wednesday
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Late Night
Futurama possibly in danger of cancellation. But not exactly. FOX just isn’t ordering more episodes given they still have like 14 episodes that haven’t aired since the show is bumped so much by football.
If you’re like a lot of people (myself included), on Wednesday nights you usually watch The West Wing and Law & Order (and maybe also Ed) on NBC. Well, those shows aren’t on tonight because of Olympic coverage, so it’s a good opportunity to see what else is on Wednesday nights (unless you’re hopelessly hooked on the Olympics in which case you’ll probably still be watching NBC; though I personally prefer recording the late night rerun of NBC’s coverage so I can fast forward through the events or competitors I’m not interested in. But I’m kooky like that).
The best non-NBC show on Wednesday nights? It’s The Job (ABC, 8:30pm). Denis Leary stars in this show about cops in NYC. Leary also writes for the show and it’s usually very very funny. Good ensemble, sharp writing, it’s probably the funniest half hour show on the air this season. It’s worth going out of your way to try and see it (even on nights when The West Wing is on).
Do yourself a favor, if you’re going to watch The Job, don’t watch Drew Carey (ABC, 8pm) before it . . . that show stopped being funny years ago. Instead? Watch The Bernie Mac Show (FOX, 8pm). One of the funniest new sitcoms this season. Or watch Good Eats (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm) which is always, well . . . good.
Some of my Star Trek-loving friends swear by Enterprise (UPN, 7pm). I watched a couple of episodes and actively disliked it, mostly because none of the character grabbed me and a couple (including the Vulcan) flat out annoyed me. But smart cool people I trust say the show improves and that the characters grow on you and that it’s kindof fun to have ‘em out exploring the galaxy back in the days when Starfleet didn’t yet know what to expect. So it’s probably worth giving it a shot. And in most markets the show airs again on UPN on Saturday night, so you don’t have to miss Ed when it’s on.
The Job (ABC, 8:30pm)
Good Eats (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm)
The Bernie Mac Show (FOX, 8pm)
Winter Olympics (NBC, 7pm; rerun at 12:35am or so; also CNBC)
How to de-stress your life on today’s Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).
Bester and Garibaldi face off in the “Phoenix Rising” episode of Babylon 5 (Sci-Fi, 4pm, letterboxed).
If you’re watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 5pm, 6pm) episodes for the first time around and have been wondering what’s up with those guys in uniform, there’s some explanation in the episode “The Initiative”. And then the gang celebrates Thanksgiving in “Pangs.”
Winter Olympics (NBC, CNBC).
You could tune in to That ’80s Show (FOX, 7pm) to see just how very bad it is. But don’t forget I warned you.
Trip and Reed are stranded in a shuttlecraft drifting in an asteroid field on Enterprise (UPN, 7pm). I hate it when that happens.
Mandy Patinkin and James Caan star in Alien Nation (AMC, 7pm and 1am).
Emeril Live: Decadent Chocolates (Food Network, 7pm and 10pm).
Joey gets involved with a robber in order to try and find out something about her father or something on Dawson’s Creek (WB, 7pm). Whatever.
“Art of Darkness II: Cocoa” on Good Eats (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm). Hot chocolate, brownies, sorbet, making your own chocolate syrup . . . mmmmmm, chocolate.
Bernie’s stint on a local radio show upsets his family on The Bernie Mac Show (FOX, 8pm).
Hydrofoil episode of Junkyard Wars (TLC, 8pm and 11pm).
Vampiric vixens come to town on Glory Days (WB, 8pm).
Andre Braugher guest stars as Dr. Ben Gideon in the “Gideon’s Crossover” rerun of The Practice (FX, 8pm). Rerun. Braugher isn’t in the episode much at all, actually. But since I miss Gideon’s Crossing and Braugher is among my favorite actors, I felt obligated to mention it.
McNeil suspects that Toni is cheating on him with her boss on The Job (ABC, 8:30pm).
If you missed it on Sunday, you get another chance to see Bruce Willis on Inside the Actor’s Studio (Bravo, 9pm and midnight).
A Fragile Freedom: African-American Historic Sites (History Channel, 9pm and 1am).
Yet another airing of the excellent “Variety Show” installment of Inside TV Land: African Americans on Television (TV Land, 9pm).
The homes of soap stars Kin Shriner, Julia Barr, and Crystal Chappell on Soap Pads II (HGTV, 9pm and midnight).
Ralph Nader on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).
Snowboarding gold medalist Kelly Clark, Jeri Ryan, on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).
Freddie Prinze Jr., Picabo Street, Barenaked Ladies on The Olympic Tonight Show (NBC, 11:05pm).
Jay Thomas, Holly Marie Combs on The Late Late Show (CBS, check your local listings).
Richard Lewis, Rosa Blasi on Politically Incorrect (ABC, check your local listings).
The best Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie is still Joe vs. the Volcano (TNT, midnight).
No Homicide rerun tonight on Court TV ‘cuz they’re airing a 90 minute NYPD Blue at 11pm.
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