Laurel’s TV Picks

Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm)
NCIS (CBS, 7pm)
House (FOX, 8pm)
My Name Is Earl (NBC, 8pm)
The Office (NBC, 8:30pm)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm)
Matthew Broderick, Teri Garr on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm)

House (FOX, 8pm).

Vicellous Shannon, Clifton Powell, Diane Baker, and R. Lee Ermey guest star in tonight’s new episode of House as a college student who is about to graduate when he experiences seizures that feel like electric shocks. Ouch! Yuck! It’s unpleasant, that’s for sure, but that’s generally par for the course with the “weird ailment of the week” part of this show.

But House is so much more than a show about doctors trying to get the right diagnosis for patients (after trying plenty of things that don’t work or don’t quite work enough): it’s got lots of juicy character bits with all the characters.

Hugh Laurie is, of course, brilliant as Dr. House. It’s an original fascinating character and Laurie has a ball with it all. Lisa Edelstein is fine as ever (you’ve seen her countless times in guest stints on many shows) as the hospital administrator. Robert Sean Leonard is great as the one real friend House has, he’s also got plenty of issues of his own (that don’t have to do with his work in oncology). Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, and Jesse Spencer all shine as the three very differenet assistants to Dr. House. Sela Ward isn’t in this episode, but she’s around for some episodes this season as House’s ex and legal counsel for the hospital.

I’ve had a chance to screen tonight’s new episode of House and it’s a great one. The show seems to only be getting better this season, maybe because FOX is letting the creative team do pretty much what they want with the show (and they’ve certainly given the impression that they didn’t really want to do yet another medical procedural show, but one about interesting people).

The medical case is interesting and the guest performances involved are strong. But the really fun stuff has to do with the doctors and their reactions both to the case and to the news that House’s parents are coming to town for a visit. As if all that isn’t enough, those who enjoy writing fan fiction about various pairings of characters on this show will surely get a lot of good material from this episode.

If you aren’t watching this show, you’re missing one of the best network shows on TV this season– I just can’t get enough of it.

A new episode of House airs tonight at 8pm on FOX.

The email version of this page is now going to be in HTML format– basically, I’ll be emailing you this page after I update it. I intend to make separate lists for each timezone, but they aren’t quite ready yet. If you’d really still prefer a plaintext version– let me know. And if you have technical problems with the new format, I’d like to hear about them. As always, you can email me at laurel@tvpicks.net.

It’s sweeps again, so if your local news seems to be going overboard trying to get your attention . . . that’s why. It’s also why there are new episodes of all sorts of things and big guest stars and crossovers, etc. Anything to get you fine folks to watch. I’ll try to tell you what I think is really worth watching.

There is yet another big sale on TV DVD sets at amazon.com, this sale includes Rescue Me, Soap, Bewitched, Barney Miller, The Critic, Seinfeld, Stargate, Tour of Duty, NewsRadio, and other notable series which cover a wide range, really. Check it out to see the full list of titles.

Amazon.com is still having those other big sales I mentioned previously, including the one on Law & Order DVD sets, the big sale on British TV , a sale on Warner Brothers titles, and a sale on some classic TV sets.

Serenity, which was written and directed by Joss Whedon (of Buffy and Angel), is still in theaters. Go see it if you haven’t yet as it’s a lovely followup to Firefly, but it also stands alone real well. The movie is now available for pre-order at amazon.com– it’s due out on December 20th.

Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) pays a visit to Rory on Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm) and questions what she’s doing with her life (for once, I’m happy to see Jess if that’s what he’s gonna do). Emily tries to play a more “parental role” in Rory’s life (oh-oh). And Lorelai spends a lot of time with her dog Paul Anka (oh brother). This episode was written by Daniel Palladino.

Tony and Ziva go undercover as married assassins on NCIS (CBS, 7pm). Oh boy, this should be fun. I imagine this as their own take on Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I was afraid I wouldn’t like the show so much this year after the cast changes, but so far it’s still plenty of fun.

Temperance and Agent Booth investigate the death and sexual assault of a six-year-old on a new Bones (FOX, 7pm). You may recall I wasn’t wild about the first couple of episodes, but I checked back in again last week and enjoyed the show. It really is all about the banter among the characters and less about the cases. I enjoy both Boreanaz and Deschanel, that’s for sure. This show will switch into a different timeslot in January and then maybe I’ll get to see it more (as I usually watch/record both Gilmore Girls and NCIS).

Another airing of the most recent episode of America’s Next Top Model (UPN, 7pm). Episodes debut on Wednesdays at 7pm and are repeat the following Tuesday.

Cheryl doesn’t speak to Jim for days on According To Jim (ABC, 7pm). Rosalind Chao guest stars.

After a layoff, Rodney (ABC, 7:30pm) tries to save some money on food and I guess his plan backfires (this is a sitcom, after all). Mac Davis guest stars.

House (FOX, 8pm). See the featured pick above.

Earl tries to make amends for the time he “Stole Beer From A Golfer” (that’s the episode title) on My Name Is Earl (NBC, 8pm). Johnny Galecki guest stars. Kevin and I are still enjoying this show ‘cuz it’s funny.

Tonight’s special two-hour edition of The Amazing Race: Family Edition (CBS, 8pm) is titled “You Look Ridiculous” and promises challenges involving water and a gravity defying “flight of a lifetime.” There’s also a food fight. And someone needs to be rescued when one challenge proves to be too much for them. Well, it sure sounds exciting. There are five families left in the competition at this point.

Confidential material about the president appears in a tell-all book on Commander In Chief (ABC, 8pm). I gave up on this show because I enjoy House and My Name Is Earl more, though I may check back now that I know Bochco and his team of writers are taking over.

A swarm of insects attacks a community on Supernatural (WB, 8pm; airs again on Sunday as part of The WB’s Easy View in most markets). This episode was directed by Kim Manners (frequent director of The X-Files).

Eve hosts An All-Star Salute to Patti LaBelle: Live From Atlantis (UPN, 8pm) with performances by Big Boi (of Outkast), Nelly, Kelly Rowland, Michael McDonald, Ashanti, Boyz II Men, Mario, and Gerald Levert. Plus a reunion of Labelle.

Tim Meadows (of Saturday Night Live) guest stars as a new client on The Office (NBC, 8:30pm).

Dwell (Fine Living, 8:30pm and 11:30pm).

The discovery of a young boy’s remains leads to the re-opening of 30-year-old cold cases on Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm).

Anne Heche continues her guest stint on Nip/Tuck (FX, 9pm, 10:03pm). Episode runs 63 minutes. Sean finds out the truth about Nikki’s past.

Anthony Heald (of Boston Public), Michael McKean, and Susan Ruttan are among the guest stars on Boston Legal (ABC, 9pm). Episode was written by David E. Kelley. Denny Crane (William Shatner) goes to extremes (again?) to avoid a pro bono case and Alan Shore (James Spader) has difficulty trying a case because of his fear of clowns. Mark Valley (of Keen Eddie), Julie Bowen (of Ed), Rene Auberjonois (of Deep Space Nine), and Candice Bergen also star.

Rerun of the episode of Las Vegas (TNT, 9pm) from a little more than a week ago.

See late night talk show lineups on Sue Trowbridge’s excellent page.

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