Laurel’s TV Picks

Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm)
Scrubs (NBC, 8:31pm)
The Shield (FX, 9pm, 10pm)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm)
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo, 9pm and midnight)
Quentin Tarantino directs and produces Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings)

FOX announces their summer schedule. I love that we’ll be seeing some new scripted shows this summer (not just reruns, reality shows, and news shows). How great is it that one of the shows is from Tom Fontana & Barry Levinson (and James Yoshimura and Jim Finnerty)? Though I have a hard time imagining the show on FOX, I hope it does well there. Here’s an article about the series, with quotes from Tom Fontana.

More on the cancellation of Angel and a possible future for Wonderfalls. Though I don’t usually put too much stock in what Kristin has to say over there at E! Online, I figured I should link to this ‘cuz lots of you are interested in all things Angel and/or Wonderfalls. And ‘cuz she’s got quotes from James Marsters and Amy Acker. Best place probably to track news on both series is Whedonesque.

As always, I’m mostly about the picks & schedule here and not so much about the news (except when it affects scheduling). I recommend TV Tattle and the TV Barn Ticker for excellent links to TV news & other articles of interest.

Harold Lloyd films, shorts, and specials on TCM all day (TCM, 8:30am – 7pm).

Sci-Fi mini-marathon du jour: The Twilight Zone (Sci-Fi, 10am – 3pm).

Barry Manilow, Nia Vardalos on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Cool Lineup Alert! Melinda Clarke (of The O.C.) Margaret Cho, Levar Burton, Children of Uganda on The Sharon Osbourne Show (syndicated, check your local listings; WGN, midnight).

Dan Cortese, Catherine Dent (of The Shield), Jason Roberts, Rick Springfield on The Wayne Brady Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Mean Girls” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Oprah’s ‘Chutzpah’ Awards” on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Daydream” episode of NewsRadio (Biography, Noon and 6pm).

“This Year’s Girl” and “Who Are You” episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 3pm, 4pm).

“Apocalypse, Nowish” episode of Angel (TNT, 4pm).

Rerun of the 6am episode of 24 (FX, 5pm). In case you missed it on FOX on Sunday or last night on FX (it never did air last Tuesday as originally scheduled).

“Crustacean Nation 2: Claws” (Lobster) episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 6pm).

“The Drop-In” episode of The West Wing (Bravo, 6pm and 11pm). Note second airing is at 11pm, not 10pm like it usually is.

Baseball: Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds (TBS, 6pm).

Crazy Drinks Unwrapped (Food Network, 6:30pm).

ESPN & ESPN2 have NHL playoff action. TNT has NBA playoff action.

Digger’s Dad (Lawrence Pressman) shakes things up on Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm) when he brings a lawsuit against his son and Richard and also when he lets the cat out of the bag about Digger’s relationship with Lorelai. Dean’s wife doesn’t much like the fact that Dean is still friends with Rory. New episode, written and directed by Daniel Palladino. I think the last few episodes have been pretty darn good and I hope the show is back on track (not that I ever felt it got all that far off the track, really).

The seven finalists on American Idol (FOX, 7pm) perform songs by Barry Manilow. Manilow serves as a guest judge.

A severed leg that has a marine tattoo on it is found in a dumpster on a rerun of Navy NCIS (CBS, 7pm).

Courtney runs for an office of some sort as a Republican or something on the season finale of Whoopi (NBC, 7pm).

Another airing of 2004 VH1 Divas (VH1, 7pm). There’ll be many more this week, I’m sure.

“The Eggman Cometh” was the final episode of brilliant, but cancelled Now and Again (Trio, 7pm and 10pm). Wherein the Eggman returns and Lisa finds out that her husband didn’t die in the subway accident.

Samm Levine (of Freaks and Geeks) and Amy Pietz (of Caroline in the City) guest star on I’m With Her (ABC, 7:30pm). One of Patrick’s students blackmails Patrick (David Sutcliffe) & Alex (Teri Polo), forcing Alex to star in a high school musical.

It’s Mom’s (Christine Baranski) birthday and all she supposedly wants is for her kids to write a letter about all the important things in their lives on the season finale of Happy Family (NBC, 7:30pm).

It’s now 7a.m. on 24 (FOX, 8pm) and (according to tv listings) “Jack tries to gain the upper hand.” Well it’s about time! Heh. Anyway. Now they’re looking for a hotel guest who left the building and presumably might be spreading the virus.

Frasier (NBC, 8pm) tries to win Charlotte (Laura Linney) away from Frank (Aaron Eckhart), but instead ends up basically the third wheel in their relationship. Meanwhile, Daphne and Niles try to discourage Martin from giving whassername (Wendie Malick) an “inappropriate engagement ring.” Whatever that means.

Brooke’s news rocks Lucas and leaves them with some difficult decisions on One Tree Hill (WB, 8pm).

The firm is hit with a sexual discrimination suit after Nick disrespects a senior associate on The Guardian (CBS, 8pm).

Memorable moments from seasons 3 & 4 of Insomniac with Dave Attell on The Insomniac Clipmobile Special (Comedy Central, 8pm).

More Showbiz Moms & Dads (Bravo, 8pm and midnight).

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Larry King Live (CNN, 8pm, 11pm, 2am).

Anatomy of a Scene: The United States of Leland (Sundance, 8pm).

Another airing of the Dinner For Five (IFC, 8pm) with Kevin James,Tony Shalhoub, Richard Lewis, Burt Reynolds, and Jon Favreau. I don’t get IFC. Dangit.

