Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Best Bets
Anything on NASA TV right now
Season premiere of 30 Days (FX, 9pm, 10pm; also on Friday at 10pm)
David Sedaris on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight)
George Will on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am)
Billy Crystal, Julianne Moore, Morgan Spurlock, cast of South Pacific on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm)
Recommended Reruns
NCIS (CBS, 7pm)
Samantha Who? (ABC, 8pm, 8:30pm)
Boston Legal (ABC, 9pm)
News & Notes
The shuttle Discovery is docked with the International Space Station right now and there’s all sorts of stuff going on all the time on NASA TV– I’m watching a space walk as I post this. The schedule on their website has much more current data than anything you’ll find in TV listings elsewhere, including a link to the mission schedule for the Discovery crew.
It’s possible that some regularly scheduled programming may be pre-empted for coverage of Sen. Barack Obama’s rally at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minnesota tonight. More likely that this will happen in Minnesota, of course, as local stations may opt to cover the event. Last I heard the event is scheduled for 7pm, though Obama isn’t expected to speak ’til 9:30pm.
Daytime
Rerun of a “Medical Miracles: A Dr. Oz Report” episode of Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings) from January. NFL football star Kevin Everett; a little girl born with four arms and four legs.
Primetime Grid
| Tue | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | According to Jim Rerun | According to Jim Rerun | Samantha Who? Rerun | Samantha Who? Rerun | Boston Legal Rerun | |
| CBS | NCIS Rerun | 48 Hours Mystery | Without a Trace Rerun | |||
| NBC | Most Outrageous Moments | Most Outrageous Moments Rerun | Law & Order: SVU Rerun | Law & Order: SVU Rerun | ||
| FOX | The Moment of Truth | Hell’s Kitchen | Local Programming | |||
| CW | Beauty and the Geek Rerun | Reaper Rerun | Local Programming | |||
Primetime
A robotic vehicle causes a death in this rerun of NCIS (CBS, 7pm) from the middle of last season (the one before the one that just ended). Some highlights include Tony undercover as a street performer, the team attending a class about sexual harassment, and the robot car (of course). Plus references to House, A Beautiful Mind, The French Connection, and Trading Spaces.
(The Sexual Harassment Class Instructor tells the group that hugging may offend co-workers)
Abby: “What’s wrong with hugging people? I hug people all the time.”
Instructor: “You may see it as friendly but your co-workers may find it offensive.”
Abby: (looking around) “You guys get offended when I hug you?”
Group: “No, no. Never. No.:
Abby: “I’m hugging you all in my mind right now.”
from NCIS
New episode of Spice Up My Kitchen (HGTV, 7:30pm and 11:30pm).
New episode of Not Going Out (BBC America, 7:40pm, 10:40pm, 12:40am). DVR/VCR Alert: Episodes are 40 minutes long.
The two teams become one and Chef Ramsay takes them to the future location of The London West Hollywood on a new Hell’s Kitchen (FOX, 8pm).
“A computer genius, his Russian bride, the KGB and the ultimate betrayal” on a new 48 Hours Mystery (CBS, 8pm). Sounds like fun.
Rebroadcasts of two episodes of Samantha Who? (ABC, 8pm, 8:30pm). Episodes are “The Hockey Date” and “The Break Up”. Samantha pretends she likes hockey and goes on a date with Eddie Cibrian . . . and then they break up. If you missed this show during the regular season, it’s worth a look. Cute sitcom (but not too cute) about a single woman who is an accident and gets amnesia. She doesn’t remember much of anything and is dismayed to learn she wasn’t a very nice person before the accident. Christina Applegate stars; with Jean Smart, Melissa McCarthy (of Gilmore Girls), Jennifer Esposito (of Spin City), Kevin Dunn, Barry Watson (of What About Brian, 7th Heaven), and Tim Russ (of Star Trek: Voyager).
Regina: “And now you’re afraid to go out on a simple date.”
Sam: “I don’t know anything about myself. I would have absolutely nothing to add to a conversation.”
Regina: “Oh no. Stop that kind of talk. I did not raise you to use amnesia as an excuse.”
Sam: “That would have taken enormous foresight.”
from Samantha Who?
Rerun of the second ever episode of Reaper (CW, 8pm). I swear, this episode has aired more than any other, but then perhaps that’s just my luck. An escaped soul causes lightning and has other “fun” with electricity. The vessel in this episode is a remote-controlled monster truck toy.
