Monday, December 10, 2007
Best Bets
New How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7pm)
New Everybody Hates Chris (CW, 7pm)
New Samantha Who? (ABC, 8pm)
New Journeyman (NBC, 9:01pm)
New Saving Grace (TNT, 9pm and midnight)
News & Notes
Today’s “Gold Box Deal” at Amazon is on Band of Brothers
There’s free shipping on everything today at the Apple Store; please use the link in the sidebar to check out the store.
Due to the wacky technical difficulties I’m having, the gift guide has fallen a bit by the wayside. I hope to be able to link to a nice list soon– in case you were wondering what happened.
I should be getting back to people who made donations later today, if I can keep my computer going that long.
Official Strike News: WGA | AMPTP
Some more places to read about the WGA strike: United Hollywood | Fans4Writers | Deadline Hollywood Daily | Strikepoints | LateShowWritersOnStrike.com | Animation Writers | The Artful Writer | NewsFromME | WriterAction | WGA_Supporters Livejournal
Monday Daytime
Jason Lee (of My Name Is Earl), Jim Cramer, Josh Groban sings “Midnight Clear” on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).
Dana Delany (of Desperate Housewives, China Beach) guest hosts on The View (ABC, check your local listings). With guests Lorraine Bracco, Boys II Men.
Allison Janney (of The West Wing), Bonnie Brown (who was a masseuse at Google when it was just starting up, bought a bunch of stock options at a nickel a share, and now those shares are worth $700 each), Chace Crawford (of Gossip Girl), and a surprise musical guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
Andrea Bocelli, pear pate de fruit, latkes, a tour of Russ and Daughters on Martha (syndicated, check your local listings).
Jennifer Garner, underwear makeovers for men on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
“All-Star Baby Style” on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
“The Best!” on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings). Seems to involve guests Criss Angel, golfer Zach Johnson, and Eric Dane (of Grey’s Anatomy). Dane is sharing his pick for the “best burrito” or something like that. Rerun from May.
“House of Judgment, Part 2″ on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).
Primetime Grid
| Mon | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | I Want A Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown! | Samantha Who? | Notes from the Underbelly | October Road | ||
| CBS | How I Met Your Mother | Big Bang Theory Rerun | Two and a Half Men Rerun | Rules of Engagement Rerun | CSI: Miami | |
| NBC | Deal or No Deal | Journeyman | ||||
| FOX | House Rerun | K-Ville | Local Programming | |||
| CW | Everybody Hates Chris | Aliens in America | Girlfriends | The Game | Local Programming | |
| TNT | Law & Order Rerun | The Closer Rerun | Saving Grace also at midnight | |||
| ESPN | Monday Night Countdown | Football: Saints at Falcons | ||||
Primetime
When it looks like Ted is going to go on a date with his doctor, the rest of the gang regales him with stories to remind him why it’s a bad idea to date anyone you see regularly on How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7pm). Should be a fun episode. Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas, directed by Pamela Fryman; Bays, Thomas, and Fryman are the executive producers of the show. Fall finale.
Julius decides to boycott Christmas in favor of Kwanza because it’s a less expensive holiday on Everybody Hates Chris (CW, 7pm). And when a teacher instructs the kids to do good deeds, Chris has some difficulty with his deed. Phylicia Rashad (of The Cosby Show) guest stars. This episode was written by Adrienne Carter, directed by Eyal Gordin. Last new episode of the year.
Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, and Vera-Ellen star in the holiday classic White Christmas (My Network TV, 7pm). With Dean Jagger and Mary Wickes. This is my favorite Christmas movie: it’s got great songs, great dance, great performances, a good mix of funny stuff and drama. From 1954, it was the first movie filmed in VistaVision. It’s better to catch this movie on DVD or when it airs on Turner Classic Movies, but it’s worth catching anywhere.
Bob Wallace: You don’t expect me to get serious with the kind of characters you and Rita have been throwing at me, do you?
Phil Davis: Well, there have been some nice girls, too, you know.
Bob Wallace: Oh yeah, yeah. Like that nuclear scientist we just met out in the hall.
Phil Davis: All right, they didn’t go to college. They didn’t go to Smith.
Bob Wallace: Go to Smith? She couldn’t even spell it.
from White Christmas
Rerun of House (FOX, 7pm). From way back in season one when Chi McBride was guest starring and insisting that House fire a member of his team. In this episode, Joe Morton guest stars as a senator (these days Morton plays “Henry” on Eureka and Chi McBride plays “Emerson Cod” on Pushing Daisies).
Dr. Cuddy: “A brain biopsy can cause permanent neurological damage.”
