Laurel’s TV Picks

Duck Dodgers (Cartoon Network, 10:30am, 3pm)
New episodes of Trading Spaces (TLC, 7pm and 10pm; 8pm and 11pm)
Series premiere of Clean Sweep (TLC, 9pm and midnight)
Season premiere of MAD TV (FOX, 10pm)
Beck, the Flaming Lips on Austin City Limits (PBS, check your local listings)
WKRP in Cincinnati TV Land, 11:30pm)

Deaths in our TV family: John Ritter, Johnny Cash, and Larry Hovis. I lack the right words just now (or would spend too long trying to find them). I’m very sad I won’t be able to count on seeing John Ritter add to the already ridiculously impressive roster of TV shows he’s been on. Sadder still for his family and friends. Don’t know what the fate of Eight Simple Rules will be, three episodes for this season have been filmed.

TV Land (and Nick at Night) mark the passing of John Ritter with some special programming on Sunday and Monday. Details still forthcoming (though you can find info via that link), I’ll have more details in my picks for Sunday and Monday.

Don’t forget to check out the 2003-04 Fall Schedule Grid (now with premiere dates!) and the TV on DVD page.

“The Pouch Principal” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 8:30am). If you love Good Eats, you’ll want to get Alton Brown’s award-winning book I’m Just Here For the Food and also his new book Alton Brown’s Gear for Your Kitchen

The Screaming Skull on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Sci-Fi, 8am).

Ally McBeal (FX, 9am, 10am).

Hitchcock’s Strangers On A Train (TCM, 9am). British version with extra scenes.

It’ll make you cry. Yet another airing of InsideOut: Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart (VH1, 10am).

Duck Dodgers (Cartoon Network, 10:30am, 3pm). Fun new show! Worth watching just for the opening credits (with theme song performed by Tom Jones & the Flaming Lips).

A&E weekend lineup: The Incurable Collector (A&E, 11am), House Beautiful (A&E, 11:30am), All Year Round with Katie Brown (A&E, Noon), The Well-Seasoned Traveler (A&E, 12:30pm), Sell This House! (A&E, 1pm), Makeover Mamas (A&E, 1:30pm).

Reruns of Trading Spaces (TLC, 11am), While You Were Out (TLC, Noon), and What Not To Wear (TLC, 1pm).

A makeover and a makeunder when two friends make each other over on Head 2 Toe (Lifetime, 11:30am).

Another reality show marathon on ABC Family, this time it’s of The Family (ABC Family, Noon - 9pm).

Miss an installment of The Reality of Reality? All five parts air again today (Bravo, Noon - 5pm; 12:30am - 4:30am). It’s an in-depth look at Reality TV. The one segment I watched (the first one) was pretty good.

CBS Sneak Peak (CBS, check your local listings) offers a preview of the new fall season on CBS.

The Joe Schmo Show (Spike, 1pm, 2pm).

Road Rules: South Pacific (MTV, 2:30pm - ).

Memorabilia Unwrapped (Food Network, 3pm).

Baseball: Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs (WGN, 3pm).

Surprise By Design (Discovery, 3pm, 4pm).

Celebrity Food Finds (Food Network, 4pm).

If you enjoy gardening and like trains, you’ll want to watch the Whistle Stop Gardens (HGTV, 4pm) special.

Reruns of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo, 5pm, 6pm).

Trading Spaces Family (TLC, 5pm).

The Postman Always Rings Twice (TCM, 5pm).

“Linebacker LaVar Arrington wants to surprise his brother Michael with a new gaming room” on While You Were Out (TLC, 6pm).

I wish I got Trio. Anyone want to tape some stuff for me? TV Out of the Box: The Shield (Trio, 6pm) is a look at the creative process and making of The Shield.

Will Ferrell, Eddie Izzard, Illeana Douglas and director Louis CK are Jon Favreau’s guests on Dinner for Five (IFC, 6:30pm). (I wish I got IFC, too).

TV Out of the Box : Andy Richter Controls the Universe (Trio, 7pm) is a look at what went into the fine show Andy Richter Controls The Universe.

The Magnificent Seven (TCM, 7pm, letterboxed).

Back to back new episodes of Trading Spaces (TLC, 7pm and 10pm; 8pm and 11pm). Doug and Christi in Minnesota with Amy Wynn; Hildi and Kia in Kentucky with Ty.

Series premiere (or “sneak preview” as TLC calls it) of Clean Sweep (TLC, 9pm and midnight). It’s yet another show where one person turns another person in– this time for having a room or home that is way-cluttered. Then a team of professional organizers shows up and goes nuts organizing things. Designers and carpenters help out, too. It sounds like two rooms are tackled in each episode, the husband tackles one and the wife the other or something like that. This is actually the fourth episode produced, airing tonight as a “sneak preview.” There’ll also be organizational tips presented throughout the show, of course.

Couple of reruns of recent episodes of Reno 911! (Comedy Central, 8pm and 10:30pm, 8:30pm and 11pm).

Yet another airing of this weeks episode of Peacemakers (USA, 9pm). Fun show!

The Great Escape (TCM, 9pm, letterboxed).

Swordfish on Iron Chef (Food Network, 9pm and midnight).

Lily is put in an awkward position when a woman confesses a crime to her while Lily’s acting as a grief counselor on Crossing Jordan (A&E, 9pm and 1am).

Rerun of the episode of The District (CBS, 9pm) which includes a funeral for the character of Ella, who was played by the late great Lynne Thigpen.

Three’s Company (Nick, 10pm, 10:30pm). Sigh.

Rerun of MI-5 (A&E, 10pm and 2am). Alexander Siddig guest stars.

Mya performs on the season premiere of MAD TV (FOX, 10pm).

Law & Order: SVU (USA, 10pm).

Jennifer Garner hosts (a rerun of) Saturday Night Live (NBC, check your local listings). With musical guest Beck.

Beck, the Flaming Lips on Austin City Limits (PBS, check your local listings).

Kitsch-en: Welcome Back, Kotter (TV Land, 11pm); WKRP in Cincinatti TV Land, 11:30pm); Square Pegs (TV Land, midnight); Tabitha (TV Land, 12:30am).

The Dirty Dozen (TCM, 12:15am, letterboxed).

Picks for Sunday will be online late Saturday or early Sunday (by Noon if at all possible).

Another great episode from the final season of China Beach (History Channel, 5am Sunday). It’s the one set in 1985 where McMurphy discovers she’s experiencing post traumatic stress syndrome. Adam Arkin, Ned Vaughn, and Vondie Curtis Hall guest star. Written by Carol Flint, directed by Mimi Leder. Only two more episodes after this one (parts 1 and 2 of the series finale). Here’s hoping the History Channel keeps airing the show, so those of you who’ve never seen it or haven’t seen it in a while can start watching it from the beginning in a couple of weeks. I recently ranked it my second favorite TV series of all time.

Also TV Land pays tribute to John Ritter with a special marathon that shows episodes of shows he guest-starred in, as well as some where he was a star. Looks like they’re even going to air at least one episode of Hooperman! Me? I’m wishing USA or somebody would air a Hearts Afire marathon. Nick will air a Three’s Company marathon on Monday.

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