“Cannondale bicycles, Fleer trading cards, the Wiffle ball” and “Craftsman tools, John Deere combine” on John Ratzenberger’s Made in America (Travel, 8pm and 11pm, 8:30pm and 11:30pm).

When we last left J.D, he’d just slept with Elliot (again) only to have Sean (Scott Foley) show up on Scrubs (NBC, 8:31pm). Yikes. So one can imagine this episode will deal with fallout from all that. Tara Reid returns, too (oh-oh). Plus a bunch of other stuff, ‘cuz this is one of the best half-hour series on the air.

Vic and the Strike Team try to distance themselves from the Money Train, but nothing quite works as planned on a new episode of The Shield (FX, 9pm, 10pm; also airs later in the week). The title is “Safe” and I bet that’s a reference to a number of things, not the least of which is the safe in Escovedo’s office. Episode was written by Adam Fierro and directed by Peter Horton.

A criminology student is raped and murdered by someone who appears to be an expert in forensics on Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm; airs again on USA). One suspect is someone that Captain Cragen put behind bars years ago. James McDaniel (of NYPD Blue), Doug E. Doug, and Michael Boatman also guest star. McDaniel guest starred on Law & Order back in 1991.

Jessalyn Gilsig (of Boston Public) guest stars Detective Kelly Ronson on NYPD Blue (ABC, 9pm). A man has amnesia after being shot in the head. A man Sipowicz put away 20 years ago is exonerated by DNA evidence. And they bust a pre-teen prostitution ring.

“The eight remaining candidates are dropped behind enemy lines” on SpyMaster (TLC, 9pm and midnight).

The Fab 5 do their magic for a high school volleyball coach on a new episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo, 9pm and midnight). Note is back to airing at 9pm and midnight (not 11pm as it was for a while).

Rerun of episode of Judging Amy (CBS, 9pm) that takes place right after her aborted wedding. Wherein Amy returns to juvenile court, tries to reach her ex-fiance, etc. Fallout. Reed Diamond does not appear. My parents say that Amy is one of the stupidest characters on TV (and yet they keep watching this show).

Battle Potato on Iron Chef (Food Network, 10pm).

Rerun of the season premiere of Queer As Folk (Showtime, 10pm).

Mark Ruffalo on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

Fry learns the secret ingredient of Slurm on Futurama (Cartoon Network, 10pm and 1am).

Good Eats and Unwrapped reruns now air at 6pm and 6:30pm weekdays.

Jim Carrey, Steve Winwood on a rerun of The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm) from March.

Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Rodman, the Polyphonic Spree on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).

Rerun of the “Dear Derwood” episode of Karen Sisco (USA, 11pm). Sixth episode to air on ABC. Eduardo Verastegui guest stars as a pitcher for the Miami Marlins.

I don’t quite “get” Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Cartoon Network, 11pm and 2am). ” Dr. Weird creates a mutant fly called Monstermothman.”

Tyra Banks, Andy “Gollum” Serkis (of Lord of the Rings), Los Lonely Boys on a rerun of Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:35pm).

Quentin Tarantino will direct and produce tonight’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings) using his “signature style.” Guests are: Laura Harring, Steven Wright, the Darkness.

Jeff Gordon, Richie Sambora, Wyclef Jean on a rerun of The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (CBS, check your local listings).

Viggo Alert! Viggo Mortensen (of Lord of the Rings), Jill Hennessy (of Crossing Jordan), Cee-Lo on a rerun of Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings). This was a pretty cool episode as Viggo is fabulous (of course) and then Jill Hennessy turns out to be a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and Viggo so she gets quizzed on all things LotR by Viggo & Carson.

Chris Rock: Never Scared (HBO, 1am).

“This Year’s Girl” and “Who Are You” episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 6am, 7am).

Mary Chapin Carpenter, Trudie Styler, John Lithgow on Today (NBC, 7am – 10am).

SpyGirl Alert! Jennifer Garner (of Alias), Dakota Fanning, Sharon Stone on Good Morning, America (ABC, 7am – 9am).

Ben Stein, hot spring looks on The Early Show (CBS, 7am – 9am).

SpyGirl Alert! Jennifer Garner (of Alias), Danny Aiello sings on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Kelly Clarkson on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

Sci-Fi mini-marathon du jour: Star Trek (Sci-Fi, 10am – 3pm).

John Travolta, Goran Visnjic (of ER) on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Randy Jackson, Jennifer Flavin, Angus T. Jones, Live, Shelby Lynne on The Sharon Osbourne Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Jack Wagner, Hal Sparks, Mark Curry, Lang Lang on The Wayne Brady Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“O, The Oprah Magazine: Sexual Confidence” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Radical Medical Makeovers” on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

Baseball: 1987 ALCS, Game 1: Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins (ESPN Classic, Noon).

No Buffy the Vampire Slayer on FX on Wednesday afternoon.

“Habeas Corpus” episode of Angel (TNT, 4pm).

“Bartlet’s Third State of the Union” episode of The West Wing (Bravo, 6pm and 10pm).

“Pantry Raid 4: Comb Alone” (Honey) episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 6pm).

Movie Candy Unwrapped (Food Network, 6:30pm).

Pilot episode of Two Guys and a Girl (We, 6:30pm).

In primetime on Wednesday expect new episodes of Angel, The O.C., Smallville, South Park, The West Wing, Enterprise, Law & Order, Soul Food, American Idol, and others. Plus the special TV Land Moguls and Seth Green on a new That ’70s Show. And that’s not all: basketball playoff games, baseball, previously unaired episode of L.A. Dragnet, and the 2004 Flameworthy Video Music Awards . I’ll cover all this and more in my picks for Wednesday. I should have the full edition online before Noon on Wednesday.
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