Each TV season there seems to be a bunch of shows that are similar. A lot of times they are just pale knockoffs of some hit show from the previous season. This year they are not imitations of past shows really, they are new. In a sort of hasn’t been done recently type of way. This TV season the list includes three alien creature invasions namely, Surface on NBC on Monday night, Invasion on ABC on Wednesday night and Threshold on CBS on Friday night.

Yet Surface and Invasion seem oddly alike in certain ways. Here are the parallels that I have seen so far:

• Alien creatures that lurk in the water – Surface and Invasion both have these.
• Alien creatures that light up – Surface and Invasion creatures both glow or light up.
• A main character tagging one with a tracking device so they can follow it – Surface via GPS satellite tracking and Invasion just like a Park Ranger tracking a gator.
• People showing up naked after creature encounter – Surface had a crewmember of the submarine that had been taken by a creature wash up on a beach naked and many a person has been found in this way on Invasion.
• Things dropping out of the sky into the ocean – As I recall this happened in the first episode of both shows.

You could throw in Threshold with a ship or device that lights up over the water but that seems about it.

So how does this happen? This is how the TVaholic envisions it taking place.

It is like there was a bunch of TV writers sitting around in a room trying to come up with a new show idea to pitch to the Networks. The idea of an alien invasion is thrown out. It is noted that this has been done before. The notion of aliens from the deep is put forth. Aliens in the water, could they light up in someway? That is a great idea. Alien creatures from the ocean that light up. The concept of tagging a creature at some point to track and learn more about it is posited. Then the idea of showing up naked after an encounter is thrown out. Also, they should come from above and land in the ocean. This story is really starting to take shape.

What else? Well, how big should they be, big enough to swallow a boat or just a person? Just an individual should be taken at a time. No, they should be large enough to take something large like a submarine. An argument ensues and the group of TV writers breaks into two groups. One for big creatures and one for smaller creatures and they begin again to throw out ideas for their respective show outlines. After a bit a few from each that really don’t like either break off and start talking amongst themselves.

Each group then pitches their idea to a different network. Each network doesn’t really have anything like it on their schedules so they green light the project. That is how you end up with three alien creature invasion shows all in one TV season on three different networks.

Much like when this same group came up with a show about doctors at a Chicago area hospital.

It is Medium Madness on NBC along with repeats pretty much everywhere else except Fox and The WB tonight. Don’t worry Surface fans a new episode will be back next week. What TV shows interests you tonight?

Prime Picks

The King of Queens (CBS): Tonight in this repeat episode we find Carrie trying to convince Doug to buy a neighbors house and then resell it. This mainly gets picked because of the show in the next half hour.
How I Met Your Mother (CBS): Repeat of the pilot episode. If you missed it the first time then tonight you should Suit Up! and give it a look. This is the foundation for what is turning out to be a very good show.

Prison Break (Fox): Tonight things once again start to get out of control as Abruzzi’s gets demoted which puts the whole plan of escape in jeopardy. Michael must decide whether or not he will try and protect the new inmate with T-Bag threatening to tell of the plan.

CSI: Miami (CBS): A repeat tonight giving you a chance to relax before next weeks big crossover episode with CSI: NY.

Solid Selections

Prison Break (Fox): Repeat of last week’s episode.

Related (WB): This show has grown a little since the first episode. It airs again on Wednesday in the second hour of primetime.

No third hour Solid Selection tonight see Other Options below

Other Options

Medium (NBC): It is a Medium repeat-a-thon of sorts tonight for Halloween.

Medium (NBC): The second of three repeat episodes tonight.

Medium (NBC): The last of the repeat episodes for tonight.

Cable Choices

Emeril Live (Food Network): Emeril gets a little help from some kids to make some desserts.

Unwrapped (Food Network): Get a look at the making of a Cinnabon pretzel.
Unwrapped (Food Network): A repeat about boxed desserts.

American Chopper (Discovery Channel): The Teutuls do a little European traveling.

Note

Monday Night Football is the Ravens against the Steelers in Pittsburgh on ABC.

There are a few repeats around tonight but still plenty of good TV shows to fill your Sunday night. Happy viewing. What TV show peaks your interest tonight?

Prime Picks

The West Wing (NBC): Tonight a third party starts talking about abortion and it brings the issue to the forefront of both the Santos and Vinick campaigns neither of which want attention brought to the subject.

Desperate Housewives (ABC): Repeat of the season premiere. This show also runs a minute past the hour.

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC): Tonight we have a big train crash and a couple of people stuck together on a pole. The show starts a minute into the third hour of primetime.

Solid Selections

Cold Case (CBS): Repeat episode.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC): Repeat episode.

Crossing Jordan (NBC): A 10 year old case is reopened after a body is found in the park. Sounds like they got some new direction on a cold case.

Other Options

Charmed (WB): Tonight Billie must get over some bad childhood memories before she can fight a demon.

Vampire Bats (CBS): Two hours of Lucy Lawless as a college professor trying to stop some mutated bats from attacking people.

Cable Choices

Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo): Tonight James Lipton interviews Michael J. Fox.

Unwrapped (Food Network): In this repeat we get a look under the wrapper of some of your favorite sweet treats.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO): Larry and Jeff go back and forth on how far they would be willing to go to help a friend in need. Poor Richard Lewis who in this case I believe is the friend in question.
Extras (HBO): Tonight Andy gets his first ever speaking part.

Note

Sunday Night Football on ESPN is the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.

Repeats and commercially interrupted movies are on tap tonight. Here are some ideas for your viewing pleasure. This is a good night for watching shows that you recorded earlier in the week that you haven’t got around to seeing yet. Saturday night TV is a good reason to record a few shows during the week so that you will have something worth watching.

Prime Picks

CSI: NY (CBS): Repeat episode from last season.

CSI: Miami (CBS): Repeat episode from last season with guest star Tony Hawke.

Desperate Housewives (ABC): Repeat of last Sunday’s episode with guest star Wallace Shawn as Susan’s book agent. If you missed this episode, the interaction between Susan and her agent is what makes this episode worth watching.

Solid Selections

Scary Movie (NBC): Two commercially interrupted hours of horror movie spoofing. This is the best of the three movies in this series.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC): Repeat episode.

Other Options

Monster, Inc. (ABC): Something for the kids and you to watch. Two hours of commercially interrupted cartoon action from the team of Disney and Pixar.

48 Hours Mystery (CBS): People believe that a policeman arranged to kill his wife, so he could become the chief of police. Sounds weird to me.

Cable Choices

Moving Up (TLC): High end redecorating is done.

Trading Spaces (TLC): A couple of houses in Philadelphia are redecorated.

100 Greatest One Hit Wonders (VH1): Watch and listen to the top 20 counted down with host William Shatner.

Notes

Lance Armstrong is the host of Saturday Night Live tonight. I sure hope it is better than last week as that was one of the worst overall episodes I have seen in a while. Also, tonight in the Seattle area this weeks Veronica Mars on UPN is repeated in the first hour of primetime. Look for it over the weekend on your local UPN station if you missed it.