Laurel’s TV Picks

Series premiere of Cold Case (CBS, 7pm)
Series premiere of 10-8 (ABC, 7pm)
Season premiere of Alias (ABC, 8pm)
Season premiere of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC, 8pm; will be rerun on USA)
Series premiere of The Lyon’s Den (NBC, 9pm)
Season premiere of new & improved The Practice (ABC, 9pm)

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Doc and Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye are returning this season to PAX with new episodes, their season premieres will be next Sunday.

The WB will be airing the first season of Smallville as Smallville: Beginnings starting next week at 6pm Sundays. (And, of course, the first season is now out on DVD).

Reruns of The West Wing and Angel and other shows debut in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings to see when and where they air in your neck of the woods.

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

Part 2 of the 2-part series finale of China Beach (History Channel, 5am Sunday).

Tiny Toon Adventures (Nick, 5am, 5:30am).

Rerun of Live by Request Starring Elvis Costello (A&E, 9am).

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

Trading Spaces (TLC, 10am, 11am).

Reno 911! (Comedy Central, 11am, 11:30am).

Reruns of the four episodes of The West Wing (Bravo, 11am, Noon, 1pm, 2pm) that aired Monday-Thursday at 6pm and 10pm on Bravo.

Trading Spaces (TLC, 11am).

More I Love The ’70s (VH1, 11am - ).

While You Were Out (TLC, Noon).

ESPN2 has an afternoon baseball game.

Baseball: Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs (WGN, 1pm).

Singing in the Shadows: Children of Rock Royalty (Bravo, 1pm).

Another airing of Fashion Police: Primetime Emmy Awards (E!, 1pm).

A&E weekend lineup: The Incurable Collector (A&E, 2pm), House Beautiful (A&E, 2:30pm), All Year Round with Katie Brown (A&E, 3pm), The Well-Seasoned Traveler (A&E, 3:30pm), Sell This House! (A&E, 4pm), Makeover Mamas (A&E, 4:30pm).

Rerun of the series premiere of One Tree Hill (WB, 4pm in most markets). An uneven pilot episode. I was surprised by how much I liked Chad Michael Murray as the brother whose father won’t acknowledge him. Of course he actually seems like a nice guy who cares about his friends and family, plays basketball well, and reads the classics. Pity his brother and father come off so very poorly and in an uninteresting way. Mom Moira Kelly is alright. Fans of Guiding Light may recognize Joie Lenz (who used to play Michelle Bauer on that show) and now uses the name Bethany Joy Lenz. Barry Corbin (of Northern Exposure fame) plays the gruff basketball coach. I’m not sure if I should recommend this show or not, I guess the jury’s still out. Some clunky dialogue and bland characters don’t do much for me and yet there’s enough potential that I can’t write the show off just yet. Add to that the fact that WB is making episodes available twice a week (thanks to Easy View Sundays) and it might be worth giving it a shot if you’ve got the time.

I wasn’t wild about Everwood (WB, 5pm in most markets) from the start last season either and then it grew to be one of my favorites. And if you have to choose just one family drama that’s a whole lot about fathers and sons, you should choose Everwood over One Tree Hill. This is a rerun of this week’s episode, which finds Bright, Amy, and Ephram all contemplating their future. Well, Bright and Ephram are, Amy’s still terribly depressed.

Film essential: On The Waterfront (TCM, 5pm).

“The Muffin Man” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 5:30pm).

Dateline NBC (NBC, 6pm) profiles Whitney Houston. Includes footage from her trip to Israel.

Series premiere of Cold Case (CBS, 7pm). New show from the creators of C.S.I. and Without A Trace involving a detective who reexamines cold cases (as in: old cases that were never solved). Kathryn Morris stars, her co-stars are Thom Barry, John Finn, and Jeremy Ratchford. The pilot’s been called “predictable” and if you watched the CBS fall preview show, they gave away pretty much everything. Will it be a hit like Without A Trace? Much depends on the writing and on the lead. Definitely worth giving it a look. If it’s not terrible, should be around for a while.

