Tonight on the Tube: Scrubs, Privileged, The Mentalist & Leverage

News & Notes

Tonight, ABC has the series premiere of Homeland Security USA, the eighth season premiere of Scrubs and the season premiere of Primetime: What Would You Do?, CBS has the return of new episodes of NCIS, The Mentalist and Without a Trace, The CW has the return of new episodes of 90210 and Privileged, MyNetworkTV has the series premiere of Vice Squad, and NBC has the seventh season premiere of The Biggest Loser and the return of new episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Over on cable, Discovery Channel has the series premiere of Wreckreation Nation and FX has the fifth winter season premiere of nip/tuck,

In late night, TBS has the third season premiere of 10 Items or Less.

Prime Pick

NCIS (CBS): New. While investigating a murder at a women’s prison, McGee ends up in the middle of a standoff after the inmates take over the prison.

Scrubs (ABC): Season Premiere. The show returns for its eighth season on its new network with two new episodes. Courteney Cox (Friends) begins her guest stint has Dr. Kelso’s replacement and really shakes things up. J.D. is dealing with a new set of interns.

Without a Trace (CBS): New. A 13-year-old has gone missing after being picked up by her mother from school. Things between Sam and Jack get a little bumpy.

Solid Selections

90210 (The CW): New. Annie hears someone on the phone and gets suspicious. Adrianna asks Brenda to visit her at the rehab center on support day.

Privileged (The CW): New. This has become one of my favorite new shows of the season and it returns tonight with a very good episode. There are a couple of great Megan moments and she also finally confronts her mother who has stuck around. Marco is looking at maybe opening his own place. Sage and Rose throw a charity dinner, which also provides some great moments, especially for Rose. If you like this show, you will like this episode. If you haven’t seen this show, you should really check it out.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC): New. A missing teenager has returned home after four years and Benson and Stabler think there is something not right about his story about where he has been.

Cable Choices

Good Eats (Food Network): Repeats. Alton cooks up “A Chuck for Chuck” and then ends up “Fit to be Tied.” Both play again later.

Dirty Jobs (Discovery Channel): New. Mike makes bologna and fixes a toilet in Alaska. A repeat episode, “Ice Salvage Crew,” replays right before. Both play again later.

Leverage (TNT): New. An adoption agency is running scams on couples looking to adopt and the team takes over the production of a horror movie as part of their plan to get them back. It plays again later and again on Saturday afternoon. I’m really enjoying this show, as they have done well not to make it seem too similar each week.

Other Options

• Fringe (FOX): Repeat. “In Which We Meet Mr. Jones” from earlier in the season replays, where Olivia thinks a man with a huge parasite is related to the Pattern and Peter and Walter tap into the man’s brain waves. Starts a minute after the hour and runs 59 minutes. New episodes return on January 20th.
• The Mentalist (CBS): New. Patrick goes off on his own to work for the release of a prisoner that says he has information on Red John that he will tell Patrick if he gets out of jail. Runs 61 episodes minutes.
• nip/tuck (FX): Winter Premiere. Sean is facing emotional problems after having been attacked and Christian gets some news he doesn’t want to here. Runs 64 minutes. Plays twice.

Sports Notes

• ESPN has the GMAC Bowl with Ball State vs. Tulsa.
• ESPN2 has a college basketball doubleheader with Ohio State at Michigan State followed by Texas at Arkansas.
• NBA TV has the New Orleans Hornets at the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Versus has NHL action.

Late Night

• 10 Items or Less (TBS): Season Premiere. The third season begins with a little “Turkey Bowling” and new cast member Kim Coles (Living Single, In Living Color). Plays again later and again late night Friday. This show has always been a little hit or miss for me, but when it hits it is really funny. I would include this episode in the hit category. I’m also looking forward to the “Star Trok” episode in a few weeks, which sounds really funny. Next week’s episode, “Eye Can See Clearly,” wasn’t quite as good. Listen to my interview with star John Lehr who plays Leslie Pool.

TV Marathons

Bravo has seven episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County.
Nickelodeon has 18 episodes of George Lopez late.
Oxygen has 17 hours of The Bad Girls Club episodes.
Sci Fi has 11 episodes of Stargate Atlantis.
Spike has nine episodes of Unsolved Mysteries.
Travel Channel has seven episodes of Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern.