Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

All sorts of daytime talk season and series premieres
New Prison Break (FOX, 7pm)
Season premiere of How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7:30pm)
Season premiere of Two and a Half Men (CBS, 8pm)
Series premiere of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC, 9pm)
New Weeds (Showtime, 9pm, 9:30pm, 11pm)

News & Notes

If you notice that anything looks different or strange today or tomorrow, it’s because I’m in the process of launching a redesign (if all goes well, should all be up tomorrow).

Times listed are for the Central timezone, please adjust accordingly if you’re in a different timezone.

Daytime

I listed daytime talk show guests for Monday at the end of my picks for Sunday; if you missed them yesterday and are interested, you can check ‘em out there.

Firefly marathon (Sci-Fi, 7am - 6pm). Starts with the first episode (and by that I mean the actual first episode, not the episode that aired first) and episodes run in order from there. I might as well also mention that Serenity has been showing on HBO of late (HBO today, 5pm).

Scrubs begins airing in syndication (read more and enter our contest) and also on Comedy Central. The first two episodes of Scrubs (Comedy Central, 6pm, 6:30pm).

J.D.: Dr. Kelso, he’s always telling me, you know, “You’ve gotta stay positive!”
Dr. Cox: I’m gonna go ahead and say this just as carefully as possible so I don’t overstate it: Dr. Kelso is the most evil human being on the planet. And may, in fact, be Satan, himself.
  from the first episode of Scrubs

“Crosetti” is one of the best episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street (Sleuth, 6pm) despite the fact that I have great difficulty with the story (that a particular character would kill themselves). I have in my possession props from this episode (have I mentioned the fact that Homicide is my favorite show of all time?).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

That clever Agent Mahone (”Bill” Fichtner) takes an interest in the D.B. Cooper case on a new Prison Break (FOX, 7pm; airs again on Friday). Michael and Lincoln search for a ranch; Sucre tries to get to Las Vegas in time to stop a wedding.

Series premiere of The Class (CBS, 7pm). Check out fall preview and review to hear what I think of the first two episodes of this (and to learn everything you could possibly want to know about it).

Howie Mandel returns for the season premiere of Deal or No Deal (NBC, 7pm - 9pm). Two hours of people picking suitcases– now that’s entertainment! Or, um, not. You realize that some of the things I list as part of my “picks” aren’t really “picks” so much as “things that are on.” I try to always mention season and series premieres no matter what I think of ‘em.

Season premiere of How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7:30pm). A lot of things changed at the end of the first season of this fine show, season two begins right where season one left off and covers the next couple of months in fine fashion. I’ve seen this episode and I’m pleased to report that it’s as good as the best episodes from last season (even if the “kids” make an appearance at the beginning– that part is actually kinda funny). George Clinton has an appearance that you’ve gotta see to believe. I was recently quoted in an article in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader where I called this show “the new Friends” and I think that’s an apt description (and I’m not the first and I surely won’t be the last to make that observation).

It is still strange that there is no more Monday Night Football on ABC, instead you can check out NFL Football: Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars (ESPN, 7:30pm). Lots of football on ESPN on Monday nights.

The investigators discover “bizarre and frightening links between the abduction of Sara Collins and another high-profile crime” on Vanished (FOX, 8pm). I find the “centuries old conspiracy” of this show bizarre and frightening (and not in a good way).

Charlie “returns to his bachelor lifestyle” (like he ever really left it for long) on the season premiere of Two and a Half Men (CBS, 8pm). And Alan isn’t coping well with life (like this is news either).

ET Presents the CW: Launch of a New Network (CW, 8pm). Interviews with stars of the CW shows, behind-the-scenes footage.

Blair Underwood guest stars as Christine’s son’s new teacher on the season premiere of The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, 8:30pm). I guess at the end of last season, Christine’s ex was dumped by “new Christine” and he ended up spending more time with “old Christine” (Julia Louis-Dreyfuss).

Series premiere of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC, 9pm; also on Bravo on Wednesday night at 10pm). Check out my fall preview and review of this show to hear what I think of the first episode and all the details you could possibly want to know about the show (or at least I tried to provide ‘em all; let me know if you think I missed something).

New episode of Weeds (Showtime, 9pm, 9:30pm, 11pm) titled “Crush Girl Love Panic.” I’m loving this season of this show and also the many versions of “Little Boxes.”

Horatio and Delko travel to Brazil in pursuit of Marisol’s killer on the season premiere of CSI: Miami (CBS, 9pm).

Late Night

Former President Bill Clinton on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

Will Power on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).

Dr. Phil McGraw, Willie Tyler and Lester (yes, really; no, I didn’t realize they were still around), the first Survivor castoff of the season on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm). Willie Tyler and Lester are actually on as part of “ventriloquist week” on The Late Show (no, I’m not making this up).

Jason Lee (of My Name Is Earl), Elton John on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Gisele Bundchen, Madeleine Peyroux on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Edward Norton, Ethan Suplee, LeToya on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Tyra Banks, Jason Statham, Papa Roach on a rerun of Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

Vince Vaughn, Juliette & the Licks on a rerun of Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).

Tuesday Daytime

Martin Short, Rusty Wallace, Jesse McCartney on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Jaime Pressly (of My Name Is Earl), Ty Pennington (of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition), Julio Iglesias on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

Randy Jackson, Cynthia Rowley on Martha (syndicated, check your local listings).

Shannen Doherty on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Can’t Get A Date” on The Greg Behrendt Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Blended Family: Where Do I Fit In?” on The Dr. Keith Ablow Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Eva Mendes, So You Think You Can Dance, Granny Basketball on The Megan Mullaly Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Oprah Winfrey on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Jim McGreevey on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

“When In-Laws Cross the Line” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

Elton John, Rainn Wilson, Ellen’s favorite “viral videos” on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).