Brief SURF today as I’m one of the non-SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE fans and tonight is that show’s big season finale.
TOP CHEF D.C.: The show is really trying my patience because the inept chefs manage to skate by elimination. I’m referring to Amanda and Alex. How are either of them still in this competition when neither of them can turn out a good dish and Alex is so horribly obnoxious to boot? When Amanda couldn’t cook meat last night, I yelled at the TV in frustration. The chef who was eliminated was an out-of-the-blue choice that just didn’t make much sense. I’m this far into the cycle so I won’t stop watching now but the show is really aggravating.
WHITE COLLAR: Hilarie Burton impressed everyone who watched this week’s episode and the good news is she’ll be around in more episodes in the latter half of this season. I’m consistently impressed by WHITE COLLAR because the stories and writing continue to sharpen and the relationship between Neal and Peter has more depth this season. I also love that they’re giving Mozzie more to do; he’s an audience fave and Willie Garson can do no wrong in my book. What I like best though, is that the show’s plots continue to be clever and engaging without being crazily intricate. WHITE COLLAR and TNT’s LEVERAGE are both engaging, fast-paced caper shows. Perfect for summer viewing.
PROJECT RUNWAY: Whose idea was it to make this show 90 minutes? Worst idea ever. It was too long at one hour; dragging it out doesn’t make matters better. I’ve been recording it and fast-forwarding through quite a bit of the apartment footage. Note to Lifetime execs: the show was terrific on Bravo; revert to that format and let it be.
PROFESSIONAL FASHION ON TV: I adored Sundance Channel’s THE DAY BEFORE series which chronicled various designers in the days leading up to their runway shows. The show will return with new episodes in September, just in time for Fashion Week; the list of upcoming episodes is below. In another just announced fashion note, the Sundance Channel wisely signed up Joe Zee, ELLE magazine’s Creative Director, to produce and star in a show titled ALL ON THE LINE. Fashion bible WWD reports “the show will follow designers at the brink of disaster until Zee intervenes with a “tough love regimen.” Eight episodes will air on the Sundance Channel.
Full Frontal Fashion’s The Day Before on Sundance Channel:
Wednesday, September 8th – The Day Before – Diane von Furstenberg – 10pm e/p
Thursday, September 9th – The Day Before – Versace – 10pm e/p
Friday, September 10th – The Day Before – Alexander Wang – 10pm e/p
Saturday, September 11th – The Day Before – Narciso Rodriguez – 10pm e/p
Sunday, September 12th – The Day Before – Nina Ricci – 10pm e/p
Monday, September 13th – The Day Before – Jeremy Scott – 10pm e/p
RE-RERUNS: The Day Before Season One: I believe these will air Saturday September 11:
The Day Before – Sonia Rykiel – 2:00pm e/p
The Day Before – Proenza Schouler – 3:00pm e/p
The Day Before – Fendi by Karl Lagerfeld– 4:00pm e/p
The Day Before – Jean Paul Gaultier – 5:00pm e/p
TODAY’S SURF WRITTEN WHILE LISTENING TO: Samples of Marc Cohn’s new record “Listening Booth: 1970″ – I like Cohn’s voice and he does a great duet with Aimee Mann on Badfinger’s “No Matter What” – you can listen to samples on website and you can purchase the record there too: http://marccohn.net/?page=music
Tonight’s rundown: there are NEW episodes of BURN NOTICE, REAL HOUSEWIVES OF D.C., ROYAL PAINS and JERSEY SHORE tonight.
ABC: 8:00 p.m. Wipeout (R) 9:00 p.m. Rookie Blue 10:00 p.m. Boston Med (season finale)
I hear a face transplant is one of the cases in tonight’s season finale of BOSTON MED.
CBS: 8:00 p.m. Big Brother 9:00 p.m. CSI (R) 10:00 p.m. The Mentalist (R)
NBC: 8:00 p.m. Community (R) 8:30 p.m. 30 Rock (R) 9:00 p.m. The Office (R) 9:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation (R) 10:00 p.m. Law & Order: SVU (R)
FOX: 8:00 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance (2 hour season finale)
THE CW: 8:00 p.m. The Vampire Diaries (R) 9:00 p.m. Moonlight (R)
Lifetime: 9pm: Project Runway – Betsey Johnson is the guest judge in tonight’s episode.
USA: 9pm: Burn Notice, 10pm: Royal Pains
On BURN NOTICE: Michael infiltrates a high-security prison in order to protect an inmate (a good friend of Sam’s) who is marked for death by a fellow prisoner.
On ROYAL PAINS: When two lottery winners arrive in the Hamptons, Hank treats them both for conditions that appear to be related to their newly lavish lifestyle.
Bravo: 9pm: Real Housewives of D.C., Bethenny Getting Married: Lost Footage
Comedy Central: 10pm: Futurama
MTV: 10pm: Jersey Shore
TLC: 9pm: American Chopper: Senior vs. Junior: (series premiere), 10pm: BBQ Pit Masters (season premiere)
Showtime: 10pm: Penn & Teller: Bullshit season finale
WE: 10pm: Raising Sextuplets (season finale)
That’s a wrap for now.
