Sunday

“U.S. Open Tennis,” 3 p.m. on CBS — The men’s final is today. Another rematch between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer? We hope.

“Pavarotti: A Life in Seven Arias,” 6 p.m. Sunday on PBS — This doc examines the renowned tenor’s childhood, early career in Italian opera houses and rise to fame.

“True Blood,” 8 p.m. on HBO — Gruesome and funny, this new series is based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries books by Charlaine Harris and adapted for television by Alan Ball. Anna Paquin stars as a telepathic waitress who falls in love with a vampire (Stephen Moyer).

“MTV Video Music Awards,” 8 p.m. on MTV — Yep, Britney Spears is scheduled to reappear, but she won’t be performing after her previous big disaster. Instead, she’s scheduled “to open” the show, the network says.

Monday

“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” 7 p.m. on Fox — The second season of the TV spinoff of the sci-fi movies begins tonight. After last season’s scary car explosion, John’s 16th birthday forces him to face his destiny.

“High School Musical: Get in the Picture,” 7 p.m. on ABC — The faculty announces the winner in the series’ finale. The lucky performer will star in a music video to be shown during the closing credits of “High School Musical 3: Senior Year,” coming next year.

Tuesday

“Fringe,” 7 p.m. on Fox — Smell that? It’s the beginning of the fall season, with tonight’s premiere of one of the most eagerly anticipated series. J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Alias”) created this sci-fi thriller that focuses on bio-terrorism and medical disasters. Australian newcomer Anna Torv stars, along with Joshua Jackson. The pilot is a disappointment, but the whiff of “The X-Files” smells pretty good.

“Privileged,” 8 p.m. on the CW — Another new series, this one is about a novice reporter who goes undercover for a New York magazine to expose lifestyles of the rich in Palm Beach society. The twentysomething woman hires on as a tutor for twin girls. Priorities will change.

“Fashion Rocks,” 8 p.m. on CBS — Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Chris Brown, Kid Rock, Duffy, Fergie, Justin Timberlake, Lil’ Wayne, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, Chris Cornell, OneRepublic and Rihanna are scheduled to perform at Radio City Music Hall for this eye-popping extravaganza. Denis Leary hosts.

Wednesday

“Do Not Disturb,” 8:30 p.m. on Fox — A new laughless sitcom about the manager of a chic New York hotel and the stereotypical staffers who surround him. Loud laughtrack accompanies lame jokes. Jerry O’Connell stars.

“Sons of Anarchy,” 9 p.m. on FX — I’m oddly drawn to this new drama that debuted last week and continues to excel this week. Ron Perlman and Katey Sagal are patriarch-matriarch of a motorcycle club with a culture of crime and violence; Charlie Hunnam shines as the club’s conflicted future leader. Adult content.

Thursday

“102 Minutes That Changed America,” 8 p.m. on History — On the anniversary of one of our darkest days, films, photos and recordings from rare archives chronicle the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City’s World Trade Center.

Friday

“The 2008 ALMA Awards,” 7 p.m. on ABC — Eva Longoria Parker hosts the annual celebration of Latino achievement in movies, TV and music. Always a great show.

Saturday

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” 8 p.m. on Disney — Looking for a good family movie? Check out this 2005 adaptation of the Roald Dahl children’s classic, starring Johnny Depp as the wacky, fanciful candy-maker.

After three weeks of Olympics, followed by two weeks of political conventions, I’m ready to catch up on “Mad Men,” “The Closer” and the new season of “The Shield.”

And in the next couple of weeks, even the slow-moving broadcast networks will bring back our favorite shows. Can’t wait … seems like years since we’ve had a taste of “Grey’s Anatomy” or “30 Rock.”

Back-to-back conventions make no sense, politically or from a TV perspective. Reporters, anchors AND viewers are probably all exhausted today. I know I am.

By the time John McCain finally accepted the Republican nomination for president last night, I had already started drifting to the U.S. Open matches on USA Network. A little Cindy and John McCain here, a little Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic over there.

At least the Republicans favored us with a big balloon drop. The Dems had to forego balloons because of the open-air stadium, but McCain and company gave us the traditional rain of balloons and confetti. Can’t help it … I love the balloons.

