News & Notes
Over on cable, Animal Planet has an Egypt’s Animal Mummies special, BBC America has a Pedigree Dogs Exposed special, Bravo has a The Real Housewives of Atlanta special, Cartoon Network has the second season finale of Total Drama Action, Comedy Central has the first season finale of The Jeff Dunham Show, FX has the fifth season finale of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the first season finale of The League, and HGTV has the 11th season finale of My First Place.
I’m scheduled to be on TV Talk with Shaun OMac today at about 4:00 p.m. PT. The show starts at 3:00 p.m. PT and runs two hours. You can listen live or find it at iTunes later on. We’ll be talking about the week in TV.
Prime Picks
Bones (FOX): New. A distant cousin, guest star Zooey Deschanel (Tin Man), of Brennan’s is invited by her father to spend Christmas with them. A man dressed as Santa Claus with a bomb strapped to his chest is blown up during a bank robbery and the team investigates.
The Office (NBC): New. Jim lets Phyllis be Santa for the office Christmas party and Michael doesn’t like it.
30 Rock (NBC): New. Jack starts using a new social networking site and ends up reconnecting with an old crush from high school, played by guest star Julianne Moore (Next, Freedomland). Kenneth is trying to get everyone involved in a secret Santa gift swap. Liz tries to get just the right gift for Jack.
The Mentalist (CBS): New. A wealthy jeweler is murdered at a black-tie fundraiser and Jane and the team get called in to investigate.
Solid Selections
Community (NBC): New. Shirley is hoping to get everyone to come to her holiday party. Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone) guest-stars as a campus bully that gets into it with Jeff.
Parks & Recreation (NBC): New. Leslie somehow ends up in the middle of a sex scandal. Ron covers for her at work and finds out how much work she actually does, which is a lot.
Fringe (FOX): New. A mental hospital patient’s brain is left exposed after an impromptu brain surgery. William Bell, guest star Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek), is back in this episode.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX): Season Finale. After having been banned for the last 10 years, the gang at Paddy’s is ready to compete in the citywide flip cup tournament known as Flipadelphia once again. Runs 31 minutes. Plays again later.
Other Option
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS): New. Nick, Greg and Hodges come across a double homicide while celebrating Henry’s birthday at a biker bar.
Sports Notes
- ESPN has a college basketball game.
- ESPN2 has doubleheader college basketball action.
- NFL Network has Thursday Night Football with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Cleveland Browns.
- TNT has doubleheader NBA action with the Boston Celtics at the Washington Wizards followed by the Orlando Magic at the Utah Jazz.
Late Night
- White Collar (USA): Repeat. Last Friday’s first season fall finale episode, “Free Fall,” replays.
TV Marathons
Discovery Channel has five episodes of Wrecks to Riches.
Hallmark Channel has five Christmas/Holiday themed TV movies.
Oxygen has 31 episodes of Snapped.
Spike has nine hours of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episodes.
Syfy has eight episodes of Kindred: The Embraced early.
