Weekend TV Highlights for March 16-18
Intervention, The Riches, and Battlestar Galactica Lead the Pack
When it comes to television programming capable of actually making a valuable, tangible difference in lives, it doesn’t get any better than A&E’s documentary series Intervention. Introduced two years ago in March 2005, each episode follows an addict whose behavior has brought him or her to a particularly low point. Believing that they are participating in a documentary about addicts, each target is instead faced with an intervention staged by concerned family and/or friends under the guidance of one of four competent specialists: Tara Fields, Candy Finningan, Ken Seeley, and Jeff VanVonderen. The subject is then given the option of either seeking treatment as advised, in which case the series follows up on the progress made, or foregoing treatment and losing support from loved ones.
During the first two seasons, Intervention presented the experiences of individuals plagued with varying types of addiction, ranging from the expected drug problems to less prevalent or publicized conditions, such as compulsive shopping and self-mutilation. Tonight’s third-season premiere focuses on an addict of the former type, namely Ryan, a California resident and once promising musician whose consuming OxyContin abuse has put his family in crisis. Will Ryan be moved to agree to treatment after his family and a specialist confront him about the increasingly destructive results of his opiate dependency? Let’s hope so. [On TV: Friday, 16 March 2007, A&E, 10pm EST]
Friday | March 16
- Identity: The guess-who-I-am game show hosted by Penn & Teller’s Penn Jillette returns from hiatus after a very successful debut last December. [NBC/9:00]
- NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship—FIRST ROUND: Illinois and Virginia Tech play live in Columbus, Ohio. [CBS/7:00]
- Real Time with Bill Maher: Politics talking head Maher chats with a slew of guests, including Seinfeld‘s Jason Alexander, CBS news icon Dan Rather, and fellow comedian Chris Rock, whose new flick I Think I Love My Wife opens today. [HBO/11:00]
- The Wedding Bells—WEDDING FROM HELL: Executive producer David E. Kelley’s latest dramedy airs in its regular Friday-night time slot with an episode featuring more wedding-inspired shenanigans and crises. [Fox/9:00]
Saturday | March 17
- 21st Annual Soul Train Music Awards: Presentation of the March 10 event, hosted by R&B singers LeToya and Omarion. (Special/WGN/11:30)
- NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship—SECOND ROUND: Teams and venue to be announced. [CBS/8:00]
The Riches—PILOT: If you missed the debut episode of the new dramedy about a clan of thieving gypsies who take up residence in the posh digs of a deceased couple, here’s the chance to catch a repeat of British stars Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver in action. [FX/10:00]- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2007: Nearly instant replay of the March 12 ceremony inducting Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, R.E.M., The Ronettes, Patti Smith, and Van Halen into the renowned Hall for 2007. (Special/VH1/9:00)
- Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry: The latest poet lineup includes Big Poppa E, Bassey Ikpi, Alvin Lau, Saddi Kali, Liza Garza, Lamont Carey, Brian Dykstra, Vanessa Hidary, Basikknowledge, *and* George Clinton (!). [HBO/12:00am]
Sunday | March 18
Battlestar Galactica—CROSSROADS, PART 1: In the first installment of yet another riveting two-parter, duplicitous Gaius Baltar (James Callis) finally goes on trial in shocking proceedings aboard the Galactica. [Sci Fi/10:00]- Christopher Titus: The 5th Annual End of the World Tour: The former star of Fox’s Titus sitcom spreads humor during one pit stop on his ongoing End of the World comedy tour. The special represents the first recording in Titus’ recent four-record deal with Comedy Central Records. [Special/Comedy Central/10:00]
- I’m From Rolling Stone—NATIONAL LAMPOON/ROLLING STONE OR ROLLING HOME: One lucky winner receives a prestigious position as a contributing editor at the title music rag. Nice. [1st-Season Finale/MTV/11:00]
- The Manchurian Candidate: The 2004 diabolical political thriller starring Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, and Meryl Streep is nowhere near as chilling as the 1962 original featuring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, and Angela Lansbury, but it’s an intriguing, thought-provoking, and highly entertaining film nonetheless. [TNT/9:00 & 10:30]
- The Winner—HOT FOR TEACHER: It’s the season finale for Fox’s capable new comedy, and the episode’s title leaves nothing to the imagination. The hot teacher in question, incidentally, is the one and only Katey Sagal of Married with Children fame. Nice. [1st-Season Finale/Fox/9:30]
All times are PM and EST/Eastern Standard Time, unless otherwise noted
Intervention logo courtesy of A&E
The Riches photo courtesy of FX
Gaius Baltar photo courtesy of the Sci Fi Channel
