Laurel’s TV Picks

Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm)
The Amazing Race 7 (CBS, 8pm)
Series premiere of Blind Justice (ABC, 9pm)
Martin Short on Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm; airs again on USA)
Sylvester Stallone, Ben Foster, Solomon Burke on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm)

Not doing so great healthwise today, alas, which is disappointing after having a really good week last week. Grr. Argh.

Thanks to fine readers like you, the basic webhosting bill for this site is now paid for through March 2006! Excellent! Thanks so much! Can still use other methods of support, will talk about those later on. For now I just want to celebrate a bit and thank you guys for getting this bill paid. Couldn’t keep this site online without you. Y’all made my week.

Series premiere of Blind Justice (ABC, 9pm).

If you’ve watched any TV at all of late (especially on ABC), you’re probably already sick of hearing about this show. The promos are sappy, to say the least. I’m pleased to report that this show is much better than the commercials would have you believe. Don’t hold the promotion against it.

Blind Justice is a new series from Steven Bochco and plenty of other people who worked on NYPD Blue. Ron Eldard (of Bakersfield PD, ER) plays a homicide detective who was blinded in the line of duty. The first episode has him returning to work– as a homicide detective in New York City– for the first time since he was blinded. He’s got a guide dog, and all sorts of tools that visually impaired people use. His story, naturally, has gained him a lot of media attention. Cops are supportive to a point, they think he did right in the incident where he was blinded; they just aren’t so sure he should be back on the streets as a detective.

Ron Eldard is really good in the role; I had no trouble believing that he is a police detective and that he’s also blind. The supporting players seem solid so far. Rena Sofer plays Eldard’s wife. Marisol Nichols plays his reluctant partner, Frank Grillo and Reno Wilson are the other detectives they work with, Michael Gaston is their lieutenant. Gary Fleder directed the pilot; he’s best known to me for having directed “The Subway” episode of Homicide.

The show isn’t smarmy like the commercials, thank goodness. The police stuff is about what you’d expect from the folks behind NYPD Blue; it’s not nearly as exciting as stuff you’ll see on cable (like on The Shield or The Wire), but it’s still solid. I liked the pilot well enough to want to check out future episodes, but it’s hard to say how long the show will keep my interest– that will really depend on the writing and if the other characters grow on me. So far, Eldard (and the character he plays) is the main reason to watch.

The series premiere of Blind Justice airs tonight at 9pm on ABC. Will air regularly on Tuesdays at 9pm on ABC.

Daytime picks are available in yesterday’s picks.

Rory attends as party where guests dress as their favorite character from Quentin Tarantino movies on Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm). Michel appears on The Price Is Right (!). Emily doesn’t understand why Lorelai still won’t attend Friday night dinners.

The eight remaining women compete on American Idol (FOX, 7pm, live).

Someone on The Amazing Race 7 (CBS, 8pm) gets into some trouble in a new episode titled “The Whole Country Hates Me.”

Rerun of the Veronica Mars (UPN, 8pm) where Veronica tries to help her boyfriend get a stolen car back. If you haven’t been watching this excellent series, you should really give it a try.

Rerun of the “Occam’s Razor” episode of House (FOX, 8pm). Your DVR may think this is a new episode, when it’s actually a rerun of the one where a college student collapses after/while having sex with his girlfriend.

“Eight remaining aspiring actresses are put through a passion and seduction training session to prepare for a love scene” on The Starlet (WB, 8pm; airs again on Thursday). Of course, what they aren’t told is that the love scene is with Jaime Pressly; they’re to enact a certain lesbian love scene from Fastlane. Judges on this show are Faye Dunaway, Vivica A. Fox, and casting director Joseph Middleton.

Part 1 (of 2) of the season finale of Committed (NBC, 8:30pm).

Series premiere of Blind Justice (ABC, 9pm). Today’s featured pick (you can read more about it above).

Martin Short guest stars as a psychic who may have some idea where a missing 18-year-old girl is on Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm; airs again on USA).

The Fab 5 help a guy who works for a minor league baseball team who is about to meet his internet girlfriend for the first time on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (Bravo, 9pm; airs again lots).

Michael Tucker, Susan Sullivan, and Jennifer Esposito guest star on a new Judging Amy (CBS, 9pm).

It’s a Cold Turkey (PAX, 9pm) reunion special.

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

Michael J. Fox, Amanda Bynes on a rerun of The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Penelope Cruz, Drew Carey, Michael Buble on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).

Sylvester Stallone, Ben Foster, Solomon Burke on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Randy Jackson, Brittany Snow (of American Dreams), the O’Jays on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

Laura Linney, Barry Watson, sound mixer Kevin O’Connell on a rerun of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, check your local listings).

Ice-T, Ryan Cabrera on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).

“Spring Break” episode of Northern Exposure (Hallmark, 1am).

“Growth Pains” episode of Chicago Hope (Discovery Health Channel, 3am). Excellent episode, written by David E. Kelley and directed by Thomas Schlamme (of The West Wing, et al). There’s a man with a bar through his head, something involving Judy Garland, and much more.

I’ll try to have info on daytime Wednesday TV online late tonight or early Wednesday. Along with a primetime preview. I tried, but . . .

Full picks for Wednesday will be online sometime on Wednesday.
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