Laurel’s TV Picks

Friday Best Bets

Cary Grant and Grace Kelly star in Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch A Thief (TCM, 7pm)
Enrico Colantoni and Megan Gallagher guest star on a new Numb3rs (CBS, 9pm)

Friday Recommended Reruns

“School of Hard Nogs” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 7pm and 2am)
Men in Trees (ABC, 7pm)
Women’s Murder Club (ABC, 8pm)

News & Notes

Today’s “Deal of the Day” at Amazon is really really cool. You can get Arrested Development – The Complete Series (Seasons 1, 2, 3) for just $30! That works out to just $10 per season. Arrested Development is one of the funniest shows to air in recent years and ranks fairly high among my favorite comedies of all time. If you haven’t seen it, you should. If you have and liked the show and don’t yet own it on DVD, there’s really no excuse not to at this point. The deal is today only, while supplies last. Makes a good gift too.

At 10pm or so, one of the “Lightning Deals” at Amazon will be on Stargate Atlantis – The Complete Seasons 1 – 3 and if my info is correct, they’ll be selling 2500 sets for $35 off the regular price. But you’ve gotta act fast with these deals and be there at the right time.

Thanks again to everyone who is shopping via my links, sending donations, writing to me, and sending gifts. You guys rock.

The 2008 Writers Guild Award Nominees have been announced. It’s so nice to see The Wire up for awards, plus lots of other deserving nominees. Much better list than you see for other higher profile awards, like, for instance, the Golden Globes (also just announced). Though I must admit, their nominees are often more interesting than the Emmy nominees.

You can read the official reports on the WGA strike negotiations from both sides: hear what the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have to say and what the Writers Guild of America has to say. Things are getting, um, interesting.

Primetime Grid for Friday

Friday Primetime

Jim Henson’s Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story (ION, 6pm – 10pm). Matthew Modine, Vanessa Redgrave, Mia Sara, Jon Voight, Richard Attenborough, and Daryl Hannah star.

Cary Grant stars as a retired jewel thief in To Catch A Thief (TCM, 7pm). But is he really retired? Grace Kelly is luminous in this Alfred Hitchcock classic. If you’ve never seen this movie, you owe it to yourself to see it sometime and not just because it will help you know pop culture.

Frances Stevens: I called the police from your room and told them who you are and everything you’ve been doing tonight.
John Robie: Everything? The boys must have really enjoyed *that* at headquarters!
  from To Catch a Thief

Another airing of the “School of Hard Nogs” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 7pm and 2am). Alton Brown explains all things nog. Mmmm, nog.

ESPN has NBA hoops: Basketball: Magic at Bobcats (ESPN, 7pm) and Basketball: Lakers at Warriors (ESPN, 9:30pm).

NBC airs the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life (NBC, 7pm; also on Monday, December 24th at 7pm). Though if I wanted to watch this movie this holiday season, I’d rent it on DVD so I wouldn’t have to see commercials and all that other junk.

Rerun of the “A Tree Grows in Elmo” episode of Men in Trees (ABC, 7pm) which was the first episode of this season. A big storm hits the town and Marin’s out in it. This episode was made to reintroduce the show after a long hiatus. Written by series creator Jenny Bicks, directed by Rick Wallace.

Marin: “Hey, Elmo. I have been hard at working, trying to dig up this little tree in my backyard. But the thing just won’t budge. But that shouldn’t surprise me seeing that it is an Elmo tree and Elmo is a town so tight that even the trees want to stick around. But still it amazes me, this town, this tree. How can something so small have such deep roots?”
  from Men in Trees

Gordon Clapp (of NYPD Blue) guest stars as a ghost who thinks he’s Santa Claus on a new Ghost Whisperer (CBS, 7pm). Other guest stars include Michael Reilly Burke (of Lincoln Heights) and Dee Wallace. Written by Jeannine Renshaw, directed by Steve Robman. I can’t stand this show, but mention the new episode because so few shows have new episodes right now.

2007 World Magic Awards (My Network TV, 7pm – 9pm).

Rerun of the second episode of Women’s Murder Club (ABC, 8pm) in which they track someone who committed murder on a subway car. If you didn’t much care for the first episode of this show, I think it’s worth giving it another shot. Show seems to be getting better with each episode, which is a good thing. This episode isn’t great, but it’s better than the first one. Kyle Secor and Ever Carradine guest star. Lindsay meets her ex-husband’s fiance for the first time. Written by Barbara Hall, directed by Michael Fields. A Nickel Creek song is used in the episode, which is always a plus.

Cindy: “Rodney Boyce, the temp at Lazar Software, had a police record.”
Lindsay: “I didn’t get a hit on him.”
Cindy: “In Canada. He was arrested for assault on a police officer. Well, okay, technically a mountie.”
Lindsay: “What was he doing in Canada?”
Cindy: “Fun place to go when you’re in trouble with the law? Plus, the beer.”
  from Women’s Murder Club

The top three bands take the stage on The Next Great American Band (FOX, 8pm).