Ratings aren’t in for McCain’s speech yet, but his veep choice, Gov. Sarah Palin, drummed up almost 40 million viewers, which is nearly as big a crowd as watched Democrat Barack Obama accept his nomination.

As good citizens, we all should watch the three presidential and one vice-presidential debates that are coming. The first one, Obama vs. McCain, is Friday, Sept. 26. To prepare for this final TV assault of the candidates, let’s all take a break and watch “SpongeBob” or something. It’s time even for political junkies to step away.

The Republican’s veep nominee attracted 37,244,000 viewers on Wednesday night, according to Nielsen Media Research.

That’s 13 million more than watched Democratic veep nominee Joe Biden and close to the 38.4 million viewers who watched Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama’s acceptance speech in Denver.

Who said politics can’t draw a crowd!

Absolutely not. McCain has managed to upstage himself at his own Republican National Convention. But in terms of stirring interest in a convention that seemed doomed by comparison to the slickly produced drama of the Democrats, Palin was the best thing that could have happened to the Republicans.

Consider: Before McCain announced his choice for veep, the prospect of endless speeches by a bunch of aging conservatives was daunting. Although the broadcast networks — ABC, CBS and NBC — had only planned an hour of prime time anyway, head-scratching was underway about how exactly to fill that hour.

But then along came unknown Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, a former beauty queen with zero national exposure, and suddenly there was excitement all over the place — not all of it welcomed by the Republicans. But even frantic attention has got to be better than no attention, right?

It’s almost as if McCain planned the frenzy. If indeed he already knew about Palin’s pregnant teenage daughter and the investigation into “trooper-gate” back home on the frozen tundra, he must have known that the media and the country would soon be electrified by his choice.

The TV coverage, which might have been lethargic on the heels of Barack Obama’s inspiring speech before 84,000 people in Denver, has thus been anything but. The Republicans were able to gin it up even further by attacking the media for investigating the unknown veep nominee and her family.

CNN’s Campbell Brown got into a shouting match with Republican strategist Tucker Eskew, Fox’s Sean Hannity got into a shouting match with Obama campaign spokesman Robert Gibbs and (here’s the really BIG news) Obama is scheduled to be interviewed by Bill O’Reilly tonight on Fox — before McCain makes his grand entrance!

As a theatrical production, the Republican convention has paled compared to the Denver gathering. It’s a smaller number of delegates, which makes the crowd seem tamer, and that enormous, scene-changing screen behind the speaker’s podium is distracting. Fred Thompson, a very large man, was dwarfed by the waving flag and mountain scenes, and Rudy Giuliani looked momentarily confused by the looming monstrosity when he came out onto the stage.

I may have missed it, while flipping from cable news to PBS to the broadcast networks, but I saw no coverage of Ron Paul’s mini-convention that apparently took place in Minneapolis. That’s good news for the Republicans.

The TV ratings have not been touted this week the way they were in Denver — which probably means not as many people have been tuning in. Although I bet last night’s Palin speech did extremely well.

For the Democratic convention, CNN topped the ratings, beating the broadcast networks as well as cable competitors. Fox came in second, and MSNBC, which has a definite liberal slant (thanks to Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann), finished a distant third among the cable nets.

We can probably expect Fox to win the war this time around.

UPDATE: The ratings for Tuesday night’s RNC are here, delayed by the Labor Day holiday:

9 to 10 p.m. - Broadcast + Cable ratings for Tuesday of RNC

FOX: 6,179,000

NBC: 4,468,000

CNN: 3,220,000

ABC: 3,098,000

CBS: 2,928,000

MSNBC: 1,590,000

The homeroom bell hasn’t even sounded at West Beverly Hills High School before Pollyannaish Annie Wilson (Shenae Grimes) accidentally spots Ethan Ward (Dustin Milligan), her summer sweetheart from two years ago, receiving — um, to put it delicately — oral pleasure in his SUV in the school parking lot. And thus begins the unceasing drama of “90210.”

