Laurel’s TV Picks

Pilot episode of EZ Streets (Trio, 6pm – 8pm; 9pm – 11pm)
History Detectives (PBS, check your local listings)
ESPN25: Silver Anniversary Special (ESPN, 7pm – 9pm)
First two episodes of Pilot Season (Trio, 8pm and 11pm; 8:30pm and 11:30pm)

Trio’s fabulous “Brilliant, But Cancelled” series returns with a new season and a (mostly) new lineup of shortlived (but wonderful) shows. They’ll be airing pilots of each new show this week; then for the next few months they’ll be airing episodes regularly in primetime of all these shows.

Tonight’s pilot is for the critically acclaimed 1996 CBS series EZ Streets (Trio, 6pm – 8pm; 9pm – 11pm) created by Paul Haggis (who also created Due South). EZ Streets is a dark tale told with unique style. We see one story from the points of view of three main characters: a police detective (played by Ken Olin), a crime boss (played by Joe Pantoliano), and an ex-con struggling to get by (played by Jason Gedrick). Co-stars include: Debrah Farentino, John Finn, Richard Portnow, Mike Starr, R.D Call, Wendy Davis, Sarah Trigger, and Carl Lumbly as the mayor.

Back in 1996, the show was like nothing else on the air (on network or cable) and CBS didn’t really know what to do with it. The pilot and the next episode aired in October, then CBS didn’t air the rest of the episodes until March. There were 10 episodes total (if you count the two-hour pilot as two episodes) and the final one never even aired (I’m happy to report it will air on Trio).

Looking at the show now, it’s still fresh– just not nearly so groundbreaking (as it was in 1996). Definitely a show ahead of its time. It’d be right at home with the cable series we’ve seen in the last several or few years. It’s intense stuff.

I love the washed out look of this thing, with it’s unique color palette– combine that with the Irish-sounding music and you’ve got something that feels like a whole new (or old) world unto itself. A unique look and feel alone can’t make a show: this one had intense dialogue and complicated characters living messy lives. Sometimes I didn’t know where the stories were going, but I couldn’t stop watching anyway. It’s a rich pleasure to still be surprised by something on TV.

Ken Olin was great in this, showing range (and grit) I didn’t know he had. Joe Pantoliano was the standout star as Jimmy Murtha, who still ranks as a classic TV character. Jason Gedrick is earnest and young and the best he’s been in this role. Debrah Farentino’s never been better. All sorts of great character roles in here for cops and gangsters and everyone in between.

I just watched a couple of episodes and now I dearly wish it were possible that this was a pilot for this season of TV; that we’d have a shot at seeing more than just 10 hours of the late great EZ Streets. Kudos to Trio for putting this show back on the air. I’ve long sought the few episodes I haven’t seen; I’ve long wanted to have the rest of the episodes on tape or DVD. And now maybe a whole bunch of people will discover this show anew or for the first time. Lord knows too few saw it when it aired back in 1996.

Sorry the picks are a little late today; just got some bad news (my boyfriend Kevin’s grandmother died) and had to take time away to deal with some logistical stuff.

Thanks to Dan Geiger for having me on WCCO radio last night; welcome to anyone who heard me there and decided to check out this site for the first time. We didn’t get to talk about all the good shows (new and old) I’d've liked to talk about; nor about all things reality (there are a couple good shows, and some interesting trends this season). But I had fun on the air and hope it was somewhat informative and/or entertaining.

I recently updated the TV on DVD page.

The 2004 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon continues (syndicated, check your local listings).

Lilo & Stitch marathon on the Disney Channel.

Seinfeld marathon (TBS, 6am – 6pm). You can read the list of episodes on the TBS website.

Monk marathon (USA, 6am – 6pm). Reruns of this season’s episodes: “Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan” (USA, 6am); “Mr. Monk & The Panic Room” (USA, 7am); “Mr. Monk & The Godfather” (USA, 8am); “Mr. Monk Gets Fired” (USA, 9am); “Mr. Monk & The Blackout” (USA, 10am); “Mr. Monk & The Girl Who Cries Wolf” (USA, 11am and 4pm); “Mr. Monk and the Employee of the Month” (USA, Noon and 3pm); “Mr. Monk & The Game Show” (USA, 1pm); and “Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine” (USA, 2pm and 5pm). One of my favorite shows.

“Sleeper” episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 6am).

Sci-Fi mini-marathon du jour: The Outer Limits (Sci-Fi, 7am – 5pm).

Night Court marathon (Biography, 7am – 11pm).

Bill Rancic (of The Apprentice), teaching kids about money on Today (NBC, 7am – 10am).

Good Morning, America (ABC, 7am – 9am).

Labor day picnics, gardening on The Early Show (CBS, 7am – 9am).

Cold Case Files marathon (A&E, 7am – ).

C.S.I. marathon (Spike, 8am – 8pm; 10pm – ). Starting with the pilot, but episodes aren’t in order.

What Not To Wear marathon (TLC, 8am – ).

Modern Marvels marathon (History, 8am – ).

The Secret Life Of . . . marathon on Food Network (ends at 4pm).

What I Did on My Summer Vacation marathon on Travel Channel.

Reese Witherspoon, Andy Richter, Jill Scott, astrologer Howard Sheldon on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Law & Order marathon (TNT, 9am – 11pm). List of episodes is available on TNT website.

