Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

Season premiere of Prison Break (FOX, 7pm)
Series premiere of K-Ville (FOX, 8pm; airs again on Tuesday at 8pm)
Season finale of Saving Grace (TNT, 9pm; also Thu at 10pm)
New Weeds (Showtime, 9pm)
Most Honorable Son (PBS, check your local listings)
Alan Alda, Alex O’Loughlin, Zap Mama on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm)

Primetime Grid

News & Notes

The Emmy Awards were last night, you can see the press release that announces winners on the official Emmy website. I like to look and see which episodes were submitted by those who ended up nominated (for instance the episode that Boston Legal submitted for this year was outstanding, that’s how they ended up among the best drama nominees). I can’t take the Emmys seriously given that neither Homicide nor The Wire have been nominated for best drama.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Half & Half both begin airing in syndication today. Look for reruns five nights a week on one of your local stations (check your local listings).

The new series Jury Duty begins airing in syndication. Check out the official site for info on the show and on where you can watch it.

Featured Picks

Series premiere of K-Ville (FOX, 8pm; also Tuesday at 8pm).

Anthony Anderson stars as a cop in post-Katrina New Orleans. The series premiere opens with a shot of him and others after the levy broke back in 2005, but we flash forward soon enough to see him get partnered up with a new guy. The new guy is played by Cole Hauser, who is coming straight to New Orleans by way of Afghanistan where he served in the military. Of course Anthony Anderson’s character doesn’t trust him at first and there’s tension too.

The first case for this show is over-the-top and my husband claims it’s straight out of Scooby Doo– as you might imagine, that’s not a good thing. There’s potential here if they deal with better cases in future episodes, because the setting is like nothing else on TV and both Anderson and Hauser are good in their parts (I also like what I saw of the supporting players).

Anderson’s character lives in the 9th ward and wants to stay there. He’s set on staying and rebuilding in New Orleans no matter what. Anthony Anderson moved to New Orleans to make this show, this series if filmed on location there and brings a whole bunch of money into that community as they hire many locals to work on the show.

As a result of the setting and my fondness for Anderson’s dramatic acting, I can’t help but want this show to succeed. I’m pulling for it. Get some better scripts in the future and there’s a decent show here. ‘Course it’s got steep competition in Heroes and Two and a Half MenDancing with the Stars). I’m not sure there’s a better spot for it on the schedule at this time, but I hope FOX gives it a shot and keeps it on the air for a little while. I’ll be tuning in for at least another episode or two and will let you know if I think it gets better.

You can, of course, give it a try and see what you think as it faces off against reruns tonight.

Season premiere of Prison Break (FOX, 7pm). I just watched the first two episodes of this season of Prison Break and I feel like I’m hooked all over again. I watched season one, though interest flagged partway through that season; I watched the beginning of season two and then just sortof stopped watching– always intending to catch up. So I went into these episodes a bit in the dark about what all happened to these characters after they left FOX River.

The season opens with Michael in prison and Lincoln on the outside trying to get him out. ‘Course Lincoln isn’t busily getting tattoos of maps and trying to get himself put in prison, he’s actually trying to work with people at consulates to get Michael out (yeah, good luck with that).

The prison Michael is in makes Fox River look very very tame by comparison. This prison in Panama was abandoned by the guards after a prisoner revolt– they pretty much guard the perimeter and keep the prisoners from leaving, the prisoners are on their own on the inside.

I was very pleased to see Robert Wisdom join the show as the prisoner who is in charge, you probably know him best as “Bunny” on The Wire. He gets to play the tough guy ruler of the prison.

Before too long, we see other familiar folks are also in the prison (spoilers ahoy if you missed last season). Cool, eh? The dynamics shall be interesting as one of them is former prison guard Bellick, another is the FBI Agent (played by William Fichter), and then there’s good old T-Bag. Yes, you’re in for a lot of meaningful looks between these guys, a whole bunch of staring across the yard at each other.

I don’t think I’m spoiling it to say that Lincoln isn’t just gonna be able to get Michael out of there right away, it also shouldn’t surprise you that there’s more going on than meets the eye.

In the end, you guessed it, Michael’s gonna have to orchestrate yet another prison break. This time he’s working without a map or a plan, in a prison that’s a bit tougher than the previous one. I, for one, am pulling for him and curious to see how he pulls it off (assuming he does).

I also totally think Lincoln should get himself thrown in there– it’s the least that he could do.

Daytime

The Truth About Food with Dr. Oz and Bob Greene on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

Dr. Phil, food for picky eaters on Rachael Ray (syndicated, check your local listings).

Liars and con men on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

Morgan Freeman, quiche on Martha Stewart (syndicated, check your local listings).

Primetime

Season premiere of Prison Break (FOX, 7pm). See my coverage above as one of the “featured picks”.

Charlie Sheen is the guest on the fall premiere of Inside the Actor’s Studio (Bravo, 7pm and 1am).

Monday Night Countdown (ESPN, 7pm) pre-game show is followed by Football: Washington at Philadelphia (ESPN, 7:30pm).

