Laurel’s TV Picks

Wednesday daytime TV info is available in the tomorrow section of these picks, there’s also a primetime preview there. My full picks for Wednesday will be online soon.

Season finale of Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm)
House (FOX, 8pm)
Blind Justice (ABC, 9pm)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm; airs again on USA)
The Shield (FX, 9pm, 10pm, midnight, 1am)

The networks make their presentations to advertisers this week (a.k.a. “the Upfronts”), where they announce their fall TV schedules.

NBC made their announcement yesterday, ABC and the WB made their announcements today. My Fall 2005 Schedule Grid covers the NBC, ABC, and WB schedules and includes links to more information.

8 Simple Rules, Blind Justice, Eyes, and My Wife & Kids did not make it onto ABC’s Fall Schedule. Less Than Perfect isn’t on the schedule grid, but will return at midseason (if not sooner). These ABC series are still dead: The Benefactor, life as we know it, and NYPD Blue. There were lots of schedule changes for ABC; they really shuffled things around.

Jack & Bobby and Summerland won’t be back on the WB; though Summerland will still be around for a while (appropriately enough) this summer. The WB has moved Smallville and Everwood to Thursday night, which seems like a bad idea (unless they’re trying to kill them off). Check out the grid and the links there for more information.

CBS announces their schedule on Wednesday.
FOX and UPN announce their schedules on Thursday.
I’ll be adding data to the grid as the schedules are announced.

Season finale of Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm).

This season, Gilmore Girls has reached a bigger audience than ever before. Some critics have also raved, calling this “the best season yet” or words to that effect. I wouldn’t go that far, but then I enjoyed last season even when many others didn’t.

Some people have occasionally complained that “nothing happens” on this show; I’d beg to differ. This is a show that is less about plot and more about the characters. Lorelai and Rory may be great at witty banter when it’s just them and their friends, they may also seem pretty darn smart– but put them in unfamiliar territory and they flail around a bit. They’ve got strengths and weaknesses. Rory really was a “spaz” when she started her internship, but by this episode she’s got things down really well and loves it at the paper. Rory’s got tons of book smarts and Lorelai is great at managing an Inn and other aspects of her life, but they’re both not-so-great at handing romantic relationships.

It’s been fascinating watching the relationships between all the characters evolve over the course of the show. Lorelai’s relationship with her parents sure has had ups and downs and changes. Luke and Lorelai are still adjusting to being a couple (as evidenced by Luke not telling Lorelai about that house and Lorelai not understanding why Luke is concerned when she talks of selling the Inn). And while it was hard to imagine that the relationship between Lorelai and Rory would ever change, it certainly did when Rory went off to college and also– very sharply– at the end of last season when Rory slept with Dean.

This season we’ve watched as Rory got involved with Logan– a guy that is very much from Richard and Emily’s world and who Lorelai doesn’t much like. It’s been a bit painful watching Rory get so hung up on the guy, to the point where she seems more concerned with him (and his feelings for her) than for herself. Rory can be so witty and smart, it’s hard to remember just how very young she is. It’s common for people her age to fall in love and think of little else and obsess over it and let their self-esteem ride a bit more on what someone else thinks than it really should. Book smarts don’t keep you from making those same young foolish mistakes, and one can tell how it pains Lorelai to watch this play out.

I’ve seen tonight’s season finale and let me tell you– it reminds me an awful lot of last season’s finale. Not quite as eventful or good (last year’s would be hard to top), but there are developments that may surprise you. Big stuff happens that will probably send the characters off in a somewhat different direction next season. Last season’s finale was the perfect climax to the season before; this episode has a similar feel. I’m sure this season will work much better when you see it again knowing how it all ends up. I love shows with arcs and this show certainly has them, they just aren’t quite so obvious ’til you get to season’s end and look back at what went before.

It should be clear that I’m not trying to sell this episode to new viewers of the show, I’m not sure it would work for them at all. Gilmore Girls remains one of my favorite shows on the air and I do think everyone should give it a shot sometime (check out the DVD sets or the reruns on ABC Family Channel). Fans of the show who’ve stuck with it thus far won’t be disappointed by tonight’s finale.

The season finale of Gilmore Girls airs tonight at 7pm on the WB.

NBA playoffs on TNT.

Season finale of Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm). As discussed above.

A recap of the season-so-far of America’s Next Top Model (UPN, 7pm; airs again on Friday). Will contain some previously unseen footage.

The final three perform on American Idol (FOX, 7pm).

40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS, 7pm – 10pm). Performers include: Big & Rich, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Gretchen Wilson, and Lee Ann Womack.

Jay wants Michael to have a vasectomy on the season series finale of My Wife & Kids (ABC, 7pm – 7:40pm). Tisha Campbell-Martin makes her directorial debut with this episode. Note special times for ABC comedies tonight. Each of their comedies runs 40 minutes tonight.