Bill Rancic (of The Apprentice), Marilu Henner, wacky workouts on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

The West Wing marathon (Bravo, 10am – 7pm). Covers the end of season 4 (the last year produced by Aaron Sorkin) and the beginning of season 5. Season 5 only started airing on Bravo for the first time recently. Includes the kidnapping cliffhanger (and resolution).

Cops marathon (FX, 11am).

Baseball: Tampa Bay Devil Rays at New York Yankees (ESPN, Noon).

Baseball: Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves (TBS, Noon). (Yes, it’s a break in the Seinfeld marathon).

American Chopper marathon on Discovery.

Baseball: Montreal Expos at Chicago Cubs (ESPN2, 3pm).

Noah Wyle (of ER), Kelly Clarkson (of American Idol) on the season premiere of The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“How clean is your home?” on The Jane Pauley Show (syndicated, check your local listings). House calls with Heloise.

George Lopez, Holly Marie Combs, Andrea Parker, 311 on a rerun of The Sharon Osbourne Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Inside the Mind of a Mistress” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

Rerun of the “That’s Incredible!” episode of Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

Another airing of Who’s The Caboose? (Trio, 4pm).

Rerun of the season premiere of The Surreal Life (VH1, 5pm).

“Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 6pm).

Drink It Up Unwrapped (Food Network, 6:30pm).

Pilot episode of EZ Streets (Trio, 6pm – 8pm; 9pm – 11pm). This is today’s featured pick; I wrote a lot about it earlier on this page.

Another fascinating new episode of History Detectives (PBS, check your local listings). This time the three cases involve: a possible shipwreck in Alaska, a saddle that might date to the Civil War, and a banner that may be linked to civil-rights march. I love this show.

Series premiere of Miami Slice (Bravo, 7pm and 11pm, 8pm). The series follows five real Miami-based plastic surgeons.

North Shore (FOX, 7pm) returns with what FOX is calling a fall premiere. When we last left the show, Jason’s Dad’s surf shop had burned down. So now Jason is determined to find out the truth behind the fire (of course). Christopher McDonald continues his guest stint on the show as Walter Booth (father to the character played by Brooke Burns). More will be revealed in this episode about the rivalry between Walter and Vincent (James Remar). Plus there are storylines for the other workers at the hotel, of course.

ESPN25: Silver Anniversary Special (ESPN, 7pm – 9pm).

Series premiere of Pilot Season (Trio, 8pm and 11pm). Followed by a second new episode (Trio, 8:30pm and 11:30pm). This series follows a struggling manager and some struggling actors during pilot season in Los Angeles. It’s based on the indie film Who’s The Caboose? at least in part, though you needn’t have seen that film to enjoy this (in fact, clips of many of the best scenes from that movie are included in the first episode of this new show). Sam Seder and Sarah Silverman star, with David Cross, Jon Benjamin, David Waterman, and Andy Dick (who doesn’t appear in tonight’s episodes, but will later on). There are just six half-hour episodes of this improvisational comedy series (which is filmed to look like a documentary). Two episodes air tonight, two more on Tuesday, etc.

Two of the detectives (the ones played by Eric Balfour and Ivan Sergei) work to stop a bank heist– they even get to go undercover. The other detectives (played by Michael Biehn & Sharif Atkins) go after an escaped mob boss on a new episode of Hawaii (NBC, 8pm). I sure hope this episode is better than the first one. One has to wonder why Atkins would leave ER for this and why Sergei would leave Crossing Jordan; I guess maybe they thought starring in a new bad show would be better than being part of the supporting cast on established shows.

New episode (and time period premiere) of Renovate My Family (FOX, 8pm). Hosted by Jay McGraw (son of Dr. Phil). Part 1 of a 2-part episode. The makeover team renovates the home of a Chicago-based family of five; they also make over their lifestyle. Much of it is to make the home suitable for one son who is confined to a wheelchair.

Rerun of last season’s excellent season finale of Everwood (WB, 8pm). The season premiere is next Monday (yay!). Season 1 of this excellent series will be available on DVD as of tomorrow and I strongly recommend it.

Laura Leighton stars in a new Lifetime Original Move: Deadly Encounter (Lifetime, 8pm).

“Lemon-Lime” and “Vanilla” Unwrapped (Food Network, 8pm and midnight; 8:30pm and 12:30am).

Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Oakland A’s (ESPN, 9pm).

Bands Reunited: Haircut 100 (VH1, 9pm).

Series premiere of How Clean Is Your House? (Lifetime, 10pm). Followed by a second episode (Lifetime, 10:30pm). You can learn more about the show at the show website.

Rerun of the season premiere of The Surreal Life (VH1, 10pm).

National Hollering Champs, Neve Campbell, Keane on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Paris Hilton, Orlando Jones, Anita Baker on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).

Kelsey Grammer, Mariska Hargitay, Lewis Black on a rerun of Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:35pm).

Josh Hartnett, Sarah Chalke (of Scrubs), the Cure on a rerun of Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

Michael Michele, Kim Smith, Ozomatli on a rerun of The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (CBS, check your local listings).

Zach Braff (of Scrubs), Seymour Glass on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).

Banzai! (Comedy Central, 1am, 1:30am).

Picks for Tuesday should be online by Noon.

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