Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

Sondheim’s Company on Great Performances (PBS, check your local listings)
New Mythbusters (Discovery, 8pm and midnight)
New (to NBC) Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC, 8pm)
New In Treatment (HBO, 8:30pm)
New Law & Order (NBC, 9pm)
New Project Runway (Bravo, 9pm, 10pm, midnight, 1am)
Amy Sedaris, grocery bagging champion Erika Jensen, Foo Fighters on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm)
Tom Selleck, Dario Franchitti, Ziggy Marley on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm)

News & Notes:

Amazon has sales right now on DVDs including Bob Newhart TV show sets, Scrubs and Grey’s Anatomy sets, crime movies and TV shows, box sets (mostly movies), and classic movies. As always, thanks to everyone who shops via the links on this site.

Daytime

Dennis Quaid, the final four competitors from this season of Project Runway on Live with Regis and Kelly (syndicated, check your local listings).

Rachael Ray, a mother who took a gun away from a man at a day care in Florida on The View (ABC, check your local listings).

Emeril Lagasse, Stephanie Bodine shows how to make a beaded flower necklace, Dr. Gerald Curatola with tips on how to prevent strokes and heart attacks on The Martha Stewart Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

Christina Aguilera, eight-year-old relationship expert Alec Greven, a couple who got engaged on Craigslist on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated, check yoru local listings).

“Insider Secrets of America’s Next Top Model” on The Tyra Banks Show (syndicated, check your local listings). Eleven of the “most memorable women” from the show (thus far) appear with Tyra.

Enrique Iglesias, Helio Castroneves, Cheryl Burke on The Rachael Ray Show (syndicated, check your local listings).

“Shlumpadinka Makeovers!” on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings). Stylemaker Lloyd Boston helps women ditch their out-of-date, holey, and faded clothes.

“Bully Husband” on Dr. Phil (syndicated, check your local listings).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

College basketball: North Carolina at North Carolina State (ESPN, 6pm), Marquette at St. John’s (ESPN2, 6pm), Kansas State at Nebraska (ESPN2, 8pm).

Oscar nominated films from the ’50s: Some Like It Hot (TCM, 7pm, letterboxed), Stalag 17 (TCM, 9:15pm), The Caine Mutiny (TCM, 11:30pm, letterboxed), The Buccaneer (TCM, 1:45am, letterboxed), and On The Waterfront (TCM, 4am, letterboxed). I’d say they’re all classics, but I’m particularly fond of Some Like It Hot and Stalag 17. You can read more about the films on the TCM website.

It’s time for the International Latin category on a new America’s Ballroom Challenge (PBS, check your local listings) which includes the cha cha, samba, rumba, pasodoble, and jive. Jasmine Guy and Ron Montez host.

The Stephen Sondheim musical Company is featured on Great Performances (PBS, check your local listings). Raúl Esparza stars in this Broadway production from 2006-2007 which won a Tony-award for “Best Revival”. You can read more about this show on the PBS website.

Thirty women enter “Top Model Prep” in the season premiere of America’s Next Top Model (CW, 7pm), but not all of them will get to continue on to New York City for the next episode. Paulina Porizkova joins the panel of judges for this season/cycle.

The top 12 women compete on a special two-hour American Idol (FOX, 7pm - 9pm).

Reruns of the “Fry Hard” and “Fry Hard 2: The Chicken (Fried)” episodes of Good Eats (Food Network, 7pm and 2am, 7:30pm and 2:30am).

A woman who waitressed at Hooters and who is married to a rock musician trades places with a woman who is a retired Army Colonel on a new Wife Swap (ABC, 7pm).

“Lucky” is one of the creepiest episodes of Criminal Minds (CBS, 8pm) and that’s saying something. Difficult to watch. Jamie Kennedy guest stars as a serial killer, Michael Beach (who was “Doc” on Third Watch) plays a priest, and Bailey Chase (who plays “Butch” on Saving Grace) portrays a seemingly nice guy who takes an interest in Garcia. This is part one of a two-part episode and it definitely ends with a cliffhanger.

