Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New The Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family, 7pm and 11pm)
New Eureka (Sci-Fi, 8pm and 11pm)
New How to Look Good Naked (Lifetime, 9pm)
New The Cleaner (A&E, 9pm, 10pm, 1am, 2am)

Recommended Reruns

Season premiere of Eureka (Sci-Fi, 7pm)
NCIS (CBS, 7pm)
Reaper (CW, 8pm)
House (FOX, 8pm)
Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm)
Bones (TNT, 9pm)

News & Notes

Apologies for disappearing for a while there, I was dealing with my own health issues as well as those of my parents. Will try to get back to regular updates, but obviously some things get priority over this stuff. Right now I’m really wishing this were a paying job, though even if it was, I’d've needed to take some time off. Thanks for your patience and understanding and especially to those who continue to support this site.

Daytime

Dr. Oz discusses an anti-aging plan in this rerun of Oprah (syndicated, check your local listings).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

Amy finally reveals the truth to her mother in this new episode of The Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family, 7pm and 11pm; also on Friday at 5pm). And there’s a rumor going around school that Amy will be terminating her pregnancy. It’s still weirding me out a bit that Molly Ringwald is playing a mother of a teenager on this show, but then I grew up watching John Hughes movies. I’ve only seen the first couple of episodes of this show and thought they were merely “okay”. Have you been watching? What do you think?

Bloopers, previously unseen footage, and the first ever “Wipey Awards” on a special edition of Wipeout (ABC, 7pm - 8:01pm).

Rerun of Celebrity Family Feud (NBC, 7pm). The one with castmembers of My Name Is Earl, The Office, and American Gladiators.

A look at sharks on a new Killing for a Living (Animal Planet, 7pm, 10pm, 2am).

FOX Sports Net North airs a 90 minute look at National Night Out ‘08 here in the Twin Cities (FSN North, 7pm - 8:30pm). Followed by the Twins Live pre-game show (FSN North, 8:30pm) and the Twins-Mariners Game (FSN North, 9pm).

Rerun of the season premiere of Eureka (Sci-Fi, 7pm). Just in case you missed it last week. This is one of my favorite summer series, I’m very happy it’s back with new episodes.

Rebroadcasts of the “Fry Turkey Fry” and “Fry Hard” episodes of Good Eats (Food Network, 7pm and 2am, 7:30pm and 2:30am).

Rerun of the season finale of the fourth season of NCIS (CBS, 7pm). That would be the finale from the season before the one that just ended not that long ago. The entire team is forced to take a polygraph test; Tony and his girlfriend Jeanne are held hostage at the hospital, and then there’s the matter of who her father is . . .

Lee pretends he’s an art expert in order to impress some of Guy’s friends in this new episode of Not Going Out (BBC America, 7:40pm, 10:40pm, 12:40am). DVR/VCR Alert: This comedy has a run time of 40 minutes.

New episode of Eureka (Sci-Fi, 8pm and 11pm). Second new episode of the new season. I believe some of the townsfolk participate in a dangerous reality game show and things go awry (of course).

New episode of The First 48 (A&E, 8pm and midnight). This show covers the first 48 hours of the investigation after a crime is committed/reported.

Ted Allen (of Queer Eye) and a team of experts from Popular Science magazine seek “the truth about double dipping” and investigate whether ginger really helps with motion sickness on a new episode of Food Detectives (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm).

The final four compete in the two-hour season finale of I Survived a Japanese Game Show (ABC, 8:01pm - 10pm). No word yet on if there’ll be another season of this show.

House (FOX, 8pm) and his team try to diagnose a bride who took ill at her wedding, but House is more interested in discussing Wilson’s new relationship.

House: People don’t change. For instance, I’m going to keep repeating “People don’t change.”
Cuddy: If you’re dissatisfied with your life, changing it is a symptom of mental health. I get why that concept is strange to you.
  from House

Andi learns Sam’s secret (or at least thinks she does) in this rerun of Reaper (CW, 8pm). And Ben thinks he’s met the woman of his dreams. The vessel is a collapsible scythe.

Sam: ‘What, tying her up and throwing her in the trunk was the only way?”
Sock: “She is very comfortable in there, okay? I threw her fresh blankies, pillows, a little bundle of … ”
Ben: “Potpourri.”
Sock: “Potpourri.”
Sam: “Solving the problem? This isn’t solving a problem, this is adding a felony on top of the problem!”
  from Reaper

Joined for Life: Abby and Brittany Turn 16 (TLC, 8pm and 11pm). Abby and Brittany are co-joined twins; they’re interesting people and this documentary follows them to high school and as they prepare to get their driver’s licenses. This special is a year or two old now as they just graduated from high school this spring– they attended and graduated from the same high school I did. Previously this had aired on Discovery Health Channel, but I know not everyone gets that station so this might be the first chance for some of you to see this as TLC is more widely available.

A look at the nanotyrannus who supposedly preyed on the tyrannosaurus rex way back when in this new episode of Jurassic Fight Club (History Channel, 8pm and midnight). In this series, they show computer animations that imagine what fights between dinosaurs might’ve looked like. This new episode is preceded by a rerun of the episode about a Majungatholus (History Channel, 7pm and 11pm).

