TV Jots » On TV

Two Hours of ‘Crusoe’ Coming Up

Chandra — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:42:00 +0000

Fridays Are About to Get Historic

Am I mistaken or is NBC’s new action-adventure drama Crusoe, which premieres tonight from 8pm to 10pm EST with “Rum and Gunpowder,” the only TV show on the tube these days based on a novel from the early eighteenth-century?

Of course, that book is English author Daniel Defoe‘s Robinson Crusoe, a fictional work of literature that has remained tremendously popular since it was first published back in 1719.

Like the book, NBC’s adventure drama — appropriately filmed abroad in England, Seychelles, and South Africa — relates the experiences of English businessman Robinson Crusoe (Philip Winchester, interestingly an American actor among a flood of European series leads), who becomes stranded on a deserted island after he sets sail for the new world to find a way out of his debts in London.

Although the series departs from the book in some respects, almost by necessity — television and books are quite different mediums, of course — one of its most enduring and endearing elements, castaway Crusoe’s faithful sidekick Friday (Zimbabwe’s Tongayi Chirisa), remains for the TV ride.

I’m looking forward to seeing how Crusoe holds up on television, not only because the tale is a classic, but also because the series could represent a much-needed breath of fresh air on the small screen, which currently seems dominated by a glut of crime procedurals and (tongue in cheek) other 21st-century fare. We need more successful historical programs, even if they are fiction!

Check out a preview for Crusoe below to see if it’s your thing.

Crusoe Comes To Life

Crusoe will air Fridays on NBC at 8pm EST

Tonagayi Chirisa and Philip Winchester/Crusoe photo courtesy of Kelly Walsh/NBC

Get Some ‘Life’

Chandra — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:59:00 +0000

The Art of Zen Returns to the Tube

If nothing else, clear some time on your calendar tonight for the return of NBC’s most excellent cop dramedy Life, starring the fantastic Damian Lewis as eccentric police officer Charlie Crews and Sarah Shahi as his supremely able partner Dani Reese.

There’s no doubt about it — one of the best decisions NBC made in the spring was to renew this captivating and fun series that gives viewers a taste of quirky life with each new episode. It’s the one fall show I’ve been looking forward to most all summer long. Really.

Check out a brief preview trailer now and don’t forget to tune in tonight for the series’ special Monday second-season premiere “Find Your Happy Place.” Life will present another new episode this Friday in its regular 10pm time slot, as well as next Monday at the special time again. Then, on Friday, October 10, the show will settle down for the remainder of its run (provided the network doesn’t play around with it, that is).

I’ve found my happy place indeed.

Life – Season Two Trailer

Life photo courtesy of NBC

The Dog Days of December TV Almost Over

Chandra — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:30:00 +0000

And Not a Second Too Soon

I don’t know if it’s the added impact of the seemingly endless writers strike or what, but this month has been the dullest December of television I can remember.

Thankfully, relief is rapidly approaching in the form of a few new series worth looking forward to when January and the New Year finally arrive. Some of these shows are even scripted and not just reality dreck. All together now—Yay! Read on for what I’m personally anticipating (all times are EST).

January 2 | Wednesday

Law & Order: The two-hour 18th-season premiere will mark the debut of smokin’ new cast members Jeremy Sisto and Linus Roache, both colleagues on NBC’s prematurely canceled 2006 serial thriller Kidnapped. Welcome back to the tube to both actors. [9pm/NBC]

January 4 | Friday

Stargate Atlantis: Sci Fi Channel’s superb space drama returns to complete the back half of its intriguing fourth season. [10pm/Sci Fi Channel]

January 6 | Sunday

American Gladiators: The one reality show I’m really, really excited to see—just call it nostalgia from my childhood watching the original version—debuts with a two-hour premiere that I hope will get increasingly lazier kids thinking more about physical fitness. [9pm/NBC]
The Wire: One of HBO’s finest returns the same night for its fifth season. [9pm/HBO]
The L Word: Not to be outdone by its premium-cable rival, Showtime also has a fan favorite opening a fifth season. [10pm/Showtime]
Cashmere Mafia: Introducing the first of the Sex and the City knockoffs, this one featuring four female leads rather than a mere three (as on NBC’s version Lipstick Jungle). It begins on a special night before settling into its regular Wednesdays at 10pm time slot. [10:01pm/ABC]

