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 CSI (CBS, 8pm)
New 30 Rock (NBC, 8:30pm - 9:01pm)
New Lost (ABC, 9:02pm)
New Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm)

Daytime

“Oprah, Cher, and Tina Turner at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas” on Oprah (syndicated, check our local listings). Tina Turner and Cher perform and are interviewed. Should be fun!

Primetime Grid

Primetime

NBA playoffs: Cavaliers at Celtics (ESPN, 6pm), Hornets at Spurs (ESPN, 8:30pm).

The New York Philharmonic performs a semistaged version of Camelot on Live From Lincoln Center (PBS, check your local listings).

Betty tries to befriend Charlie and throws her a baby shower in this new episode of Ugly Betty (ABC, 7pm). Eddie Cibrian begins a stint on the show as Justin’s gym coach. Kari Matchett guest stars as a doctor.

A couple, deaf since birth, decides to have cochlear implant surgeries at age 65 in Hear and Now (HBO, 7pm, with additional airings on the various HBO stations).

Earl and Billie (guest star Alyssa Milano) try to make a go of it as a couple on a new My Name is Earl (NBC, 7pm). Billie makes a karma list of her own to work on.

Clark, and possibly Lex, meet the last member of the Veritas clan in this new episode of Smallville (CW, 7pm).

“If It Smells Like a Rat, Give It Cheese!” is the title of tonight’s new episode of Survivor (CBS, 7pm). The final five “take the game to another level” or so the CBS press release tells me.

New episodes of Designed to Sell (HGTV, 7pm and 11pm), Myles of Style (HGTV, 7:30pm and 11:30pm), Divine Design (HGTV, 8pm and midnight), and House Hunters (HGTV, 9pm and 1am).

The “Sucker Punch” episode of Keen Eddie (Sleuth, 7pm and 10pm, also at 5pm and midnight Saturday and at 1pm on Sunday). Yet another episode of yet another series involving an underground fight club.

The team helps a man finish the restoration of a 1963 Chevy Nova on Overhaulin’ (TLC, 7pm and midnight); he started the restoration with his late father.

Dr. Cox tells his son a bedtime story on a new Scrubs (NBC, 7:30pm). It’s actually a fairy tale with characters played by the staff of Sacred Heart. Aw!

Rain forces the friends to cancel a trip to a water park on a new Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends (Cartoon Network, 7:30pm; also on Friday at 9:30pm).

The nurses decide on a new “date and tell” policy in reaction to some of McSteamy’s behavior on a new Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 8pm - 9:02pm). Word of Burke’s accomplishments has Cristina freaking out a little. Loretta Devine (of Eli Stone, Boston Public) returns to the show as Adele. Amy Madigan continues her run on the show as a doctor that Meredith is seeing for therapy.

Grissom and the team investigate the mysterious death of a “diva sitcom star” (played by Katey Sagal) on a new episode of CSI(CBS, 8pm) that was written by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn (of Two and a Half Men). If the sitcom star and the sitcom itself seem familiar, it may be because they’re based on Cybill Shepherd and Cybill; Lorre created Cybill and didn’t have the most fun ever while working on that show. It’s a pity Christine Baranski couldn’t fit this episode into her schedule, she reportedly was interested in being in it. Heh! Other guest stars in this episode: Rachel Harris (of Notes from the Underbelly), Diedrich Bader (of The Drew Carey Show), and Constance Marie (of George Lopez).

Jim goes golfing with Andy and Kevin in an attempt to land a big client, MIchael sets up a booth at a job fair at Pam’s alma matter on a new episode of The Office (NBC, 8pm - 8:31pm). DVR/VCR Alert: Runs a minute long.

Sam and Dean head to Eerie, Pennsylvania for a possible zombie case on a new Supernatural (CW, 8pm). Billy Drago guest stars as “Doc Benton” who is up to something in that town. Bobby (Jim Beaver) may know where Bela (Lauren Cohan) is, and Dean heads out to find her.

George skips breakfast and Magnolia searches for a quick way to get in shape on a new George of the Jungle (Cartoon Network, 8pm; also on Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 7:30pm).

First episode of the very shortlived series Robbery Homicide Division (Sleuth, 8pm and 11pm; also on Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 1am and 2pm). This show originally aired on CBS in 2002-2003. Tom Sizemore stars with Barry Shabaka Henley, Klez Scott, David Cubitt, and Michael Paul Chan. It’s about detectives that tackle high-profile cases in Los Angeles. I wasn’t wild about this series at the time and haven’t really given it a second thought since, but if you’re a fan of any of the actors or this particular genre and you missed it the first time, you might want to give it a look.

The listings for tonight’s new episode of Terminal City (Sundance, 8pm and 1am; also on Sunday at 9am) actually says “It is all just a dream.”

Two new episodes of Cool Tools (DIY, 8pm and midnight, 8:30pm and 12:30am).

The crew scrambles to get bikes built for an award showcase after being singled out for a prestigious award on the season finale of American Chopper (TLC, 8pm and 10pm).

Liz has a pregnancy scare, Jack heads to Washington, and Kenneth prepares his application to be a page at the Summer Olympics on a new 30 Rock (NBC, 8:30pm). Matthew Broderick, Edie Falco, Dean Winters, and Paul Scheer guest star.

Locke may find Jacob’s cabin (again) and we finally see more of what’s going on with the folks on the boat on in tonight’s new episode of Lost (ABC, 9:02pm). It sounds like this episode may feature Locke in flashbacks and/or flashforwards.

A truck driver who was hailed as a hero goes missing on a new Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm). And Jack sees a psychiatrist (or some other mental health professional) played by guest star Linda Hunt.

Morris talks to the hospital psychologist, Neela is frustrated by a case, and Abby is offered a new job on a new episode of ER (NBC, 9:01pm). Aida Tuturro (of The Sopranos) continues her arc on the show.

Season finale of I Know My Kid’s A Star (VH1, 9pm and 11pm).

Another new episode of Rock the Cradle (MTV, 9pm); if you’ve been following this show, note that I only see it listed on the schedule tonight on MTV, I don’t see listings for later on.

The new series Tougher in Alaska (History Channel, 9pm and 1am) looks at life in Alaska and what makes it “tougher” there. This episode covers the new gold rush in Alaska.

Man-Made (National Geographic, 9pm and midnight) looks at the year leading up to the opening of the Venetian Macao resort/casino in China. I guess it’s the “World’s Biggest Casino.”

Yoji is under a lot of stress, Ami babysits Syd, and Yoji manages a quiet lunch with his wife on a new Miami Ink (TLC, 9pm and 11pm).

Lil’ Vladimir Putin and Lil’ George start a schoolyard rivalry on a new Lil’ Bush (Comedy Central, 9:30pm and 11:30pm).

Late Night

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

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

Paris Hilton, Steve Wyrick, Panic at the Disco on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm). I don’t know about you guys, but whenever I have cause to say “Panic,” I always follow up with “at the disco” not long after. Try it, it’s fun!

Jenna Fischer, Robert Schimmel, Trace Adkins on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Emile Hirsch, Terrell Owens, Craig Baldo on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Emily Deschanel (of Bones), Melvin Lardy (of Ax Men) on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Ashton Kutcher, Isabella Rossellini, Gavin Degraw on Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings).

James Denton (of Desperate Housewives), the Heavy on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).