What2Watch: Gear Up for This Weekend's Oscarpalooza!
How will Jon Stewart's hosting gig go with so little prep time? Also this weekend: Tina Fey is on SNL and The Wire gains momentum.
Carpet layers place the Oscar on the red carpet as preparations continue for the Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements. -
(c) A.M.P.A.S.
It's Oscar weekend, and even though only one of the films nominated for Best Picture has broken through the $100 million barrier that signifies a decent-sized hit, the telecast (ABC, Sunday 8:00 PM) will no doubt draw its usual huge audience. And since there have been relatively few chances to see the nominees on the awards circuit this winter due to the disruption caused by the writers' strike, there may be even more curiosity than usual. We haven't had the chance to be There Will Be Blooded out yet. There are also going to be those wondering how Jon Stewart will fare as host, given the relative lack of time to put together material for the show. Hosting the Oscars has become of the most predictable lightning rods in pop culture. Stewart's last appearance two years ago wasn't that bad, but he was still hammered for being too much his Daily Show self, which is another way of saying he wasn't Johnny Carson or Billy Crystal, the two most familiar Oscar hosts of recent decades and the only ones who were mostly immune from the sniping. Gone Country (CMT, tonight 8 PM): The singers get style tips for their new images, and meet with journalists who grill them on why anyone should take their new countrified selves seriously. Is someone going to put their foot down about wearing the stupid cowboy hat? It needs to be said, and I just don't think Kenny Chesney is up to the task. The BET Honors (BET, tonight 8 PM): Cedric the Entertainer hosts this new event which salutes high achievers in black America. Award recipients include Rep. Maxine Waters, Time Warner's outgoing CEO Richard Parsons, and Tyra Banks. The Price Is Right Million Dollar Spectacular (CBS, tonight 8 PM): Here's another sign of what the strike has wrought: the sort of Price Is Right special once associated with summer is now running in a sweeps month. Amnesia (NBC, tonight 9 PM): Yes, there's now a game show in the Friday Night Lights spot. Pardon me while I weep... Dennis Miller hosts a show where contestants have to answer questions based on events from their own lives. Monk (USA, tonight 9 PM): Season finale: Monk is believed to be dead, which gives him a pretty good cover for working to clear himself of murder. My Big Redneck Wedding (CMT, tonight 9 PM): Amber and John schedule a pig chase. I'll leave all the jokes I could make here about bridesmaids unwritten. Free Radio (VH1, tonight 9:30 PM): Emily Deschanel and Blake Lewis become the latest to wonder what the hell they got themselves into. In Treatment (HBO, tonight 9:30 PM): Paul's usual appreciation of the boundaries between therapist and patient has been weakening rapidly, so maybe Gina can straighten him out. Stargate Atlantis (SciFi, tonight 10 PM): A genetically engineered bug is wreaking havoc throughout the galaxy; Teyla has a vision leading her to believe the father of her child is still alive. 10 Years Younger (TLC, tonight 10 PM): Working to improve the appearances of a busy working mom, a would-be chef, and a former boxer. Joe Louis: America's Hero...Betrayed (HBO, Saturday 8 PM): The career of the longest reigning heavyweight champ. Paula's Party (Food Network, Saturday 9 PM): Paula preps for a black-and-white ball with some high-powered assistants: chefs Bobby Flay and Scott Conant are joined by a name synonymous with fine dining, Elmo. I knew the Food Network wanted to go for a younger demo, but this is pretty drastic. Trading Spaces (TLC, Saturday 9 PM): Now this is what we wanted to see: neighbors who hate each other redecorate each other's rooms. The designers are going to be working with more asbestos and lead paint this week than usual. Saturday Night Live (NBC, Saturday 11:30 PM): Tina Fey returns as a conquering hero for the first post-strike show. Who could have guessed that of all the alumni of SNL the one who never appeared in sketches would be winning more awards for acting than any of them? Rock Of Love 2 (VH1, Sunday 11 AM and 9 PM): The prize for a rodeo challenge is a private dinner with Bret. This would be OK except for two things: first, there are two winners so it's really not all that private; and second...uh, it's Bret Michaels. Scott Baio Is 46...And Pregnant (VH 1, Sunday noon and 10 PM): Baio is now non-pregnant after the arrival of the baby, but he has issues with the nurse hired to make sure he knows what he's doing. My Fair Brady: Maybe Baby? (VH1, Sunday 12:30 PM and 10:30 PM): Adrianne has decided that career comes first for now, which means a breast enlargement; Chris tries to change her mind with a romantic dinner at (I'm not making this up) the Surreal Life house. The Barbara Walters Special (ABC, Sunday 7 PM): Interviews with Juno nominee Ellen Page, Miley Cyrus, Harrison Ford, and Vanessa Williams. For someone who doesn't really fit in with the rest of young Hollywood temperamentally (and in fact still doesn't live there full time), Page has handled herself pretty well these last few weeks. Big Brother 9 (CBS, Sunday 8 PM): The good news is that this show is not up against American Idol for once. The bad news is that the Oscars are even worse competition. Heads of Household James and Chelsia select new nominees. Breaking Bad (AMC, Sunday 9 PM): Walter gets a surprise job offer; Skyler tries to persuade Walter to put aside money worries and go for chemotherapy; Jesse's attempts to go straight work about as well as his attempts to do anything else. Iron Chef America (Food Network, Sunday 10 PM): Bobby Flay battles the Rathbun brothers. I just hope the judges give a handicap, considering it's two on one. The L Word (Showtime, Sunday 9 PM): Alice testifies at Tasha's hearing; Niki's PR contingent is terrified she might be seen as a lesbian off screen as well; Shane has a crush on Phyllis's daughter. The Wire (HBO, Sunday 9 PM): I think Carcetti is one of this show's underrated characters -- his cynicism reflects all your worst fears about politicians. This week, he has to make some risky deals. Also, Carver's duties change as a result of the phony serial killer investigation, and Haynes's campaign against Templeton gathers momentum. Most Popular Stories
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