January 7 | Monday

Dance War: I take that back about American Gladiators being the only reality show I won’t mind watching. I’m also gonna check out this dance entry because Dancing with the Stars judge Bruno Tonioli is a hoot, and Carrie Ann Inaba ain’t too shabby herself. Ditto about the physical activity and kids, as well. [8pm/ABC]

January 11 | Friday

Monk: The back half of the detective dramedy’s sixth season opens with Mr. Monk pledging his allegiance to a cult. Yikes! I feel sorry for the other members already. [9pm/USA]
Psych: Right afterwards, Monk‘s companion in funny crime capers commences the final half of its own second season. [10pm/USA]

January 14 | Monday

Kyle XY: The odd manmade boy with the most beautiful eyes on all of television returns with very welcomed fresh episodes in the second part of its extended sophomore run. [8pm/ABC Family]
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles: There’s no Arnie on board, but Firefly graduate Summer Glau is putting in lots of face time on this small-screen adaptation of the enduring sci-fi movie trilogy. [9pm/Fox]

January 15 | Tuesday

10 Items or Less: Working at the local grocery store has never been such a funny experience. [11pm/TBS]

January 16 | Wednesday

Reno 911!: The deranged cop squad from Reno, Nevada’s Washoe County Sheriff’s Department is back! [10:30pm/Comedy Central]

January 17 | Thursday

Scrubs: Off hiatus—at least one NBC sitcom has some new episodes still left on the shelf. [8:30pm/NBC]

January 26 | Saturday

Torchwood: Season Two of the most excellent Doctor Who spinoff starts. [9pm/BBC America]

January 31 | Thursday

Lost: Me, you, and just about everyone else, too, is so excited for the return of the spooky island drama, even if the fourth season will be abbreviated as a result of only eight episodes having been completed before the writers strike began. Eight is eight more than none, no? [8pm/ABC]

Lost photo courtesy of ABC

Tags: 10 Items or Less, American Gladiators, Cashmere Mafia, Dance War, Kyle XY, Law & Order, Lost, Monk, Psych, Reno 911!, Scrubs, Stargate Atlantis, television, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The L Word, The Wire, Torchwood, tv, Winter 2008

Three Genre-Hopping Season Finales Served Tonight: Comedy, Horror, and Crime

Chandra — Thu, 10 May 2007 12:31:00 +0000

My Name Is Earl, Supernatural, and Without a Trace All on the Tasty Menu

Three different shows from three different genres are closing out their respective successful seasons on three different broadcast networks tonight. First up at 8pm EST is NBC’s sophomore comedy My Name Is Earl and the extended “The Trial.” In this forty-minute installment, the title character (played by Jason Lee) encounters a new love interest in Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin, who has had a recurring role this season portraying crime-prone Joy’s (Jaime Pressly) deaf lawyer. Will the hook up last as Earl also finds himself enjoying an unusual spate of maturity—including new digs to go along with the new appliance store sales job he acquired in the last episode—and recently available opportunities? Well, the installment ends with one of those exasperating cliffhangers, so what do you think?

Next comes the CW’s Supernatural at 9pm EST. As longtime fans of the series know, this second season has been defined by older Winchester brother Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) continuous grappling with his father John’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) dying wish that he look after his younger brother Sam (Jared Padalecki). This promise, made under the duress of realizing that his beloved parent died in order to spare his life, has proven difficult given the all-consuming and unbelievably dangerous nature of full-time demon hunting, especially after Sam began manifesting some spooky metaphysical powers of his own. The second-season finale, “All Hell Breaks Loose,” is a two-parter that begins tonight and concludes next week at the same time. It promises to directly address some of the issues that viewers have been contemplating and dissecting since the beginning of the series, such as what really happened to the Winchester brothers’ mother Mary (Samantha Smith) when she died by fire while splayed on the ceiling of Sam’s nursery, and what malevolent monstrosity does the randomly appearing but always nigh Yellow-Eyed Demon have in store for both Sam and the world.

