hunter on “ Saving Grace,” Mary-Louise Parker on “Weeds,” Kyra Sedgwick on “The Closer”
FAVORITE NEW TV DRAMA: “90210,” “ Crusoe,” “ Easy Money,” “ Eleventh Hour,” “ Fringe,” “Knight Rider,” “Life on Mars,” “ The Mentalist,” “ My Own Worst Enemy,” “ Privileged”
FAVORITE NEW TV COMEDY: “Gary Unmarried,” “Kath & Kim,” “ Valentine,” “Worst Week”
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“Desperate Housewives,” 8 p.m. on ABC — The five-year leap forward hasn’t hurt this wacky comedy one bit. In fact, the mysteries have gotten better. Tonight: Katherine’s secret is revealed; Susan learns shocking news about Jackson; and, best of all, Mrs. McCluskey uncovers stuff about creepy Dave.
“Masterpiece Theatre,” 8 p.m. on PBS — Oliver Dimsdale stars as Louis Trevelyan, an insecure and jealous husband, in this adaptation of Anthony Trollope¹s “He Knew He Was Right.”
Monday
“American Experience: The Crash of 1929,” 8 p.m. on PBS — Sound familiar? The film focuses on the stock-market crash of 1929, specifically the economic and psychological consequences.
“Boston Legal,” 9 p.m. on ABC — In the final season, creator David E. Kelley is letting loose with this wacky comedy-drama. Denny and Alan keep polishing their deep friendship, and Jerry, recently named a partner in the firm, keeps endearing himself to us. Tonight’s case is about abortion.
Tuesday
“The Mentalist,” 8 p.m. on CBS — One of the few new hits of the season, Simon Baker takes an intriguing character and makes him better. He plays a police consultant who is less a psychic than just a guy who really pays attention.
“Frontline,” 8 p.m. on PBS — Lee Atwater, the maestro of dirty politics, masterminded Republican victories until he was stricken with terminal brain cancer. Before his death at the age of 41, Atwater expressed remorse, but his impact, examined here, lingers.
“Extreme Trains,” 9 p.m. on History Channel — Each episode will tell the story of one train, starting tonight with a coal train that weighs more than 15,000 tons when it crosses the Allegheny Mountains transporting its cargo from mines to power plants. Coming soon: the speedy Amtrak Acela.
Wednesday
“The 42nd Annual Country Music Awards,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, the show will feature performances by Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Rodney Atkins, Kellie Pickler and Keith Urban.
“Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work,” 7 p.m. on PBS — An inside look at the daily rituals and traditions of the House of Windsor. A royal nod from Queen Elizabeth gave producers rare access.
Thursday
“2008 Latin Grammys,” 7 p.m. on Univision — Live from Houston, it’s the annual festival of Latin music. Grammys are bestowed in numerous categories, but it’s the performances that make this show great.
“ER,” 9 p.m. on NBC — In its 15th and final season, the medical drama has introduced a bunch of dull newcomers, but tonight’s episode brings an original back from the dead. In a flashback, Dr. Banfield (Angela Basset) remembers when Dr. Green, played by Anthony Edwards, treated her son.
Friday
“The Starter Wife,” 9 p.m. on USA — Debra Messing continues to soar in this Hollywood insider comedy-drama. We forget about this one sometimes because it’s buried on Friday nights, but it’s a keeper.
Saturday
“Accidental Friendship,” 8 p.m. on Hallmark Channel — Chandra Wilson (“Grey’s Anatomy”) plays an embittered homeless woman who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a female cop in Los Angeles. Drama ensues. As schmaltzy movies go, it’s pretty good.
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Hank Hill heading for ABC? And election ratings break records
Is Hank Hill about to be resurrected?
ABC is rumored to be ready to pick up “King of the Hill” when its 13th season ends on Fox this spring. Fox announced late last week that it would end production at that time.
Mike Judge, “King” creator and Austin resident, has a midseason comedy coming to ABC, “The Goode Family,” so maybe the two animated shows can be paired.
Election night ratings break TV audience records
According to Nielsen Media Research data, between 7 and 10 p.m. Tuesday, more than 40 percent of U.S. TV households watched election returns. That amounts to a record-breaking 71.5 million viewers for all the broadcast and cable networks combined.
Although the outcome was all but academic once the networks started calling individual states for Democrat Barack Obama around 9 p.m. Central Time, the non-suspense nevertheless outdrew the 2000 race (the drawn out George W. Bush vs. Al Gore contest) by more than 10 million viewers.
Among the broadcast networks, ABC, anchored by Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer, attracted the biggest audience, averaging 13 million viewers through prime time. CNN was tops among cable news networks and second to ABC, with 12.3 million viewers. CNN says that’s the largest audience the network has had in its entire 28-year history.
