Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

New Gossip Girl (CW, 7pm)
New Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX, 7pm)
New The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 7pm)
New Good Eats (Food Network, 7pm and 2am)
New How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7:30pm)
New Samantha Who? (ABC, 8:31pm)
New Boston Legal (ABC, 9:01pm)
Season finale of Raising the Bar (TNT, 9pm and midnight)

News & Notes

NBC has picked up Kath & Kim for a full season. FOX has picked up American Dad for another season.

Primetime Grid

Primetime

A young grad student is attracted to Sheldon and this mystifies everybody on a new episode of The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 7pm).

The Connors, of all people, are robbed on a new Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX, 7pm). Weird!

Blair agrees to babysit the 15-year-old daughter of someone she hopes can get her into Yale, Serena learns a secret about Aaron the artist, and Jenny plans a “guerilla fashion show” with her model friend Agnes on a new Gossip Girl (CW, 7pm). Willa Holland continues her guest stint on the show as Agnes; you may remember her for playing “Kaitlin Cooper” during the last season of The O.C.

Alton Brown uses soy beans in recipes in a new episode of Good Eats (Food Network, 7pm and 2am).

Goldie Hawn on the season premiere of Inside the Actor’s Studio (Bravo, 7pm; also on Sunday at 7am).

A special Antiques Roadshow (PBS, check your local listings) called “Politically Collect”.

Alas, NBC isn’t airing Chuck tonight, instead they’re airing a special 200th episode of Deal or No Deal. Chuck will be back with a new episode next week.

Two new episodes of Little People, Big World (TLC, 7pm and 10pm, 7:30pm and 10:30pm).

While out for dinner with the gang, Ted runs into someone from his past and this prompts everyone to discuss or remember how they’d handle bumping into someone they’d rather forget on a new How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 7:30pm). Sarah Chalke returns as Stella, other guest stars are Jason Jones and Eric Braeden (of The Young and the Restless).

I think it’s very weird that Chris Berman will be interviewing Senators McCain and Obama during the halftime show for Monday Night Football (EPN, 7:30pm).

New episodes of Curb Appeal (HGTV, 7:30pm and 11:30pm) and Hidden Potential (HGTV, 8:30pm and 12:30am).

No Heroes or My Own Worst Enemy tonight, instead NBC airs the special Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash 2008 (NBC, 8pm – 10pm) which will feature some new political material as well as clips of political material from past episodes (this season and in years past). Heroes and My Own Worst Enemy will be back with new episodes next Monday.

New hour-long episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8 (TLC, 8pm and 11pm).

Judith “kicks Herb to the curb” on Two and a Half Men (CBS, 8pm) and I’m guessing Alan and Charlie will have something to say about that. Ryan Stiles is back as Herb.

Michael’s condition continues to worsen on Prison Break (FOX, 8pm), but I think it’s a safe bet he’ll recover. Police investigate T-Bag’s missing co-worker.

“Oodles of Noodles” on Unwrapped (Food Network, 8pm and 11pm).

James Tupper (who was “Jack” on Men in Trees) guest stars as Sam’s first client in her new business venture on Samantha Who? (ABC, 8:31pm).

Olympia Dukakis guest stars as Mel’s grandmother on a new Worst Week (CBS, 8:30pm). Would it shock you that Sam manages to lose one of the grandmother’s wedding rings? Nope, that shouldn’t be a surprise at all. Of course it’s given away in the commercials too. Are any of you watching this show? I’d love to hear what you think of it. I couldn’t stand to watch another episode after the first one.

Julie Bowen and Rene Auberjonois return to Boston Legal (ABC, 9:01pm) for this episode as Denise Bauer and Paul Lewiston. Valerie Bertinelli guest stars as a cattle racher who Denny thinks is Valerie Bertinelli. D’oh! Henry Gibson and Ned Vaughn also guest star in this episode that was written by David E. Kelley and directed by Steve Robin. Only six more episodes of this series to go after this one.

Season finale of Raising The Bar (TNT, 9pm and midnight, also airs at 10pm on Tuesday). This series will be back with a second season of 15 episodes; there were ten episodes for the show’s first season.

17 Kids and Counting (TLC, 9pm and midnight, 9:30pm and 12:30am). Read about the show on the TLC website.

A 200-foot tall crane crashes into a Miami high rise on CSI: Miami (CBS, 9pm). This puts a case and lives in jeopardy. Oh-oh. Guest stars include Melinda McGraw, Tom Pelphrey, and Joe Penny.

Season finale of Dr. 90210 (E!, 9pm and midnight).

New episode of 17 Kids and Counting (TLC, 9pm and midnight).

Twins Season Review ‘08 (FOX Sports Net North, 9pm; airs again on Thursday at 9pm).

Late Night

Doris Kearns Goodwin on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 10pm and midnight).

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

Paris Hilton, Elvis Costello, Jenny Lewis, and a Top Ten List by Ricky Gervais on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Julie Scardina, Kate Walsh (of Private Practice), Sugarland on The Tonight Show (NBC, 10:35pm).

Bill Maher on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Brian Williams, Bill Bellamy, the Decemberists on Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC, 11:37pm).

Peter Krause (of Dirty Sexy Money, Six Feet Under, Sports Night), Jordana Brewster, Eagles of Death Metal on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC, check your local listings).

D.L. Hughley, Young Jeezy & Nas on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC, check your local listings).