News & Notes
Over on cable, CMT has the first season finale of Your Chance to Dance, Food Network has the series premiere of Meat & Potatoes, ID has the first season finale of Twisted, and Nickelodeon has the second season premiere of Big Time Rush.
Next week, FOX has the second season premiere of Human Target.
Prime Picks
Smallville (The CW): Season Premiere. Lois finds Clark and removes the blue kryptonite, Tess awakens in an old LutherCorp, and Chloe is searching for Oliver. Some very fun and interesting stuff happens and gets setup in this final season opener.
CSI: NY (CBS): Season Premiere. The newest member of the crime lab is introduced, played by Sela Ward (Once and Again, Sisters).
Blue Bloods (CBS): Series Premiere. New cop/family drama starring Tom Selleck (Magnum, P.I.) and Donnie Wahlberg (Boomtown) headline an outstanding cast. The father, played by Selleck, is the chief of police, his father used to be, Wahlberg plays his oldest son and is a detective, his daughter is an ADA, and the his youngest son just graduated from the academy. His middle son was killed in the line of duty. This show is fantastic. It shows you can take two well-known formats, the cop procedural and the family drama, and with great writing and superb acting can create something great. Lone Star may have been my pick for best new network drama, but this one was very close to being my pick. Yet, it is my pick for show with the most long-term potential, as I could easily see it outlasting everything else new premiering this fall. The first case is really good and brings up issues that allow you to see the family dynamic in action. Also, an intriguing mystery gets established that will drive a part of the show going forward. It’s kind of like they combined the best parts of Brothers & Sisters with NYPD Blue. It’s well worth checking out.
Solid Selections
Medium (CBS): Season Premiere. Allison and her daughter end up swapping personalities after they both have the same dream regarding a case.
The Good Guys (FOX): Fall Premiere. Dan uses some money from the Narcotics Division to setup a sting while he is on suspension and ends up accidentally funding a prison break.
Haven (Syfy): New. Audrey’s boss from the FBI comes to Haven to question her about her strange actions. Plays again later. Still two more episodes left in the season after tonight.
Other Options
- Meat & Potatoes (Food Network): Series Premiere. It sounds kind of like Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, except with a focus on meat dishes. In the first episode they explore “Between the Buns.” Plays again later.
- Modern Family (ABC): Repeat. This past Wednesday’s second season premiere episode, “The Old Wagon,” replays.
- Supernatural (The CW): Season Premiere. Dean has given up hunting and Sam gets mysteriously released from his hell cell to tell Dean he must get back into the fight.
Sports Note
- ESPN has college football action with TCU at SMU.
Late Night
- The Glades (A&E): Repeat. This past Sunday’s episode, “Booty,” replays and again later.
- Sons of Anarchy (FX): Repeat. This past Tuesday’s episode, “Caregiven,” replays.
TV Marathons
Bravo has nine episodes of America’s Next Top Model.
History has six episodes of Gangland that play twice.
Syfy has eight episodes of Invasion early.
