wednesday
Game 3 of the 1986 National League Championship Series (ESPN Classic, 2:30pm). Astros vs. Mets. A great game that I watched when it originally aired.
T.C.’s daughter is kidnapped on Magnum, P.I. (A&E, 4pm).
The Sci-Fi channel’s weekday reruns of Star Trek (Sci-Fi, 4pm) cycled back to the beginning not too long ago. It’s fun to watch these early first season episodes, from back when Star Trek was new. Today’s episode is “Charlie X”. Uhura sings, Spock plays an instrument, surely you know the one.
The “Ghosts” episode of China Beach (History Channel, 1pm and 6pm).
So now what? If you’re watching Babylon 5 (Sci-Fi, 6pm, letterboxed) this time around, you’re probably asking that question. If you’ve seen it before, you know, but you still want to see it play out. I just know there’s a scene in this episode that always makes me cry (or come darn close). There are funny bits and exciting bits, too, of course.
The leader of a church board (that used car salesman guy played by Peter Gerety) wants to fire a minister played by Charles S. Dutton because he’s not exciting enough. Guess which bowling alley lawyer defends Dutton? Yup, that’d be Ed (NBC, 7pm).
The folks who do Pop Up Video take on The Brady Bunch (Nick, 8pm – midnight) tonight. Yes, it’s Pop Up Brady! Whee! Expect 125 or so bits of pop-up trivia/nonsense per episode. Yikes. But you know it’s going to be fun, don’t you? What’s scary is how much of the stuff we probably already know.
Part 3 (of 4) of Robocop: Prime Directives (Sci-Fi, 8pm-10pm; 11pm-1am).
It’s another truly fine first season episode of The West Wing (NBC, 8pm). This is the one where Charlie first appears, applying for a far different job than the one he lands. The President reacts very strongly when a plane carrying servicemen is shot down. And then there’s Sam’s situation with the call girl . . . This is one of the first episodes I really liked (after the disappointing pilot episode).
Buffy goes on a vision quest in the desert while the BuffyBot somehow fools some people back in Sunnydale on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (WB, 8pm). And then Glory captures Spike . . . Much to my amazement, I really like this episode (never thought I’d say that about an episode that features a BuffyBot!).
The “head games” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm) is about cabbage, of course. Have I mentioned the fact that Good Eats is one of the best shows on the air? Who’d've thunk it?
Part 2 (of 2) of a new episode of Family Guy (FOX, 8:30pm). With guest voices Ron Jeremy and Ray Liotta.
Alice and Tamir are taken hostage by a rebel colonel on a new episode of The Beast (ABC, 9pm). Dennis Weaver guest stars. Part 2 (of 2).
Melissa Etheridge is profiled on a new Celebrity Profile (E!, 9pm).
Debbie Morgan guest stars on a new episode of Soul Food (Showtime, 9pm).
Those thirtysomething reruns just keep on coming (Bravo, 9pm, 1am weekdays, repeating at 5pm the next day).
Nathan Lane and Molly Shannon are “interviewed” on a new episode of Primetime Glick (Comedy Central, 9:30pm). Joe Flaherty guest stars as Glick’s brother.
“The Last of the Watermen” is, in my humble opinion, a wonderful episode of Homicide: Life on the Street (Court TV, 10pm). It’s a departure for the series, as Detective Kay Howard (Melissa Leo) gets fed up with the crime in Baltimore and takes off to visit her family and friends in the place where she grew up. It affords us a chance to see some gorgeous scenery and a different side of Kay. And as if that isn’t cool enough, back in Baltimore, Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher) ends up temporarily assigned to work with Beau Felton (Daniel Baldwin)– something that always makes for good drama and comedy. I can’t hear the Counting Crows’ song “Raining in Baltimore” without thinking of this episode. This episode was written by Henry Bromell (writer/director of the recent film Panic) and Tom Fontana. Harlee McBride (Richard Belzer’s real-life wife) makes her debut in this episode as Alyssa Dyer.
Ed Norton on The Daily Show w/ Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).
John McEnroe, Yousou N’Dour on The Late Show w/ David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).
Thomas Cavanagh (a.k.a. the guy who plays TV’s Ed), Melissa Etheridge on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).
William H. Macy on Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:35pm).
Thora Birch on The Late Late Show (CBS, check your local listings).