During the next two hours of the reprised series, we learn that not only is this new generation of privileged California teens more sexually advanced than their 1990s-era predecessors, but they also are wealthier (luxury cars, plus private jets), partying harder (Keith Richards has nothing on their cache of drugs and alcohol) and more tech savvy (blogs, Webisodes and texting abound).

As a “90210” fan from way back, I have to admit the best part was seeing “frienemies,” Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth), now a student counselor, and Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) reunite over coffee served up by Nat at the Peach Pit.

And now I’m left trying to figure out if Kelly’s 4-year-old son belongs to Dylan or Brandon. A cryptic phone call alludes to Brandon, but I think the writers are toying with us.

As a current “Gossip Girl” enthusiast though, I found myself longing for the lighthearted humor and constant scheming found within the New York prep school crowd. Sigh.

It’s been nine months since last we saw Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) and his merry band of corrupt, foul-mouthed cops, so it’s going to take more than the 60-second “catch-up” scenes provided at the beginning of tonight’s episode.

Complications abound, from the various gang contingencies to the twisted relationship between Vic and Shane (Walton Goggins) to the ongoing diabolical dealings at The Barn.

Vic is still struggling to get his job back (he’s working now but scheduled to hit forced retirement any minute), and he’s getting more desperate about the situation all the time.

The show’s creator, Shawn Ryan, hinted at the Television Critics Association meetings in July that the final episode, coming in November, will see Vic “pay for his sins.” You might recall that those sins started with a bang in the pilot when he shot a fellow officer in cold blood.

“The Shield” has always been about the thin line between good and evil, and nobody has exemplified that better than Vic — except maybe Shane, who blew up and then shot partner Lem in a particularly stunning encounter last year.

It’s been a breathtaking ride, and tonight’s season opener is appropriately chilling. I’ve seen it. I can’t wait for more.

‘90210’ … A new guilty pleasure?

“90210” debuts tonight, minus reviews because the CW refused to send out screeners. Fine.

Clips indicate this 21st-century version of the ‘90s teen saga just might live up to expectations. The two-hour premiere tonight (7 to 9 p.m.) introduces the very pretty cast and sets up the new family’s dynamics.

For more details on the spinoff, check out today’s TV column on the front of Life & Arts.

We’re big time now … sort of!

Austin has finally broken into the Top 50 TV markets.

In the recently announced new market rankings from the Nielsen Co., Austin moved up from No. 51 to No. 49.

New York is still top dog, followed by Los Angeles and Chicago. The biggest TV market in Texas is Dallas-Fort Worth, at No. 5. Houston is 10th and San Antonio is 37th.

Sunday

“Mad Men,” 9 p.m. on AMC — After weeks of Olympics and politics, I’m way behind on one of my favorite shows. (You can catch up on the current season with a marathon starting at 4 p.m.) Tonight’s episode finds deals with the fall-out over the blown American Airlines deal.

Monday

“Republican Convention,” 7 to 10 p.m. on PBS, 9 to 10 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — On the Republicans’ first night in St. Paul, Minn., President Bush and Vice President Cheney will address the faithful. As always, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and C-SPAN will be there, too.

“Prison Break,” 7 p.m. on Fox — In tonight’s fourth-season opener, Michael (Wentworth Miller) skulks around in Los Angeles in search of the evil folks he believes are responsible for Sara’s murder If you’ve seen the promos, however, you already know that Sara (with her head) is alive.

“Gossip Girl,” 7 p.m. on CW — Talk about guilty pleasures. This teen melodrama returns with even more heat among the lovely pleasure-seekers romping through private schools and clubs in New York. Just tell yourself, “It’s silly, but it’s OK to watch.”

“Raising the Bar,” 9 p.m. on TNT — Legendary producer Steven Bochco (“Hill Street Blues,” “NYPD Blue”) serves up a flashy-looking legal drama with a fine cast that includes Mark-Paul Gosselaar (with terrible hair), Gloria Reuben and Jane Kaczmarek. Sadly, the pilot is not up to Bochco’s usual genius.

Tuesday

“Republican Convention,” 7 to 10 p.m. on PBS, 9 to 10 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — At press time for this section of the newspaper, the featured speaker had not been confirmed.

