Sam Neill stars in Fox's mysterious drama "Alcatraz," premiering at 8 p.m. Monday. The show, from producer J.J. Abrams, focuses on inmates who mysteriously vanished from Alcatraz 50 years ago and are now reappearing in present day.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- This week, I'll be playing musical shows on my DVR, adding some to the mix and subtracting others. I'm excited to be adding back "30 Rock," which was delayed until midseason due to Tina Fey's pregnancy, and USA's "Royal Pains," which returns for its winter season.
On the other hand, I'm officially saying goodbye to "Glee." I loved the first season, but hated the second, so this season was make-or-break for me. It's definitely improved over last season but not enough to keep my interest. Last week, when I was trying to remember if it returned then or this week, it dawned on me: I didn't care. So off it goes to make room for something new, perhaps one of these shows debuting this week:
• "Rob": 8:30 p.m. today, CBS. Sitcom about a longtime bachelor who marries into a tight-knit family and doesn't fit in. Sounds innocuous, right? Wrong. Its star and namesake is the toxically unfunny Rob Schneider (also known as "Deuce Bigalow" and "that guy Adam Sandler puts in all his movies").
• "The Finder": 9 p.m. today, Fox. Crime procedural about an eccentric Floridian (Geoff Stults, "7th Heaven") who has a knack for tracking hard-to-find people. It's billed as a spin-off of "Bones" because the same team created it, but the only other connection is the "Bones" episode where these characters were introduced. (Another crossover episode is being planned for further down the line, though.)
• "Napoleon Dynamite": 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox. Animated show based on the quirky, unexpected hit film...from 2004. The film's main cast returns to voice their 2D characters because, well, what else do they have to do?
• "Alcatraz": 8 p.m. Monday, Fox. Mysterious drama from J.J. Abrams centering on the infamous prison where, for the sake of this story, more than 300 men mysteriously vanished 50 years ago. Now, they're reappearing in the present, not having aged a day, and causing some serious havoc.
This was easily one of Fox's most hyped shows of the year, and I hope it can live up to that (unlike "Terra Nova"). The promos look good -- very atmospheric with a sinister bent. It's got a decent cast, too, led by the talented Sam Neill.
• "Lost Girl": 10 p.m. Monday, Syfy. Supernatural crime drama about a woman who learns she's a succubus and uses her abilities to help others. The show is a Canadian production, having recently earned a third season there. I can't say the subject matter is really my thing (though I do watch its lead-in, the Americanized "Being Human"), but I am kind of sold on the human sidekick, Kensi, from the YouTube clips I saw of the show.
• • •
Scripted series premiere: "The Fades," 9 p.m. Friday, BBC America (six-part thriller about a teen haunted by apocalyptic visions and spirits).
Other series premieres: "Snake Man of Appalachia," 9 p.m. today, Animal Planet (snake handler, thankfully not from W.Va.); "Remodeled," 9 p.m. Tuesday, CW (industry vet unites small modeling agencies); "Ragin' Cajuns, 10 p.m. Tuesday, Discovery (shrimp fishermen); "Ink Masters," 10 p.m. Tuesday, Spike (tattoo artist competition); "Inside Nature's Giants," 10 p.m. Wednesday, PBS (large animal dissection/examination).
Season premieres: "30 Rock," 8 p.m. today, NBC; "Sweet Home Alabama," 9 p.m. Friday, CMT; "Undercover Boss," 8 p.m. Sunday, CBS; "Being Human," 9 p.m. Monday, Syfy; "Southland," 10 p.m. Tuesday, TNT; "Justified," 10 p.m. Tuesday, FX; "American Idol," 8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox.
USA midseason premieres: "White Collar," 10 p.m. Tuesday; "Royal Pains," 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Returning: "Bones," 8 p.m. today, Fox; "The Big Bang Theory," 8 p.m., "Person of Interest," 9 p.m. and "The Mentalist," 10 p.m. today, CBS; "Parks and Recreation," 8:30 p.m. and "The Office," 9 p.m. today, NBC; "Kitchen Nightmares," 8 p.m. and "Fringe," 9 p.m. Friday, Fox; "Grimm," 9 p.m. Friday, NBC; "Glee," 8 p.m., "New Girl," 9 p.m. and "Raising Hope," 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Fox; "90210," 8 p.m. Tuesday, CW.
New timeslots: "Up All Night," 9:30 p.m. and "The Firm," 10 p.m. today, NBC.
Season finales: "Leverage," 9 p.m. Sunday, TNT; "Sons of Guns," 9 pm. Wednesday, Discovery; "Toddlers & Tiaras," 10 p.m. Wednesday, TLC.
Series finale: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," 8 p.m. Friday, ABC.
Specials: "Critic's Choice Movie Awards," 8 p.m. today, VH1; "Miss America Pageant," 9 p.m. Saturday, ABC; "Golden Globe Awards," 8 p.m. Sunday, NBC; "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl," 8 p.m. Monday, NBC.
Sneak peek: "Betty White's Off Their Rockers," 9:30 p.m. Monday, NBC (hidden camera show).
