Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Best Bets
Season premiere of NCIS (CBS, 7pm)
New House (FOX, 7pm)
Summer finale of Eureka (Sci-Fi, 8pm and 11pm)
Series premiere of The Mentalist (CBS, 8pm)
Season premiere of Without a Trace (CBS, 9pm)
Season premiere of Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm)
New The Shield (FX, 9pm and 11pm)
Julianne Moore, Tom Dreesen, Tim Reid, Kings of Leon on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm)
News & Notes
The CW has picked up 90210 for a full season.
As of tonight, all the shows on the Fall schedule for Tuesday will have premiered, save for Eli Stone; the second season of Eli Stone begins on October 14th.
A list of some of the new TV on DVD sets that should be in stores today:
Ax Men – Season 1
Boston Legal: Season Four
Brothers & Sisters – The Complete Second Season
CSI: NY – The Fourth Season
Cashmere Mafia – The Complete Series
Samantha Who?: The Complete First Season
This American Life – Season 1
Two and a Half Men – The Complete Fourth Season
For a premiere dates of all the shows and a look at the Fall schedule, check out my Fall 2008 Schedule Grid.
Primetime Grid
| Tue | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Opportunity Knocks Season premiere | Dancing with the Stars | ||||
| CBS | NCIS Season premiere | The Mentalist Series premiere | Without a Trace Season premiere | |||
| NBC | The Biggest Loser: Families | Law & Order: SVU Season premiere | ||||
| FOX | House | Fringe | Local Programming | |||
| CW | 90210 also on Wed | Privileged also on Sun | Local Programming | |||
| Fam | Lincoln Heights also at 11pm | Greek | ||||
| SciFi | Eureka Rerun | Eureka Summer finale, also at 11pm | ECW | |||
| FX | The Shield also at 11:07pm | |||||
Featured Pick
Series premiere of The Mentalist (CBS, 8pm).
Simon Baker, who starred in The Guardian and played an assassin in the shortlived series Smith, stars in this new series. He plays a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation who used to work as a TV psychic. He can’t actually read minds or contact people “on the other side,” but he is very observant, much like “Shawn” on Psych. He’s also really good at reading people. This show couldn’t be more different in tone or style from Psych though.
Robin Tunney, who I pretty much hated as “Veronica” on Prison Break, is pretty awful so far as Baker’s boss on this show. The other members of their investigative team are played by Owain Yeoman (of Generation Kill, The Nine, Kitchen Confidential), Tim Kang, and Amanda Righetti (of Reunion, North Shore, and The O.C.).
Guest stars in this first episode include Steven Culp (of Traveler, Desperate Housewives), Gail O’Grady (of Hidden Palms, American Dreams, NYPD Blue), Jeffrey Nordling (of 24, Dirt, Once and Again), and Emmy winner (yay!) Zeljko Ivanek (of Damages, Homicide). The series was created by Bruno Heller who previously worked on Rome and a little bit on the U.S. Touching Evil and the pilots for Bionic Woman. David Nutter directed the pilot.
I liked the pilot more than I thought I would and was pleased that it isn’t at all like Psych (a show I like a lot, but we don’t need a poor imitation of it). This show is darker; also when Baker’s character observes things there isn’t special music and things aren’t highlighted (you’re expected to notice things or guess at what he’s thinking). The first case we see may be tied to a serial killer that they’re all quite familiar with. It’s too soon to get much of a feel for any characters beyond the lead, but Baker’s pretty great as the leading man here. He’s a cynic, but with good cause.
I recommend checking the show out if you’re a fan of any of the stars or are a fan of procedurals. If Fringe is too out-there or gruesome for you, this show might be a better fit. It should fit in well between NCIS and Without A Trace. ‘Course I’m just basing my opinion on one episode; the true test will be to see what future episodes are like.
Primetime
People who received transplants for one particular organ donor start dying in this new episode of House (FOX, 7pm). Felicia Day, who was “Penny” in Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog, guest stars as one of the remaining living transplant recipients. The team races to save her, of course. Day is great in this episode and I’m a big fan of her work; you can read more about her various projects and what’s she’s up to on her website. Another new character is introduced who will likely appear in future episodes– I’m not sure how I like the addition, it’s still too soon to tell (it’s not like they really needed more characters on this show). Meanwhile, House wants Wilson to return to the hospital, of course. I’ve seen this episode and liked it.
Season premiere of NCIS (CBS, 7pm). At the end of last season, on regular character was dead and the team members were being separated from each other. Eek! I’m guessing tonight’s episode is about showing them apart and then maybe working to bring them back together. It looks like Rocky Carroll is joining the cast as the new director of NCIS. It’s weird, I’ve seen most season premieres for returning shows but none of the ones for tonight.
