what to watch this weekend: 12/18-12/20

MUST WATCH:

ABC Family: Pixar Short Films at 10p on Friday

SEASON PREMIERES:
TLC: Four Weddings at 10p on Friday
E!: Kendra at 9p on Sunday

SEASON FINALES:
TLC: Say Yes to the Dress at 9p on Friday

CBS: Survivor: Samoa at 8p on Sunday

what to watch tonight: Thursday the 17th.

HOLIDAY SPECIALS:
NBC: SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas at 8p [click for promo]

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Bravo: Real Housewives of Orange County at 10p; Watch What Happens Live (one hour episode! with Sarah Jessica Parker!) at 12a

Guest Blogger: Michelle: Men of a Certain Age

As a woman of a certain age, I wasn’t sure I was the demographic this show was aiming for. But, I have to say, after viewing the first two episodes this show is going to remain on my DVR record list.

There are three main characters, Joe (Ray Romano), Owen (Andre Braugher) and Terry (Scott Bakula). They’re friends from college and have had varying successes in their lives. Terry is a has-been actor still doing temp office work to pay the bills between acting gigs, Owen works as a car salesman at the dealership owned by his father and Joe owns a party supply store and is separated from his wife. Doesn’t sound like must-see television, does it? Trust me, it is. Joe is also a compulsive gambler, Owen is trying to balance providing for his family and working for his father and Terry is still trying to get back into the acting game. Finally, a one hour drama where the men can be flawed, damaged, weak and floundering, but are still men! Not one of these characters is perfect, physically or emotionally. How refreshing!

I am not a big Ray Romano fan, but I have to say that his performance in the first two episodes has pleasantly surprised me. He plays Joe’s sadness and confusion about the future of his marriage in a subtle and believable way. Underlying all that is the fact that he is a compulsive gambler, which is what destroyed his marriage. I have to say I am impressed with how complex all the characters are across the board. Andre Braugher also gives an impressive performance. As a fan of his work, I’m used to seeing him play strong, outspoken, assertive characters. In this show he is beaten down by his overbearing and ambitious father/boss and he plays it brilliantly. Scott Bakula is also impressive playing the aging actor. He imbues Terry with a quiet desperation that is only too prevalent out here in LA, yet he also manages to make Terry sympathetic and likable at the same time. All three men are able to portray flawed characters in a very real way and you feel like you’re a fly on the wall watching three real friends going through their day.

Men of a Certain Age may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the writing is intelligent, complex and realistic and the acting is top notch. And I for one am always encouraged when I see shows that highlight characters that are older than 25 years old. If you don’t have a show you already watch or TiVo on Monday nights at 10pm ET, I suggest you give this show a whirl! - Michelle Sekine

Mondays at 10p ET on TNT

Tonight: Launch My Line

It's been 3 weeks with Bravo's "new hit" Launch My Line. I wanted to give it a chance; I really wanted to like it. But after 3 weeks, I've gotta say what I said after week 1: it's not Project Runway.

I feel like it's probably a pretty obvious comparison, but who are we kidding? It's a show about fashion, with a work room, designers (and experts), gay men giving advice, and a runway finish each week that chooses the best and the worst designs. Sounds familiar. Sounds very familiar. (like the Russ that Rachel dates after Ross on Friends.)

When Project Runway started, it was very edgy. Cool shots of New York City... A behind the scenes look at what it takes to start a fashion line that matters. We saw the sweat that went into the creation of, as Tim would say, very fashion forward pieces. It was aspirational. If the designers were impressive, we looked forward to rooting for them each week. If the designers were terrible, we looked forward to Heidi's "auf wiedersehen." The casting was brilliant in those first seasons. "What happened to Andre??" - still a favorite quotable moment. And Tim was always so charming.