Finally, at 10pm EST, CBS presents the fifth-season finale of its hit FBI-missing persons procedural Without a Trace, moved from its regular Sunday-10pm time slot. The newest addition to Jack Malone’s (Anthony LaPaglia) ace investigative team, Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez), has been coping with a wrenching custody battle over her young daughter all season long following a split from the child’s troubled cop father. In “The Beginning,” this struggle approaches catastrophic proportions during the search for a missing teenage girl involved with a religious cult. What the increased tension will mean for Elena’s blossoming romantic relationship with her colleague Danny Taylor (Enrique Murciano) remains to be seen.

My Name Is Earl photo courtesy of NBC
Supernatural photo courtesy of the CW
Without a Trace photo courtesy of CBS

Tags: My Name Is Earl, Supernatural, television, tv, Without a Trace

Wonder Woman Lynda Carter Flies into ‘Smallville’ Next Week

Chandra — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:01:00 +0000

Lynda Carter to Guest Star as Chloe Sullivan’s Absentee Mom

The next new installment of Smallville, April 19′s “Progeny,” promises to be a very special episode indeed as everyone’s favorite small-screen Wonder Woman, the still ravishing Lynda Carter of the 1975–1979 ABC/CBS series, checks in to play Moira Sullivan, the estranged mother of young Clark Kent’s (Tom Welling) loyal best friend and confidante Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack).

As longtime viewers know, Chloe initially believed that her mother abandoned her and her father when she was two, but subsequently discovered that Moira was in fact residing in a psychiatric facility as a result of mental illness. Considering the always prevalent connection between inexplicably odd behavior, a hallmark of psychological disorders, and so-called meteor rocks in Smallville, it didn’t take too much effort for fans to guess that the Sullivan women possess unique traits. According to series writer Steve DeKnight, in the case of Chloe, who first became suspicious of kryptonite’s possible irrevocable effect on her in the February 15 episode “Freak,” this previously unexplored development will be elaborated upon in the May 17 sixth-season finale “Phantom.”

Spoilers Ahead—Proceed with Caution

Carter’s appearance as Moira will certainly serve as a build-up to the later revelations involving her daughter when the episode reveals the elder Sullivan has a meteor rock-influenced ability of her own that Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) intends to exploit for—Surprise!—his own personal gains.

The April 16–22 edition of TV Guide lays to rest all notions that Moira might possess any Wonder Woman-type powers or accessories, however, such as the infamous, to-die-for invisible airplane, killer set of bulletproof bracelets, or handy magical Lasso of Truth. Since Warner Bros. is in the process of developing a big-screen movie based on the character—you know, the one that Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon abandoned in February over the oft-mentioned, mysterious “creative differences”—the film studio isn’t allowing the free use of the character. That’s too bad because the magic lasso in particular would be a mighty darn nifty tool to help combat habitual liar and all-around sleaze Lex.

Smallville currently airs Thursdays on the CW at 8pm EST

Smallville photo courtesy of the CW

Tags: Allison Mack, Lynda Carter, Smallville, television, tv

OnTV: CBS Doomsday Hit ‘Jericho’ Returns

Chandra — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 05:47:00 +0000

Surprise Smash Flashbacks to “The Day Before” the Bombs

I am so happy for Jericho, one of the few shows besides its fellow freshman hit Heroes that I was looking forward to before the Fall 2006 season officially started. Despite the gloomy ratings predictions of some critics and not-so-well-wishers, the Kansas-based series soared with viewers, quickly establishing it as a keeper for the network that presently specializes in big-city crime procedurals like Criminal Minds and NCIS most days of the week.