Third place went to NBC, which delivered some 12 million viewers. Fox News, with 9 million viewers, raked in 9 million viewers — its second-largest audience of all time. CBS, with Katie Couric at the helm, finished fifth on the night, with 7.8 million viewers. Bringing up the rear were MSNBC (5.9 million) and Fox broadcast TV (5.2 million).
If the late-night ratings are rolled into the mix, CNN won the entire night, with 13.3 million viewers. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the last time, when the cable news network beat out broadcasters for political coverage. CNN led the way during the Democratic convention and several primary nights.
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Election finale: Oh, what a night!
The old electronic campfire did its thing again last night, didn’t it?
Millions of us huddled around televisions, watching the returns and then experiencing history in the present as Barack Obama gave his acceptance speech and John McCain conceded. Holograms nothwithstanding (explanation to come), it was a swell night for viewing.
Those of us who have been sucked into this political drama for more than a year enjoyed the magic walls, the emotional scenes and even some of the analysis. CNN’s David Bergen remains my favorite — for his calm, intelligent and articulate observations.
The broadcast networks looked to be playing catch-up with the cable networks all night. After virtually ceding campaign coverage to cable news, the Big Three were left with offering mostly their top dogs’ perspectives and a few crowd scenes. Viewers who haven’t followed the election saga on CNN, Fox or MSNBC missed out on much of the story’s rich details.
Back to the hologram disaster: In case you missed it, CNN transported reporter Jessica Yellen from Chicago to the New York studio in the form of a hologram. Why? Because, technologically speaking, they could — but not very well.
Yellen seemed to shrink in her holographic form, and she was backed by an odd-looking light. Basically she looked like a cheaply made sci-fi flick. Several people compared her unfavorably to Princess Leia of “Star Wars.” Later in the evening, CNN hologrammed rapper Will.I.Am, too. He was equally unsuccessful.
Nielsen ratings combining broadcast and cable networks’ coverage were not available Wednesday morning, but experts predict the total will top the 64 million viewers who tuned in for 2004 election night. We should know later today or early Thursday morning.
Some experts believe entertainment ratings will benefit from the close of the election. A sizable number of viewers, these experts believe, abandoned regular prime-time fare to watch campaign developments on cable news. We won’t know the truth to that theory for at least a week.
In the mean time, the exciting political drama is over, and most of us will need some time to adjust our viewing and body clocks.
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Tonight’s the night! What to expect on TV’s election results
Are you ready for some results? Barring a mind-blowing disaster, we will find out who our next president will be tonight — possibly as early as 7 p.m.
And millions upon millions of Americans will hear the “calling” of the election on TV. Nearly 65 million viewers watched election returns four years ago. If viewership for the 2008 primary elections and presidential debates are any indication, considerably more millions will be tuned in for tonight’s historic showdown between Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain.
All of the cable and broadcast news networks will be dancing around their “magic walls” by 6 p.m. (Central Time). At that very moment, polls will be closed in two battleground states — Indiana and Virginia. If both of those states fall for Obama in a big way, we’ll see the anchors, reporters and pundits begin to salivate over an early call for victory.
At 6:30 p.m., two more big battlegrounds end their voting — Ohio and North Carolina. If McCain takes both of those states, look for insecurity among the folks who previously were prepping for a winner to be announced early. And at 7 p.m., after Florida, Pennsylvania and Missouri wrap things up, the suspense will either be gripping or the end will be clear.
Low-tech fun like Tim Russert’s grease-board, upon which he scrawled “Florida! Florida! Florida!” in 2000 will be replaced by dazzling high-tech gizmos. CNN broke ground with the digital “magic wall” map in the early primaries and apparently is flirting with introducing 3-D holograms of reporters in the field being beamed into the New York studio.
ABC is taking over Times Square for its network coverage, while NBC, as it has done before, is home-based at Rockefeller Center, where the outside Plaza’s ice rink has been tansformed into a U.S. map.
As it was in 2004, the political executives at cable and network news divisions will be favoring accuracy over speed. Nobody wants to be caught calling a state before it’s actually been tabulated. Projections, as we found in 2000, can be deadly wrong. That means an official winner shouldn’t be called before the polls are closed in the West (10 p.m. our time), but if the tally becomes lopsided, it wouldn’t take a genius at home to make a personal call and pop open the bubbly.
You can either flip around, as I’ll be doing, or settle in with one source. Here’s the lineup of, by now, very familiar faces:
Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer, George Stephanopoulos on ABC
Brian Williams on NBC
Katie Couric on CBS
Jim Lehrer on PBS
Shepard Smith on Fox TV
Brit Hume and Chris Wallace on Fox News Channel
Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper and Campbell Brown on CNN
David Gregory, Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann on MSNBC
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“King of the Hill” — canceled but maybe not gone
As reported over the weekend, Fox has decided not to renew “King of the Hill,” the animated comedy created by Austin resident Mike Judge and Greg Daniels.
