Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New Ugly Betty (ABC, 7pm)
New Scrubs (NBC, 7:30pm)
New Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm)
New 30 Rock (NBC, 8:31pm - 9:01pm)
New Lost (ABC, 9:02pm)
New Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm)

News & Notes

I don’t report much news here because there are plenty of sites out there that do, because of the nature of this site I’m mostly interested in letting you know when shows are renewed and when the schedules change. My favorite site for links to news about all things TV is TV Tattle.

Daytime

“Exclusive: Sex and the City Cast Reunion” on Oprah (syndicated, check our local listings). Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Chris Noth all appear on the show.

Primetime Grid

Primetime

NBA play-offs continue: Pistons at 76ers (TNT, 7pm).

Another installment of Carrier (PBS, check your local listings). For more about the show, check out the official series website.

Renee thinks Betty is in love with Daniel in this new episode of Ugly Betty (ABC, 7pm). Guest stars include Gabrielle Union, Ava Gaudet, Nina Garcia, and Christian Siriano (the latter two are from Project Runway and play themselves).

Earl finally wakes up on a new My Name is Earl (NBC, 7pm) and then he sets out to find Billie (guest star Alyssa Milano). Michael Rapaport also guest stars. And Darnell and Joy are living in the Crab Shack.

Clark is bummed out and thinks the world would be better of if he’d never arrived in Smallville (CW, 7pm)– you can see where this is heading, right? Jor-El arranges it so he gets to see what life would be like if Clark never existed. Series star Tom Welling directed this episode.

Eddie befriends the victim of a hazing incident and then the boy begins to emulate Keen Eddie (Sleuth, 7pm and 10pm, also at 5pm and midnight Saturday and at 1pm on Sunday).

Restoration of a Chevrolet pickup truck, which was passed down to a son-in-law on new Overhaulin’ (TLC, 7pm and midnight).

Dr. Cox loves being in charge now that Kelso is gone in this new episode of Scrubs (NBC, 7:30pm). But does he really? J.D. and Elliott track down a former patient and learn a bit about themselves along the way.

Addison (Kate Walsh) returns to Seattle Grace for a new episode of Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm). Yay! Addison is a bit surprised to see how things have changed since she’s left, I’m guessing she’s particularly perplexed that Meredith and McDreamy aren’t together any more. Elizabeth Reaser is also back as Ava/Rebecca. Other guest stars in this episode: Clea Duvall and Jason O’Mara (who were in last week’s episode too). In case you were wondering: Private Practice has been renewed for a second season, but they haven’t filmed any more episodes for this season– we just got nine episodes for season one (which have all already aired). Frankly, I’m probably more interested in seeing Addison back on Grey’s than on seeing her spin-off series.

The team concludes that some deaths may be connected, once they realize the dead folks all have green bood in this new episode of CSI(CBS, 8pm). They’re Vulcans? Guest stars include Sheeri Rappaport and Chloe Webb.

Stanley snaps at Michael during a meeting on The Office (NBC, 8pm). Oh-oh. Dweight decides to buy Andy’s car.

Dean gets a call from his father on a new Supernatural (CW, 8pm). Whoa. This probably doesn’t sound like a big deal to you if you don’t watch the show, but trust me– it is. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (who was “Denny” on Grey’s Anatomy) guest stars.

The Minnesota Twins don’t play today, but FOX Sports Net North airs another installment of Twins Classics tonight (FSN, 8pm - 10pm; also on Friday at Noon and Monday at 8pm). It’s a rerun of a “classic” game, condensed down to fit into two-hours. This one is described thusly: “Boof Bonser pitches Twins to within three games of Detroit.” I may post more about this at WinTwins.net.

Airplane mechanics deconstruct and recycle a 747 jumbo jet on Break It Down (National Geographic Channel, 8pm and 11pm).

Dr. Phil, Amy Castillo on Larry King Live (CNN, 8pm, 11pm, 2am). Castillo’s husband allegedly drowned their children.

Bret Michaels (of Poison) competes for charity on a special celebrity edition of Don’t Forget The Lyrics (FOX, 8pm). Wayne Brady hosts.

