Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

Season premiere of House (FOX, 7pm)
New Eureka (Sci-Fi, 8pm and 11pm)
Series premiere of Standoff (FOX, 8pm)
Season premiere of Nip/Tuck (FX, 9pm, 10:11pm, runs 71 minutes)

News & Notes

Katie Couric makes her debut tonight on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric (CBS, 5:30pm).

Rosie O’Donnell joins The View (ABC, check your local listings) this morning as the show begins their 10th season. Jessica Simpson is a guest today. Meredith Viera joins Today on September 13th (in case you were wondering).

The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings) began a new season yesterday (you’ll be able to catch that episode on Oxygen later if you missed it), another new episode airs today. Ellen is in New York City this week.

Daytime notes: Tyra Banks begins a new season on September 11th. Martha begins a new season on September 12th. Oprah begins a new season on September 18th, it’s a safe bet that’s the same day Dr. Phil returns with new episodes too. The series premiere of the Rachael Ray Show will air on September 18th; the Megan Mullally Show also has its series premiere on September 18th.

New seasons and new schedules begin all over the place (if they didn’t already yesterday). Keep an eye on your local affiliates as they move shows around on their schedule (Ellen, Oprah, and other faves may have moved to new timeslots this fall or may yet move later this month).

MyNetworkTV is a new network that will air two new primetime soaps five nights a week; with a recap episode on Saturdays. Storylines will last a finite number of weeks (thirteen to start, I think). You’ll want to check your local listings to figure out which local station (that used to be WB or UPN affiliate) is now carrying My Network TV in your area. Depending on which station is now carrying MyNetworkTV, you may no longer see programming for the WB or UPN (don’t worry, it’s all reruns anyway; the CW launches soon). Find out more about this new network (and where to see it) on the MyNetworkTV website.

Times listed on this page are for the Central time zone, please add an hour for Eastern/Pacific.

Primetime Grid

Featured Picks

Season premiere of House (FOX, 7pm). Hugh Laurie, Robert Sean Leonard, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison, and Jesse Spencer return for a third season of this excellent series (which just seems to get better and better). It’s one of my favorite shows.

Last season ended with House in the hospital in a somewhat different capacity after he’s shot; there’s also a possible treatment when he’s operated on that may allow him to walk normally (or at least close to it). This season picks up a couple of months later when House is returning to work at the hospital.

House handles two cases: one involves a young woman who collapsed while doing yoga, the other features a man who is confined to a wheelchair who drives himself into a swimming pool.

I’ve seen this episode and it’s truly great; as is usually the case, this show excels when it deals with the psychology of House and his relationships with Wilson and Cuddy and others. Great stuff here. Interesting cases, interesting psychology, and (of course) funny stuff too. I’ve also got to note that it’s criminal that Kiefer Sutherland won the Emmy for “Best Actor, Drama” for this past season when Hugh Laurie wasn’t even nominated (as if anyone needed further proof that the Emmys are mostly worthless).

House will air regularly this September at 7pm; later on (after the baseball playoff coverage ends), House will move to 8pm on Tuesdays.

Season premiere of Nip/Tuck (FX, 9pm). I feel obligated to remind everyone that this show is most definitely for “mature audiences only” and not recommended for anyone under 17 (or possibly older than that). Lots of sex, gruesome surgeries, all manner of “mature” and sometimes twisted stuff. Some people may find this immoral and offensive.

Now that I have that warning out of the way, I’ve got to say that I was very impressed by the season premiere of this show: it’s moving, it’s fascinating, it’s well-done. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy. I probably should also note that I’ve only seen a handful of episodes of this series, just a couple each season (not because I haven’t found it interesting or entertaining, mostly because I can’t stomach a lot of it).

If the gruesome “Carver” aspect of last season turned you off of this show, it should now be safe to tune back in. Season four opens with the doctors celebrating their 5,000th surgery. Julia gets a revealing sonogram. Christian sees a therapist (played by Brooke Shields). All sorts of major stuff happens with the main characters and I honestly don’t want to give much away: but there’s a ton of material to work with this season, that’s for sure.

Larry Hagman, Brooke Shields, Kathleen Turner, and Sanaa Lathan guest star in this episode; other guest stars this season include Richard Chamberlain, Melissa Gilbert, Jacqueline Bisset, Peter Dinklage, and Rosie O’Donnell.

This isn’t an easy show to watch; it’s definitely not for everyone. But if you’ve liked it previously, you’ll definitely want to check out this episode.

Primetime

Season premiere of House (FOX, 7pm; airs again on USA on Friday September 15th at 10pm). My first “featured pick” for today (see above). Highly recommended.