Series premiere of 10-8 (ABC, 7pm). Reviews have not been kind to this show. Most seem to agree that they aren’t sure if the show is really a comedy or drama and not in a good way. Created by Jorge Zamacona (of Oz and Homicide), exec produced by Aaron Spelling. Danny Nucci plays a former New York street thug who moved to L.A. to become a cop and is now fresh out of the academy. As a deputy trainee, he’s partnered up with a tough veteran training officer played by Ernie Hudson. Worth a look sooner rather than later because the series is probably not long for the world.

Season premiere of American Dreams (NBC, 7pm). Last year it was named one of TV Guide’s picks for “Best Shows You Aren’t Watching” and the show sure was in good company (named with five of my favorites: Alias, Without A Trace, Angel, Everwood, and Boomtown). Kinda makes me think I should give this show another chance. Everyone says that the series turned into a darn good family drama last season, that it’s about more than it’s setting and stunt casting of modern stars playing performers on American Bandstand in the ’60s.

The sisters disguise themselves as Valkyries on the two-hour season premiere of Charmed (WB, 7pm).

The Forbes 400: Inside the Rich List (A&E, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm).

Duck Dodgers (Cartoon Network, 7pm).

Season premiere of Alias (ABC, 8pm). Two years have passed since (most of) the events of last season and presumably much has changed. I’m guessing this means yet another new direction for this series and that’s usually a Good Thing. The fabulous Melissa George doesn’t show up tonight, but will be in the second episode and a bunch of episodes thereafter (her character is married to Vaughn). Djimon Hounsou will also have a recurring role this season. I tend to not hype this show so much ‘cuz I assume y’all are watching. You’re watching, right? It’s a fun show.

Season premiere of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC, 8pm). If you’re already addicted, I don’t need to tell you more than there’s a new episode. I tune in just to see Vincent D’Onofrio do that head-tilt thing he does so well. Quite possibly the best (if most far-out) of the Law & Order series. Episodes should continue to be rerun on USA, so if you’re torn between this and Alias or another show, you can wait and see it later on USA (I’ll mention those airings in these picks, of course).

Tom Selleck stars in Twelve Mile Road (CBS, 8pm). He’s a “divorced farmer” who ends up having to suddenly deal with his not-from-around-there teenage daughter.

Sci-Fi reruns part 1 of the Emmy award-winning 10-part miniseries Taken (Sci-Fi, 8pm and 10pm).

Carnivale (HBO, 8:35pm). Third episode.

Rob Lowe plays an idealistic lawyer on the series premiere of The Lyon’s Den (NBC, 9pm). When the senior partner of a firm dies under mysterious circumstances, he’s called on to take a bigger role at the firm. And of course things aren’t always what they seem, there are some folks inside the firm with dark motives. Sounds like a bit of a legal soap opera here. Co-stars include Kyle Chandler (of Early Edition); Frances Fisher; Elizabeth Mitchell; James Pickens, Jr.; Matt Craven; and David Krumholtz. Robert Picardo (of China Beach, Star Trek: Voyager) guest stars. TV Guide sez “This is an entertaining adult melodrama with a seductive mystery at the core, as if John Grisham had collaborated with Jackie Collins– and that’s a compliment.” Should be a huge hit as the it only has the aging/ailing The Practice (ABC, 9pm) as competition.

Season premiere of The Practice (ABC, 9pm). James Spader joins the cast. And do you remember that this is a much smaller cast than before? Emmy winners Steve Harris, Michael Badalucco, and Camryn Manheim are still around, but just about everyone else is gone (and I think that’s a Good Thing; I always liked Eugene, Jimmy, and Ellenor best anyway). Chris O’Donnell guest stars. Rhona Mitra (of Gideon’s Crossing) also joins the cast. Sharon Stone will guest star for three episodes later this season. David E. Kelley penned this episode. Maybe he can revive and revitalize this once great series.

K Street (HBO, 9:35pm).

Steve Harvey on The Orlando Jones Show (FX, 10:30pm).

Space Ghost Coast to Coast (Cartoon Network, 11pm).

Dilbert (Comedy Central, 11:30pm).

The Critic (Comedy Central, 12:30am, 1am).

Duckman (Comedy Central, 1:30am).

I’ll have data for Monday morning talk shows online tonight sometime.
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