Notable TV Thru April 13, 2008
Is That You, Samantha Who?
Monday | April 7
Samantha Who?: Welcome back, Christina Applegate and company! I’ve missed you. [9:32pm EST/ABC]
Tuesday | April 8
NCIS: The best military drama on TV returns, and TV Guide reports that one regular will go bye-bye by season’s end. Hmmm — I wonder who it could be… [8pm EST/CBS]
The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo: Lisa F. Jackson’s harrowing documentary about the torture of women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo was a Special Jury Prize recipient at the Sundance Film Festival. Disturbing don’t-miss TV if you have premium-cable service. [10pm EST/HBO]
Boston Legal: This is one occasion when it’s okay to get excited about a whole bunch of lawyers in the same place at the same time. The legal dramedy returns to the tube post-writers strike. [10:02pm EST/ABC]
Wednesday | April 9
American Idol: Idol Gives Back: I’m not an Idol watcher, but I know tons of people are looking forward to this star-studded, charity-minded special. Have at it. [7:30pm EST/Fox]
Thursday | April 10
30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs: Three sitcoms join My Name Is Earl, already in new-episode progress since last week, to reinstate an all-fresh lineup of Thursday-night sitcoms on The Peacock network. Nice. [8:30pm, 9pm & 9:31pm EST/NBC]
ER: And, what would the night be without this long-running medical drama returning from a writers-strike break, too? [10:01pm EST/NBC]
Friday | April 11
The Sarah Jane Adventures: Sci Fi Channel welcomes the titular former Doctor Who companion in a family-friendly new science-fiction series. The premiere clocks in at a special extended 90 minutes. [7:30pm EST/Sci Fi Channel]
Battlestar Galactica: The second episode of Season Four is “Six of One.” Catch an encore of the stellar fourth-season premiere “He That Believeth in Me” an hour before, at 9pm. [10pm EST/Sci Fi Channel]
Saturday | April 12
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter: Film actors Dermot Mulroney, Emily Watson, and Gretchen Mol team up for an original telemovie based on author Kim Edwards‘ best-selling novel of the same name. Truly quality fare, through and through. No fan of “weepers” (because I cry too darn easily at sad moments, which invariably leads to an inability to breathe), I’ll probably watch myself, with a box of tissue ready by my side. [9pm EST/Lifetime]
Sunday | April 13
Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert for Autism Education: A two-hour comedy special that’s exactly for what the title says. [8pm EST/Comedy Central]
Desperate Housewives: The ladies of Wisteria Lane grace the small screen once more. I don’t know about everybody else, but I’m psyched. [9pm EST/ABC]
Dirt: It’s a writers-strike early season finale for this poorly rated dramedy. Will it return for Season Three? [10pm EST/FX]
Eli Stone: If you, like me, are a fan of the lawyer Stone, remember this special Sunday-night installment. The first-season finale airs in the regular Thursday time slot several days later. [10:02pm EST/ABC]
Christina Applegate/Samantha Who? photo courtesy of ABC