Daunte Culpepper (of the Minnesota Vikings), Donovan McNabb (of the Philadelphia Eagles), and Cesar Rosas (of the band Los Lobos) guest star on the season finale of George Lopez (ABC, 7:40pm – 8:20pm). Note special time.

House (FOX, 8pm) gives a class of medical students a “lecture they’ll never forget.” He tells three stories of patients with similar symptoms (including guest star Carmen Electra as “herself”) and it sounds like the stories teach the students a lot about medicine and his coworker’s a lot about House. Or something. Whatever. I’ll be tuning in regardless, ‘cuz I really really like this show. Sela Ward (of Once and Again, Sisters) begins her stint on the show as an ex-girlfriend of Dr. House.

Series premiere of Britney and Kevin: Chaotic (UPN, 8pm). Home videos shot by Britney Spears and (her husband) Kevin Federline during her 2004 tour. The videos start from shortly after Britney met Federline and document their relationship from start ’til their wedding, I guess. This series is supposed to get a run on MTV later.

Nathan is released from the hospital and returns home to quite a mess on One Tree Hill (WB, 8pm).

Jim accidently knocks a preacher unconscious shortly before a wedding, so he has to find a replacement quick on the season finale of According To Jim (ABC, 8:20pm – 9pm). Note special time. Anthony Heald (of Boston Public) guest stars as a preacher.

Two police officers go missing after a 911 call on The Shield (FX, 9pm, 10pm, midnight, 1am). And Shane . . . well, Shane is in a lot of trouble. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this new episode of the show.

An old woman is found dead in an apartment fire on Blind Justice (ABC, 9pm). This series didn’t make it onto ABC’s schedule for next year, which isn’t really a surprise. So if you’ve been enjoying it (as I have), be sure to catch episodes while you can. (In other words: Law & Order: SVU will be rerun on USA and episodes air all the time).

Marlee Matlin returns to Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm; airs again on USA). In case you forgot her first appearance and want a refresher course, NBC is thoughtfully rerunning her earlier episode (NBC, 8pm).

Senator Zell Miller on a rerun of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

Ben Stiller, Shelly Fairchild on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Glenn Close (of The Shield), Josh Long & Troy Driscoll, Ralphie May on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).

Donald Trump, Patricia Arquette (of Medium), the Bravery on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Zooey Deschanel, Malcolm David Kelley, M.I.A. on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

George Eads (of CSI), Joe Walsh, J.R. Brow on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, check your local listings).

Tom Green, Katherine Heigl (of Grey’s Anatomy, Roswell), the Eels on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).

The town asks Joel to heal a tree on Northern Exposure (Hallmark, 1am).

“Showtime” and “Potential” episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, 6am, 7am).

“Waiting In The Wings” episode of Angel (TNT, 7am).

Sci-Fi mini-marathon du jour: Kolchak: The Night Stalker (Sci-Fi, 7am – 3pm).

Andy Alert! Andy Richter on Today (NBC, 7am – 10am).

Matthew Fox (of Lost) on Good Morning, America (ABC, 7am – 9am).

Jon Cryer on The Early Show (CBS, 7am – 9am).

Teri Hatcher (of Desperate Housewives, Lois and Clark), Jorge Garcia (of Lost), Jesse McCartney (of Summerland) on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Lisa Marie Presley, Craig Ferguson on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

“Keg! Max!” episode of Gilmore Girls (ABC Family, 10:30am).

Series finale of Ed (TBS, 11am). It starts out a bit odd, but ends beautifully.

Baseball: Angels at Cleveland (ESPN, 11am).

“The Killer In Me” and “First Date” episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (FX, Noon, 1pm).

Baseball: Texas Rangers at Chicago White Sox (WGN, 1pm).

Gwen Stefani, Kirstie Alley, Wanda Sykes on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Jon Cryer, Ricardo Antonio Chavira, Jennie Garth on The Tony Danza Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Women’s Health” on The Jane Pauley Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Get Off My Back!” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

“When You’re the Fat One in the Family” (including twin sisters where one weighs over 400lb and one only 120lbs) on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Say Goodnight, Gracie” episode of Gilmore Girls (ABC Family, 4pm today; 10am tomorrow).

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

“A Perfect Match” and “Future Shock” episodes of Felicity (We, 5pm, 6pm).

“True Grits” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 6pm).

Chewy Gooey Treats Unwrapped (Food Network, 6:30pm).

Season finales of America’s Next Top Model, CSI: NY, Kevin Hill, Law & Order, Revelations, Smallville, That ’70s Show, The King of Queens, and Yes Dear.

A two-hour new episode of Alias.

And new episodes of American Idol, Lost, and Stacked.

I’ll have full coverage in my picks for Wednesday, I’ll be featuring the season finale of That ’70s Show.
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