When the twelfth installment of the Skeet Ulrich-led serial drama airs tonight at 8pm, the plot will give viewers a much-appreciated glimpse at the main characters thirty-six hours before the nuclear bombs detonated and changed the world as they knew it within mere moments. Integral to the flashback storylines are Jake Green’s (Ulrich) attempts to survive as an Average Joe in San Diego and the arrival of Sarah (Siena Goines) in Rod Hawkins’ (Lennie James) life. For more interesting insider details on the series from the creators and stars—especially if you missed “Return to Jericho,” last week’s welcome recap of the current season’s first half—give the recent revealing Sci Fi Wire interview a look-see.

Other Good Stuff on TV Tonight:

American Idol: I have no idea what happened to the idea of ladies first, but following last night’s two-hour installment featuring the Top 12 gents, tonight’s equally long episode focuses the spotlight on the Top 12 gals as they vie for the coveted designation of American Idol. [Fox/8:00]
Friday Night Lights—I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SEX: With a name like that, how can an episode go wrong? The title refers to couple Julie (Aimee Teegarden) and Matt (Zach Gilford), who contemplate “doing it” together for the very first time. Other things happen, as well, including the deterioration of Tim’s (Taylor Kitsch) relationship with his dad Walt (recurring guest star Brett Cullen) after some issues arise between the older Riggins and Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler). [NBC/8:00]
Knights of Prosperity—OPERATION: PANIC ROOM: Just weeks ago, it seemed like this new sitcom with a very unique premise might not even make it this far into the series. Yet, the central event finally occurs in the eighth episode tonight when the team manages to get all the way inside of Mick Jagger’s apartment. Ha! Take that! Oh, well, on second thought, maybe everything’s not so rosy, since the team then manages to get locked in Ol’ Mick’s panic room. Uh-oh… [ABC/8:30]
Sit Down Comedy With David Steinberg—JERRY SEINFELD: Yada, yada, yada. Jerry Seinfeld fans, take note. The man himself will chat about all sorts of stuff with host and fellow comedian David Steinberg in the second-season premiere of this half-hour talkfest. [TV Land/10:00]
The X-Files—FIGHT THE FUTURE: I never miss an opportunity to plug the movie version of one of my all-time favorite TV shows, The X-Files. The 1998 theatrical release Fight the Future literally begins on high and with a massive explosion—what more can you want? Cinemax gives the two-hour shebang (no pun intended) a highly recommended broadcast at 8pm on the dot for its lucky subscribers. [Cinemax/8:00]

All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time
Jericho photo courtesy of CBS

OnTV: Hip-Hop, Up Close and Personal

Chandra — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 06:59:00 +0000

Filmmaker Byron Hurt Drops the Dime on the Current Cult of Hip-Hop

As Black History Month draws to a close in the States, PBS presents yet another intriguing program exploring the vast and diverse manifestations of the black experience via its five-year-old Independent Lens documentary series. Terrence Howard hosts tonight’s 10pm* installment featuring the well-received 2006 Sundance entry Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, filmmaker Byron Hurt‘s honest look at the music genre and veritable social movement that he himself loves, hip-hop.

Taken aback by the rampant misogyny, homophobia, violence, and general negative posturing evident in popular rap music videos, Hurt took it upon himself to do more than just shake his head and hope for better days ahead. Instead, he became proactive about researching the facts and mythology that inform the genre in order to better understand why and how it evolved the way it has.

Filled with revealing interviews with knowledgeable industry artists and insiders, as well as insightful observations from outsiders, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes is Hurt’s contribution to modern American, if not global, history and one of its most recognizable, discussed, and alternatively celebrated and derided influences.

The first manifestation of hip-hop music was branded a fad and given a lifespan of mere years by detractors when it initially emerged full force back in 1979 with the first rap hit to achieve gold status, The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” Now, decades later, the movement is still going strong, which makes this timely documentary film even more relevant.

Other Good/New Stuff on TV Tonight

The Agency—FASHION WEEK: America gets another modeling-related reality series to go along with The CW’s America’s Next Top Model and Oxygen’s The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, this time focused more on the often-not-so-beautiful realities of what the industry entails for both the pretty people others like to gawk at and those charged with making them even prettier for the gawkers. It’s a jungle out there, babe. [VH1/10:00]
American Idol: In this special two-hour installment, the twelve male contestants deemed best thus far sing their little hearts out for the viewing public. [Fox/8:00]
Law & Order: Criminal Intent—BROTHER’S KEEPER: Who has an Academy Award, two Emmys, a Grammy, *and* a Tony? Give up? None other than the mother of eerily brainy and just downright eerie NYPD Detective Robert Goren—or at least the multitalented artist who plays her for the second time in tonight’s episode, the one and only Rita Moreno. Whenever Moreno is on board, excellence is guaranteed. [NBC/9:00]
Scarred: This new moronic show would be equally at home on basic cable’s Spike TV. Incorporating video footage found on the Internet and touted as the music (at least in years long gone by) channel’s first series to rely entirely on content provided by viewers—in other words, less work for them, but more work for featured individuals, and guess who gets all of the revenue—the reality program highlights dangerous accidents, events, and stunts that would presumably cause scars; thus, the title. —SIGH— I am so thrilled I didn’t grow up with this kind of senseless junk. My deepest sympathy goes to parents of teens and tots everywhere. [MTV/10:30]

*PBS times may vary—Check your local listings to verify them
All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time
Byron Hurt photo courtesy of Jemal Countess and WireImage.com

OnTV: ‘Studio 60′ Heads for Hiatusville

Chandra — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 08:31:00 +0000

Goodbye Studio 60, Hello The Black Donnellys

Tonight’s “4 a.m. Miracle” installment marks the sixteenth episode of veteran writer and producer Aaron Sorkin’s Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Yet, despite making it that far into its 22-episode debut season, things have not been all rosy up until this point, and they definitely don’t look that way in the near future either. In fact, the Studio 60 ratings situation has gotten so bad that its host network, NBC, made the roundly booed or applauded decision—depending on how much you do or don’t like Studio 60—to put the show on hiatus, effective tonight, two weeks earlier than previously announced.

When/if viewers tune into the network next Monday at 10pm, they will get a taste of another new serial that has many television fans salivating already, the mid-season crime drama The Black Donnellys, created and executive-produced by Crash Oscar winners Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco. Given its continual ratings woes and the fact that NBC has not announced a set return date, Studio 60 may very well be done for good. If you’re a fan, therefore, now is the time to inaugurate your Save Studio 60 game plan post-haste.

Other Good Stuff on TV Tonight

Heroes—UNEXPECTED: The arrival of the newest character with special abilities is definitely not unexpected as news of the imminent appearance of Wireless (also known as Hana Gitelman, played by previous 24 guest star Stana Katic) has been hanging heavily in the air and the fan forums for weeks now. I sure hope she turns out to be as cool as that moniker. [NBC/9:00]
Inside the Actors Studio—DIANA ROSS: Yada, yada, yada. Host James Lipton and legendary R&B singer Diana Ross chat it up for 120 minutes, minus commercials, of course. [Bravo/8:00]
Prison Break—BAD BLOOD: Everybody’s favorite serial convict drama returns from a brief break with the two lead fugitives paying a surprise visit to their former jailer, Henry Pope (guest star and former series regular Stacy Keach). [Fox/8:00]

All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip photo courtesy of NBC

OnTV: The CW Sends ‘Reba’ Away

Chandra — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 16:43:00 +0000

Ratings Hit ‘Reba’ Bows Out Despite Indisputable Popularity

Television history can file this series finale under “Duh” for the remainder of eternity. Heedless of its status as the fledgling new CW network’s most-watched comedy on any night, Reba, starring country music icon Reba McEntire and currently in its sixth season, has finally been shown the door by The CW. I say finally because this sad day has been on the horizon ever since the sitcom’s original network, The WB, made it clear that the series was a bastard child. Why? Because it didn’t fit in with network executives’ preferred viewership, which apparently comprises the teenagers and young adults who crave youth-oriented and/or inane fare like One Tree Hill and America’s Next Top Model. The only reason Reba was renewed for the 2006 fall season in the first place was because, if canceled, contract issues would have required the network to shell out money to cast members anyway.

