Did you watch Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? It has an interesting premise, questions that you think would be easy and a comedian as host. Unfortunately, it suffers from what most of the present crop of game shows suffer from, artificial pauses and padding to try and create drama. In the half hour premiere there were a total of only six questions posed. The first guy stopped after three correct when he didn’t know what the answer to the fourth was. The second contestant answered two correctly before the show was over. She will get her crack at a third question tonight? That is not a whole lot of action. When the show moves to an hour long, it will seem even worse. Much like all the dilly-dallying around they do on 1 vs. 100. They really need to pick up the pace a bit. What did you think of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Prime Picks

Friday Night Lights (NBC): New. Buddy needs himself a place to stay for a few nights and moves in with Coach Taylor and family.

Criminal Minds (CBS): New. The BAU team tracks a serial killer in New Orleans who had stopped for 15 months and has now started up again. Reid continues to have a rough go of it.

Lost (ABC): New. It is time for another Hurley flashback episode. In this one Cheech Marin (Nash Bridges) guest stars as Hurley’s dad. Kate and Sawyer finally make it back to camp.

Solid Selections

American Idol (FOX): New. The 10 remaining ladies sing once again. The guys picked it up a bit last night. Will the girls continue to outshine the guys?
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (FOX): New. The three-night premiere continues. Did you watch it last night? Can you believe the first guy left only answering three questions and he got help on each of them?

CSI: NY (CBS): New. When two of illusionist Criss Angel’s crewmembers are found dead in ways that mimic his act, the CSIs investigate.

Cable Choices

The Dresden Files (Sci Fi): Repeats. The first five episodes of this pretty good show replay tonight. It is about a Wizard who sometimes helps the cops or others who hire him investigate the unusual and bizarre.

Other Options

• Dinner: Impossible (Food Network): New. A tropical feast on a deserted island must be made in less than four hours.
• Jericho (CBS): New. With winter approaching, a power source is needed. In an attempt to fix the old windmill, Jake, Johnston, Dale and Heather head for and old trading post outside of town in search of parts.
• Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg (TV Land): New. Tonight his guest is Robin Williams.

Sports Notes

• ESPN has a college basketball doubleheader with Maryland at Duke in game two.
• ESPN2 has a college basketball doubleheader with Texas A&M at Texas in game two.
• NBA TV has the New York Knicks at the Boston Celtics.

What will you be watching tonight?