Laurel’s TV Picks

Apollo at 70: A Hot Night in Harlem (NBC, 7pm – 9pm)
Food Network Wedding Cake Challenge (Food Network, 8pm and midnight)
Trading Spaces (TLC, 8pm and 10pm)
Alejandro Escovedo on Austin City Limits (PBS, check your local listings)

Is this site worth $5 to you? Or maybe even $10?
I’ve been having a hard time figuring out what to do about my computer situation and a friend pointed out that if 1/2 or even maybe 1/4 of my readers each donated just $5 I could buy a new system and I’d be set for a few years. The same friend also pointed out that I put a heck of a lot of work into this site and asking for $5 per person is not a crazy thing in the least. So, um . . . please consider making a donation.

Whether you donate just $1 or $5 or if you donate $20 or $50 or $100, it’s all very much appreciated. My birthday is July 5th, it’d be just about the coolest birthday gift ever if a bunch of donations rolled in. As an added bonus: I promise if I get enough money for a new system, I’ll stop with the begging for a good long while. Maybe even remove some of the ads and DVD links from this page. (I hate doing the shameless begging and plugging anyway, so I’d be happy about that). I understand if you can’t donate or don’t want to (or wish I’d just shut up about it already).

Thanks to everyone who has donated recently or in the not-too-distant past . . . you rock!

If this isn’t the page you expected, you might be looking for my fall schedule grid preview or the TV on DVD page.

TV Land airs a Bonanza marathon this weekend (TV Land, 5am Saturday – 5am Monday).

Food Network has a weekend of wedding related programming.

Animal Planet reruns all their Croc Week programming.

The Ben Stiller Show (Comedy Central, 6am – 8am). Funny sketch comedy with Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo, and Bob Odenkirk. The series is available on DVD.

“The Playing Field” and “Happy Birthday, Baby” episodes of Ally McBeal (FX, 6am, 7am). Josh Ryan Evans (of Passions), Tracey Ullman, and Jesse L. Martin (of Law & Order) guest star. Martin even sings in the second episode (which was written by David E. Kelley and directed by Thomas Schlamme).

Cops burst into song on Cop Rock (Trio, 7am – 11am). I don’t suppose someone could tape these for me? ‘Cuz you know I want to see James McDaniel, Paul McCrane, Vondie Curtis-Hall et al sing. I know I saw an episode when it originally aired, but I don’t remember much at all anymore. Trivia: And yet I own a Cop Rock baseball cap.

Rerun of the season finale of On The Record with Bob Costas (HBO, 9am). Bob’s guests are Phylicia Rashad, Kevin Kline, and David Byrne. I forgot to mention the show in Friday’s picks ’til quite late (sorry!).

Rerun of Friday’s season premiere of Monk (USA, 10am and 11pm). “Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan.”

Rerun of the “Bravo twins” episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo, 10am and 5pm) followed by a rerun of the latest episode (Bravo, 11am and 6pm) where they convince a man to eat more than fruit soup and chicken.

If you’re just starting to watch the many poker shows on cable and/or are new to poker in any way, you may want to check out the “Poker Primer” episode of World Poker Tour (Travel, 11am).

Reruns of all four installments of Mouthing Off: 51 Greatest Smart*sses (Comedy Central, 11:30am – 1:30pm).

Rerun of the latest installment of Celebrity Poker Showdown (Bravo, Noon – 2pm) with host Dave Foley and poker players Lauren Graham (of Gilmore Girls), Sara Rue (of Less Than Perfect), Sean Astin (of The Lord of the Rings), Matthew Perry (of Friends), and Chris Masterson (of Malcolm in the Middle).

Another look at Boomer Nation (A&E, Noon – 2pm). With clips and interviews.

Another airing of Heir to an Execution: A Granddaughter’s Story (HBO, 1pm). A documentary by the granddaughter of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

Rerun of the season premiere of Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica (MTV, 1pm); rerun of the series premiere of The Ashlee Simpson Show (MTV, 1:30pm).

Boy Meets World marathon on ABC Family (ABC Family, 1pm – 7pm). Starting with the very first episode.

A transporter accident (what else?) sends part of the crew back in time to San Francisco in 2024 (a time of upheaval, of course) on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Spike, 2pm, 3pm). Two part episode. Bill Smitrovich and Clint Howard guest star. Howard, of course, memorably appeared in “The Corbomite Maneuver” episode of the original Star Trek.

Steinway factory, Maple Landmark Woodcraft; Cannondale bicycles, Fleer trading cards, the Wiffle ball on John Ratzenberger’s Made in America (Travel, 2pm, 2:30pm).

Ice Cream Palaces on Food Crazy (Travel, 3pm). Mmmm, ice cream.

More Band of Brothers (History, 3pm – 9:18pm). “Currahee,” “Day of Days,” “Carentan,” “Replacements,” and “Crossroads”. Parts 1 – 5. Followed by We Stand Alone Together (History, 9:18pm) which is a special about Easy Company.

The original Around the World in 80 Days (TCM, 4pm). It won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Jeff Bridges on Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo, 4pm).

This week’s episode of The First 48 (A&E, 5pm). Kansas City homicide detective work the first 48 hours of a couple of murder cases.

Trading Spaces Family (TLC, 5pm) is in L.A.

Baseball: Chicago White Sox at Montreal Expos (WGN, 6pm).