House: “Uh-huh. Whereas tumors are really good for brains– make them big and strong.”
from House
No Chuck or Heroes tonight as we’ve seen the last new episodes of those for a while; instead we get a special two hour Deal or No Deal (NBC, 7pm – 9pm). Sugar Ray Leonard guest stars. Really pales in comparison to the usual NBC Monday night lineup, eh? At least there’s still a new Journeyman at 9pm.
Raja mentions that the Tolchuck’s trip to the local mega-store every Sunday seems to be their substitute for church on Aliens in America (CW, 7:30pm). Oh-oh. This causes Franny to start insisting that the family go to church. And there are some Christmas wishes that definitely aren’t meant for Santa. Written by Rob Ulin, directed by Michael Fresco.
When Sheldon is fired, he works on all sorts of strange projects at home on a rerun of The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 7:30pm). Eventually Leonard can’t take it anymore and calls in the big guns: Leonard’s Mom (played by Laurie Metcalf who was a castmate of Johnny Galecki’s on Roseanne). It’s a fun episode.
Mary (Sheldon’s Mom): “Now, you listen here. I have being telling you since you were four years old, it’s okay to be smarter than everybody but you can’t go around pointing it out.”
Sheldon: “Why not?”
Mary: “Because people don’t like it. You don’t remember all the ass-kickings you got from the neighbor kids. Now lets get cracking. Shower, shirt, shoes and lets shove off.”
(Mary leaves the room)
Sheldon: “There wouldn’t have been any ass-kickings if that stupid death ray had worked.”
from The Big Bang Theory
Football: Saints at Falcons (ESPN, 7:30pm; preceded by pre-game at 7pm).
Samantha may be rushing her relationship with Kevin (guest star Eddie Cibrian of Third Watch, Invasion) on Samantha Who? (ABC, 8pm). Written by Ric Swartzlander and directed by Tucker Gates.
Boulet and other police officers are having fun at a karaoke bar in the French Quarter when they get a call about a crime at a high profile merchant on K-Ville (FOX, 8pm). Yes, there could be racketeering. The partners have more issues, of course. Anthony Anderson and Cole Hauser star; recurring cast members include Elise Neal, Amanda Righetti (of North Shore, The OC), and Milena Govich (of Law & Order, Conviction).
Charlie and Alan take Jake shopping in preparation for when he starts junior high on Two and a Half Men (CBS, 8pm). Rerun of the season premiere.
Charlie: Hey Berta, how have you been washing my underwear?
Berta: Like I do with everything else around here; with a song on my lips and love in my heart.
from Two and a Half Men
Layoffs hit the newspaper on Christmas Eve on Journeyman (NBC, 9:01pm). Wow, that’s really awful timing. Katie’s having a hard time getting past being held hostage and I can’t say that I blame her, she already had more than enough to deal with before that happened. And, of course, Dan travels back in time to try and fix something. The final two episodes of the show to be filmed (which may possibly be the final episodes ever) air next week with one on Monday and the other on Wednesday. Recent episodes are available online. I love this show, if you love it too you might want to write to NBC to tell them so. Also visit the official website and check out everything they offer there.
Grace starts dating a guy and she doesn’t sleep with him on Saving Grace (TNT, 9pm and midnight; also Tuesday at 10pm) which prompts her friend to remark “This is way too normal for you” (which is also the title of the episode). You gotta stay with this show, the final shows of the season air soon and they’re pretty darn amazing.
The gift Janet gives Eddie freaks him out on October Road (ABC, 9pm).
A rare and illegal machine gun may have actually vaporized three people on CSI: Miami (CBS, 9pm). I guess that would be why it’s rare and illegal. Rockmond Dunbar is among the guest stars (he was “C-Note” on Prison Break and “Kenny” on Soul Food, recently co-starred in Heartland, has guest appearances this season on Shark and Grey’s Anatomy). Written by Barry O’Brien & Brian Davidson, directed by Carey Meyer.
Linda Fairstein on Murder By The Book (Court TV, 9pm and 1am).
Late Night
Check out the Late Night Lineups Page by Sue Trowbridge for talk show guest listings.
Tuesday Daytime
Jon Voight, Lucas Grabeel, Manheim Steamroller performs “Christmas Song” on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).
Lauren Ambrose, James Blunt on The View (ABC, check your local listings).
Blake Lewis, Padma Lakshmi on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
Hot spiced cider, cranberry-almond one bites, stollen, cool ways to wrap gift cards, and a Good Thing for preserving and sharing memories on Martha (syndicated, check your local listings).
Jeff Foxworthy, the ultimate nursery, two recipes for eggplant on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
“The Truth Behind the Tiara” on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings).
“A Suburban Mother’s Nightmare Captured on Tape” on a rerun of Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).
“Plastic Surgery Nightmares” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).