Annie’s relationship with Ty is moving awfully fast in tonight’s new episode of 90210 (CW, 7pm; airs again on Wednesday at 8pm). Silver and Dixon bond when she needs his help stage managing the school musical. Naomi tries to bring her parents back together. And so on. So far it’s merely an okay sort of show if you like this sort of thing.
Series premiere of Opportunity Knocks (ABC, 7pm). This new series is a roving game show that can take over a neighborhood and let a family win prizes based on how they answer questions about each other. Or something like that. You can find out more on the website for the show. It’s a better-than-average premise for a game show, I guess.
New Lincoln Heights (ABC Family, 7pm and 11pm).
New episode of Gavin and Stacy (BBC America, 7:40pm, 10:40pm, 12:40am). DVR/VCR Alert: This comedy has a run time of 40 minutes.
Summer finale of Eureka (Sci-Fi, 8pm and 11pm). Have no fear, there are thirteen more episodes for this season which will air later this season. I really like this quirky little show.
Series premiere of The Mentalist (CBS, 8pm). See above.
Commuters are somehow frozen inside a bus “like insects in amber” in this new episode of Fringe (FOX, 8pm). Man, I hate it when that happens. Peter Hermann guest stars.
Rose is told she’ll have to repeat her freshman year so of course her tutor and grandmother try to fix things in this new episode of Privileged (CW, 8pm; airs again on Sunday at 7pm). There’s also a party on a yacht. This episode was written by Anna Fricke (of Men in Trees and Everwood).
New episode of Whatever, Martha (Fine Living, 8pm and 11pm). Check out the website for the show for more information.
“Dirty Bar Snacks” is the title of a new episode of Food Detectives (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm).
New episode of The First 48 (A&E, 8pm and midnight).
New episode of Making the Band 4 (MTV, 8pm and 10pm; also on Wednesday at 9:30am and 2:30pm).
New episode of Greek (ABC Family, 8pm; also on Wednesday at 11pm).
New episode of The Stagers (HGTV, 8:30pm and 12:30am).
The Neelys visit Rhode Island in this new episode of Road Tasted with the Neelys (Food Network, 8:30pm and 11:30pm).
Season premiere of Without a Trace (CBS, 9pm). Steven Weber (of Studio 60, Wings) begins an arc on the show as the new head of the team; Linda Hunt returns as an FBI psychiatrist. Jack’s got some serious adjustments to make as the season begins as he’s no longer the boss. The team searches for a man whose daughter went missing years ago (and was never found). This show really is underrated and it’s a show I like a lot.
Season premiere of Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9pm). Guest stars in this episode include Sara Gilbert (of Big Bang Theory, Roseanne), Julie Bowen (of Boston Legal, Ed), and Luke Perry (of the original 90210). There’s a case involving an abused foster child which leads to yet another case. I hope Richard Belzer is on the show more this year as Det. Munch.
New episode of The Shield (FX, 9pm and 11pm; also airs on both Saturday and Sunday).
New episode of The Cleaner (A&E, 9pm, 10pm, 1am, 2am; also on Sunday at 10pm). Benjamin Bratt stars in this drama.
Andrew is in Goa, India for this new episode of Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmern (Travel Channel, 9pm, 10pm, 1am).
New episode of The Rachel Zoe Project (Bravo, 9pm, 10pm, and midnight).
New episode of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency (Oxygen, 9pm, 10pm, midnight).
A reunion special for From G’s to Gents (MTV, 9pm, 11pm, 4am).
Season finale of The Secret Lives of Women (We, 9pm and midnight).
Season finale of Pam: Girl on the Loose (E!, 9pm and 12:30am).
New episode of Somebodies (BET, 9:30pm and 12:30am). You can find out more about this new series on the show’s website.
Late Night
Former President Bill Clinton on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).
New episode of General Hospital: Night Shift (Soap Network, 10pm; also on Saturday at 5am and 5pm).
Rerun of the fourth ever episode of Raising the Bar (TNT, 10pm).
New episode of My House is Worth What? (HGTV, 10pm and 2am).
Jackson Browne on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 10:30pm and 12:30am).
Julianne Moore, Tom Dreesen, Tim Reid, Kings of Leon on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).
Wanda Sykes, Zach Levi, Glen Campbell on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).
John Krasinski, Dr. Lisa Masterson on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).
Billy Bob Thornton, Aasif Mandvi, Kenny Shopsin on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).
Dane Cook, Dylan & Cole Sprouse, Atmosphere on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).
Bo Burnham, other guests yet to be announced on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).