An attempt is made on Josef’s life on Moonlight (CBS, 8pm). When Mick tries to protect Josef, a big secret comes out. Or something like that. Does anyone really care? Does anyone watch this show? Jason Dohring, who played “Logan” on Veronica Mars, plays “Josef” on this show . . . and yet I still can’t bring myself to care. It just makes me sad.

What Not To Wear (TLC, 8pm and 10pm; also on Saturday at 1pm) and Fashionably Late with Stacy London (TLC, 9pm and midnight; also Saturday at 2pm). On What Not To Wear, Stacy and Clinton make over triplets. DVR Alert: This episode of What Not To Wear may actually be called What Not To Wear: Triple Thread! instead of the usual title. Designer Carolina Herrera appears on Fashionably Late and an audience member gets a makeover.

Enrico Colantoni, who was awesome as “Keith Mars” on Veronica Mars guest stars on Numb3rs (CBS, 9pm). Colantoni was also one of the few good things about Just Shoot Me and he was fabulous in Galaxy Quest. I love the guy, so am happy to see him appear on this show. Megan Gallagher also guest stars; she’s been great on many shows, including Millennium, Nowhere Man, and China Beach. This new episode was written by Ken Sanzel and directed by Dennis Smith.

Exclusive Interview with someone who claims gang-rape cover-up by Halliburton/KBR in Baghdad, a look at Britney Spears’ new video, myths about travel on 20/20 (ABC, 9pm).

Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit (DIY, 9pm and 1am). Burt Reynolds builds, well, you know.

USA airs the season two finale of House followed by the season three premiere (USA, 9pm, 10pm). (We’re in season four right now, in case you’re wondering). House is shot in the finale.

Dr. Cameron: “You just got shot, House. You should rest.”
House: “I got shot. Diagnostically boring. Big fat tongue, on the other hand, endlessly entertaining.”
  from House

Friday Late Night

First four episodes of Firefly (Sci-Fi, 10pm – 2am). “Serenity” parts 1 & 2, “The Train Job,” and “Bushwhacked”. It’s crazy, they’re airing the episodes in the order they should be aired in (unlike the way FOX handled the show way back when, but the less said about that the better).

List of late night talk show guests from Sue Trowbridge. All the late night talk shows are reruns.

Saturday Daytime

Food Network is airing holiday episodes of lots of their shows, plus some holiday specials.

ABC Family is airing holiday movies.

Indy goes on a movie shoot with John Ford and meets Wyatt Earp in “The Hollywood Follies” installment of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones (History Channel, 6am – 8am). You can find out more on the History Channel website. Corey Carrier and Sean Patrick Flannery star as Indy.

The 60th Lighting of the Great Tree at Macy’s (ABC, 2pm, check listings).

Neiman Marcus Adolphus Children’s Parade (ABC, 3pm).

NFL Legends: Brady, Manning, Favre (ABC, 4pm).

100 Greatest TV Quotes & Catchphrases (TV Land, 4pm, 5pm).

Rebroadcast of the special Christmas episode of Psych (USA, 5pm) that debuted last week.

Rebroadcast of the special Christmas episode of Monk (USA, 6pm) that debuted last week.

Saturday Primetime

Didn’t they just air the first episode of Chuck last Saturday on NBC? Or perhaps I’m confused (or the listings are or were wrong). In any case, Chuck is one of my favorite new shows of the season; if you haven’t been watching or have missed some episodes, you should check out the reruns on Saturday night. This may be the first episode.

Rerun of the “Greenzo” episode of 30 Rock (NBC, 8pm). With guest stars David Schwimmer and Al Gore.

Greenzo: “I’ve always been Greenzo.”
Jack: “No, you’re crazy. And you’re fired.”
Greenzo: “Oh really. Can you fire the wind, Jack? Can you fire a hurricane?”
Jack: “We’re developing that technology.”
  from 30 Rock

Nigella Lawson, Rhianna, and Marilyn Manson on The Graham Norton Show (BBC America, 9pm and midnight).

Rerun of the third episode of Women’s Murder Club (ABC, 9pm). The second episode is rerun on Friday, third on Saturday. Convenient, eh? A woman is murdered and Jill (that’s the A.D.A. played by Laura Harris of Dead Like Me) bonds with her teenage daughter. Josh Randall (of Ed) is among the guest stars.

Cindy: “Cocktails, nicknames. Does this mean that I am in the club?”
Lindsay: “Okay, there are some ground rules.”
Cindy: “I know a few: no ducking the tape at crime scenes, no first names in public, assume that everything’s off the record until I’m told otherwise. What else?”
Lindsay: “Make me laugh when the chips are down.”
Jill: “When I’m wrong, tell me I’m wrong, even when you think I don’t wanna hear it.”
Claire: “Keep my secrets. Trust me with yours. Oh, and buy me shoes on my birthday.”
Cindy: “So I’m in?”
Lindsay: (hands her the check) “You’re in.”
  from Women’s Murder Club