Series premiere of Desire (MyNetworkTV, 7pm). One of the two new primetime soap operas that will air every weeknight on the new network myNetworkTV (which may be carried by one of your local stations that used to carry the WB or UPN). Each story will run for thirteen weeks. From the website about Desire: “Two brothers, Alex and Louis Thomas, open a small restaurant in New Jersey with their mother, Rita. On their opening night, Louis sleeps with the daughter of a notorious mafia boss, who burns down their home and restaurant, forcing the Thomas family to flee to Los Angeles.” Once in LA, they both fall in love with the same woman (of course, as this is a soap opera). Sofia Milos (of CSI: Miami) seems to be the biggest name on this show; you can check out a full cast list on the website. Episodes air every weeknight at 7pm; with a recap episode at 7pm on Saturdays.

Two more reruns of Veronica Mars (UPN, 7pm, 8pm): “Look Who’s Stalking” and “Happy Go Lucky”. In the first episode, Veronica helps a classmate who is being stalked; in the second episode, Veronica takes the stand in the big murder trial.

Principal Clemmons: “Attention students. Due to a significant number of alcohol violations on the senior trip, this year’s prom has been cancelled.”
Wallace: “What?!”
Clemmons: “That is all.”
Mac: “Yes! Prayer works!”
  from Veronica Mars

Two more Gilmore Girls (WB, 7pm, 8pm) reruns from this past season: “I’m OK, You’re OK” and “The Real Paul Anka.” In the first episode, Rory spends some time in Stars Hollow and pays a visit to the mother of Luke’s daughter; in the second episode, the real Paul Anka appears in a dream and Rory meets up with Jess (guest star Milo Ventimiglia).

(Lorelai has Luke take some spiders outside)
Luke: “Okay, I’m going to take these guys outside. Any particular place you want them?”
Lorelai: “Yeah, someplace shady, sheltered from the elements, and ideally near a talking pig.”
Luke: “I asked. I have no one to blame but myself.”
  from Gilmore Girls

A young computer programmer returns to Eureka (Sci-Fi, 8pm, 11pm; also at 6pm on Friday). And, of course, things go awry in some entertaining fashion. I think this show may be my favorite new show of this summer– it’s just so darn fun and cute.

Steve Irwin’s longtime friend and manager John Stainton will appear on Larry King Live (CNN, 8pm) to talk about Irwin’s life and about what happened during the shoot when the Crocodile Hunter star died. Jack Hanna (of the Columbus Zoo) will also be on the show.

Series premiere of Standoff (FOX, 8pm). Ron Livingston stars in this new show about crisis negotiators (including a pair of partners who also happen to be romantically involved). Gina Torres (of Firefly) is also in the cast. For the full skinny on this show, check out my fall preview of it. Until the other shows on other networks debut, it’s worth giving this show a look as it’s the best of the new FOX shows (which isn’t saying much; there really are lots of great new shows this season, but none of them are on FOX). It’s an okay show that will have stiff competition once the season gets underway on other networks.

Series premiere of Fashion House (myNetworkTV, 8pm). Another new primetime soap from the new station myNetworkTV (for more, see above). Episodes will air every weeknight at 8pm; with recap episodes on Saturdays at 8pm. “A beautiful, young housewife embarks on a journey of self discovery after uncovering her husband’s infidelity. Michelle Miller divorces her overbearing mate and takes a job at the illustrious Fashion House, finally realizing her lifelong dream of becoming a successful clothing designer.” And then she falls in love with someone who makes it all very very complicated (this is a soap, after all). Bo Derek and Morgan Fairchild star.

New documentary Metal of Honor: The Ironworkers of 9/11 (Spike, 8pm, 9:30pm).

Season premiere of Nip/Tuck (FX, 9pm, 10:11pm; runs 71 minutes). My second “featured pick” today (see above).

Best friends compete as they try to lose weight on Queer Eye (Bravo, 9pm and 11pm; also airs a few more times this week).

Tonight’s “Outsiders” edition of Primetime (ABC, 9pm) features “Strange Arrangements”. Some of the arrangements explored: swinging, women who take off their clothes for a living, and people who live sexless lives.

First part of last season’s two-part season finale of NCIS (CBS, 9pm). Gibbs (Mark Harmon) is seriously injured in an explosion and experiences some memory loss.

Late Night:

Rebroadcast of last night’s new episode of Weeds (Showtime, 10pm).

Rebroadcast of last night’s new episode of The Closer (TNT, 11pm) in case you missed it the first time around.

Hugh Laurie (of House) on Inside The Actors Studio (Bravo, midnight).

Check out Sue Trowbridge’s Late Night Lineups page for a list of late night talk show guests.

Wednesday Daytime Talk

David Duchovny (of The X-Files), Mary Hart, Daniel Powter on Live with Regis and Kelly (check your local listings).

Adrien Brody, Joely Fisher on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

Kevin Federline on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).