“The Shield,” 9 p.m. on FX — This gritty crime drama begins its seventh and final season with Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) smoldering over a feud with Shane (Walton Goggins) and fretting over threats against his family. Smart money says Vic will pay for his sins (he killed a fellow cop in the pilot) when the show’s finale airs.

“90210,” 7 p.m. on CW — Is the new version of Aaron Spelling’s ‘90s teen sudser any good? Only the network and production team know for sure. CW declined to “spoil the premiere” by sending out screeners. If you loved the Beverly Hills gang before, maybe you’ll love the newcomers now.

Wednesday

“Republican Convention,” 7 to 10 p.m. on PBS, 9 to 10 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — The Republican vice presidential nominee, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, speaks tonight.

“Bones,” 7 p.m. on Fox — To launch its fourth season, Brennan and Booth head to London to assist in a murder investigation involving an American woman. Hanky-panky in Harrod’s? Maybe.

“Sons of Anarchy,” 9 p.m. on FX — This dark drama, set in the morally murky world of a California motorcycle club, does what FX series do best: presents characters that straddle the line between good and evil. Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal and hunky Aussie Charlie Hunnam star. Decidedly adult content and language.

Thursday

“Republican Convention,” 7 to 10 p.m. on PBS, 9 to 10 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — Sen. John McCain accepts his party’s nomination for president; balloons will fall.

Friday

“Stand Up to Cancer,” 7 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — Christina Applegate, who recently underwent a double mastectomy, is a headliner for this fundraiser for cancer research. Also scheduled to appear: Austin’s own Lance Armstrong, Jennifer Aniston, Meryl Streep, Forest Whitaker, David Cook and Scarlett Johansson.

Saturday

“U.S. Open Tennis,” 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 p.m. on CBS — The men’s semi-final action today, followed by the women’s final at night.

Oops, I forgot. The U.S. Open Tennis Championship is on CBS all weekend … But nah, I’ve got to get up and out of the house. Eyes glazing over, rump numbing into permanent paralysis. Must hit the gym and the hike-and-bike trail.

“So, what did you think of the Democratic extravaganza?” a snarky-sounding reader wanted to know this morning. This was a man demanding to know if I would be blogging as much about the Republican National Convention as I did the Dems.

First, I thought the Dems did a whale of a job with their Denver convention. A Republican friend of mine said he was so riveted by the speeches and musical performances that he was glued through the whole thing. He said it was the “best-produced” convention he’d ever seen, and he’s seen a few.

I can’t help thinking the broadcast networks must have regretted their decision to air entertainment reruns instead of convention coverage, except for that last 9 to 10 p.m. hour. PBS probably did boffo business as the only broadcast network to provide three hours in prime time.

The evening portions of the convention ran on time and without disaster, Monday through Thursday. Who can ask for anything more?

Those of us of a certain age remember disastrous Democratic conventions when disorganization and bedlam took over, and the nominee was stuck making an acceptance speech on national TV after midnight on the East Coast.

Were last night’s fireworks a bit over the top? Maybe. But when some 80,000-plus people wait all day to get into the stadium to hear Barack Obama make history, you might as well give ‘em a little extra fun.

Fireworks and confetti were really the only possibilities, since the open-air stadium made the traditional balloon-drop impossible.

As for next week’s Republican marathon? Absolutely, I’ll be watching and blogging. I love politics, and I love a good show. Color me there.

Tough economic times continue to ripple through Austin media, most recently striking CBS station KEYE in the form of layoffs.

A couple of weeks ago, 14 of the station’s approximately 110 employees were quietly let go. Most of them worked in sales and administration. Next will be the departure of some of the station’s on-camera personnel.

KEYE general manager Amy Villarreal confirmed Wednesday that the station has decided to drop chief meteorologist Byron Webre, morning co-anchor Elizabeth Dannheim and veteran reporter Keith Elkins. Reporter Rebecca Taylor also will leave at the end of her contract.

“We are restructuring on-air talent, and there will be some changes beginning next week,” Villarreal said. “We are adjusting to accommodate what’s going on in the industry. The economy is down and advertising is down, so we’re making some tough calls. But we’ll come out of it when the economy comes back, and we’ll be well-positioned for the future.”

