TV Best Bets: ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ returns with Herschel Walker, T-Boz
rho@ajc.om
Monday, February 23, 2009
It’s a big week for reality TV.
“The Bachelor” nears its season finale Monday and “Top Chef” crowns a new winner Wednesday. In the meantime, the 12th edition of “America’s Next Top Model” (Wednesday) and second “Celebrity Apprentice” (Sunday) debut. (Yes, the phrase “apprentice” makes no sense given the show’s current structure now. It’s now basically “Surreal Life” plus charity competitions plus Donald Trump.)
Oh, and if you’re a “Closer” fan, you’ll be bracing Monday to see if Fritz and Brenda actually do get hitched.
MONDAY
• “House,” 8 p.m. Fox — The world is turned upside down because House is acting… nice.
• “The Bachelor: Women Tell All,” 8 p.m. ABC — Look at all the rejects and see some kvetch over Jason’s rejection. Lucky Jason didn’t pick Shannon, the dog lover!
• “24,” 9 p.m. Fox — The chase is on through the streets of D.C. as Jack and Renee try to track down the ever wily Dubaku.
• “Heroes,” 9 p.m. NBC — Matt interrogates a captured Noah to find out how he began working with Nathan to abduct other hero types.
• “The Closer,” 9 p.m. TNT (season finale) — Brenda and Fritz’s wedding is just a day away but naturally, work gets in the way.
• “True Beauty,” 10 p.m. ABC (season finale) — Billy, the oldest person on the show, may end up being the “true beauty,” inside and out — as long as you can tolerate him gabbing about his incredibly healthy diet. But never count out studmaster Joel.
TUESDAY
At 9 p.m., the four major broadcast networks and cable news channels will be airing President Obama’s State of the Union address.
• “10 Kids and Counting,” 9 p.m. TLC (season debut) — TLC sure loves its big families but the octuplet mom probably won’t be joining them.
• “Dark Days in Monkey City,” 10 p.m. Animal Planet (new series) — Using Sri Lankan toque macaques, this takes the drama of “Meerkat Manor” a step further by adding animation enhancements as well as voiceover work by John Rhys-Davis.
• “The Real Housewives of New York City,” 10 p.m. Bravo — Jill snoops for info about new housewife Kelly and causes tension with Ramona.
• “Leverage,” 10 p.m. TNT (season finale) — A bitter Nate faces off against his ex-employer.
WEDNESDAY
• “American Idol,” 8 p.m. Fox — Because of the State of the Union address Tuesday, Fox has moved the performance show tonight. Will goofy, yet talented Nick Mitchell show up as his alter ego Normund or will he be himself?
• “America’s Next Top Model” 8 p.m. the CW (season debut) — Tyra and the gang hang out in Vegas while seeking winner No. 12.
• “Lost,” 9 p.m. ABC — Walt is back! And how did Locke die?
• “Damages,” 10 p.m. FX — Frobisher’s past comes back to haunt him.
• “Top Chef: New York,” 10 p.m. Bravo (season finale) — After so much success, Stefan has stumbled a bit recently and has hidden his insecurities with arrogance. His win is no longer guaranteed against consistent Hosea and coming-on-strong Carla.
THURSDAY
• “Secrets of the Furious 5,” 8 p.m. NBC — A follow up to “Kung Fu Panda.”
• “American Idol,” 8 p.m. Fox — The results show a day later than usual as three more get in. Will Nick/Normund get the votes to make it to the top 12? Let’s hope not.
• “Survivor: Tocantins,” 8 p.m. CBS — An alliance arises on exile island.
• “The Black List 2,” 8 p.m. HBO — Interviews include SNL’s Maya Rudolph, former Black Panther Angela Davis and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.
• “30 Rock,” 9:30 p.m. NBC — Tracy Morgan’s interview on “The Larry King” show causes New Yorkers to go into a panic.
• “The Chris Isaak Show,” 10 p.m. Bio — Georgia native Trisha Yearwood gets the spotlight.
FRIDAY
• “Ghost Whisperer,” 8 p.m. CBS — Sam reacts oddly when Melinda tells him she talks to ghosts.
• “Dollhouse,” 9 p.m. Fox — Echo’s imprinting isn’t always perfect and her memories go haywire while she helps a client pull an art heist. .
• “Friday Night Lights,” 9 p.m. NBC — Jason Street’s athletic career isn’t over, but his relationship with Tyra might be.
• “Supernanny,” 9 p.m. ABC — How efficient. ABC is now airing the U.K. versions of this show as well.
• “American Loggers” 10 p.m. Discovery (new series) — The Pelletier Inc. company features a dad and nine brothers working the timber business in Maine.
• “Numb3rs,” 10 p.m. CBS — To stop a drug from hitting the streets, Charlie might put Liz in harm’s way.
WEEKEND
• “Gone Country 3,” 8 p.m. Saturday CMT — The would-be country singers work with songwriter Jeffrey Steel to mix their songs.
• “America,” 9 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — Rosie O’Donnell and Ruby Dee star in this film about a 17 year old boy’s struggle in the foster care system. This is the type of film where the adjective “heartwarming” is attached.
• “Saturday Night Live Shorts,” 7 p.m. Sunday NBC —Adam Samburg hosts what would be called “repurposing” old material by highlighting SNL’s non-sketch parodies, digital shorts and cartoons.
• “The Apprentice,” 9 p.m. Sunday NBC (season debut) — Herschel Walker and T-Boz of TLC are two contestants with Georgia connections but the big personalities are Dennis Rodman, Andrew “Dice” Clay and Joan Rivers, to name a few.
• “Jesse Stone: Thin Ice,” 9 p.m. Sunday CBS — Tom Selleck takes on Jesse Stone for a fifth time, this time fighting the local city council after his close friend is seriously injured in a shoot out.
• “Brothers and Sisters,” 9 p.m. Sunday ABC — Back-to-back new episodes. Kitty is about to have a baby (at least someone else is having the baby for her) but the Walkers face a possible death, too.
