Laurel’s TV Picks

Best Bets

XXIX Summer Olympics (NBC, 7pm)
New Monk (USA, 8pm and 11pm)
New Psych (USA, 9pm and midnight)
New Stargate Atlantis (Sci-Fi, 9pm and 11pm)

News & Notes

The Deal of the Day at Amazon (while supplies last) is on Roswell - Seasons 1-3 for $42. That’s less than $15 per season/set, which is a great deal. I enjoyed this series, even if it seemed to go in a different direction each season. The packaging on these sets is different than the packaging on the sets that were originally released for the show (these seem to emphasize Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl a bit more), but I’m told the content is the same.

There’s a new contest available for readers of this fine little website. Ten lucky readers will receive a free copy of the Masters of Science Fiction: The Complete Series DVD set which was released earlier this month. Find out more about the DVD set and learn how to enter the contest on the Contests Page.

Do you enjoy the Olympics? Having trouble figuring out when/where the events will air? The always awesome Lisa Schmeiser (of TeeVee and Television Without Pity) has put together an Olympics schedule grid which is available in both HTML/Web and Excel format. Thanks, Lisa! (I believe the times listed are for the Eastern timezone.)

Primetime Grid

Primetime

XXIX Summer Olympics (NBC, 7pm).

John Rich hosts the season premiere of Gone Country (CMT, 7pm). Another group of performers try their hand at learning how to be country singers. The competitors this time around are: Sebastian Bach, Irene Cara, Mikalah Gordon, Jermaine Jackson, Chris Kirkpatrick, Lorenzo Lamas, and Sean Young. You can read all about the second season of this show on the official website.

Rocket Dog’s pups get their first lesson in desert survival and the Whiskers move burrows in this new episode of Meerkat Manor: The Next Generation (Animal Planet, 7:30pm, 11:30pm, 3:30am).

Mr. Monk investigates a death aboard a submarine in this new episode of Monk (USA, 8pm and 11pm). Things go seriously awry when the sub suddenly descends into the water with Monk on board– he really doesn’t like that. Additional airings: This episode will air again on Saturday at 3:04pm and on Monday night at midnight.

A textile designer has a wardrobe full of wild patterns and loud outrageous prints in this new episode of What Not to Wear (TLC, 8pm and 11pm; also on Saturday at Noon). I’m guessing they’ll want her to give up those outfits or at least tone them down.

Series premiere of Outsiders Inn (CMT, 8pm). Maureen McCormick (of The Brady Bunch) decides she wants to run a Bed & Breakfast in rural East Tennessee; she’s helped by two of the people she got to know during the first season of Gone Country: Bobby Brown and Carnie Wilson. Um. Yeah. Alrighty then. McCormick will manage the inn, Bobby Brown will be the “entertainment director” and Carnie Wilson will be the “master chef” of the operation. You can make your own jokes about what kind of entertainment Brown will provide, can’t you? Find out more on the official website for the show.

When the team busts a meth lab, Don thinks there’s more going on than the obvious in this rerun of Numb3rs (CBS, 8:01pm - 9:03pm). Was the first episode to air after the WGA strike. DVR/VCR Alert: scheduled to start at 8:01pm and run ’til 9:03pm.

David: “What’s the deal with the waffles, man?”
Amita: “I think it’s Charlie’s way of saying that your family is whoever you want to eat waffles with.”
Larry: “That’s a worthy sentiment.”
Megan: “And one that’s even better with syrup.”
  from Numb3rs

In case you care and missed them the first time around, Showtime airs reruns of the new episodes from this week of Weeds (Showtime, 8pm, 8:30pm) and Penn & Teller: BS! (Showtime, 9pm, 9:30pm).

Bill Engvall hosts a special new episode of Country Fried Home Videos (CMT, 8:30pm).

Tonight’s new episode of Psych (USA, 9pm and midnight) is titled “Disco Didn’t Die, It Was Murdered!” and– you guessed it!– Shaun and Gus revisit the ’70s in this episode. Someone Shawn’s Dad arrested is released from jail on a technicality, so they end up working on the old case. Additional Airings: this episode will air again on Saturday at 2pm and 10pm and on Monday at 11pm.

New episode of Stargate Atlantis (Sci-Fi, 9pm and 11pm)

New episode of Shockwave (History Channel, 9pm and 1am). Features footage of: a ground crewman who makes a daring attempt to pull down a flying plane’s stuck landing gear by hand, a circus elephant which goes on a rampage in Honolulu, a helicopter crash in Utah, a crane that topples into a river, and a racing boat flips and explodes.

The title of tonight’s new episode of 20/20 (ABC, 9pm) is “Vanished: Coeds” as they cover the stories of a 19-year-old woman who disappears from a parking lot in an Oregon college town and a nursing student whose car is found crashed on the side of the road in New Hampshire.

Bruce and Susan go line dancing with Tom and Trina in this new episode of Swingtown (CBS, 9:03pm). And Janet starts a temp job working for a local newspaper. Only two more episodes to go after this one. DVR/VCR Alert: Starts at 9:03pm, but should end by 10pm.

Fathers accompany their daughters to help them pick out their wedding dresses in this new episode of Say Yes to the Dress (TLC, 9pm and midnight).

Rerun of the second ever episode of The Cleaner (A&E, 9pm and 1am; also on Sunday at 1pm).

New episode of The Soup (E!, 9pm and 11:30pm; also at 9am and 10pm on Saturday).

A bride and groom hire backup dancers so that they can better Rock the Reception (TLC, 9:30pm and 12:30am) in this new episode.

Late Night

A young girl is abducted from a playground in broad daylight in this rerun of Criminal Minds (A&E, 10pm and 2am) from season one of the show. Guest stars include Ned Vaughn and Tracey Needham.

Gideon: What the hell does BTW mean anyway?
JJ: Internet shorthand for “by the way.”
  from Criminal Minds

A patient mirrors the personalities of those they meet in this rerun of House (USA, 10pm) from this past season.

House: “Have you guys heard any of my metaphors yet? Well come on, sit on grandpa’s lap as I tell you how infections are criminals; immune system’s the police. Seriously, Grumpy, get up here, it’ll make us both happy.”
  from House

A look at food myths in this rerun of Good Eats (10pm and 1am).

NBC late night talk shows are pre-empted for Olympic coverage.

Ben Kingsley, Emmylou Harris, Artie Lange on a rerun of The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 10:35pm).

Radha Mitchell, Aaron Karo on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS, 11:37pm).

Mariah Carey, Dan Abrams on a rerun of Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, check your local listings).