TV with MeeVee

CBS Announces Premiere Dates

Premiere week lives, sorta, on CBS, which announced its fall launch dates. Most of them come the week of Sept. 23, but "Survivor: Gabon" (in HD!) goes the week before, and a few shows have been moved into early October to make room for scheduled presidential debates. Here's the release:

CBS ANNOUNCES 2008-2009 PREMIERE DATES
Pre-Season Launch for "Survivor: Gabon" on Thursday, Sept. 18

Monday Comedies, Including the Series Debut of "Worst Week" and the Night's Top Drama "CSI: Miami," Premiere Sept. 22

"NCIS," Freshman Drama "The Mentalist" and "Without a Trace" (On Its New Night) Premiere Tuesday, Sept. 23

CBS's New Wednesday Comedy Block of "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and Freshman "Project Gary," Along with Returning Dramas "Criminal Minds" and "CSI: NY," Premiere Sept. 24

"60 Minutes," "The Amazing Race," "Cold Case" and "The Unit,"
Premiere Sunday, Sept. 28

CBS's Friday Lineup Including "Ghost Whisperer," Freshman Drama
"The Ex List" and "Numb3rs" Return Oct. 3

"CSI" and New Drama "Eleventh Hour" Premiere Thursday, Oct. 9

CBS today announced dates for the fall premieres of its new and returning series, which include a pre-season debut for SURVIVOR: GABON and the launch of its Thursday and Friday drama series in early October. The Network will introduce the majority of its schedule beginning Monday, Sept. 22, the official start of the 2008-2009 season.

For the seventh consecutive season, SURVIVOR: GABON, the 17th installment of the hit reality series, will debut a week prior to the formal start of the season, returning on Thursday, Sept. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).

CBS's new season rollout officially begins on Monday, Sept. 22 with the second season premiere of THE BIG BANG THEORY (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT), the fourth season debut of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT), the sixth season premiere of television's Number One comedy TWO AND A HALF MEN (9:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT), the debut of new comedy WORST WEEK (9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and the seventh season premiere of CSI: MIAMI (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT), the night's Number One drama.

NCIS begins its sixth season on Tuesday, Sept. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), followed by the new drama THE MENTALIST (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and the seventh season premiere of WITHOUT A TRACE on its new night (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

CBS premieres its new Wednesday comedy block on Sept. 24 with the fourth season of THE NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT) and new comedy PROJECT GARY (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT), followed by the fourth season of CRIMINAL MINDS (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and the fifth season premiere of CSI: NY (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

Premiering on Sunday, Sept. 28 is the 41st season of 60 MINUTES, the longest running and highest rated newsmagazine (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT), the 13th edition of multi-Emmy Award winning THE AMAZING RACE (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), the sixth season of COLD CASE (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) and the fourth season premiere of THE UNIT on its new night (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

The Network's top-rated Friday lineup returns on Oct. 3 with the fourth season premiere of GHOST WHISPERER (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), the debut of the new drama THE EX LIST (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), followed by the fifth season premiere of NUMB3RS (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION returns for its ninth season on Thursday, Oct. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT), followed by the premiere of freshman drama ELEVENTH HOUR (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).

The premieres of the Thursday and Friday night dramas have been scheduled outside of premiere week to accommodate the scheduled presidential debate on Sept. 26 and a vice presidential debate on Oct. 2.

(The night-by-night lineup is after the jump.)

Morning Reading: Mo' "Monk" Mo' "Monk" Mo' "Monk"

First of all, I hope you read last night's hi-larious and right-on "American Idol" liveblog by our man Aaron. More entertaining than "Idol" itself, actually, and setting a high bar for me to clear tonight. But assuming you've done that, here's some more fodder to consume with your java:

• "Monk" with Tony Shalhoub (right) gets a seventh season, to bow this summer. (Hollywood Reporter)
• The 18-49 demographic beloved by advertisers loved "Knight Rider." Sigh. (TV Decoder)
• "The Amazing Race" and "Numb3rs" are among the pickups announced by CBS yesterday for the fall. (Buddy TV)
• Finale "Nip/Sucked." (TV Guide)
• Loving this season's "Lost." (Tifaux)

Weekend Picks: November 3-4

Desperate Housewives
Carlos leaves Edie; Susan's father turns out not to be dead; there's a surprise at a Halloween party.

The Simpsons
All new Treehouse Of Horror featuring parodies of Mr. And Mrs. Smith, E.T., and Se7en! It's the highlight of my TV week at least. Followed by an all-new "Family Guy" in which Stewie really does try to kill Lois.

