Tonight, State of Mind and Side Order of Life on Lifetime will play only once before the Army Wives season finale, which does replay, and not replay again later as they have been doing thus far. In other small screen news tonight, it is the finales of Big Love on HBO, The Kill Point on Spike, Making the Band on MTV and Scott Baio is 45 … and Single on VH1. Also, FOX has the Teen Choice 2007 awards show with hosts Nick Cannon and Hilary Duff.

Prime Picks

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC): Repeat. A mother that lost one of her children and her home in 2005 gets a new one courtesy of Ty and the team.

Desperate Housewives (ABC): Repeat. A hostage situation develops at the market and what transpires will leave everyone changed. Runs 61 minutes.

Brothers & Sisters (ABC): Repeat. Sarah, Tommy and Kevin set out on a road trip to find out what their father did with the missing company funds. In doing so, they come across an even bigger secret. This is part two of a two-part episode.

Solid Selections

Your second best selection on network TV tonight, in the first hour of primetime, is to watch either the beginning, which is the best part of a preseason game anyway, or the end, which isn’t, of the Sunday Night Football game depending on your time zone.

Cold Case (CBS): Repeat. A six year old was brutally killed 20 years ago, but with new direction, the case is reopened.

Shark (CBS): Repeat. A decorated black cop and his white partner were involved in a shooting and claim self-defense, but Stark is not so sure and sets out to find what really went down.

Cable Choices

State of Mind (Lifetime): New. Ann’s older sister could use a little relationship advice.

The 4400 (USA): New. They finally realize that Tom has been changed and is now the host for someone looking to destroy the 4400. Runs 61 minutes and plays again later.

Entourage (HBO): New. Their trip to Cannes gets delayed and E is unsure about his new client taking a role in Billy’s film. Runs 30 minutes.

Other Options

• Army Wives (Lifetime): Season Finale. Weapons have been stolen off the post and it is starting to look like a terrorist plot may be under way. Plays again later. Read Review. Last week’s episode replays early today.
• Damages (FX): Repeat. Last Tuesday’s episode, “A Regular Earl Anthony,” replays. Runs 65 minutes.
• The Dead Zone (USA): New. Johnny’s psychic pal Alex Sinclair, played by Jennifer Finnigan (Close to Home), looks to be in serious danger. Plays again later.
• The Kill Point (Spike): Mini Series Finale. Horst is moving forward on his plan to breach the bank while inside Mr. Rabbit tries taking over inside. Plays twice. The first six hours of the mini series replays leading up to the finale.
• Side Order of Life (Lifetime): New. Jenny’s story this week is interviewing couples that are part of a neurological study of the effects of first love on the brain.
• Throwdown With Bobby Flay (Food Network): New. A muffaletta battle is waged. Plays again later.

Sports Notes

• ABC has the championship game between Japan and a U.S. team of the Little League World Series.
• ESPN has Sunday Night Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the New York Mets with David Wells schedule to make his first appearance for the Dodgers.
• ESPN2 has a WNBA playoff game followed by the Brazil vs. United States at the FIBA Americas Championship.
• NBC has NFL preseason action with the Philadelphia Eagles at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
• NFL Network has preseason games most of the day.

Late Night

• Mad Men (AMC): Repeat. Last Thursday’s episode, “Babylon,” replays. Replays earlier in the day as well.
• Rescue Me (FX): Repeat. Last week’s episode, “High,” replays. Runs 63 minutes.

TV Marathons

Bravo has seven hours of Inside the Actors Studio early.
Cartoon Network has 14 episodes of Codename: Kids Next Door today.
FOX Reality has 10 episodes of The Amazing Race.
HGTV has five episodes of Design Star today.
MTV has nine episodes, including the finale, of Making the Band 4.
Nickelodeon has 10 episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air late.
Sci Fi has movies with spiders all day long.
SOAPnet has last week’s five episodes of One Life to Live, General Hospital and Days of our Lives.
Spike has all eight hours of The Kill Point mini series, with the first six hours replaying leading up to the two-hour finale tonight.
Style has eight episodes of The Biggest Loser starting early.
TLC has seven episodes of Miami Ink followed by three episodes of LA Ink that then replay.
Travel Channel has shows about Las Vegas all day long.
WE has 10 episodes of Bridezillas.

Show: Army Wives (Lifetime)
Episode: “Goodbye Stranger” – First Season Finale
Originally Aired: Sunday, August 26th, 2007
Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Quick Synopsis: The episode title just about says it all.

Long Synopsis: Well, just about everyone is saying goodbye to someone, but to say who is saying goodbye to who might just ruin the fun of watching the episode. I will say that they leave it in such a way that you will be anxiously awaiting the show’s return in 2008, when they say hello again, with 18 new episodes. But, basically the post is on high alert, as some explosives have been stolen from the weapons depot and it is the second such theft to occur recently. As intel is gathered, it is determined that the post could be a terrorist target, so troop deployments are moved up. And, then …

Review: While in this reviewer’s opinion, Army Wives is not Lifetime’s best show; it has been their most successful show. No show has brought a bigger audience to Lifetime on a more consistent basis in its 23-year history.

Army Wives started out as a slightly above average show with a really good-looking cast. But since, the cast has become a cohesive unit, as they have really gelled over the show’s 13 episode first season. Each character has grown both separately and as part of the “harem.” This episode does a really good job of showing that growth.