Because they have been instructed by station management not to comment on the down-sizing situation, none of the newsroom staff would speak on the record. The previous wave of layoffs included the station’s long-time receptionist Rose Davis and community affairs manager Thad Rosenfeld, who is married to KEYE news anchor Judy Maggio.

Villarreal shot down reports that the entire newsroom had been asked to take salary cuts or that, as one anonymous e-mailer claimed, the lights had been turned off in the station’s hallways to save money.

KEYE is owned by New York-based Cerberus Capital Management, which bought the station from CBS in February 2007 in a seven station deal worth $185 million.

Until recently, KEYE routinely finished third or fourth in the ratings among local newscasts, behind top-rated KVUE and second-place KXAN. But after launching the first high-definition local newscast last November, KEYE’s ratings began to improve, and in the most recent May ratings, the station finished second behind KVUE at 10 p.m.

The precision dance team from San Marcos will appear on Tuesday’s two-hour edition (starting at 7 p.m.) of the popular NBC reality show.

Not all of the 79 members of the team will appear, but director-choreographer Susan Angell-Gonzalez will present 14 of the kickers:

Rebecca Freeman — Conroe

Ashley Caterina — Friendswood

Julia Kelly — Round Rock

Kayla Hamilton — New Braunfels

Katie Quisenberry — Houston

Taryn Smith — Alvin

Sterling Martin — San Antonio

Jill Ellis — Luling

Ashley Pergande — Clear Lake

Rebecca Samuelson — Friendswood

Adriana Hattenberger — Houston

Kristin Juengel — Friendswood

Lindsey O’Neal — Bryan

Danielle Barone — Keller

The Strutters have been strutting for Texas State’s beloved Bobcats for 49 years, and they’ve performed in 22 countries around the world.

They were the first U.S. dance team to perform in the People’s Republic of China, according to the school. And they have hoofed it up at presidential inaugural parades, Macy’s Thanksgiving parades and various TV commercials and films.

Now their challenge is to impress David Hasselhoff.

The Dems draw a crowd in their convention debut

The Democrats pulled in a big audience on Monday’s convention opening night when Michelle Obama was the featured speaker. It was also the night ailing Ted Kennedy wowed the crowd with a surprise appearance.

At least 21 million viewers watched the Monday night coverage, according to Nielsen Media Research. That’s an improvement over the first night of the 2004 Democratic convention, when 18 million viewers tuned in.

The ratings represent the combined viewership of the three cable news networks and the four broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS).

If the audience builds higher toward Barack Obama’s much anticipated acceptance speech Thursday night, it could be a record-breaker.

Showcasing the wife of the nominee on the first night of the Democratic convention in Denver left broadcast and cable networks with a soft feature when they were hungry for some serious news … or at least some meaty politics.

For days anchors and reporters have been stoking the fire between the Obama and Clinton contingencies. Nothing had really sparked.

But then Uncle Teddy arrived in Denver late Sunday night, draped in mystery. All day Monday CNN, MSNBC and Fox News speculated on whether the ailing senator, who has been battling brain cancer since May, would make an appearance. Even Kennedy family members traveling with him seemed unsure what would happen.

But early in the evening yesterday, word spread that Uncle Teddy was indeed at the convention center.

Was he walking or would he be rolled onto the stage in a wheelchair? Would he speak? Could he speak? CNN’s Wolf Blitzer said a short speech had been written. Maybe Kennedy would deliver it. Fox’s Chris Wallace speculated that if Sen. Kennedy was in the building, there seemed little doubt he would make an appearance.

Suspense built, and the made-for-TV moment left even the crustiest reporters semi-speechless.

NBC’s Brian Williams and ABC’s Charles Gibson struggled to muster words when the “Lion of the Senate” walked out on the stage (without assistance), pushed aside a stool at the podium and mustered his full voice and enthusiasm to nail one of the best speeches of his career.

It was pure drama. What will Hillary Clinton say tonight? How about her husband, apparently still ticked off about the primary campaign his wife lost? And Barack Obama’s acceptance speech in the middle of a massive football stadium? Will it be exciting or just a huge spectacle?