Amazing Race
Season 12 kicks off Sunday night on CBS with 11 teams and a new song by Seal called  "Amazing." The married lesbian ministers look like they have a good chance, but the goths seem to be the most easily recognizable team.

Here's the Seal video:

MeeVee Video Top 5: Action - The Amazing Race, Prison Break, 24, and more

Car explosions, intense car chases, and monster football hits are just samples of the big-time action found in many of today's popular TV shows. With shows like 24 and Friday Night Lights, some TV shows are creeping up on Hollywood as big budget productions.  These heart-pounding shows are just constant reminders of how bland our lives truly are. That reminds us, we gotta go pick up our clothes at the dry cleaners.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars shows us that no matter what your age, gender, size, or sexual preference, when you have the chance to win money you'd do just about anything. Check out some of the highlights from previous shows.

We have the explosive interviews with the producers and director of 24. Get their take on the show everyone talks about Monday mornings at the water cooler. This week we also have full episodes of Friday Night Lights and behind-the-scenes of Rescue Me.

Finally, we have some hot yo-yo action. This guy can "walk the dog" and then some!

Weekend Picks: May 4-6

Saturday Night Live -- Best of 2006-07
All the best from the current season gets recapped. Included are Jake Gyllenhaal's Dreamgirls drag monologue and "Weekend Update" segments with Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers. If you don't watch SNL because it's only funny 10% of the time, this is that 10%.

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- The Final Leg
It's the end of the road for the all-stars. The final three teams cross the finish line to find out who wins the million-dollar grand prize. The tension is killing me!

Cold Case -- Stalker
The season finishes off with a bang: The Cold Case team is held hostage by a suicidal killer while they try to investigate the murder of an entire family.

Weekend Picks: April 27-29

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Leg 12
The final foursome heads to Guam, everyone's favorite vacation spot. Will Danny and Oswald pull out of last place? Will Danielle get whiny? Who knows?

Desperate Housewives -- Gossip
Gaby's engagement party is overshadowed by gossip over a dead body found in Mrs. McClusky's freezer! What's a girl to do? Susan gives up and flips a coin to choose between Ian and Mike.

Celebrity Fit Club -- Week 2
The soon-to-be-former-fatties head to Angeles National Forest for a team-building camping trip. No s'mores though. And in case we weren't scared enough, Screech talks about his sex tape.

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- The Claws Are Comin’ Out

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “We’re Here to Make Love, Not War”
First Aired: 4/15/07
Think it’s time for The Amazing Race: All-Stars to reach the final three teams?  Not so fast, sister; this week’s ho-hum episode didn’t eliminate any of the feuding teams. 

While Eric and Danielle did finish last, they aren’t down for the count yet. Next week, they’ll be marked for elimination, which really ought to bring out their warm and fuzzy sides. These two have looked miserable for the last several legs, and Dani even considered that maybe it wasn’t a good thing to still be in the running. Oh, those poor victims! It’s a dream opportunity for trillions, and all they can do is whine. Get rid of them already!

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Winners Become Losers

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “The Way You Look, Yeah”
First Aired: 4/8/07
This week, Amazing Race: All-Stars proved that being a cute blonde pays, and missing your flight does not. Not exactly earth-shattering revelations, I know.

Beauty queens Kandice and Dustin flashed enough smiles to the locals to score a first place finish, but former Amazing Race winners Uchenna and Joyce reached the end of the line. Although they were a much beloved team, it’s only fair that these two former victors will not be granted a repeat. Uchenna and Joyce will be missed for their positive outlook and kindness, but let’s face it -- it’s more fun to watch the back-stabbers anyway.

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- No Love for the Little People

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “If I Were In Town, I’d Ask for Your Number”
First Aired: 4/1/07
Mental note: Two hours of The Amazing Race: All-Stars is one hour too many. It turns out there really is too much of a good thing. That said, the show still rocks.

The teams flew from Africa to Poland, tuned pianos, ate piles of sausage, and generally made fools of themselves. This week, Team Guido and their drama queen ways were sent packin’. They arrived last in the first leg, and just couldn’t overcome their mark for elimination. But before the Guidos were finally axed, one of them bolted out onto a tarmac in an attempt to stop a plane. Go out with a bloody embarrassing bang, I say.

Amazing Race: All-Stars Preview -- I'm Not Budging 'Til You Stop That Plane!

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “If I Were In Town, I Would Ask For Your Number”
Airs: Sunday, April 1, 2007 on CBS
Are you ready for two hours of pure racing satisfaction? The Amazing Race is back this week with a special double dose. Fresh off the elimination of Teri and Ian, the show kicks into overdrive as tempers flare in Warsaw, Poland. One team gets a little “talk to the hand” treatment from some unfriendly locals, while another racer dares to run out onto the tarmac, attempting to stop a plane. Have they all gone mad?

