Before we get to this week’s column, I want to express my sincere gratitude to those who were involved in rescue operations 10 years ago on the attacks of September 11, 2001. To those who lost loved ones, my heart still hurts for you. And finally, to those who serve our country every day to try and prevent something like that from happening again here in the US or elsewhere, I applaud you. You and your families and friends sacrifice so much for the rest of us, and you aren’t thanked nearly enough. For everyone else, if you can, take a moment of silence for today for all those people I mentioned above.
Now, on to the … show, so to speak. 🙂
Welcome to a new week of TV! It’s here, it’s here! Ok, so the Fall season starts this week, and it doesn’t so much start with a bang as it does with a sweet sigh, but still. There are some fan favorites returning this week, as well as some new ones that I’m really looking forward to, so check it out!
Don’t forget to comment or Tweet @tvismypacifier to let us know what YOU are planning to watch this week!
Jump with me to view this week’s schedule.
Sunday
Sunday features 1 series finale & 4 season finales. To read more about each of those, click the link below. Otherwise, check out tonight’s schedule!
Click here for finale & special information
Tonight is the season finale of 4 shows. First up is Cupcake Wars on Food Network at 8/7c. Then at 9/8c, it’s the finale of True Blood on HBO. The finale of In the Flow with Affion Crockett is on FOX at 9:30/8:30c, and finally, it’s the finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm on HBO at 10/9c.
There are 4 specials on today in remembrance of September 11, 2001. HBO’s 51-minute Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience is on early, at 8:46AM, 7:46AMc. Then tonight, there is the 2-hour 9/11: 10 Years Later on CBS & the 1-hour Making the 9/11 Memorial on History Channel. Finally, at 10/9c, it’s the 1-hour Remembrance and Renewal: 10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks on ABC.
Also on tonight:
- *Series Finale* – Entourage (#96/808) – HBO @ 10:30/9:30c
- *Season Finale* – Cupcake Wars – Food Network @ 8/7c
- *Season Finale* – Curb Your Enthusiasm (#80/810) – HBO @ 10/9c
- *Season Finale* – In the Flow with Affion Crockett (#FLO-106) – FOX @ 9:30/8:30c
- *Season Finale* – True Blood (#48/412) – HBO @ 9/8c
- *Special* – 9/11: 10 Years Later – CBS @ 8/7c (2-Hour Special)
- *Special* – Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience – HBO @ 8:46AM/7:46AMc (51-Minute Special)
- *Special* – Making the 9/11 Memorial – History Channel @ 8/7c (1-Hour Special)
- *Special* – Remembrance and Renewal: 10 Years After the 9/11 Attacks – ABC @ 10/9c (1-Hour Special)
- *Sports* – Football Night in America – NBC @ 7/6c
- *Sports* – Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys at New York Jets – NBC @ 8:15/7:15c
- *New* – All American Handyman – HGTV @ 9/8c
- *New* – Bar Rescue (#108) – Spike TV @ 10/9c
- *New* – Breaking Bad (#409) – AMC @ 10/9c
- *New* – Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew (#511-60) – VH1 @ 9/8c
- *New* – Curiosity (#106) – Discovery Channel @ 8/7c
- *New* – Hoarding: Buried Alive (#308) – TLC @ 9/8c
- *New* – Hillbilly Handfishin (#106) – Animal Planet @ 10/9c
- *New* – Sand Masters (#115-30) – Travel Channel @ 7/6c
- *New* – The Great Food Truck Race – Food Network @ 9/8c
Monday
Monday features 2 season premieres, 1 series finale, & 2 season finales. To read more about each of those, click the link below. Otherwise, check out tonight’s schedule!
Click here for premiere & finale information
Tonight is the series finale of Kate Plus 8 on TLC at 9/8c, and the season finale of HGTV Design Star on HGTV, also at 9/8c. Finally, there’s a 1-hour special for Bachelor Pad on ABC at 8/7c, followed by the 2-hour season finale at 9/8c.
Click here for “late night” guests schedules
Christina Applegate (Up All Night, Samantha Who?) is one of the guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on NBC at 11:35/10:35c.
Sarah Michelle Gellar (Ringer, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) & Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) are two of the guests on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on NBC at 12:37AM/11:37PMc.
Nathan Fillion (Castle, Firefly) is one of the guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live, on ABC at 1:36AM/12:36AMc.
Lauren Graham (Parenthood, Gilmore Girls) is one of the guests on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, on CBS at 1:37AM/12:37AMc.
