Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New Burn Notice (USA, 9pm and midnight)
Season finale of My Boys (TBS, 9pm and 12:30am)
New Flashpoint (CBS, 9pm)
Season finale of Hopkins (ABC, 9pm)

News & Notes

Stay tuned . . . will be having some contests on the site again starting this weekend. Your chance to win some nifty TV DVD sets!

As Seth Rogen and James Franco make the talk show rounds to discuss the movie Pineapple Express, surely I can’t be the only TV fan hoping that they get asked questions about Freaks and Geeks.

Daytime

Bill & Melinda Gates, Anderson Cooper on a rerun of Oprah (syndicated, check our local listings).

Primetime Grid

Primetime

Four more episodes of Jeremiah (Sci-Fi, 6pm – 10pm).

Brian Unger hosts the season premiere of Some Assembly Required (Discovery, 7pm) which is followed by a second new episode (Discovery, 7:30pm and ). This show “throws open the factory doors to showcase how ordinary items are manufactured and mass-produced. The first episode covers the making of crash-test dummies and kettle chips; the second episode looks at how fire engines are built and sugar is refined.

Season finale of Last Comic Standing (NBC, 7pm – 8:30pm). Includes stand-up performances by Jon Lovitz and Jon Reep (who won the competition last season); plus “special appearances” by Gilbert Gottfried, Penn and Teller, and Joel McHale. Bill Bellamy hosts. It’s possible, with finales like this, that it could run a minute or two long.

Season finale of So You Think You Can Dance (FOX, 7pm – 9pm). It’s possible this could run long.

Is it time for football already? I guess so. NFL Preseason Football: New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals (ESPN, 7pm).

The Abyss (FOX Movie Channel, 7:30pm, letterboxed) is one of my favorite movies. I saw it a few times in the theater and have seen it many times on DVD.

A ’60s kitchen is modernized on a new Sweat Equity (DIY, 7:30pm and 11:30pm).

New episode of Myles of Style (HGTV, 7:30pm and 11:30pm).

Two new episodes of The Bill Engvall Show (TBS, 8pm and 11:30pm, 8:30pm and midnight); the second episode is the season finale. No word yet on if this show will be back for another season.

The team works on a bowling-themed bike in this new episode of American Chopper (TLC, 8pm and midnight).

Angelo transforms a backyard patio into an outdoor living space on a new Rate My Space (HGTV, 8pm and midnight).

New episode of Newlywed, Nearly Dead (Fine Living, 8pm and midnight).

A triangular cottage in the picturesque lakes region of Ottawa; a California home is built out of parts of a retired jumbo jet on Extreme Living (HGTV, 8:30pm and 12:30am).

Michael, Fiona, and Sam try to help someone extricate themselves from a crime ring in a new episode of Burn Notice (USA, 9pm and midnight; also on Monday at 10pm). It sounds like Michael may have to participate in a jewel heist– fun! I am still loving this show, despite being a little disappointed in how last season’s cliffhanger was resolved.

Season finale of My Boys (TBS, 9pm and 12:30am; also Tuesday at 10pm). Already? Dangit! I enjoy this show a lot, though must admit I found this season to be something of a letdown. It seems that some of the things that made this show unique (like the sports references, the poker games) went away or were de-emphasized this time around. DVR/VCR Alert: I recommend padding your recording by a minute or two just in case it runs long (as it did for part of this season). No word yet on whether this show will be back for a third season.

Season finale of Hopkins (ABC, 9pm).

Flashpoint (CBS, 9pm) has really grown on me; it’s not a great show, but it’s compelling summer drama. Enrico Colantoni (of Veronica Mars), Hugh Dillon, and Amy Jo Johnson (of Felicity) star as members of a quick response team. Did you notice last week’s episode was directed by Clark Johnson? Too cool. There were also two episodes in a row that featured guest stars who were series regulars on Jericho. Tonight’s episode involves a hostage situation during a bank robbery.

Miss the season premiere of Mythbusters last night? Lucky for you, it airs again tonight (Discovery, 9pm and 1am). Jamie and Adam try to tenderize steak with explosives, they also test to see if stress affects driving behavior (and as a result, how much gas you use in your car).

Duff and the crew build a giant cake for the Kung Fu Panda premiere in Los Angeles on a new Ace of Cakes (Food Network, 9pm and midnight).

A look at “sneakers” on a new episode of The Works (History Channel, 9pm and 1am). One description of tonight’s episode says “some scientists believe sneakers might represent the next step in human evolution.” What?!? Well now I’m intrigued.

Tonight’s new episode of Penn & Teller: Bulls…! (Showtime, 9pm, 9:30pm; also on Friday at 9pm and 9:30pm) is titled “Stranger Danger” and is described this way: “in spite of fear-mongering, toxic toys and anti-anxiety medication, the world has never been safer for children.”

The crew visits New Orleans in this special episode of Miami Ink (TLC, 9pm and 11pm).

Guest for tonight’s new episode of The Gong Show with Dave Attell (Comedy Central, 9pm and 11pm) include Brian Posehn, Steve Schirripa and Andy Dick.

Elbow, MGMT, and Alanis Morissette on a new Live From Abbey Road (Sundance, 9pm; also on Friday at 8pm and 1am).

New episode of Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV, 9pm, 10pm, 2am).

A couple looks for an affordable three-bedroom house in Nashville on a new House Hunters (HGTV, 9pm and 1am).

“Kathy’s relationship with Steve Wozniak is tested when she joins him for a weekend to co-host the Fur Ball” on a new Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo, 9pm, 10pm, 1am; also many other times). My mind, it boggles. Also: I can’t stand Griffin.

Tonight’s new episode of Reality Bites Back (Comedy Central, 9:30pm and 11:30pm) is titled “Almost-American Gladiators”.

Late Night

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

Devin Gordon, Thomas Frank on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).

Kiefer Sutherland, Rumer Willis, Phil Vassar on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Nick Nolte, Carrot Top, Solomon Burke on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC, 10:35pm).

Seth Rogen (of Freaks and Geeks), Al Green on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Jack Black, Conor Oberst on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

James Franco (of Freaks and Geeks), Tommy Lee, From First to Last on Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings).

Andrew “Dice” Clay, Shooter Jennings on a rerun of Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).