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Screeching Girls Win Races

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “We’re Going to Trade You for Food”
First Aired: 3/25/07
Next week’s Amazing Race: All-Stars episode will have one less complaining agro male. Teri and Ian, the oldest competitors in this Race, met their timely demise in the latest installment. The self-professed harsh and opinionated Ian could usually be found barking orders to Teri and anyone unlucky enough to be within shouting distance, and in his immortal words, “I’m not sorry for it.” Karma’s a bitter pill, eh, Ian? You might want to try a kinder, gentler side sometime. It’s better than elimination.

Then again, Charla and Mirna keep winning, and they are anything but demure. Can someone please make these two stop shrieking for just one episode? Land sakes, they're annoying.

Amazing Race: All-Stars Preview: High Seas Terror and The Team That Gets Kicked Off a Plane

The Amazing Race All-Stars
Preview: “We’re Going to Trade You for Food Now”
Airs: Sunday, March 25, 2007
The Race hit mass chaos this week, but what about the next dish of drama? Watch this Sunday as one team member has a horrible experience on the high seas, and Dani and Eric get booted from a plane.  If that’s not enough excitement for you, don’t forget that Uchenna and Joyce are marked for elimination, and have to come in first to avoid the 30-minute penalty.  You’re going to chew your nails to a pulp.  We promise!

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Put a Sock in It, Frat Boy

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “You Need to Watch Your Jokes, Guy”
First Aired: 3/18/07
Last week’s joyous elimination of Rob and Amber is a tough act for Amazing Race: All-Stars to follow. A thrilling jaunt from the tip of Chile to the streets of Mozambique, couched by a nearly catastrophic last place finish of the only team to previously win the Race, Uchenna and Joyce, made for a damn fine effort. Much to everyone's delight, Phil revealed what most diehard Race fans had already tapped into: This was a non-elimination round. Okay, so it’s not quite the end of the most loathed reality couple ever, but that’s a minor quibble. This show just gets better and better!

Weekend Picks: March 16-18

Degrassi: The Next Generation -- High Fidelity
As the rambunctious class of '06 gets ready to *gasp* graduate, a former classmate stirs things up by re-enrolling.  Then there's poor Spinner -- his love life hits messy mode, and the world gets way too complicated.

Without a Trace -- Connections
A saucy young teen girl with a penchant for racy Web videos disappears, leaving behind several likely suspects.  Among the suspicious types are a state trooper and a couple of teens.  Who's behind this ugly act, and where is the video queen?

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- You Need to Watch Your Jokes, Guy
Eric and Team Guido butt heads as Charla and Mirna continue to yell at anything that moves.  Teams revel in the lack of Amber and Rob, and once again race through South America to avoid elimination.

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Journey to the End of Rob and Amber

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “No Babies on the Race”
First Aired: 3/11/07
OMG, pray tell this isn’t a cruel dream -- Rob and Amber are All-Stars no more!  Everybody’s most loathed reality TV couple lost their cool on this week’s Amazing Race: All-Stars, and shockingly, they were axed. It’s the end of Rob and Amber, at the end of the world -- "apropos" doesn’t really say it. In one of the greatest episodes in the Race’s history, the world watches greatness succumb to blatant arrogance. Ah, the sweet taste of a well-deserved elimination!

Weekend Picks: March 9-11

Wife Swap -- Slater/Williams
Cat fight, anyone?  An über-competitive ballroom dancing mom swaps places with a prison guard with a much looser view of parenting. One runs a tight ship, the other likes the Wild West. Recipe for disaster? No! Recipe for tantrums and tangos!

Grease: You're the One That I Want -- Episode 9
The remaining songbirds get a special visit from Academy Award-winning director Rob Marshall. Plus, one of the Dannys may get greased. Commence the heartbreaks and cry-fests.

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- No Babies on the Race
One of the hotsy-totsy power teams commits a major blunder and risks complete elimination. Charla and Myrna pick more fights, with other teams and themselves.  Drama!

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Ode to Kentucky

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: “I’m Sorry I’m Wearing a Bathing Suit. It’s Weird, I Know.”
First Aired: 3/4/07
Oh, the humanity! David and Mary -- aka Team Kentucky -- are gonesville from The Amazing Race All-Stars, and Race fans everywhere are in mourning. It's sad to see the Kentuckians depart so soon. No duo in the history of the game displayed more heart or kinder dispositions. But without the Brothers Cho, Kentucky flopped like a flounder out of the fish tank.