Since returning to the active schedule in November 2006, Reba has delivered its customarily dependable ratings numbers, easily making it a popular program among viewers. The CW didn’t care about the Nielsen numbers, however, or how loud the very vocal outcry from critics and fans against cancellation was. At the end of January, the network confirmed what champions suspected would eventually happen, and tonight at 7:00 we have the final two episodes of a rare series that is leaving the small screen while still riding high. Fortunately, fans have a bit of consolation in the fact that the comedy is now in syndication on basic-cable’s Lifetime. That’s better than nothing, I suppose, which is what viewers are usually left with after a mistreated series exits the tube.

The first half-hour installment of tonight’s final episodes, “The Housewarming,” is all about Barbra Jean (Melissa Peterman) as her on-air breakdown causes her husband Brock (Christopher Rich) to suspect that their marriage just might have a chance after all. Then in the finale “The Kids Are All Right,” Reba is faced with the unwanted possibility of living with Cheyenne (JoAnna Garcia) and Van (Steve Howey) after a fire ruins their new house.

Other New Stuff on TV Tonight

56th Annual NBA All-Star Basketball Game: East meets West live from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. [TNT/8:30]
The Amazing Race: All-Stars—I TOLD YOU LESS MARTINIS AND MORE CARDIO: The 11th season of this reality-TV bigwig presents eleven former teams from ten past seasons as they receive a second opportunity to win $1 million. Sounds good to me. [CBS/8:00]
Masterpiece Theatre—PRIME SUSPECT 6: THE LAST WITNESS: Repeat of the next-to-last installment in the recently ended detective series starring Oscar contender Helen Mirren. [PBS/9:00*]
Planet Carnivore—LIONS/SHARKS: The first two installments of this debut nature series are narrated by actor Alec Baldwin (30 Rock). The first episode explores the rivalry between a lioness leader and nearby hyenas for food sources, while the second goes deep underwater to examine how great white sharks hunt to survive. [National Geographic/8:00 & 9:00]

ABC: America’s Funniest Home Videos (7:00); Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (8:00); Desperate Housewives (9:00); Brothers & Sisters (10:03)
CBS: 60 Minutes (7:00); The Amazing Race: All-Stars (8:00); Cold Case (9:00); Without A Trace (10:00)
CSPAN: Road to the White House 2008 (9:30)
The CW: 7th Heaven (8:00)
ESPN: Figure Skating—Four Continents Championships (8:00)
FNC: The 1/2 Hour News Hour (10:00)
Food Network: Emeril Live (8:00)
Fox: The Simpsons (8:00); King of the Hill (8:30); Family Guy (9:00); American Dad (9:30)
HBO: Rome (9:00); Extras (10:00)
HGTV: House Hunters International (8:30); Dream House (10:00); What’s With That House? (10:30)
MSNBC: Meet the Press (10:00)
MTV: True Life (9:00); I’m from Rolling Stone (11:00)
NBC: Deal or No Deal (7:00); Grease: You’re the One That I Want (8:00); The Apprentice: Los Angeles (9:00); Crossing Jordan (10:00)
PBS: Nature (8:00*); Independent Lens (9:00*)
Sci Fi: The Dresden Files (9:00); Battlestar Galactica (10:00)
Showtime: The L Word (10:00)
TNT: NBA 2007 All-Star Game (8:30)
VH1: Surreal Life Fame Games (9:00); Hogan Knows Best-NOT NEW IN AOL (10:00); Shooting Sizemore (10:30)

*All PBS times may vary—Check your local listings to verify them
All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time
Reba photo courtesy of The CW

OnTV: Saturday Movie Night

Chandra — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 15:38:00 +0000

Five Picks for the Housebound

Got Premium Cable?

Longford: In this based-on-fact film, Oscar winner Jim Broadbent (Iris)) portrays England’s Lord Frank Pakenham, the 7th Earl of Longford, a crusading proponent of prison reform famous for befriending female inmate Myra Hindley (Oscar nominee Samantha Morton of In America and Sweet and Lowdown)—also known as one of the Moors Murderers—herself notorious for participating in the serial sex killings of five children with her lover Ian Brady (Andy Serkis of King Kong and Gollum in the The Lord of the Rings trilogy) in the 1960s. Despite vehement public, professional, and familial disapproval, Pakenham continues communicating with Hindley and championing her cause while she serves a life sentence, even after the prisoner admits deliberately deceiving him about her crimes. [HBO/8:00]

The State Within: A conspiracy thriller for action-adventure fans who like American shows such as 24, this three-part mini-series stars Englishman Jason Isaacs (Brotherhood, the forthcoming Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) as Sir Mark Brydon, the British Ambassador to Washington. Set primarily in Washington, D.C., the action kicks off when a planted bomb causes an England-bound plane from Dulles Airport to explode midair. The Ambassador then must seek to clarify the convoluted details and significance of the crime while dealing with American officials like United States Secretary of Defense Lynne Warner (Sharon Gless of Cagney and Lacey and Queer as Folk). Lennie James from the CBS rookie hit Jericho also appears as Luke Gardner, a prisoner on Death Row for murder. [BBC America/9:00/Part One]

Got Basic Cable?

Hollow Man 2: In this 2006 direct-to-video science-fiction thriller, the sequel to 2000′s feature film Hollow Man starring Kevin Bacon and Elisabeth Shue, Christian Slater (Interview with the Vampire, True Romance) plays a military assassin named Michael Griffin who, after being made invisible in a botched experiment for which he volunteered, becomes determined to get revenge on the scientists responsible for his predicament. In the course of his manhunt, he kills the partner of police officer Frank Turner (Peter Facinelli), who in turn seeks revenge on Griffin after taking the serum capable of making humans invisible. [Sci Fi/9:00]
Independence Day: This super successful 1996 science-fiction follow-up to Will Smith‘s first breakout theatrical hit Bad Boys can be summed up in two words: Aliens attack. And then, of course, earthlings respond to save their precious planet from invasion and utter destruction. [ABC Family/7:00 & 10:00]

Got Regular Broadcast TV?

Cast Away: Five-time Oscar winner/nominee Tom Hanks (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump) gets swept away with delusion after he is stranded alone on a tropical island for four years following a plane crash. [ABC/8:00]

Other New Stuff on TV Tonight

The 22nd Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards—: Legendary Patti LaBelle performs at this annual celebration of gospel music’s best. [WGN/8:00]
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2007: Highlights of the 2007 photo shoot for one of the most popular yearly magazine issues. [TNT/11:00]
Food Icons Unwrapped: It’s nostalgia time as host Marc Summers provides a few pop culture lessons on food icons, such as the Pillsbury Doughboy and the Jolly Green Giant. [Food Network/9:00]

CBS: 48 Hours Mystery (10:00)
CNBC: The Suze Orman Show (9:00)
CNN: CNN: Special Investigations Unit (8:00)
Cartoon Network: Bobobo-bo Bo-Bobo (8:30); Naruto (9:00); One Piece (9:30); The Prince of Tennis (10:00); Mar (10:30)
Disney: Kim Possible (8:00/8:30/9:00/9:30)
ESPN: College Basketball—North Carolina at Boston College (9:00)
Fox: Cops (8:00); America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back (9:00)
HGTV: Design on a Dime (10:00)
NBC: Dateline NBC (8:00)
Nickelodeon: Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide (8:00); The Naked Brothers Band (8:30)
TLC: Moving Up (8:00); Trading Spaces (10:00)
TNT: NBA Basketball—2007 All-Star Skills Competition (8:30)
Travel: Not Your Average Travel Guide (10:00)

All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time
Longford photo courtesy of HBO