Also on tonight:
- *Series Finale* – Kate Plus 8 (#214-60) – TLC @ 9/8c
- *Season Finale* – Bachelor Pad (#206-120) – ABC @ 8/7c & 9/8c (1-Hour Special & 2-Hour Season Finale)
- *Season Finale* – HGTV Design Star – HGTV @ 9/8c
- *Season Premiere* – Extreme Couponing (#201/202) – TLC @ 10/9c & 10:30/9:30c (2 New Episodes)
- *Season Premiere* – The Best Thing I Ever Ate – Food Network @ 10/9c
- *Special* – 2011 Miss Universe Pageant – NBC @ 9/8c (2-Hour Special)
- *Sports* – Monday Night Football: New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins/Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos – ESPN @ 7/6c & 10:15/9:15c
- *Special* – The CW 2011 Fall Preview Special – CW @ 9:16/8:16c (44-Minute Special)
- *New* – Alphas (#109) – Syfy @ 10/9c
- *New* – American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior (#210) – Discovery Channel @ 9/8c
- *New* – American Pickers (#314) – History Channel @ 9/8c
- *New* – Basketball Wives LA (#103-60) – VH1 @ 8/7c
- *New* – Conan – TBS @ 11/10c
- *New* – Crave – Food Network @ 8:30/7:30c
- *New* – Cuff’d (#103-30) – MTV @ 11/10c
- *New* – Death Valley (#103-30) – MTV @ 10:30/9:30c
- *New* – Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives – Food Network @ 9/8c
- *New* – Eureka (#419) – Syfy @ 8/7c
- *New* – Giuliana & Bill (#408-60) – Style Network @ 8/7c
- *New* – Hair Battle Spectacular (#205) – Oxygen @ 10/9c
- *New* – Hell’s Kitchen (#HK-914) – FOX @ 9/8c
- *New* – Intervention (#151/1012) – A&E @ 10/9c
- *New* – Jimmy Kimmel Live – ABC @ 1:36AM/12:36AMc
- *New* – La La’s Full Court Life (#204-30) – VH1 @ 9/8c
- *New* – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC @ 12:37AM/11:37PMc
- *New* – Pawn Star$ (#446/447) – History Channel @ 10/9c & 10:30/9:30c (2 New Episodes)
- *New* – Ridiculousness (#103-30) – MTV @ 10/9c
- *New* – Rizzoli & Isles (#210) – TNT @ 10/9c (Summer Finale)
- *New* – The Bad Girls Club (#707) – Oxygen @ 9/8c
- *New* – The Big C (#211) – Showtime @ 10:30/9:30c
- *New* – The Closer (#710) – TNT @ 9/8c (Summer Finale)
- *New* – The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – CBS @ 1:37AM/12:37AMc
- *New* – The Lying Game (#105) – ABC Family @ 8/7c
- *New* – The Protector (#112) – Lifetime @ 11/10c
- *New* – The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (#202) – Bravo @ 9/8c
- *New* – The T.O. Show (#304-30) – VH1 @ 9:30/8:30c
- *New* – The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – NBC @ 11:35/10:35c
- *New* – Tia & Tamera (#105) – Style Network @ 9/8c
- *New* – Top Gear (#1704-80) – BBC America @ 9/8c
- *New* – Warehouse 13 (#309) – Syfy @ 9/8c
- *New* – Weeds (#711) – Showtime @ 10/9c
Tuesday
Tuesday features 1 series premiere, 2 season premieres & 2 season finales. To read more about each of those, click the link below. Otherwise, check out tonight’s schedule!
Click here for premiere & finale information
Tonight is also the season premieres of 90210 on the CW at 8/7c and Parenthood on NBC at 10/9c.
Finally, it’s the season finale of It’s Worth What? on NBC at 8/7c, and a new episode of Gordon Ramsay’s F Word on BBC America at 10/9c, followed by the season finale at 11/10c.
Click here for “late night” guests schedules
Ellen DeGeneres is one of the guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on NBC at 11:35/10:35c.
Will Arnett (Up All Night, Running Wilde, 30 Rock, Arrested Development) is one of the guests on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on NBC at 12:37AM/11:37PMc.
Emily VanCamp (Revenge, Everwood) is one of the guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live, on ABC at 1:36AM/12:36AMc.
James Woods (Shark) & Kathryn Hahn (Free Agents, Hung, Crossing Jordan) are two of the guests on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, on CBS at 1:37AM/12:37AMc.
