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Can Sarah Palin save Tina Fey’s ‘30 Rock’?

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday, October 27, 2008

Barack Obama’s primetime paid advertorial on Wednesday is probably the most notable event happening during a relatively low-key late October week in TV.

And for NBC, which is having a really tough fall so far during primetime, execs are hoping the hype from Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin impression on “SNL” translates into more eyeballs for her Emmy winning (yet low-rated) “30 Rock,” which comes back this Thursday.

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Dana Edelson/NBC

Tina Fey portrays Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, left, and Amy Poehler portrays CBS news correspondent Katie Couric in a scene from NBC’s ‘Saturday Night Live.’

MONDAY

“Dancing With the Stars” 8 p.m. ABC — Cloris Leachman survived yet another week as the senior citizen demo votes furiously. Brooke Burke remains the fav to win it all though Warren Sapp could surprise.

“Chuck “ 8 p.m. NBC — A Buy More efficient expert (Tony Hale) wonders why Chuck always seems so distracted from his paying gig.

“Heroes” 9 p.m. NBC— Suresh is now out of control as Nathan and Tracy fight for their lives.Kristen returns with a shocker for Claire.

“Boston Legal” 10:01 p.m. ABC — Betty White returns as murderous Catherin Piper.

TUESDAY

“90210” 8 p.m. the CW 9— Naomi’s drug bust lands Adrianna in rehab.

“Greek” 9 p.m. ABC Family (season finale) — Lauren Conrad, already proven to be a stiffly compelling “actress” in “The Hills,” makes a cameo.

“Eli Stone” 10:01 p.m. ABC — Eli’s dad remains forefront in his mind after he reads his dad’s diary. (Adult guys write diaries?)

“Law & Order: SVU” 10 p.m. NBC — Coroner Melinda Warner finally leaves the morgue and helps nab a dangerous quack.

“Real Housewives of Atlanta” 10 p.m. Bravo — DeShawn’s big target of $1 million for her fundraiser won’t be reached while Kim and Sheree bond, much to NeNe’s chagrin.

WEDNESDAY

“Obama paid political ad” 8 p.m. CBS, Fox, NBC — Looking for “Bones” or “New Christine” or “Deal or No Deal” at 8? Sorry — Obama is spending mucho bucks to run a big ad six days before the election and delaying all three shows by 30 minutes.

“Pushing Daises” 8 p.m. ABC — This show, in need of a ratings boost, could benefit from the Obama infomerical as competition. Stephen Root guests as a supposed old associate of Ned’s dad.

“Private Practice” 9 p.m. NBC — Sam and Naomi vie for a spot to run the office

“America’s Next Top Model” 8 p.m. the CW — The remaining contestants travel to Europe.

THURSDAY

“Ugly Betty” 8 p.m. ABC — Ralph Macchio waxes on, waxes off at Hilda’s salon now that her affair with the married man is over.

“Grey’s Anatomy” 9 p.m. ABC — Kevin McKidd plays Owen Hunt, the new head of trauma, with obnoxious abandon.

“The Office” 9 p.m. NBC — Pam forgets she’s not in Scranton and wears a costume to the Dunder Mifflin corporate office.

“30 Rock” 9:30 p.m. NBC (season debut) — Megan Mullally plays an adoption official who deems whether Liz can adopt a child or not and her visit to the office does not go well.

FRIDAY

“Ghost Whisperer” 8 p.m. CBS — The ghost of a tennis player shows no love by hovering around a family that isn’t his.

“Crusoe” 9 p.m. NBC — Crusoe gets mutineers as visitors. In fact, he gets so many visitors, it makes you wonder why he can’t get off the island himself.

“Numb3rs” 10 p.m. CBS — One of Don’s men is killed on duty and he’s not a happy man.

“The Starter Wife” 10 p.m. USA — Lou, a man from Molly’s past, shows up just as she hits it off with Zach.

WEEKEND TELEVISION

“Center Stage 2: Turn It Up” 8 p.m. Saturday. Oxygen — A sequel to the 2000 film.

“Saturday Night Live” 11:29 p.m. Saturday. NBC — The final pre-election episode starring Ben Affleck and David Cook, plus a possible appearance by Barack Obama.

“Ben Jones: A Conversation” 1 p.m. Sunday. GPB (repeated again Tuesday at 7 p.m.— Former Georgia Congressman and “Dukes of Hazzard” character Ben Jones talks about his rather interesting life.

“Legend of the Seeker” 6 p.m. Sunday. WATL (new) — Back in the 1990s. “Xena” and “Hercules” were popular syndicated fantasy dramas. Now we have this drama based on the “Sword of Truth” novels.

“Beer For My Horses” 7 p.m. Sunday. CMT — Toby Keith and Willie Nelson turn the song and video into a movie.

“The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horrors XIX” 8 p.m. Sunday. Fox — Celebrity death, election shenanigans and a play off the Charlie Brown pumpkin special.

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