New special: Apollo at 70: A Hot Night in Harlem (NBC, 7pm – 9pm). There’ll be song, dance, and comedy; plus clips from the theater’s history. Appearing and/or performing on the show: Yolanda Adams, Ashanti, Patti Austin, Shirley Caesar, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr, Bob Dylan, Vivica A. Fox, Doug E. Fresh, Savion Glover, Herbie Hancock, Ice-T, Patti LaBelle, Gerald Levert, Donnie McClurkin, Brian McKnight, Branford Marsalis, Jesse L. Martin, Tracy Morgan, Willie Nelson, Arturo Sandoval, Slick Rick, Angie Stone, and Denzel Washington. Maybe some others, too.

World’s Biggest and Baddest Bugs (Animal Planet, 7pm, 9pm, 11pm). Eek!

It’s the Food Network Wedding Cake Challenge (Food Network, 8pm and midnight). 5 of the best wedding cake designers in the world compete; they only have six hours to decorate their cakes (the cakes themselves are already made). The prize is $10,000 (and bragging rights). I’ve been watching this while I work on the picks and boy am I craving cake. It’s fun. Fascinating stuff if you like art & design and/or cooking. The theme of the cakes is “the four seasons.” Followed by another special called Here Comes the Cake (Food Network, 9pm and 1am).

Frank and Edward and Amy must contend with homeowners who have strong ideas of their own on a new episode of Trading Spaces (TLC, 8pm and 10pm). They’re in Philadelphia, PA.

Reruns of the first two episodes of the second season of Reno 911! (Comedy Central, 8pm and 11pm, 8:30pm and 11:30pm). Dangle is promoted (or is he?), Trudy dates a serial killer (or does she?). Funny stuff.

Margaret Cho’s Revolution (Sundance, 8pm).

40 Greatest Celebrity Feuds (VH1, 8pm – 10pm).

“The owner of a potbellied pig is charged with animal negligence” on one of the real cases on Crime & Punishment (NBC, 9pm). I’m pretty sure the owner of the pig is not George Clooney (‘cuz if it was, this would’ve been promoted as a “very special” Crime & Punishment).

Dr. Nancy Snyderman hosts an ABC special: Sleep: How to Get the Rest of Your Life (ABC, 9pm). “Over 70 million Americans of all ages are affected by sleep problems” and in this special we see some of the problems and some possible remedies.

Hildi, Edward, and Amy are in Nashville for Trading Spaces (TLC, 9pm and 11pm).

More Sex and the City (TBC, 9pm, 9:30pm). In the first episode, Carrie judges a fire department calendar contest on Staten Island; in the second episode, Carrie starts working at Vogue.

Celeste in the City (ABC Family, 9pm). “A gay cousin and a new friend help a shy fact-checker at a New York paper find the moxie and style she needs to improve her lot.” Majandra Delfino (of Roswell) stars, with Ethan Embry and Nicholas Brendon (of Buffy). Deborah Gibson her own bad self has a small part, too.

Did you miss the “black ball ceremony” and the “pearl necklace ceremony” on the season premiere of The Joe Schmo Show (Spike, 10pm)? You’ve got another chance to catch them.

Woody (Jerry O’Connell) travels to California to solve the murder of his mentor on Crossing Jordan (A&E, 10pm).

Nicole Richie and Sugar Shane Mosley guest star on MAD TV (FOX, 10pm).

Donald Trump hosts a rerun of Saturday Night Live (NBC, check your local listings). With musical guest Toots & the Maytals.

The wonderful Alejandro Escovedo on Austin City Limits (PBS, check your local listings).

Rerun of Friday’s season premiere of Monk (USA, 11pm). “Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan.”

Rerun of the season premiere of Six Feet Under (HBO, 11pm).

The Bonanza marathon continues (TV Land, 5am Saturday – 5am Monday).

More Wedding-related programming on Food Network all day (and night) Sunday.

Kids in the Hall (Comedy Central, 6am – 7:30am).

“The Inmates” and “Being There” episodes of Ally McBeal (FX, 6am, 7am). From season 1. “The Inmates” is part 1 of a 2-part crossover with The Practice. Dylan McDermott, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Steve Harris, Camryn Manheim, Kelli Williams, and Daniel Dae Kim guest star in the first episode; Eric McCormack (of Will & Grace) guest stars in the second episode.

Members of the band Genesis talk about their work on Breakfast With the Arts: Genesis Songbook (A&E, 7am – 9am).

Parts 1 – 4 (of 4) of Mouthing Off: 51 Greatest Smart@sses (Comedy Central, 7:30am – 9:30am).

Something The Lord Made (HBO, 8am). “While contending with racism during the ’30s and ’40s, lab technician Vivien Thomas works with Dr. Alfred Blalock to improve surgical techniques. Based on actual events.” Alan Rickman and Mos Def star in this HBO original movie.

American Chopper marathon (Discovery, 8am – ).

In Style Celebrity Weddings (Lifetime, 9am).

Rerun of Saturday’s new episode of Trading Spaces (TLC, 11am).

Five installments of Terry Jones’ Medieval Lives (History Channel, 11am – 1:30pm).

First two episodes of Blow Out (Bravo, 11am – 1pm). Reality series about the opening of a new hair salon.

Golf: U.S. Open Championship, Final Round (NBC, 11:30am).

NASCAR Racing: Nextel Cup DHL 400 (FOX, Noon).

First two episodes of season 2 of Reno 911! (Comedy Central, Noon, 12:30pm).

Baseball: Oakland A’s at Chicago Cubs (WGN, 1pm).

Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird (TCM, 1pm).

Inside the Actors Studio: The Simpsons (Bravo, 1pm).

More Band of Brothers (History Channel, 1:30pm – 8pm). Parts 6 – 10 (of 10).

I’ll have the rest of my picks for Sunday online by Noon Sunday.

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