There might be more big moments ahead for partisans to enjoy in Denver, but the sheer suspense and excitement of Uncle Teddy taking over Denver was a real cliffhanger — with a climax worthy of the Beijing Olympics.

Before we settle into coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions — potential first lady Michelle Barack is the first featured Democratic star tonight in Denver — we pause to take a quick look at last night’s closing ceremony from Bejing.

Although it degenerated into something vaguely reminiscent of a Las Vegas extravaganza, the official closer nevertheless had its moments.

The human tower of dancers switching from impersonating flowers to metal siding to lapping flames, the drummers turning themselves from one thing into another, the fireworks that turned much of Beijng from night to day …

The Chinese certainly proved capable of putting on a show. And, according to many athletes interviewed over the past 17 days, the Chinese also put on an extraordinarily well-run and enjoyable sporting competition.

Polite and enthusiastic crowds filled nearly all the venues, whether Chinese athletes were performing or not. Yes, the cheers for home competitors were heartier (I believe “near deafening” is how one commentator put it), but Americans and others were greeted extremely warmly, too.

London in 2012 has some very big shoes to fill.

Next round of hoofers on ‘Dancing wth the Stars’

When this wildly popular reality competition returns to ABC on Sept. 22, one of the celebrity competitors will be an 82-year-old actress and an 18-year-old actor.

Seriously. I’m not making this up.

Joining relative whippersnappers like singers Lance Bance and Toni Braxton will be Cloris Leachman, a nine-time Emmy winner perhaps best known as Mary Tyler Moore’s best pal Phyllis on the old “MTM Show.”

According to many sources, Leachman was born in April of 1926. So, unless my math is mistaken, she’s 82. Talk about ground-breaking!

The new season of “Dancing” also will include 18-year-old actor Cody Linley, best known as Jake Ryan on Disney’s series “Hannah Montana.”

Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, sprinter Maurice Greene, reality celebutante Kim Kardashian, soap star Susan Lucci, gold-medal beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor, B-list actor Ted McGinley and retired NFL defensive back Warren Sapp also will be among the competitors.

Sunday

“Beijing Olympics,” 6 p.m. on NBC — Whew! Seems longer than usual this time, doesn’t it? The Summer Games conclude tonight, after 17 days of excitement. The Beijing brass pass the baton to London, where the 2012 Olympics will be held.

“Z Rock,” 10:30 p.m. on IFC — A cross between reality and fiction, this 10-episode comedy follows brothers Paulie Z and David Z and their friend Joey as they struggle to find fame as the Brooklyn-based rock band Z02. The party-hardy guys play the kiddie birthday circuit to make ends meet. A slighter version of HBO’s “Flight of the Conchords.”

Monday

“Democratic National Convention,” 7 p.m. on PBS, 9 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — Big presidential politics, big-time speakers. Cable nets Fox News, CNN and MSNBC will be all over this four-day event this week in Denver, too. Tonight’s featured speaker is potential first lady Michelle Obama.

“U.S. Open Tennis Championship,” 6 p.m. on USA — The final grand slam event of the pro tennis season begins today. USA has early-round action all day (starting at 10 a.m.) and into the night.

“America’s Toughest Jobs,” 8 p.m. on NBC — From the producer of “Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers,” this new reality show dares 13 men and women to abandon their regular jobs to compete in extreme employment — like driving an 18-wheeler around the Arctic Circle. Hays High School algebra teacher Sandy Gabriel is among the contestants.

Tuesday

“Democratic Convention,” 7 p.m. on PBS, 9 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — Following tonight’s keynote speaker, former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, Sen. Hillary Clinton takes to the podium.

“The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency,” 9 p.m. on Oxygen — Hard-charging former supermodel Dickinson begins the fourth season of her reality show with a scary new rule: model wannabes have to live in her Hollywood Hills mansion during the competition.

Wednesday

“Democratic Convention,” 7 p.m. on PBS, 9 p.m. on ABC, CBS and NBC — Former President Bill Clinton speaks first, and he’s likely to upstage Obama’s veep choice.

