Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

Season premiere of Survivor: China (CBS, 7pm)
Season finale of Burn Notice (USA, 8pm - 10pm, 11pm - 1am)
Two new episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX, 9pm, 9:30pm)
Reruns of lots of interesting season finales
James Woods, Ben Lee on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm)

News & Notes

USA has picked up both Burn Notice and Psych for additional seasons.

Daytime picks for today are in the last section of my picks for yesterday.

Primetime Grid

Primetime

This time the castaways aren’t on some island, they’re in China for the season premiere of Survivor (CBS, 7pm). Sounds like folks who work on the show agree that the last round was less than stellar; don’t expect any tribes to get good amenities this time.

The U.K. version of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares is a bit more subdued than the U.S. version, you can check it out on BBC America tonight as two episodes air (BBC America, 7pm and 10pm, 8pm and 11pm).

Rerun of last season’s moving musical finale of Ugly Betty (ABC, 7pm). The season premiere airs next Thursday.

Rerun of last season’s finale of My Name Is Earl (NBC, 7pm - 8pm). Earl may finally have his act together, but then he testifies at Joy’s trial and things don’t go so well. The season premiere airs a week from tonight.

Earl: Me and Randy had just moved in to our apartment and were having breakfast.
Randy: Man, everyone here is so friendly. I even got some helpful advice from one of our neighbors last night - When I go out looking for an ice machine, I should put on pants. Oh, and there is no ice machine.
  from My Name Is Earl

Rebroadcast of the season premiere of Beauty and the Geek (CW, 7pm - 9pm). Geeks and beauties pair up, but this time there’s a hot guy and a geeky girl in the mix.

Special two-hour season finale of Burn Notice (USA, 8pm - 10pm, 11pm - 1am). Note earlier time and two-hour length. What I learned from watching this episode: don’t mess with heroin dealers. When things go bad, Sam (Bruce Campbell) ends up held hostage. And Michael gets closer to finding out what the deal is with the burn notice. And there’s family drama. Basically, it’s a darn good two-hour finale and I can’t wait for the second season of this show.

Rebroadcast of last season’s finale of CSI (CBS, 8pm). It’s part one of a two-parter; part two is the season premiere which airs next week. I’m not saying much in case there’s anyone who hasn’t seen it and hasn’t been spoiled– which seems unlikely, but one never knows.

Rerun of last season’s finale of Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8pm). If you aren’t moved by this episode (titled “Didn’t We Almost Have It All?”), you’re made of sterner stuff than I am. The interns take their big exam, and it’s also time for Cristina’s wedding to Burke. I just want to note that I always loved the character of Burke and the way that Isaiah Washington played him, it’s a pity that his offscreen behavior had to end that. Burke is awesome in this episode.

Meredith: No matter what, you’re walking down that aisle today. I need you to go down that aisle.
Cristina: Is the toilet paper cutting off your circulation?
Meredith: You and Burke, it’s a sign. It’s a sign that people like you and me can do this. Be healthy, be happy. You marrying Burke restores my faith in me.
Cristina (sarcastic): Ohhh, I get it! My wedding’s about you.
Meredith: Yes.
  from Grey’s Anatomy

Rerun of last season’s hour-long season finale of The Office (NBC, 8pm). Dwight ends up in charge of the Scranton branch. Eek!

Andy: I am a great interviewee. Why? Because I have something no one else has…my brain. Which I use to my advantage when advantageous.
  from The Office

Tonight’s episode of Mad Men (AMC, 9pm, 10pm, 3am) is a rerun of the “5G” episode, but there’s a new episode next week.

Two new episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia titled “Dennis and Dee’s Mom is Dead” and “The Gang Gets Held Hostage”. Things go awry, as they always do, because these people are idiots. Fortunately, they’re often funny idiots.

Annie Potts and Colm Meaney guest star as Annie’s parents in this rerun of Men in Trees (ABC, 9pm). Other guest stars include Josh Randall, Justine Bateman, and Nicolas Lea. This episode wasn’t intended to be a season finale, but it was the last new episode to air. This show finally returns with a new episode on Friday, October 12th. Hooray!

A teenage girl disappears after joining a cult and Elena has still more problems with her ex in this rerun of last season’s finale of Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm). Season premiere airs next week.

Rerun of the 13th season finale of ER (NBC, 9pm). I can’t believe this is still on the air. Just think, Chicago Hope debuted on the same night this show did.

Late Night

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

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

Seth Rogen, Sen. Joe Biden, Gogol Bordello on a rerun of The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Jessica Alba, D.L. Hughley, Cold War Kids on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Terrence Howard, Mystery on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

James Woods, Ben Lee on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Dane Cook, Samaire Armstrong, KT Tunstall on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

Oliver Hudson on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).

Friday Daytime

The Fifth Annual Relly Awards on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Jessica Alba, Dane Cook, Leeza Gibbons on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

Growing up intersex, discussion with Jeffrey Eugenides about his book Middlesex on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

Masi Oka (of Heroes), KT Tunstall, Science Guy Steve Spangler on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Brad Garrett, a Moroccan stew, harvesting late summer vegetables, transplanting perennials, good mood foods on Martha (syndicated, check your local listings).

Ty Pennington, Tim Gunn, Sean “Diddy” Combs on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Tori Spelling, Dean McDermott, former members of boy bands on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings).