tuesday
Good grief, it seems like there’s a lot of new stuff on tonight, especially considering it’s the middle of June!
I miss those long summer vacations I had when I was a kid. I spent those summers watching a lot of TV, of course. Were I home (and not at work), I’d be watching Scarecrow & Mrs. King (PAX, 2pm), Remington Steele (PAX, 3pm), Magnum, P.I. (A&E, 4pm), and maybe The Rockford Files (TNN, 5pm). Cool.
Muhammad Ali’s daughter Laila Ali is profiled on a new episode of Intimate Portraits (Lifetime, 6pm).
All sorts of major stuff happens in “The Summoning” episode of Babylon 5 (Sci-Fi, 6pm, letterboxed), but the same thing could be said for most fourth season episodes.
The “Limbo” episode of China Beach (History Channel, 1pm and 6pm) gets to me every time. Sadly, it’s not about the party game/dance, but another kind of limbo.
Stephen Fry plays Oscar Wilde in Wilde (Bravo, 6:30pm, 10pm). Jude Law also stars. Part of Bravo’s Out of the Closet programming.
Series premiere of the PBS documentary series P.O.V. (PBS, check your local listings-might air on different day in some markets). The first documentary of the season is Scout’s Honor, the tale of a 13-year-old scout and a 69-year-old Scoutmaster who try to change the Boy Scouts of America policy towards homosexuals. And oh yeah– those scouts doing that? They’re straight.
Series premiere of Go Fish (NBC, 7pm, 7:30pm). Kieran Culkin stars as a high school freshman who has a hard time living up to his legendary older brother, who is now a teacher at the high school. This show was created by Adam Herz (of American Pie fame) and Andy Dick, Kristin Lehman, Will Friedle and Joe Flaherty are also in it. Looks like it’s more comedy than dramedy. I have no earthly idea if it’s any good, but the fact that it’s premiering during June says something. Two half hour episodes air back to back.
New episode of Crocodile Hunter (Animal Planet, 7pm) and it involves snakes. Oh boy.
The Manchurian Candidate (AMC, 7pm, 1am) made that AFI list of heart-pounding movies, and with good reason.
Maybe you, like most people, make fun of JAG (CBS, 7pm) and see it as just another past-it’s-prime show for old folks on CBS. Well if none of tonight’s new programming sounds appealing, I say give JAG a chance. It’s really not that bad. Tonight’s episode is the first part of a 2-part episode that involves “life threatening dilemnas” and “a spy” and a “Russian assassination plot.”
Hyde is arrested for possession and Red is gonna throw him out of the house and then Eric makes a confession (oh-oh) on a very funny That ’70s Show (FOX, 7pm).
Declan’s mentor begins having bizarre visions, including visions of alien spaceships, clowns and the Big Bad Wolf. On Mysterious Ways (PAX, 7pm). Barry Corbin guest stars.
Law & Order is now on four times each weekday on A&E, plus twice on Tuesdays on TNT (TNT, 7pm and 9pm). And on NBC at least once a week, sometimes more often than that. Wow.
The very funny (IMHO) Jon Stewart is on Larry King Live (CNN, 8pm, 11pm).
A “model with a Witchblade connection” is murdered on a new episode of Witchblade (TNT, 8pm and 10pm). Yancy Butler stars. With David Chokachi, Anthony Cistaro, Eric Etebari, Will Yun Lee.
Part 3 (of 6) of the new documentary Hitler’s Holocaust (History Channel, 8pm and midnight).
Behold The Real World 10th Anniversary special (MTV, 8pm-9:30pm).
Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer host the first ever BET Awards (BET, 8pm). Including performances by Sisqo, Eve, and Destiny’s Child (what show don’t they perform on?). Whitney Houston receives a lifetime achievement award.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (of Saved By the Bell fame, soon to be a regular on NYPD Blue) stars in the new made for cable movie Beer Money (USA, 8pm, 10pm). I couldn’t make this description up if I tried: “Three boozy buddies plan to sell the alien they just shot to the producers of a hit television show.” For beer money, presumably. Whoa.
Rerun of the 19th episode of Boston Public (FOX, 8pm). In other words, one that just aired for the first time a few weeks ago. Wherein a student threatens another student and a teacher is concerned about yet another student (whose Mom is played by Kathy Baker) and another teacher gets involved with a former student. Can you tell the show is set at a school?
Jesse Ventura is profiled on True Hollywood Story (E!, 8pm).
John Glenn guest stars on Frasier (NBC, 8pm).
“Aldo’s girlfriend suspects Kristin of putting the moves on her man; Tommy butts heads with a mobster” on a new episode of Kristin (NBC, 8:30pm). I know it’s wrong, but I kindof like this show in an “I’m not expecting this to be good at all” kindof way. Well, I like Kristin herself, the other characters are bland bland bland.
Parts 3 & 4 (of 8) of Gay Riviera (Bravo, 9pm and 9:30pm; 12:30am, 1am). Reality series that follows gay and lesbians in New York City and Miami Beach.
A mad scientist torments Notch and company in a new episode of Son of the Beach (FX, 9pm) called “The Island of Dr. Merlot.” John O’Hurley guest stars.
It’s a Bakersfield, P.D. reunion! (Very few people care, I know). Ron Eldard guest stars as a father who holds his kids at gunpoint in the “Lines of Fire” episode of Homicide: Life on the Street (Court TV, 10pm). He faces off against Giancarlo Esposito as Mike Giardello.
Tom Arnold and David Sedaris are guests on The Late Show w/ David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm). I’m thinking that which of these names is more familiar to you and which guy you think is funnier probably says a lot. (So what does it say about me that I like them both? Though it’s cooler to like Sedaris, undoubtedly).
Martin Short on Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:35pm).
A funny double date disaster in the “Small Town” episode of Sports Night (Comedy Central, 12:30am).
Gary Oldman plays Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears (Bravo, 1:30am). Directed by Stephen Frears. With Alfred Molina, Vanessa Redgrave, and Wallace Shawn.
