While it’s understood that “Mad Men” isn’t an action/adventure series, last night’s season premiere could have used a bit more oomph. While highly dramatic and exceptionally written there was too much seed planting vs. movement. OK, so Draper’s wife, Betty, can flirt with a tow truck driver? We don’t really expect her to go beyond that red herring – this isn’t “Nip/Tuck” after all. What we can expect is Draper to get together with Betty’s former roommate who’s now a call girl since he handed her his card. Not that the show wasn’t a pleasure to watch through a Martini haze which is what the doctor ordered.
Oh, yeah, there’s this thing called the SAG and they still don’t have a contract. Saturday the SAG finally stated that what they won’t budge on is new media, since, obviously, content delivery and accessibility on DVD is going to become a secondary option in the near future.
There’s a lot of TV tonight for some reason – check out late night as well as primetime.
8:00pm Top Gear BBC America – James drives a 1970s Maserati Bora; a German-built Weissman MF3 is compared to a TVR Tuscan MKII; Jeremy drives a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow MK1 into a swimming pool.
9:00pm Surviving Sharks DISCOVERY – Les Stroud puts himself in harm’s way with some of the deadliest sharks. Shark Week is back! TV Junkie loves that the Discovery Channel’s home page title is “Discovery Channel: Science, History, Space, Tech, Sharks, News”
9:00pm The Recruiter HBO – Premiere. Sgt. 1st Class Clay Usie struggles to enlist soldiers into the U.S. Army in this documentary – part of HBO’s Monday Night Documentary Series.
9:00pm The Closer TNT – This week it’s “Cherry Bomb” which the TV Junkie had a chance to preview (thanks TNT) – it’s pretty good and a bit faster-paced than the first couple episodes this season (less character development of Brenda perhaps). This time Brenda suspects something more then suicide when a high-school girl is found hanged in her bedroom – she uncovers a ruthless sexual game being played at a private school. Wait, aren’t those the salad days we all look back on fondly?
10:00pm Chasing Churchill: In Search of My Grandfather PBS/KCET – The United States, the birthplace of Winston Churchill’s mother; Egypt; Churchill’s gift with words and passion for painting.
10:00pm Weeds SHOWTIME – Doug and Andy interview candidates for their human smuggling operation; Celia discovers inexpensive Mexican pharmacies – Acapulco Gold baby!
10:00pm Paranormal State A&E – Season Premiere. Ryan Buell investigates paranormal activity in a home in western Pennsylvania.
10:00pm Saving Grace TNT – Ham’s brother comes to visit before being deployed, Grace and Leon dream about each other, and TV Junkie dreams about Holly Hunter.
10:00pm The Mole ABC – Players are stunned when their whole world is turned upside down – really, this is the tagline for every week of the program.
11:35pm The Tonight Show With Jay Leno NBC – Animal handler Julie Scardina; actor Brendan Fraser; Gnarls Barkley performs.
1135pm The Late Show With David Letterman CBS – Actress Gillian Anderson; actor Simon Pegg; We Are Scientists perform. TV Junkie Late Night Pick
12:35am Late Night With Conan O’Brien NBC – Actor Kelsey Grammer; actress Keke Palmer; the Ting Tings perform.
Great White Shark pic via the Discovery Channel for “Shark Week”
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