Dr. Oz claims he’ll tell the Truth About Food in this show. First installment is “How To Feed Your Kids” (Discovery Health Channel, 7pm and 10pm), second episode is “How To Be Slim” (Discovery Health Channel, 8pm and 11pm). Probably better than most shows of this nature.

Season premiere of Deal or No Deal (NBC, 7pm) or as I like to call it (after that one episode of The O.C.) “Suitcase or No Suitcase”. Donald Trump gets to play banker.

Reruns of the “Everybody Hates Gamling” and “Everybody Hates Dirty Jokes” episodes of Everybody Hates Chris (CW, 7pm, 7:30pm). Jimmie Walker, Ernest Thomas, Vincent Pastore, and Loretta Devine guest star.

Barney tries very hard to find out Ted and Robin’s secret in this rerun of the season finale of How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7pm). I’ve seen the season premiere and it’s great– I’m so glad this show is back for another year. Premiere airs next week.

Lily: Does it make you kind of sad that we don’t share the same last name?
Marshall: You know, in a totally evolved 21st century kind of way, a little.
Lily: Oh, you know what we should do? We should come up with a whole new last name.
Marshall: Oh that’s easy. Lily and Marshall Skywalker.
Lily: Lily and Marshall Hasselhoff.
Marshall: I got it! You ready? You ready?
Lily: Yeah?
Marshall: Lily and Marshall Awesome. Have you met the Awesomes? Marshall, Lily, their son Totally and their daughter Freakin?
(Both giggle)
Lily: I love you Mr Awesome.
Marshall: I love you Mrs Awesome.
  from How I Met Your Mother

[Digression: Two years ago today I married Kevin G. Austin. He is, truly awesome. Given we were married at a Twins game, we discussed going with the last name Killebrew, but in the end decided to each keep our respective last names as they've worked well for us both so far. Happy Anniversay, Kevin!]

Series premiere of K-Ville (FOX, 8pm; also Tuesday at 8pm). See the “featured picks” section above.

Rebroadcast of the latest new episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 8pm) which debuted last night. Larry gets into a feud with a dry cleaner and he’s also puzzled when Ted Danson goes unrecognized at an event. Ted Danson guest stars along with Barbara Boxer and Gina Gershon.

Robert Wagner guest stars on a rerun of last season’s finale of Two and a Half Men (CBS, 8pm).

Alan: Where are we going?
Charlie: We are going to talk some sense into our mother.
Alan: Really? It’s hard to imagine that turning out well.
  from Two and a Half Men

Baseball Tonight (ESPN2, 8:30pm - 10pm).

Most Honorable Son (PBS, check your local listings) is a new documentary about the first Japanese-American war hero. Ben Kuroki flew combat missions over Europe, North Africa, and Japan as an aerial gunner with the U.S. Army Air Corps.

A case hits close to home for Grace, Rhetta does some sleuthing of her own to find out more about Earl on the season finale of Saving Grace (TNT, 9pm; also on Thursday at 10pm). The show has been picked up for another season.

New episode of Weeds (Showtime, 9pm, 10pm; also tomorrow).

Season finale of Slacker Cats (ABC Family, 9pm; also Wed at 11pm).

Rebroadcast of the second episode of Tell Me You Love Me (HBO, 9pm) which debuted last night.

Rerun of the season finale of Heroes (NBC, 9pm). Watch if you want to remind yourself where things left off before the season premiere airs next week.

Ando (to Hiro): “Your whole life you talked about your favorite stories… Star Wars, Star Trek, Superman, Kensei, all the heroes you wanted to be. One day people will tell the story of Hiro Nakamura.”
  from Heroes

Rerun of the M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion Special (TV Land, 9pm - 11pm) from a while back.

Rerun of last season’s finale of CSI: Miami (CBS, 9pm).

“Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder” on a new episode of Californication (Showtime, 9:30pm, 10:30pm; additional airings tomorrow and later this week).

Bradley Whitford (of Studio 60, The West Wing) tours Ed Begley, Jr’s eco-house on Living With Ed (HGTV, 9:30pm and 1:30am).

Late Night

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

Father James Martin, Ed Begley Jr, brief surprise appearance by Viggo Mortensen on a rerun of The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).

Matt Damon, Jeff Altman, Angelique Kidjo on a rerun of The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Howie Mandel, Amanda Bynes, Emmylou Harris on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Morgan Freeman, Cheryl Hines, KT Tunstall on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Alan Alda, Alex O’Loughlin, Zap Mama on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Seann William Scott, Dan Fogler, Gerry Phillips on a rerun of Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

Jeff Garlin, James Morrison on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).

Tuesday Daytime

Kelsey Grammer, Brad Garrett, KT Tunstall on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Barry Manilow, Dennis Haysbert on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

Howie Mandel, Tori Spelling, Dean McDermott, Rascal Flatts on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson Peete discuss autism and life with their autistic children on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

A look at what constitutes bad manners on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

Chevy Chase, dahlias, fall arrangements, how to make rugelach on Martha (syndicated, check your local listings).

Daniel Radcliffe (of Harry Potter), getting the best deals at warehouse club stores on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Backstage during Fashion Week on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings).