TV
TV Best Bets: ‘Eli Stone’ and ‘Crash’ premiere
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, October 13, 2008
This week features one more presidential debate, lots of sweating on CNBC and a trickle of season debuts, including ABC’s promising “Eli Stone,” Starz’ first scripted drama “Crash” and NBC’s latest hope in generating a hit this season “My Own Worst Enemy” with Christian Slater.
MONDAY
• “Inside the Actors Studio” 7 p.m. Bravo (season debut) — Cross promotion alert: James Lipton interviews Christian Slater. (See “My Own Worst Enemy”)
• “Dancing With the Stars” 8 p.m. ABC — Rocco DiSpirito had the worst score last week. Can he save hiimself tonight?
• “Samantha Who?” 9:30 p.m. ABC (season debut) — She’s baaack and not really much funnier than she was last year.
• “My Own Worst Enemy” 10 p.m. NBC (new series) — Slater stars as a man with a split personality. He’s a regular dude who finds out his brain is scrambled to also be a spy. Absurd? Yes. But no worse than “Chuck.”
TUESDAY
• “House” 8 p.m. Fox — House’s dad dies. We doubt House will be shedding a lot of tears — if any.
• “NCIS” 8 p.m. CBS —A murder of two Marines in Gibbs’ hometown is an excuse to meet Gibbs’ dad (who isn’t dead).
• “Fringe” 9 p.m. Fox — The latest oddball criminal has powers to harness electricity. Homing piegons will be involved.
• “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” 10 p.m. Bravo — NeNe is still hopping mad about being accidentally left off the invite list for Sheree’s party.
• “Eli Stone” 10 p.m. ABC (series debut) — Sigourney Weaver is a therapist. Dopey plot move: Eli’s brother has a brain aneurysm, too!.
• “Law & Order: SVU” 10 p.m. NBC — Ellen Burstyn stars as Stabler’s estranged mom.
WEDNESDAY
• “The New Adventures of Old Christine” 8 p.m. CBS — Jeffery Tambor plays a children’s entertainer who dates Christine.
• “Presidential Debate” 9 p.m. ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, Telemundo — Bob Schieffer moderates the final of three debates where he will encourage John McCain and Barack Obama to talk to each other.
• “Project Runway” 9 p.m. Bravo (season finale) — Had enough of debates? Well, watch these judges try to decide among the remaining three finalists — all women! Leanne is still the favorite to win.
• “Chocolate News” 10:30 p.m. Comedy Central (new series) — David Alan Grier hosts a fake newsmagazine.
THURSDAY
• “Ugly Betty” 8 p.m. ABC — Betty spurned Geo after last year’s cliffhanger. He returns on the scene, none too happy.
• “Survivor: Gabon” 8 p.m. CBS — Emory Med grad Marcus Lehman rocked last week. This week, some folks are grumpy and hungry, threatening an alliance.
• “Grey’s Anatomy” 9 p.m. ABC — Meredith discovers her mom’s diary.
• “Life on Mars” 10:01 p.m. ABC— Sam discovers modern policing is a wee bit less brutal than it was in 1973. Ratings were solid last week. Best new show of the year. Check it out!
FRIDAY
• “Crusoe” 8 p.m. NBC (new series) — This is a fun adaptation of the Daniel Defoe classic novel featuring wily Robinson Crusoe stuck on a tropical island with plenty of nasty visitors and his bud Friday.
• “Crash” 10 p.m. Starz (new series) — Dennis Hopper stars in his first TV series, an adaptation of the popular 2004 film. He plays an aging music producer.
• “Stargate Atlantis” 9 p.m. SciFi — Refugees the Atlantis team relocated are not as grateful as they had hoped.
• “The Starter Wife” 10 p.m. USA — Molly, whose diary accidentally leaked out onto the gossip pages, hides in a rehab facility.
WEEKEND TELEVISION
• “Living Proof” 8 p.m. Saturday. Lifetime — Harry Connick Jr. plays a doc who develops a lifesaving drug in a PSA masquerading as a movie.
• “Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling” 8 p.m. Saturday. CMT — Tiffany, Todd Briges, Dennis Rodman and Danny Bonaduce are among the C Listers desperate for attention.
• “The Simpsons” 8 p.m. Sunday. Fox — Bart meets a rich kid who looks just like him and they swap places
• “Family Guy” 9 p.m. Sunday. Fox— Lotsa Nazi jokes thanks to Stewie’s time machine
• “Desperate Housewives” 9 p.m. Sunday. ABC — Bree’s efforts to be the next Martha Stewart engenders jealousy.
• “Dexter” 9 p.m. Sunday. Showtime — Dexter manipulates Ramon, who is obsessed with seeking Oscar’s killer.
• “Brothers & Sisters” 10 p.m. Sunday. ABC — Nora sells off her philandering hubby’s stuff in a massive garage sale.