Also on tonight:
- *Season Finale* – Gordon Ramsay’s F Word (#511/512) – BBC America @ 10/9c & 11/10c (2 New Episodes Including Season Finale)
- *Season Finale* – It’s Worth What? (#109) – NBC @ 8/7c
- *Series Premiere* – Ringer (#101) – CW @ 9/8c
- *Season Premiere* – 90210 (#401) – CW @ 8/7c
- *Season Premiere* – Parenthood (#301) – NBC @ 10/9c
- *Special* – Flipping Out (#511) – Bravo @ 9/8c (1-Hour ‘Reunion’ Special)
- *New* – America’s Got Talent (#631-60) – NBC @ 9/8c (1-Hour New Episode)
- *New* – Awkward (#109-30) – MTV @ 11:30/10:30c
- *New* – Big Sexy (#103) – TLC @ 10/9c
- *New* – Billy the Exterminator (#61/412) – A&E @ 10/9c
- *New* – Carfellas (#105/106) – Discovery Channel @ 10/9c & 10:30/9:30c (2 New Episodes)
- *New* – Chopped – Food Network @ 10/9c (Champions’ Tournament Pt 3)
- *New* – Conan – TBS @ 11/10c
- *New* – Jimmy Kimmel Live – ABC @ 1:36AM/12:36AMc
- *New* – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC @ 12:37AM/11:37PMc
- *New* – Sons of Anarchy (#402) – FX @ 10/9c
- *New* – Teen Mom (#1311-90) – MTV @ 10/9c (90-Minute New Episode)
- *New* – The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – CBS @ 1:37AM/12:37AMc
- *New* – The Rachel Zoe Project (#402) – Bravo @ 10/9c
- *New* – The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – NBC @ 11:35/10:35c
- *New* – Top Shot (#306) – History Channel @ 10/9c
- *New* – What Not to Wear (#907) – TLC @ 9/8c
- *New* – Wipeout (#430) – ABC @ 8/7c
Wednesday
Wednesday features 3 series premieres, 2 season premieres, & 7 season finales. To read more about each of those, click the link below. Otherwise, check out tonight’s schedule!
Click here for premiere & finale information
Tonight is also the series premiere of Up All Night on NBC at 10/9c. The show is a modern take on parenthood that shows the challenges of balancing a career, marriage and a new baby. Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) stars as Reagan, a successful public relations executive, and Will Arnett (Arrested Development, 30 Rock) plays Chris, Reagan’s supportive, stay-at-home husband. The two have just become parents – a surprise that has set their lives on a new path as responsible adults — for the most part. Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) stars as Ava, Reagan’s outlandish boss and best friend, whose whirlwind social escapades serve as constant reminders of Reagan’s former carefree life. James Pumphrey portrays Brian, Reagan’s socially awkward hipster assistant.
Following that, it’s the series premiere of Free Agents on NBC at 10:30/9:30c. Based on the cult U.K. series of the same name, the show explores the trials and tribulations of two public relations executives on the rebound. Alex (Hank Azaria, The Simpsons, Huff) is newly divorced and can barely keep himself together while his co-worker Helen (Kathryn Hahn, Hung, Crossing Jordan) thinks she has it together but is obsessed with her deceased fiancĂ© and actually is falling apart. Then a drunken Alex and Helen end up in bed together, and in the resulting sober confusion, Helen decides that they should only be friends. Meanwhile Alex’s co-workers, Dan (Mo Mandel, Love Bites, Modern Family) and Gregg (Al Madrigal, Wizards of Waverly Place, Gary, Unmarried), and Stephen (Anthony Head, Merlin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) fail in their attempts to help him get back out on the dating scene. When Alex finally agrees to a date, Helen gets a little jealous, and he gets cold feet, so they end up back where they started — in a casual, intimate and beautifully awkward relationship. Also starring is Joe Lo Truglio (Mad Love) and Natasha Leggero (Ugly Americans, ‘Til Death).
Tonight is the season premiere of America’s Next Top Model on the CW, and the 90-minute season premiere of Survivor on CBS, both at 8/7c.
There are also 7 season finales tonight. First up, at 8/7c, it’s the 2-hour finale of America’s Got Talent on NBC, plus the finale of Buried Treasure on FOX, and a new episode of Melissa & Joey on ABC Family, followed by the season finale at 8:30/7:30c. Then at 9/8c, it’s a new episode of Deadliest Warrior on Spike TV, followed by the season finale at 10/9c. At 9:30/8:30c, it’s the 90-minute season finale of Big Brother on CBS, and at 10/9c, it’s the finales of Damages on DirecTV and Necessary Roughness on USA.