Two new episodes of Then Came Six (Discovery Health Channel, 8pm and 11pm, 8:30pm and 11:30pm). This series follows a set of sextuplets and their family.

A look Inside the Koran (National Geographic, 8pm - 10pm, 11pm - 1am; also airs on Saturday at Noon and next Tuesday at 4pm). Actually it sounds like it’s a look at a diverse group of Muslims and how they interpret the book.

Brian Williams, Katie Couric, and Charlie Gibson all appear on Larry King Live (CNN, 8pm, 11pm, 2am) to Stand Up to Cancer.

The Strawbridge’s meet the Moriarty’s whose dream is to build an eco-campsite on a new It’s Not Easy Being Green (Sundance, 8pm; also on Friday at 9am and Sunday at 2pm). DVR/VCR Alert: This show has a runtime of 35 minutes.

A mother-and-daughter staging team must stop bickering long enough to transform a 1950s bungalow on The Stagers (HGTV, 8:30pm and 12:30am).

The Neelys are in Denver for a new Road Tasted With the Neelys (Food Network, 8:30pm and 11:30pm). They encounter sweet potato poundcake, jerk burgers, raspberry mousse torte cake, and roasted garlic beef jerky. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry just from reading that.

New five-minute “minisode” of Rescue Me (FX, 9pm) debuts on FX. These episodes are supposed to each stand alone. They are available online after they debut each Tuesday on FX; supposed to be available on Hulu, YouTube, MySpace, Crackle, and elsewhere.

A mother of four wants to feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit again in this new episode of How to Look Good Naked (Lifetime, 9pm; also airs on Friday at 8am). Carson Kressley (of Queer Eye) hosts this show that’s all about helping women become comfortable (and happy!) with their bodies as they are. I know I thought that the half-hour episodes last season seemed awfully short, so I’m pleased to see episodes are now an hour-long, though I haven’t checked out any of them yet this season to see what I think. Always happy to hear your opinions of shows, of course.

The team tries to help a math professor who is using cocaine in this new episode of The Cleaner (A&E, 9pm, 10pm, 1am, 2am). Have you been watching this show? What do you think? I’ve only seen the first episode and haven’t gotten around to checking out any others yet (probably because I was underwhelmed by the first episode). Benjamin Bratt (of Law & Order) stars, along with Grace Park (of Battlestar Galactica).

Season premiere of Smash Lab (Discovery, 9pm). Exterior airbags for a car; a test stabilizing rods. Ben Bailey hosts this season; this year’s team of engineers features Deanne Bell, Chuck Messer, and Gadget and Nathaniel Taylor. Most people I know were very disappointed in the first season of this show and found it nowhere near as good as Mythbusters; here’s hoping the second season improves.

Jack’s in the hospital, the rest of the team investigates the disappearance of a teen heart transplant recipient in this rerun of Without A Trace (CBS, 9pm) from last season.

Vivian Johnson: “You know, I picked up a couple magazines– Vanity Fair and People. What’s your preference?”
Jack Malone: “Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition.”
Vivian Johnson: “People Magazine it is, then. Let’s see. ‘Meow 11– a cat calls for help and saves its dying owner.’ ”
Jack Malone: “You really are trying to kill me, aren’t ya’?”
Vivian Johnson: “Mm-hmm.”
  from Without A Trace

Season finale of Flipping Out (Bravo, 9pm, 11pm, 1am).

Tori and Dean try to get moved into their new house before their new baby is born on a new Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood (Oxygen, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm, 1am). Since the episode is titled “A Stella is Born” I’m guessing they don’t quite make it, but I could be wrong. I can’t help it, but I still see Dean McDermott as “Turnbull” from Due South even though he hasn’t played that character since 1999.

A look at the “guts” of creatures in this new episode of Evolve (History Channel, 9pm and 1am). Followed by an episode that focuses on eyes (History Channel, 10pm and 2am).

Ashley goes to the prom, Johnathan receives a gift, and Staci gets some big news in this new episode of Baldwin Hills (BET, 9pm and 1am).

New episode of From G’s to Gents (MTV, 9pm; also on Wednesday at 9am and 6pm).

Rebroadcasts of the new episode of Weeds (Showtime, 9pm, 9:30pm) that debuted last night.

Rerun of “The Headless Witch in the Woods” episode of Bones (TNT, 9pm) from season two. They investigate the death of a film student who was making a documentary about the legend of a headless witch who haunts the woods. Joshua Leonard, who appeared in the movie The Blair Witch Project, appears in this episode.

Late Night

Season premiere of Million Dollar Listing (Bravo, 10pm and midnight).

New episode of General Hospital: Night Shift (Soap Network, 10pm).

Rerun of the episode of Saving Grace (TNT, 10pm) that debuted last night. It’s another good one.

The “Give Peas a Chance” episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 10pm and 1am).

New episode of My House is Worth What? (HGTV, 10pm and 2am).

Seth Rogen (of Freaks and Geeks) on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

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

Kelly Ripa, Steve Coogan, Spiritualized on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Robert Downey Jr, Anna Faris, Toby Keith on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).

Regis Philbin, Paula Patton on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Seth Meyers, Sharon Osbourne, N*E*R*D on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Rosie Perez, Brandon T. Jackson, Tyga on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tristan Prettyman on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).