Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New Criminal Minds (CBS, 8pm)
New Men in Trees (ABC, 9pm)
New Top Chef (Bravo, 9pm, 11pm, midnight, 1am)
New South Park (Comedy Central, 9pm and 11pm)

News & Notes:

NBC has now confirmed that Anthony Anderson (of K-Ville, The Shield, All About the Andersons) will be joining the cast of Law & Order as a series regular, replacing Jesse L. Martin who will leave the show at some point. I like Martin and have really enjoyed his interplay with new cast member Jeremy Sisto so will miss him, but I’ve enjoyed Anderson’s work as well so think he’ll be a good addition to the cast.

InTurn is back for another season (or whatever you want to call it) on the CBS website. Young actors compete for a chance to join the cast of As The World Turns.

Daytime

“When Your Life Doesn’t Fit” with Maria Shriver on Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

NBA hoops: Hornets at Mavericks (ESPN, 6pm), Jazz at Spurs (ESPN, 8:30pm).

Baseball: Red Sox at Yankees (ESPN2, 6pm).

Illicit: The Dark Trade (PBS, check your local listings) is based on a book by Moisés Naím; this documentary “reveals the manufacture and sale of goods ranging from fake purses to counterfeit pharmaceuticals.”

Filmmaker Linda Garmon documents stories from patients, doctors, researchers and patient advocates at the same hospitals where her husband was treated for cancer in The Truth About Cancer (PBS, check your local listings).

ABC News presents Democratic Presidential Candidate Debate in Philadelphia (ABC, 7pm - 9pm). Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos moderate.

Part 2 (of 2) of Black Magic (ESPN Classic, 7pm - 9:30pm). “The life stories of coaches and basketball players who attended black colleges and universities reveal aspects of the civil rights movement.” DVR/VCR Alert: Runtime on this is 150 minutes, this is actually part two (part one aired last night). Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, Wynton Marsalis, and Chris Paul (of the New Orleans Hornets). This aired originally back in March.

Two episodes of MI-5 (BBC America, 7pm and 10pm and midnight, 8pm and 11pm and 1am).

Paulina gives the models tips on how to behave during interviews and when attending public events on a new America’s Next Top Model (CW, 7pm). Designer Jay Godfrey dresses the women for a cocktail party.

‘Til Death (FOX, 7pm) returns with new episodes. Expect five or six new episodes after this one. Kenny (guest star J.B. Smoove) thinks he was subjected to a racist slight while at a movie theater so his big brother Eddie rushes to his defense.

Series premiere of Under One Roof (My Network TV, 7pm). Flavor Flav and Kelly Perine star in this new sitcom. My Network TV describe it this way: “Flav plays Calvster Hill, an ex-convict that moves in with his wealthy, conservative brother, Walter (Kelly Perine). Calvster subsequently turns the Hill family’s life upside down, parading his old prison cronies through the house; teaching his nephew Walter Jr. to be a gangsta rapper; and butting heads with Walter’s snooty wife, Ashley.” Ugh. If years ago you’d told me Flavor Flav would star in a TV series, I never would’ve believed you. And now he stars in multiple series– crazy!

Frat brothers compete during spring break on a new Deal or No Deal (NBC, 7pm). In case you care.

Back To You (FOX, 7:30pm) returns with new episodes tonight, expect five more new episodes after this one. Marsh (Fred Willard) throws a surprise party for Chuck (Kelsey Grammer), the fun begins (I guess) when Chuck and Kelly (Patricia Heaton) discover a photo showing them in a compromising position. They try to hide it, of course. This show is better than any of the other sitcoms with new episodes tonight, it seems to be a solid traditional sitcom– nothing special, but it’s usually good for a few laughs.

HGTV airs new episodes of Get It Sold (HGTV, 7:30pm and 11:30pm), Design on a Dime (HGTV, 8:30pm and 12:30am), and House Hunters (HGTV, 9pm and 1am).

The BAU team investigates a spree of killings in a small Texas town on a new Criminal Minds (CBS, 8pm). A teenage boy and his girlfriend are involved. Michael Ironside is among the guest stars.