Click here for “late night” guests schedules
Jane Lynch (Glee) & Demetri Martin (Important Things with Demetri Martin) are two of the guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on NBC at 11:35/10:35c.
Bear Grylls (Man vs Wild) is one of the guests on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on NBC at 12:37AM/11:37PMc.
Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) is one of the guests on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, on CBS at 1:37AM/12:37AMc.
Also on tonight:
- *Season Finale* – America’s Got Talent (#632-120) – NBC @ 8/7c (2-Hour Season Finale)
- *Season Finale* – Big Brother (#1329-90) – CBS @ 9:30/8:30c (90-Minute Season Finale)
- *Season Finale* – Buried Treasure (#BUR-104) – FOX @ 8/7c
- *Season Finale* – Damages (#410) – DirecTV @ 10/9c
- *Season Finale* – Deadliest Warrior (#309/310) – Spike TV @ 9/8c & 10/9c (2 New Episodes Including Season Finale)
- *Season Finale* – Melissa & Joey – ABC Family @ 8/7c & 8:30/7:30c (2 New Episodes Including Season Finale)
- *Season Finale* – Necessary Roughness (#112) – USA @ 10/9c
- *Series Premiere* – Free Agents (#101) – NBC @ 10:30/9:30c
- *Series Premiere* – H8r – CW @ 8/7c
- *Series Premiere* – Up All Night (#101) – NBC @ 10/9c
- *Season Premiere* – America’s Next Top Model (#1701) – CW @ 9/8c
- *Season Premiere* – Survivor (#2301-90) – CBS @ 8/7c (90-Minute Season Premiere)
- *New* – Conan – TBS @ 11/10c
- *New* – Confessions: Animal Hoarding (#304) – Animal Planet @ 10/9c
- *New* – Dance Moms (#110-60) – Lifetime @ 10/9c
- *New* – Ghost Hunters (#714-60) – Syfy @ 9/8c
- *New* – Jimmy Kimmel Live – ABC @ 1:36AM/12:36AMc
- *New* – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC @ 12:37AM/11:37PMc
- *New* – Law & Order: UK (#305) – BBC America @ 9/8c
- *New* – Man V. Food Nation (#115-30) – Travel Channel @ 9/8c
- *New* – Paranormal Witness (#102) – Syfy @ 10/9c
- *New* – Restaurant Impossible – Food Network @ 10/9c
- *New* – Sons of Guns (#209) – Discovery Channel @ 9/8c
- *New* – The Hour (#105) – BBC America @ 10/9c
- *New* – The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – CBS @ 1:37AM/12:37AMc
- *New* – The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – NBC @ 11:35/10:35c
- *New* – Toddlers & Tiaras (#413) – TLC @ 10/9c
- *New* – Ton of Cash (#105-60) – VH1 @ 11/10c
- *New* – Top Chef Just Desserts (#204) – Bravo @ 10/9c
Thursday
Thursday features 1 series premiere, 3 season premieres & 1 series finale. To read more about each of those, click the link below. Otherwise, check out tonight’s schedule!
Click here for finale information
Following that, it’s the series premiere of The Secret Circle on the CW at 9/8c. Cassie Blake was a happy, normal teenage girl – until her mother Amelia dies in what appears to be a tragic accidental fire. Orphaned and deeply saddened, Cassie moves in with her warm and loving grandmother Jane in the beautiful small town of Chance Harbor, Washington – the town her mother left so many years before – where the residents seem to know more about Cassie than she does about herself. As Cassie gets to know her high school classmates, including sweet-natured Diana and her handsome boyfriend Adam, brooding loner Nick, mean-girl Faye and her sidekick Melissa, strange and frightening things begin to happen. When her new friends explain that they are all descended from powerful witches, and they’ve been waiting for Cassie to join them and complete a new generation of the Secret Circle, Cassie refuses to believe them – until Adam shows her how to unlock her incredible magical powers. But it’s not until Cassie discovers a message from her mother in an old leather-bound book of spells hidden in her mother’s childhood bedroom, that she understands her true and dangerous destiny. What Cassie and the others don’t yet know is that darker powers are at play, powers that might be linked to the adults in the town, including Diana’s father and Faye’s mother – and that Cassie’s mother’s death might not have been an accident. The series stars Britt Robertson (Life Unexpected) as Cassie Blake, Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as Adam Conant, Gale Harold (Desperate Housewives, Queer as Folk) as Charles Meade, Phoebe Tonkin (H2O: Just Add Water) as Fay Chamberlain, Jessica Parker Kennedy (Smallville) as Melissa, Shelley Hennig (Days of our Lives) as Diana Meade, Louis Hunter (Out of the Blue) as Nick, Ashley Crow (Heroes) as Jane Blake and Natasha Henstridge (Eli Stone, Species) as Dawn Chamberlain. The show is based on the book series by L.J. Smith (author of The Vampire Diaries book series).