“Taboo,” 9 p.m. on NGC — Freakish stuff given the classy treatment by National Geographic, this episode looks at “extreme healing” from around the world. Psychic surgery by a shaman, exorcisms … makes you sick just watching.

Thursday

“NFL Preseason Football,” 7 p.m. on CBS — The Dallas Cowboys take on the Minnesota Vikings in Big D. The real pigskin season is just around the corner. KEYE decided to preempt the final night of the Democratic Convention to carry the ‘Pokes.

“Democratic Convention,” 7 p.m. on PBS, 9 p.m. on ABC and NBC — Sen. Barack Obama accepts the nomination for president at the Denver Bronco’s 75,000-seat outdoor stadium. How will they drop the balloons from an open venue?

Friday

“Swingtown,” 9 p.m. on CBS — Roger and Susan plan a surprise party for Janet that sparks shocking revelations. This episode leads up to next Friday’s season finale, which will be part-conclusion and part-cliffhanger. CBS hasn’t ruled out a midseason return.

Saturday

“U.S. Open Tennis Championship,” 10 a.m. — All day and into the night, it’s third-round action.

“Austin City Limits,” 7 p.m. on PBS — The New Orleans Social Club celebrates the ravaged city’s musical history and culture.

Now, raise your hand if you’re a parent and your child suddenly thinks it’s alright to hit people.

Is anybody worried that their kids kid will be terrified of a purse-carrying grandma next time they run into one?

I’m referring to that desperately overplayed commercial featuring a youngish man who drives his car into the side of an elderly couple’s car in a parking lot. The man hops out of his car, effusively apologizing to the old folks.

“Please forgive me,” he says earnestly.

The elderly woman replies, leaping out of her damaged car, “I’ll show you forgiveness!” and proceeds to beat him mercilessly with her purse.

Apparently this ad is quite the talk of outraged parents. And it even prompted a local minister to deliver a scathing review of it in a sermon last week. The man asks for forgiveness; the woman attacks him. Not good Christian behavior.

I confess I chuckled the first time I saw the ad. The old woman reminds me of my own late-great granny. Not the purse-wielding but the general aggressive spunkiness.

But now I’m sick of it and can see how it might not be such a good thing for children to see (repeatedly) during the Olympics.

Thoughts?

Basic cable networks such as USA and TNT attracted a massive total audience that averaged 51 million prime-time viewers from May 26 through Aug. 17.

A small portion of the growth came from cable news networks, thanks to the excitement over the presidential campaign season.

Compared to the summer of 2004, the previous presidential season, this summer saw a 13 percent increase in basic cable ratings, according to Turner Research and Nielsen Media.

TNT’s “The Closer” maintained its top ranking among cable series. That’s no surprise.

But AMC’s “Mad Men,” which launched its second season with mammoth publicity and a slew of Emmy nominations, has seen its ratings tumble 45 percent since its July debut. That’s a surprise, and not a good one.

USA network, home to “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Burn Notice,” “Monk” and “Psych,” was the No. 1 basic cable network this summer. The highest-rated new series on cable was USA’s “In Plain Sight.”

Other hits this summer: Disney’s original movie “Camp Rock,” ABC Family’s “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” A&E’s miniseries “The Andromeda Strain,” Lifetime’s “Army Wives,” Oxygen’s “Tori & Dean” and MTV’s “The Hills.”

Bravo’s “Project Runway” slipped from previous seasons, but the fashionista competition is one of the most-recorded shows on cable, typically boosting its ratings by nearly 75 percent with DVR use.

Gentle but still in your face: Margaret Cho returns

Korean-born comedian Margaret Cho, one of the funniest ethnic standups working today, launches her new VH1 show tonight at 10.

“The Cho Show” arrives 13 years after “All American Girl,” her ABC sitcom that failed, according to some ABC execs, because Cho was “too Asian.” Which, of course, was the point.

After some personal challenges, Cho got back on the standup circuit, honed her craft and nursed her wounded self-esteem back to health.

The new show is partly scripted and partly not and chronicles her struggle with Korean American identity. In tonight’s opener, she takes a hilarious turn with a gay stylist who tries to convince her to dress in body paint (rather than actual clothing) to accept a Korean of the Year Award.