David Rossi: “I was just giving you a chance for personal growth.”
Derek Morgan: “I get you, Dave. You’re not a mystery to me, man. They said you couldn’t interview serial killers– you did. They said you couldn’t put together a profiling team– you did. They said there was no way in hell you would ever come back here– you did. It’s in your nature, Rossi. It’s who you are.”
Rossi: “Well, if you knew all that, why would you tell me you didn’t want to talk to the priest?”
Morgan: “I was giving you an opportunity for personal growth.”
  from Criminal Minds

A dentist is found dead in his own exam room in this episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC, 8pm) which debuted earlier this season on the USA Network. Goren and Eames investigate this crime. Guest stars include comedian Jim Gaffigan (who plays “Andy” on My Boys), Jacqueline Torres (who was “Liz” on Hack) and Amy Acker (who was “Kelly Peyton” on Alias and “Fred” on Angel). It’s a good episode.

Tonight’s new episode of Mythbusters (Discovery, 8pm and midnight) is a tribute to MacGyver. Awesome!

NBA basketball: Lakers at Suns (ESPN, 8pm).

Wendy Wilson, of the band Wilson Phillips, needs the help of Supernanny (ABC, 8pm).

HGTV airs new episodes of Deserving Design (HGTV, 8pm and midnight), Design on a Dime (HGTV, 8:30pm and 12:30am), House Hunters (HGTV, 9pm and 1am), and Sleep On It (HGTV, 9:30pm and 1:30am).

DIY airs new episodes of Sweat Equity (DIY, 8pm) and Man Caves (DIY, 8:30pm).

It’s Sophie’s turn on a new In Treatment (HBO, 8:30pm); last week’s episode airs tonight as well (HBO, 8pm). Additional airings air all this week on the various HBO stations, the episodes should also be available on the website and as part of their podcast (if you prefer to watch on your iPod or via iTunes).

A surgeon is found murdered in his hotel room while attending a convention on a new Law & Order (NBC, 9pm). Guest stars include Alan Zweibel (who is an Emmy award winning comedy writer) and James Rebhorn (one of those guys you’ll recognize from many things, but he’ll always be “Bradley Raines” of Guiding Light to me).

Special new “Reunion” episode of Project Runway (Bravo, 9pm, 10pm, midnight, 1am). It’s a “candid gathering” of the season four designers along with Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn.

Chef Robert creates a luau for 150 people including resort guests and Hawaiian natives on a new Dinner: Impossible (Food Network, 9pm and midnight). Followed by a rerun of the “Stranded: Deserted Island” episode (Food Network, 9:30pm and 12:30am).

A rich man pursues Juliet, Caitlin’s job is on the line, Zoe tries to be a perfect mom, and Mia really likes a foster dog but the fostering folks don’t think she’d be good at taking care of the dog on a new Cashmere Mafia (ABC, 9pm). Guest stars include Christine Ebersole, Wallace Shawn, Lourdes Benedicto, Peyton List, and Peter Riegert. This is the last episode to be filmed before the strike.

Coinciding crashes of a UFO and a civilian aircraft in 1974 Mexico and the ambush of a military convoy, 2007 reports of debris falling from the sky in Mexico on a new UFO Hunters (History Channel, 9pm and 1am).

Everyone I know who has seen the show is disappointed in Smash Lab (Discovery, 9pm and 1am). It’s no Mythbusters, that’s for sure. In tonight’s new episode, the team experiments to see if “frozen smoke” insulation can protect a house from a forest fire.

Dr. Goode’s parents pay her a visit (they’re played by Sally Kirkland and Sam McMurray) on a new Head Case (Starz, 9pm, 10pm). Meanwhile, Dr. Goode seems to think Ahmet Zappa is a terrorist and Greg Grunberg (of Heroes, Felicity) shares his very inappropriate dreams about his therapist. Jonathan Silverman (of In Case of Emergency, The Single Guy) and Jennifer Finnigan (of Close To Home, Committed) also pay the doctor a visit.

This rerun of CSI: NY (CBS, 9pm) somehow involves a time machine.

Dangle reconnects with some long-lost relatives on a new Reno 911! (Comedy Central, 9:30pm and 11:30pm).

Hollywood Residential (Starz, 9:30pm and 10:30pm) re-models Cheryl Hines’ screening room.

Late Night

Reruns of The Daily Show (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight) and The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).

Amy Sedaris, grocery bagging champion Erika Jensen, Foo Fighters on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Garth Brooks, Christina Ricci on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Randy Jackson, the Whigs on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Tom Selleck, Dario Franchitti, Ziggy Marley on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Johnny Knoxville, Ben Kronberg on Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings).

Gavin McInnes, Marisa Miller, Shiny Toy Guns on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).