So what happened [to Project Runway]? Well this year, I personally couldn't grasp watching Tim and Heidi all packaged up in Lifetime wrapping. The red carpet stuff was very lame. The voice in all of the promos was misplaced. Nothing about watching Lifetime felt right. And the show itself didn't feel the same. Leaving NYC to bring the work room to L.A. made Project Runway feel like a TV show. Now instead of getting a glimpse at passionate designers struggling to make something new and different, we watched three average Janes make clothes in front of a camera. The challenges started slipping a couple seasons back when the product placement settled in. But even more, with movie themed fashion challenges on Lifetime, (I hate to say it but..) Project Runway lost it's mojo. In it's prime [on Bravo], Project Runway, was my favorite show - We all have our favorite shows. But at some point, the idea gets tired, or the characters get married, whatever it is, time goes by, and we have to move on [to Launch My Line].

This time around, Launch My Line (like The Fashion Show) feels like a TV show. It's the same formula with a little bit of a twist. This time around we have a group of people who have had very successful careers in different areas, but now think that they deserve a fashion line. (And they've been paired with experts who will do all the actual construction for them.) I feel like the concept lacks passion, as well as inspiration. The "designers" don't really know what they're doing. (However, in their defense, the rules and the challenges kind of suck. They had to pick out all of their fabric the first week, and I feel that telling them what type of piece to make every week doesn't really let them design much of anything. Very odd.) Also, the strange set up has been cast with a much older group than [that other show] ever had. Sigh. I don't believe that I'm the only one feeling like I just want to see struggling designers who really want to make it. These "designers" have had other jobs. When they get auf'd - oops, I mean - when their line gets dropped, they've still got a way to pay the bills. They don't need to look up to D-squared like Christian needed to look up to Tim. And there's no fun in that!

Let's end on a positive note. Launch My Line has it's watchable points. Not being Project Runway, these designers and their experts are trying to make one cohesive line. It's interesting to look at what they've put together thus far all in one rack, and to decide if they are staying focused. I have trouble with the fact that each challenge is steering the look, and the line. (As well as finding anyone I really like.) But I'll give it another shot next week. For now, as D-squared said, "Interesting doesn't always mean fabulous."

Last Night: Bad Girls Club

I know, I know. I know. It's so bad. But I can't help it. I just keep watching. (I'm not alone. Bad Girls Club viewer numbers went up 28% from last week!) Do that many people like drama? Hm. I don't think so. I think it's just a guilty pleasure type of thing.

It's no good. We know it. But we keep watching. Because it's shocking. It's unbelievable.. My eyes are wide open at almost every episode's finish! What??

These girls are nuts. Or they've just got a lot more anger than anyone I've ever known. Wow. Florina and Natalie's "there's no point in being nice to people" talk was my favorite. Insane. I'm speechless.

what to watch tonight: Wednesday the 16th.

TONIGHT'S FINALES:
FOX: So You Think You Can Dance at 8p
Syfy: Ghost Hunters at 9p; Ghost Hunters Academy at 10p
FX: Nip/Tuck at 10p

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Bravo: Top Chef: Las Vegas Reunion at 9p; Launch My Line at 10p

READER'S CHOICE:
CBS: New Adventures of Old Christine at 8p
NBC: The Sing-Off at 8p; Jay Leno Show at 10p

what to watch tonight: Tuesday the 15th.

HOLIDAY SPECIALS:

ABC: Charlie Brown Christmas at 8p

TONIGHT'S SPECIALS:
FOX: Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live at 9p

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
A&E: Psychic Kids at 9p; Paranormal State at 10p

TONIGHT'S FINALES:
FOX: So You Think You Can Dance Part 1 at 8p

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Bravo: Tabatha's Salon Takeover at 10p
Oxygen: Bad Girls Club at 10p

what to watch tonight: Monday the 14th.

THIS WEEK:
The CW is airing a Vampire Diaries marathon all week long. I'm not so into vampire stuff, so I will only be catching a glimpse as I flip through the channels. Sorry! Cool idea though!

HOLIDAY SPECIALS:
ABC: Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home for Christmas at 8p
FOX: Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special at 8p

TONIGHT'S PREMIERES:
NBC: The Sing-Off at 8p
E!: Bank of Hollywood at 10p

TiVo SEASON PASS:
Bravo: Chef Academy at 10p