Sam: “Yeah, you know, I’ve been thinking about that. I don’t think I’m the guy who should be taking on the forces of evil.”
Devil: “No?”
Sam: “I know you own my soul and all, but I think the world would be better off if I worked for you in a lesser capacity.”
Devil: “Such as?”
Sam: “Well . . . I haven’t come up with the full plan or anything. Maybe I could get the word out, you know, be a recruiter. I could start my own Satanic web site, with evil design and then have really cool devil graphics or something.”
Devil: “Business is booming, Sam, I don’t need any help with recruiting.”
from Reaper
Reruns of the final two episodes of this past season of Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 8pm, 9pm). Just in case you care and somehow missed them or would like to see them again. In the first episode, Stephen Collins (of 7th Heaven) guest stars as the head of a family in the coffee business; other guest stars include Peter Hermann, Matthew Davis, Michelle Borth, and Clea Lewis. In the second episode, Det. Lake (played by Adam Beach) is involved in the shooting death of a police officer. Guest stars in that one include Judith Light, Viola Davis, Mike Doyle, and Deirdre Lovejoy (of The Wire). The latter episode may be the last episode for a regular character or two (I say no more, so as not to be too spoilery).
An archaeological discovery holds up the greatest engineering project in Istanbul’s history on a new Explorer (National Geographic Channel, 8pm and 11pm).
Researchers study a comet explosion on Mega Disasters (History Channel, 8pm and midnight).
A dual storm system hampers the start of crab season on a new Deadliest Catch (Discovery, 8pm, 10pm, midnight).
A look at “eco-conscious construction” on a new Big Ideas for a Small Planet (Sundance, 8pm; also on Friday at 9am).
New episode of Women Behind Bars (We, 8pm, 11pm, 2am).
New episode of Rock Solid (DIY, 8:30pm and 12:30am).
Morgan Spurlock spends thirty days working as a coal miner in the season premiere of 30 Days (FX, 9pm, 10pm; also on Friday at 10pm). If you aren’t familiar with this show– each episode recounts someone’s experience spending thirty days experiencing life a bit differently. It’s fascinating stuff, really, to see Spurlock and others try out what it’s like to experience life under different circumstances.
I’ll be at the Twins-Orioles game tonight and will, of course, record tonight’s edition of Baseball Tonight (ESPN, 9pm) to watch when I get home.
Ghost Ships of the Black Sea (National Geographic, 9pm and midnight). “A ship found in the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey proves the water’s unique chemistry makes it a treasure trove for marine archaeologists.”
Denny Crane gets in trouble (as well he should) for firing a woman for being fat, Alan continues to defend a woman in a murder trial, and Jerry helps a client who also has Asperger’s Syndrome in this rerun of Boston Legal (ABC, 9pm) from earlier this past season. Eric Stoltz directed this episode. Guest stars include Peter Onorati, Mare Winningham, and Mary Gross.
Jerry: “I’m representing a woman who is in love with an utility box.”
Carl: (To Katie) “Something tells me you’re involved.”
Katie: “I’m not actually. Other than to encourage Jerry. I think it’s brilliant.”
Jerry: “Brilliant!”
Katie: “I think the law that’s noblest is used to protect the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society. The client here is an objectophile, a fragile one at that– every other law firm summarily rejected her. How wonderful that this firm endeavors to prioritize compassion and humanity over profit; it positively warms the cockles of my heart. Jerry’s off to meet his developer– perhaps you’d care to join. I’m sure your own cockles could use a jolly.”
from Boston Legal
Jackie holds auditions to select people to appear in her workout DVD on a new Work Out (Bravo, 9pm, 10pm, midnight).
New episode of The Alaska Experiment (Discovery, 9pm and 1am). Four groups of ordinary folks live in the Alaskan wilderness for three months.
A look at “Girl Gangs” on a new Secret Lives of Women (We, 9pm and midnight).
New episode of Deion & Pilar: Prime Time Love (Oxygen, 9:30pm, 10:30pm, 12:30am).
Late Night
David Sedaris on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).
George Will on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).
Billy Crystal, Julianne Moore, Morgan Spurlock, and a performance from the Broadway musical South Pacific on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm). They really have time for all of that? Wow!
Liv Tyler, Judd Apatow (of Freaks & Geeks, Undeclared), Usher on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).
Kristin Davis (of Sex and the City), Joel McHale on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).
Colin Firth, Hugh Rowland, Jackie Greene on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).
Dennis Hopper, Doug Benson on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).
Bear Grylls on a rerun of Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).