Of note: Daniel Radcliffe hosts "Saturday Night Live," 11:30 p.m. Saturday, NBC.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- This week, I'll be playing musical shows on my DVR, adding some to the mix and subtracting others. I'm excited to be adding back "30 Rock," which was delayed until midseason due to Tina Fey's pregnancy, and USA's "Royal Pains," which returns for its winter season. On the other hand, I'm officially saying goodbye to "Glee." I loved the first season, but hated the second, so this season was make-or-break for me. It's definitely improved over last season but not enough to keep my interest. Last week, when I was trying to remember if it returned then or this week, it dawned on me: I didn't care. So off it goes to make room for something new, perhaps one of these shows debuting this week:
• "Rob": 8:30 p.m. today, CBS. Sitcom about a longtime bachelor who marries into a tight-knit family and doesn't fit in. Sounds innocuous, right? Wrong. Its star and namesake is the toxically unfunny Rob Schneider (also known as "Deuce Bigalow" and "that guy Adam Sandler puts in all his movies").
• "The Finder": 9 p.m. today, Fox. Crime procedural about an eccentric Floridian (Geoff Stults, "7th Heaven") who has a knack for tracking hard-to-find people. It's billed as a spin-off of "Bones" because the same team created it, but the only other connection is the "Bones" episode where these characters were introduced. (Another crossover episode is being planned for further down the line, though.)
• "Napoleon Dynamite": 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox. Animated show based on the quirky, unexpected hit film...from 2004. The film's main cast returns to voice their 2D characters because, well, what else do they have to do?
• "Alcatraz": 8 p.m. Monday, Fox. Mysterious drama from J.J. Abrams centering on the infamous prison where, for the sake of this story, more than 300 men mysteriously vanished 50 years ago. Now, they're reappearing in the present, not having aged a day, and causing some serious havoc.
This was easily one of Fox's most hyped shows of the year, and I hope it can live up to that (unlike "Terra Nova"). The promos look good -- very atmospheric with a sinister bent. It's got a decent cast, too, led by the talented Sam Neill.
• "Lost Girl": 10 p.m. Monday, Syfy. Supernatural crime drama about a woman who learns she's a succubus and uses her abilities to help others. The show is a Canadian production, having recently earned a third season there. I can't say the subject matter is really my thing (though I do watch its lead-in, the Americanized "Being Human"), but I am kind of sold on the human sidekick, Kensi, from the YouTube clips I saw of the show.
• • •
Scripted series premiere: "The Fades," 9 p.m. Friday, BBC America (six-part thriller about a teen haunted by apocalyptic visions and spirits).
Other series premieres: "Snake Man of Appalachia," 9 p.m. today, Animal Planet (snake handler, thankfully not from W.Va.); "Remodeled," 9 p.m. Tuesday, CW (industry vet unites small modeling agencies); "Ragin' Cajuns, 10 p.m. Tuesday, Discovery (shrimp fishermen); "Ink Masters," 10 p.m. Tuesday, Spike (tattoo artist competition); "Inside Nature's Giants," 10 p.m. Wednesday, PBS (large animal dissection/examination).
Season premieres: "30 Rock," 8 p.m. today, NBC; "Sweet Home Alabama," 9 p.m. Friday, CMT; "Undercover Boss," 8 p.m. Sunday, CBS; "Being Human," 9 p.m. Monday, Syfy; "Southland," 10 p.m. Tuesday, TNT; "Justified," 10 p.m. Tuesday, FX; "American Idol," 8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox.
USA midseason premieres: "White Collar," 10 p.m. Tuesday; "Royal Pains," 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Returning: "Bones," 8 p.m. today, Fox; "The Big Bang Theory," 8 p.m., "Person of Interest," 9 p.m. and "The Mentalist," 10 p.m. today, CBS; "Parks and Recreation," 8:30 p.m. and "The Office," 9 p.m. today, NBC; "Kitchen Nightmares," 8 p.m. and "Fringe," 9 p.m. Friday, Fox; "Grimm," 9 p.m. Friday, NBC; "Glee," 8 p.m., "New Girl," 9 p.m. and "Raising Hope," 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Fox; "90210," 8 p.m. Tuesday, CW.
New timeslots: "Up All Night," 9:30 p.m. and "The Firm," 10 p.m. today, NBC.
Season finales: "Leverage," 9 p.m. Sunday, TNT; "Sons of Guns," 9 pm. Wednesday, Discovery; "Toddlers & Tiaras," 10 p.m. Wednesday, TLC.
Series finale: "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," 8 p.m. Friday, ABC.
Specials: "Critic's Choice Movie Awards," 8 p.m. today, VH1; "Miss America Pageant," 9 p.m. Saturday, ABC; "Golden Globe Awards," 8 p.m. Sunday, NBC; "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl," 8 p.m. Monday, NBC.
Sneak peek: "Betty White's Off Their Rockers," 9:30 p.m. Monday, NBC (hidden camera show).
Of note: Daniel Radcliffe hosts "Saturday Night Live," 11:30 p.m. Saturday, NBC.
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