But the way these things work, we’ll likely be seeing Hank and Family well into 2009 — because the 13th season isn’t scheduled to kick off until spring.
And it’s worth noting that Fox has canceled (or failed to renew) “King of the Hill” and other animated comedies (notably “Family Guy” and “Futurama”) in the past — only to bring them back when the replacement shows failed.
Emmy-winning “King of the Hill” premiered in January 1997. It was a critical hit with modest ratings for a very long time, but Fox seemed to be undecided on its renewal status several seasons. It was never as popular as “The Simpsons,” but it certainly has had a loyal following and does well in reruns.
Hank and Family are currently entertaining us with episodes from the show’s 12th production order. If Fox’s decision holds, the show will take its final bow in late spring or early summer.
But if either of Fox’s two new animated shows (“ The Cleveland Show” and “Sit Down, Shut Up”), scheduled for midseason, fails, maybe “King of the Hill” will be revived once again.
Regardless, Judge won’t exactly be idle. He has a new animated comedy, “The Goode Family,” coming to ABC at midseason, and Daniels is busy with NBC’s “The Office.”
Start your engines: Election night is coming!
Are you planning to hunker down for Tuesday night’s conclusion to one of the most exciting political dramas in decades? If so, here are the start times for the night’s coverage of the presidential election returns.
ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox TV — 6 p.m.
PBS — 8 p.m.
CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC — 5 p.m.
C-SPAN, Univision — 6 p.m.
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This week’s TV highlights
Hundreds of channels, hours and hours of programming. So much to watch, so little time. Here are some highlights to get you started on your week of viewing.
Sunday
“Brotherhood,” 7 p.m. on Showtime — In the third season opener of this superb Rhode Island-produced drama about an Irish family divided along political and criminal lines, Tommy considers a risky career change and Michael becomes ever-more violent. Matriarch Rose faces fading health and a nightmare health-care system.
“Last Enemy,” 8 p.m. on PBS — A scientist, an aid worker and a desperate father unwittingly get caught up in a global mystery in the part five showing of this latest installment of “Masterpiece Contemporary.”
“The Unit,” 9 p.m. on CBS — After barely earning a renewal, the taut drama, starring Dennis Haysbert, has really begun to shine.
Monday
“Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash 2008,” 8 p.m. on NBC — We probably won’t see the real Sarah Palin make a live appearance on this traditional election special (presumably the governor will be campaigning somewhere), but the current campaign has been a bonanza for “SNL” and company. Tina Fey’s Palin likely will be all over the place, along with snippets from all the contenders dating back to the primaries.
Tuesday
“Election Night,” 7 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and all cable news networks — It ain’t over ‘til it’s over, so we’ll just have to see how long it takes to wrap up the never-ending 2008 election season. Barack Obama or John McCain? House and Senate majorities for Democrats or Republicans? Look for lots of flashy “magic maps” and a preponderance of pundits.
Wednesday
“Medal of Honor,” 8 p.m. on PBS — America’s greatest heroes, the recipients of our country’s highest honor for military service, are profiled. Produced and directed by Roger Sherman, the 90-minute film traces the history of the Medal of Honor, from a profile of Sgt. Paul Smith, the first soldier to receive a Medal of Honor in the Iraq war, back to its creation during the Civil War.
“Law & Order,” 9 p.m. on NBC — The dependable old standby returns well ahead of its scheduled midseason arrival. In its 19th season, it’s just as good as ever, with terrific story-telling and fine acting. We could use a tad more Sam Waterston (he’s not as prominent as the district attorney as he was as a prosecutor), but that’s small potatoes.
Thursday
“C.S.I.,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Grissom asks Lady Heather, his lovely fetish friend from seasons prior, for help when the team investigates a case connected to the world of domination. Fans have long believed Grissom, who will depart before the end of this season, just might wind up taming the dreamy dominatrix.
“Soundstage,” 9 p.m. on PBS — Charismatic crooner Josh Groban dazzles 15,000 fans as he performs “Awake,” “You Are Loved,” and “Machine,” to name just a few.
Friday
“San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat,” 7 p.m. on ESPN — Ready for some round-ball? NBA action tonight should be hot.
“Great Museums: Year of the Museum Specials,” 10 p.m. on PBS — Having post-World Series withdrawal? Take a look at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Saturday
“Austin City Limits,” 7 p.m. on PBS — Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings perform classic soul and funk, followed by Carolyn Wonderland’s blend of rock, blues and soul.
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