Tonight is also the season premiere of 2 others shows. First up is the season premiere of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on FX at 10/9c, followed by the premiere of Archer at 10:30/9:30c.
Finally, tonight is the series finale of LA Ink on TLC at 10/9c.
Click here for “late night” guests schedules
Zooey Deschanel (The New Girl) is one of the guests on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on NBC at 12:37AM/11:37PMc.
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire) is one of the guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live, on ABC at 1:36AM/12:37AMc.
Also on tonight:
- *Series Finale* – LA Ink (#421) – TLC @ 10/9c
- *Series Premiere* – The Secret Circle (#101) – CW @ 9/8c
- *Season Premiere* – Archer – FX @ 10:30/9:30c
- *Season Premiere* – It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – FX @ 10/9c
- *Season Premiere* – The Vampire Diaries (#301) – CW @ 8/7c
- *New* – Beyond Scared Straight (#10/204) – A&E @ 10/9c
- *New* – CMT Made (#105) – CMT @ 8/7c
- *New* – Conan – TBS @ 11/10c
- *New* – Jersey Shore (#407-60) – MTV @ 10/9c
- *New* – Jimmy Kimmel Live – ABC @ 1:36AM/12:36AMc
- *New* – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC @ 12:37AM/11:37PMc
- *New* – Millionaire Matchmaker (#505) – Bravo @ 9/8c
- *New* – Project Runway (#908-90) – Lifetime @ 9/8c (90-Minute New Episode)
- *New* – Russian Dolls (#106-30) – Lifetime @ 11:30/10:30c
- *New* – The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – CBS @ 1:37AM/12:37AMc
- *New* – The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – NBC @ 11:35/10:35c
Friday
Friday features 1 season premiere & 4 season finales. To read more about it, click the link below. Otherwise, check out tonight’s schedule!
Click here for premiere & finale information
Tonight is also the season finales of 4 shows. First up, it’s the finales of 24/7 on HBO and Karaoke Battle USA on ABC, both at 9/8c. Then at 10/9c, it’s the finale of Roseanne’s Nuts on Lifetime, and at 10:30/9:30c, it’s the finale of Sugar High on Food Network.
Click here for “late night” guests schedules
Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) & Anthony Head (Free Agents, Merlin, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) are two of the guests on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, on CBS at 1:37AM/12:37AMc.
Also on tonight:
- *Season Finale* – 24/7 (#1204) – HBO @ 9/8c
- *Season Finale* – Karaoke Battle USA (#106) – ABC @ 9/8c
- *Season Finale* – Roseanne’s Nuts (#116-30) – Lifetime @ 10/9c
- *Season Finale* – Sugar High – Food Network @ 10:30/9:30c
- *Season Premiere* – Star Wars: The Clone Wars (#401/402) – Cartoon Network @ 8/7c (1-Hour Season Premiere)
- *New* – American Restoration (#124) – History Channel @ 10/9c
- *New* – Four Weddings (#318) – TLC @ 10/9c
- *New* – Haven (#210) – Syfy @ 10/9c
- *New* – Jimmy Kimmel Live – ABC @ 1:36AM/12:36AMc
- *New* – Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC @ 12:37AM/11:37PMc
- *New* – Man, Woman, Wild (#203) – Discovery Channel @ 9/8c
- *New* – One Man Army (#109) – Discovery Channel @ 10/9c
- *New* – Paranormal Challenge (#111-60) – Travel Channel @ 11/10c
- *New* – Real Time with Bill Maher (#224/927) – HBO @ 10/9c
- *New* – Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta (#216) – TLC @ 9/8c
- *New* – Strike Back (#105) – Cinemax @ 10/9c
- *New* – The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson – CBS @ 1:37AM/12:37AMc
- *New* – The Soup – E! @ 10/9c
- *New* – The Tonight Show with Jay Leno – NBC @ 11:35/10:35c
Saturday
Saturday is the season premiere of Blue Mountain State on Spike TV at 11/10c.
Also on tonight:
- *Season Premiere* – Blue Mountain State (#301) – Spike TV @ 11/10c
- *New* – Doctor Who (#611) – BBC America @ 9/8c
That’s it! Hope you all have a great week!
— Jenny