In comparison to previous episodes though, this one moves along at a bit of a slower pace. All leading up to the final minutes, where … again, I guess you’ll just have to watch. It does do what a good season finale episode is supposed to do, leave you wanting more. If you’re a fan of Army Wives, this episode will do just that. And, the best part is, you already know that it is coming back, so you won’t be left hanging indefinitely.

The first season finale of Army Wives airs tonight, August 26th on Lifetime. What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments.

Tonight is the world premiere of a couple of made-for-TV films. One is Mega Snake on Sci Fi Channel starring Michael Shanks (Stargate SG-1) and the other one is The Murder of Princess Diana on Lifetime starring Jennifer Morrison (House).

Prime Picks

America’s Got Talent (NBC): Repeat. The two-hour finale replays. I just finished watching a few clips from the finale and the ventriloquist that won is really amazing.

Masters of Science Fiction (ABC): New. A group of despised minorities have been discarded in space and make a pact that they hope will get them refuge on Earth.

Solid Selections

The Cat in the Hat (ABC): Released 2003. Mike Myers plays the title character in this live action adaptation of the Dr. Seuss children’s tale. Runs two hours.

Medium (NBC): Repeat. Adam Goldberg guests as a disgruntled employee that works with Joe who kills another employee and then holds the rest as hostages.

Cable Choices

Burn Notice (USA): Repeat. Thursday’s episode, “Hard Bargain,” replays.

Feasting on Asphalt 2 (Food Network): New. Alton gets rid of the bike for a bit and travels up the mighty Mississippi River. Plays again later. Last week’s episode plays earlier in the day.

All Star Live: South Beach (Food Network): New. Fans questions are answered by some of your favorite Food Network personalities. Plays again later.

Other Options

• The Murder of Princess Diana (Lifetime): Premiere. Based on the theories presented in Noel Botham’s book of the same name, a fictional reporter gets caught up in the investigation of the crash that killed Princess Diana. If you like grassy knoll type conspiracies, then you might like this movie. Read Review. Runs two hours. Plays again tomorrow and Monday night, as well as next Friday.
• Trading Spaces (TLC): New. Special episode has four roller-derby teammates getting some help from the designers to fix up some rooms. Plays again later.

Sports Notes

• ABC has the U.S. Finals of the Little League World Series.
• ESPN has NASCAR racing with the Nextel Cup: Sharpie 500.
• ESPN2 has FIBA Americas Championship with Canada vs. United States.
• FOX has MLB action with FOX Saturday Baseball.

Late Night

• MADtv (FOX): Repeat. See a spoof about Project Runway and a performance by Nelly Furtado.
• Saturday Night Live (NBC): Repeat. The “Best of 2006/07” episode from last season replays.
• State of Mind (Lifetime): Repeat. Last Sunday’s episode, “In Bocca Al Lupo,” replays.

TV Marathons

Bravo has eight episodes of Top Chef.
ABC Family replays the six-hour Fallen miniseries.
MTV has six episodes of True Life.
Nickelodeon has 13 episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air late.
Travel Channel is all about Las Vegas today.
VH1 has the five part show 100 Greatest Songs of the ‘80s.

Movie: The Murder of Princess Diana (Lifetime)
Premiere Date: Saturday, August 25th, 2007
Rating: 3 out of 4 Stars

Quick Synopsis: Fictionalized account of a supposed conspiracy behind the death of Princess Diana.

Long Synopsis: An American Reporter working for a British paper gets a tip that Diana and Dodi are going to be in Paris at the Ritz and that Diana has a big announcement she is going to make while there. So, she gets her editor to let her go to Paris, cause she just knows there is a story there. While there, she starts to see things happening that don’t seem right, as well as, the hotel overflowing with British, American, Italian and other secret service spy types. When the car of Diana and Dodi leaves on the fateful night, she jumps a back a paparazzo’s motorcycle and is there as the crash happens in the tunnel. She tells the police what she saw, but they don’t seem to listen to her, so she starts investigating it on her own. She starts to turn in stories and convinces her former lover, now a French cop, that there might be something to her conspiracy theory. Then her computer is stolen, her boyfriend is attacked and a witness disappears. The story takes on a thriller like atmosphere ending with her crashing in the same tunnel.

Review: At the end of my review of Mega Snake, another movie premiering August 25th, I posited that it “might be an option for you to check out. I mean, what else are you going to watch on a Saturday night?” Well, this is the answer to that question. The Murder of Princess Diana is a very well done made-for-TV movie. Whether you are one that is fascinated with Princess Diana or just love a good conspiracy theory, then this might be an option for you to check out this Saturday night.

In the mold of JFK, The Murder of Princess Diana takes a bunch of disparate conspiracy theories from Noel Botham’s book of the same name and sets out to prove it was murder and not just a horrible accident. The film takes these theories and installs a fictional reporter named Rachel Visco, played by Jennifer Morrison (House), as the person that sees them all take place.

Mixing fact and fiction can be a tough row to hoe. It is easily mangled, but this film’s actors and story are engaging. Yet, with all the blurring of the lines, they did capture the frenzy of the paparazzi quite accurately. The film’s pacing is brisk, as things keep moving right along. It comes off as a very polished piece from both a writing and acting perspective, compared with your average TV movie fare.

It does follow one of my favorite movie cliché’s though. That being, when shadowy characters trying to stop you from finding the truth are hunting you down, always make time for a little lovin’.

The Murder of Princess Diana premieres tomorrow night, Saturday, August 25th, on Lifetime. It replays on August 26th and 27th, as well as, the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana’s passing on August 31st.

What do you think of The Murder of Princess Diana movie?