Rerun of the first episode of this season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC, 8pm). The episode originaly debuted in October on USA, but I think it’s aired on NBC by now as well. The case is extremely personal because it involves the death of Eames’ husband. Seth Gilliam guest stars, you probably know him best for playing “Carver” on The Wire.

Alex Eames: “My partner . . . he doesn’t adapt well to change.”
  from Law & Order: Criminal Intent

Yet another American Idol results show (FOX, 8pm). From what I’ve seen of these, your best bet is to watch in such a way that you can easily fast-forward through the filler and commercials.

The women on Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (CW, 8pm) are challenged on how they would handle the media during the press tour and on their public speaking skills. Mark McGrath (of Extra) makes an appearance in this episode.

Rerun of the “Airplane on a Conveyor Belt” episode of Mythbusters (Discovery, 8pm and midnight).

Two new episodes of John Ratzenberger’s Made in America (Travel Channel, 8pm and midnight, 8:30pm and 12:30am). First one covers: Twin Span Bridge, Maytag Dishwashers, and Channel Lock Tools; the second one covers Chapman Leonard Camera Dollies and the Cathedral of Learning.

The Big Story: Big Cat Diary 10 Year Special (Animal Planet, 8pm and 11pm).

Marin finally meets Julia, who is played again by Kelli Williams (of Medical Investigation, The Practice) on a new episode of Men in Trees (ABC, 9pm). Marin and Jack also meet Julia’s husband (played by Josh Stamberg) and the two couples have dinner together (that should prove interesting). Meanwhile, Jane is less-than-thrilled with the engagement ring Sam gives her and Annie finds Patrick in a compromising position. Nine more episodes remain for this season, if you like this show I suggest you visit the official site for the show and contact ABC to tell them how you feel. I really like this show and hope ABC will decide to keep it around for another season.

The body of a top property salesman washes up on a beach along with several dead sharks on a new CSI: NY (CBS, 9pm). Kyle Gallner guest stars, you may know him from playing “Cassidy ‘Beaver’ Casablancas” on Veronica Mars or for playing “Jason Embry” on Big Love, he’s also guest starred on a lot of shows.

Season premiere of The Real World (MTV, 9pm).

A doctor is murdered in this rerun of Law & Order (NBC, 9pm) that originally aired in February. James Rebhorn and Alan Zweibel guest star.

The chefs must create a dish that works together and enhances the flavor of a particular drink on a new Top Chef (Bravo, 9pm, 11pm, midnight, 1am).

Randy packs up his family and heads west when he wakes up to find the internet is gone on a new South Park (Comedy Central, 9pm and 11pm).

Series premiere of The Big 4-0 (TV Land, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm, midnight) followed by another new episode (TV Land, 9:30pm, 10:30pm, 11:30pm, 12:30am). New six episode series that follows a different person in each episode as they celebrate their 40th birthday. Or, as the TV Land press release says, “Follow along as real people from around the country let loose and celebrate the start of the best years of their life.”

Jet fighter pilots from Peru and Iran provide accounts of encounters with UFOs on a new UFO Hunters (History Channel, 9pm and 1am).

A couple more new episodes of Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (TBS, 9pm, 9:30pm).

Two episodes of Cash and Treasures (Travel Channel, 9pm and 1am, 9:30pm and 1:30am). First one is new.

“High School vs. American Idol” on Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil (Comedy Central, 9:30pm and 11:30pm).

Late Night

Peter Steinfels on The Daily Show (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders, Gov. Ed Rendell on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).

Uma Thurman, Graham Rahal, the Gossip on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Charles Barkley, the Young@Heart Chorus on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Dane Cook, Emily Mortimer, Slash on a rerun of Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Jackie Chan, Cobie Smulders (of How I Met Your Mother), Bell X1 on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Minnie Driver, Milo Ventimiglia (of Heroes), Danity Kane on Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings).

Charles Ross, Steve-O, Joshua Radin on a rerun of Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).