Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New Lost (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm)
New In Treatment (HBO, 8:30pm)
New Eli Stone (ABC, 9:02pm)
Leonard Nimoy on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am)
Regis Philbin, Joseph Arthur on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm)
Martin Short, Ray Allen (of the Boston Celtics), the Kooks on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm)

News & Notes

NBC has renewed Chuck, Life, and Heroes for the 2008-2009 season and will give them “major re-launch campaigns” next season. Excellent! Though I still really wish Journeyman somehow were on that list.

The following NBC series will return in April with new episodes: My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, The OFfice, Scrubs, ER, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order (which is actually still airing new episodes, but this is to note that they’ll be making more of them). It’s possible other shows will be added to this list.

The following CBS shows will return with new episodes in March: How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, CSI: Miami, and Cold Case.

The following CBS shows will return with new episodes in April: Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, CSI, Without A Trace, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, NCIS, Moonlight, and Rules of Engagement.

There will be four more new episodes of Shark, though they may not air ’til later as CBS put Shark, The Unit, and Cane on hiatus to make room for mid-season shows Big Brother, Jericho, and Dexter. Swingtown, a show that hasn’t debuted yet, will also resume production and likely air at some point on CBS.

There’s been no oficial word yet on what the other network’s plans are for the rest of this season, but I imagine we’ll be hearing something from ABC, the CW, and FOX very soon.

Daytime

Wedding dance Dance-Off, Mary Murphy (from So You Think You Can Dance), world’s youngest dating expert, a Valentine’s Day dinner on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Audience full of couples who met online, chef Gregory Brainin, dating and relationship expert Matt Titus, collector Charles Phoenix, Jeremy Meltzer on a special Valentine’s episode of The Martha Stewart Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Mario Lopez, Bret Michaels, 15-year-old Timmy Mitchum (who performed “Let It Be” on the Grammy Awards), Stryker questions celebrities about love at a Grammy Awards party on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Marriage proposals, tips on how to propose, latest trend in engagement rings, expert advice on marriage on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Lies and Betrayal” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

“I Love You” Surprises on Oprah (syndicated, check our local listings).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

College basketball: North Carolina State at Boston College (ESPN, 6pm), Rutgers at West Virginia (ESPN2, 6pm), Michigan at Iowa (ESPN, 8pm), Fordham at Massachusetts (ESPN2, 8pm).

NBA hoops: Heat at Bulls (TNT, 7pm), Mavericks at Suns (TNT, 9:30pm).

More Oscar-nominated films on TCM, check their website for details.

Lex finds Kara and things don’t go well when he tries to take her home on a new Smallville (CW, 7pm).

Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin receive special awards on the 39th NAACP Image Awards (FOX, 7pm). Tyra Banks hosts the show.

New episode of Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (BBC America, 7pm, 10pm, midnight).

No Keen Eddie or Players on Sleuth tonight.

Rebroadcast of last week’s outstanding episode of Lost (ABC, 7pm). In case you missed it or just want to see it again.

Sayid and Kate set out in search of Locke to negotiate a deal on a new Lost (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm).

Sam watches Dean die on a new Supernatural (CW, 8pm). But that’s just the beginning as this is one of those episodes where a character relive a day over and over again and has a chance to change the outcome.

A custom chopper for Gander Mountain inspires the guys to test their survival skills in the wilderness on a new American Chopper (TLC, 8pm and 10pm).

Celebs are challenged to operate horse and carriage businesses in Central Park on The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC, 8pm - 9:01pm).

Well, things sure were intense last week for Jake & Amy, find out how they deal with the events of last episode on a new In Treatment (HBO, 8:30pm). Preceded by a rerun of last week’s episode with Jake & Amy (HBO, 8pm). Additional airings throughout the week on the various HBO stations, check your local listings.

Eli Stone (ABC, 9:02pm) faces his fiance in the courtroom in this new episode. This is not one that I’ve seen, but I’ve seen the next episode which contains fallout from this and it’s sure good. Tom Cavanaugh (of Ed) and Tom Amandes (of Everwood) both return as guest stars.

Someone who once worked for Healy (Brooke Shields) writes a tell-all book and someone who doesn’t like Healy very much (Lorraine Bracco) is all set to publish it on a new Lipstick Jungle (NBC, 9:01pm). Meanwhile, Nico’s relationship heats up with that hot young guy. And Victory’s business is seriously downsized and she’s not dealing with it so well, but she sure likes that rich guy (played by Andrew McCarthy).

New Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV, 9pm, 11pm).

The models work with an acting coach to convey a range of emotions on a new Make Me A Supermodel (Bravo, 9pm, 10pm, 1am, 2am).

Rebroadcast of the latest episode of The Wire (HBO, 9pm).

Duff and crew create the Hoya mascot from Georgetown University (on a cake), a cake that looks like a stack of French toast with a mouse popping out of it in a beret on a new Ace of Cakes (Food Network, 9:30pm and 12:30am).

Late Night

Lee Siegel on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

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

Regis Philbin, Joseph Arthur on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Russell Crowe, Larry the Cable Guy, Willie Nelson on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Martin Short, Ray Allen (of the Boston Celtics), the Kooks on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Evangeline Lilly (of Lost), Adam Goldberg, Bebel Gilberto on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Lennox Lewis, Seether on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).