The previously unaired series finale of Players (Sleuth, 8pm and 11pm; also on Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 1am and 2pm) finally hits the airwaves . . . ten years after it was filmed. The guys end up paroled and head out to New York City to find legit work.

Katie tells Ari to forget her on a new Terminal City (Sundance, 8pm and 1am; also on Sunday at 9am).

Two new episodes of Cool Tools (DIY, 8pm and midnight, 8:30pm and 12:30am). The first looks at tools designed to prevent injury; the second covers a digital protractor, a hot air tool for welding plastic, laser beams that increase drill precision, stone carving tools, and Jet Stik.

The team creates an industrial-themed bike for the Manitowoc Crane Group and Mikey lectures a group of second graders on a new American Chopper (TLC, 8pm and 10pm).

Gangland (History Channel, 8pm and midnight) looks at the Vice Lords gang of Chicago.

It’s “Sandwich Day” at 30 Rock (NBC, 8:31pm - 9:01pm). Brian Dennehy, Rip Torn, and Jason Sudeikis guest star. DVR Alert: Note that this episode starts one minute late and runs one minute long.

Jack’s not feeling so well and it’s up to Kate and Juliet to work together to save him in this new episode of Lost (ABC, 9:02pm). I’m guessing Juliet probably has more to do with saving him, what with being a doctor and all. Given Jack is one of the “Oceanic Six,” I’m guessing he survives, though with this island– one never knows. I’m just pleased to see that Rose and Bernard are in the episode.

A lottery winner disappears after a camping trip in this new episode of Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm). Sprague Grayden, who played “Heather” on Jericho, guest stars. Adam Kaufman guest stars again as the father of Samantha’s unborn baby– I guess he’s Poppy Montgomery’s partner in real life (or so the CBS press release tells me) and is the father of her real-life baby (a son born in December).

Josh Stewart guest stars in tonight’s new episode of ER (NBC, 9:01pm), I don’t think it’s giving too much away to say that he ends up holding people hostage seeing as how it’s in all the ads for this episode. Stewart guest starred in the episode of Criminal Minds that aired last night, he played Det. LaMontagne; you may also recognize him from playing “Holt” on Dirt.

The children of rock stars continue to compete to become rock stars on Rock the Cradle (MTV, 9pm; also on Saturday at 8pm on MTV2 and Sunday at 10:30am on VH1 Classic).

Jason Alexander is a guest judge on Step It Up and Dance (Bravo, 9pm and 10pm); the competitors show off their acting skills and learn choreography from the Broadway classic Damn Yankees. And Oprah’s personal chef Art Smith gives the dancers a cooking lesson– I don’t think he dances at all.

Run-DMC is profiled on a new Biography (Biography Channel, 9pm and 1am).

Dre has to pass her certification test and Darren faces some big changes on a new Miami Ink (TLC, 9pm and 11pm).

The construction of a four-tier wedding cake that features the Baltimore skyline, a hockey rink wedding cake, and a traditional floral tiered cake on a new Ace of Cakes (Food Network, 9:30pm and 12:30am). Preceded by a rerun of the “Wedding Bells and Shotgun Shells” episode of the show (Food Network, 9pm and midnight).

“Lil’ Bill Clinton invites Lil’ George to his Rainbow Party” on a new Lil’ Bush (Comedy Central, 9:30pm and 11:30pm).

Late Night

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

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

John Goodman, Bear Grylls, Robyn on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Robin Williams, Terrence Howard, Avril Lavigne on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Sigourney Weaver, Darrell Hammond, Was (Not Was) on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm). I hadn’t known that Was (Not Was) was (heh) a going concern again– look, they have a new album out and everything. I’ll be over here walking the dinosaur. Or something.

Helen Hunt, Eric Mabius, She & Him on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Sean “Diddy” Combs, John Cho, Stone Temple Pilots on Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings). Stone Temple Pilots are a late night talk show guest too? Am I unstuck in time?

Jenny McCarthy, Maronzio Vance, Does It Offend You Yeah? on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).