Weekend Picks: The Winner, Wife Swap, Amazing Race

The Winner - Series Premiere
Rob Courdry leverages his position of semi-notoriety as the bald correspondent on The Daily Show into a sitcom. Here he stars as a late bloomer -- by roughly 32 years. 

Wife Swap -  Baur/Fine
A "pirate-loving," haphazard mom switches places with a neurotically neat one.  Awkwardness Hilarity ensues.

Amazing Race: All-Stars - I'm Sorry I'm Wearing a Bathing Suit.  It's Very Weird, I Know.
The third stage of the game begins with a leisurely trip down some white-water rapids followed by a brisk climb up a 40-foot rock wall.

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Don't Mess With the Little People

Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: "Beauty is Sometimes Skin Deep"
First Aired: 2/25/07
New Yorkers Kevin and Drew were the second team to be eliminated in the CBS reality thriller, Amazing Race All-Stars. After numerous injuries, snafus, and bellyaches, the boys from Staten Island found themselves limping into last place. While their lackluster showing was far from surprising, this week’s episodes had plenty of claws and awes.

Weekend Picks: Feb. 23-26

79th Academy Awards
Ellen DeGeneres hosts the latest installment of the only awards show that anyone really cares about, live from the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. It's the Super Bowl of awards shows, where the year's greatest films battle for supremacy on the gridiron of Academy popularity.  Except, you know, with less action, more talking, and fewer entertaining commercials. But hey, at least it's still three hours long, right?

Grease: You're the One That I Want
Frankie Avalon, the Teen Angel himself, guest stars on this week's episode to try and squeeze one last rendition of "Beauty School Dropout" out of this franchise. Meanwhile, two more contestants are sent back to their respective community college drama courses after missing the cut.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars --  Beauty is Sometimes Skin Deep
With the first team already gone and forgotten, the second leg of the race begins in Ecuador. The remaining teams must race across a desert in 4x4's. One team gets stuck in neutral when they misread a vital clue. See, kids? Basic literacy does eventually pay off -- despite what Paris Hilton says!

Amazing Race: All-Stars -- Haircuts and Manicures

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Title: "I Told You: Less Martinis and More Cardio"
First Aired: 2/18/07
Everyone’s favorite global marathon debuted again Sunday night -- The Amazing Race is back, and this time it’s nothin’ but All-Stars. Rob and Amber, perhaps the most feared and universally loathed reality darlings, hit the mat first. John Vito and Jill, lovebirds who were no longer lovebirds and now might once again be lovebirds, were the first to be eliminated. We got horse hooves, angry words, and borderline breakdowns. And that’s just the first episode!

MeeVee Exclusive! Interview with Amazing Race Co-Creator Bertram van Munster

The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Premieres Sunday, Feb. 18 on CBS

Bertram van Munster is the Dutch-American television guru who, along with his wife Elise, created the highly addictive reality TV show The Amazing Race. After 11 heart-pounding seasons of globetrotting, Bertram's taking the field with his All-Star squad.

This Sunday, the latest around-the-world adventure begins. All the team members will be familiar faces -- previous winners, such as Uchenna and Joyce, along with notorious reality stars Rob and Amber. With these veteran competitiors, this season of Amazing Race promises to be more cutthroat, more tension-filled, and more intense than ever before. MeeVee sat down with Bertram van Munster to hear all the nail-biting details.

Weekend Picks: Feb. 16-18

Simpsons - Springfield Up
The Simpsons continues to deliver its brand of biting animated satire, family-friendly comedy and big-name guest stars even into its 18th season.  This week Eric Idol, of Monty Python fame, portrays a filmmaker returning to Springfield to see how the subjects of his documentary have grown.  Boy is he going to be impressed by how Homer’s grown!

Amazing Race: All-Stars - Season Premiere
If you haven’t yet had your fill of stereotypical contestants (blond white women are ditzy, we get it) racing around the world for one million dollars, get ready for a new season of The Amazing Race!  Winners of seasons past reunite for a chance at another big payday and even tougher mind-bending challenges!   

Beauty & The Geek - Season Finale
The third season of wraps up on Sunday, after an eleven hour marathon on MTV, but not before surprise visitors throw the final two teams for a loop and one contestant makes the ultimate sacrifice for the team.  After this episode, you’ll never look at your IT department the same way again! 

Casting Call: Are You the Ultimate Survivor?

Don't have the culinary skills to make it on Top Chef? Not enough of a traveler to make it through the Amazing Race? Only going to make it as a reject on American Idol? Ready to get your fifteen minutes of fame on the mother of all reality TV shows?

CBS 2 wants to know if you've got the goods to be the ultimate Survivor. That's right... it’s time for the Survivor 15 open call!

Casting Call: The Amazing Race 12

Have you ever watched Survivor and thought "Hey, I could do that, but I'd rather do it while seeing the world"?

Then look no further. The Amazing Race is holding open casting calls for its 12th season at five local CBS stations.

Amazing Race: Model/Addicts Win!

In a completely unprecedented finish, two hot, athletic guys win the tenth installment of The Amazing Race. What's that you say? This has happened before? The first, second, fourth, and ninth seasons? Wow. I guess putting all my money on 'Bama was a bad idea, then, huh?

Weekend Picks: Dec. 8-10

Las Vegas - Meatball Montecito
Mobster Jimmy "The Chin" Aversano (Vincent Pastore) buys a Montecito million-dollar wedding package -- including a personal performance by Wayne Newton -- for his spoiled daughter. But there are problems when Ed and Wayne can't get along. Meanwhile, Danny and Delinda find out that living together is tougher than they thought.

Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen
Disheartened Rusty Reindeer (voice of Fred Savage) is looking for the meaning of Christmas when he stumbles into a support group where the Easter Bunny, Cupid, and other down-and-out holiday icons congregate.

Amazing Race 10 - Say Your Deepest Prayers Ever
The final three teams -- Rob & Kimberly, Lyn & Karlyn, and Tyler & James -- race to the finish line, after traveling more than 40,000 miles in under 30 days, spanning four continents and 13 countries. Phil Keoghan is the host.

Amazing Race: You Say Tomato, I Say "I QUIT!"

The Amazing Race enters the home stretch 100% Blonde-free. The beauty queens are sent packing when they fail to either come in first (and thus avoid the 30-minute "marked for elimination" penalty) or gain a 30-minute advantage on another team. Instead, Dustin and Kandice finish dead last for the second week in a row.

Amazing Race: Karma Schmarma... It's a RACE, People!

In beautiful and somewhat desolate Ouarzazate, Morocco, this week's Amazing Race saw the Blondes behind, then ahead, then behind again, then finally marked for elimination. This was definitely the beauty queens' worst leg yet, and it amped up the drama tremendously! Dustin and Kandice had seemed destined for the finale -- if not the top spot. This episode, however, almost had them on a one-way trip back to the U.S.

Amazing Race: No Regrets... Except Losing a Million Dollars

The Amazing Race started where we left off last week, with the "To Be Continued...," not-so-much-a-cliffhanger ending. The teams are less than enthused that there's another leg to endure before any Philimination business can take place, but they take their lumps and get to business in Ukraine. Team Cho runs possibly the worst leg ever run in an Amazing Race, taking so many missteps along the way, it's shocking that they even make it to the mat for their inevitable ousting.

Amazing Race: The Neverending Raaay-yaaace, whoa-o-oh, ah-o-oh, ah-o-oh

It's that week on The Amazing Race. The week when you get all pepped and juiced by an exciting episode, only to get smacked with the dreaded "To Be Continued..." Now, you have to wait a whole 'nother week to find out who gets the chop.

On the positive side, this was arguably one of the more grueling episodes for racers. The "Keep On Racing!!!" directive will be met with grunts, for sure. That's something to look forward to!

Blogcritics: Amazing Race -- Yummy Yummy Cowlips in My Tummy

Written by Jackie

Six teams remain on The Amazing Race. Who will be eliminated next?

In last week's non-elimination leg, David and Mary were once again saved, but marked for elimination. They must finish in first place tonight or suffer a 30-minute penalty, which could very well cost them the game.

So, how did it all pan out?

Amazing Race: God Smiles on Kentucky, Smites No One

This week, The Amazing Race took the contestants to beautiful and exotic Mauritius. For those of you fortunate enough not to hear me screaming at the contestants on TV last night, Mauritius is pronounced "muh-rish-is," not "mar-it-E-us." Didn't anyone else watch Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (I *heart* Rockapella!)

After a relatively taxing leg, David and Mary -- King and Queen of Pokeytown, respectively -- are the last team to arrive on the mat. In a twist of fate suggesting that, while God may hate shrimp, He loves rednecks, Team Kentucky once again avoids elimination.

Amazing Race: The Good, the Bad, and the Nasty

The Amazing Race displayed the absolute best and worst of the race this week, with some brotherly love offered up by the Chos, and pushing, shoving, trash talk, and more attempted fake-outs offered by every other team. Eventually, though, poor navigation, rather than a fake-out, that led to Peter and Sarah's Philimination.

 

Reality Blogs.com: Week 5 TAR So Far

New Feature!

Each week,