Walkout (HBO, 8 p.m. ET)
Premiere. Moctesuma Esparza, a leader in the 1968 Chicano Student Walkouts in East Los Angeles, in which hundreds of students simultaneously marched out of five Eastside high schools to protest racial
prejudices in the city's school system and the dire conditions in their school buildings, is an executive producer of this autobiographical drama based on his experiences. Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica)
directs. Michael Pena, Alexa Vega, Laura Harring and Bodie Olmos (Edward's son) star.
SUNDAY, MARCH 19
The Sopranos (HBO, 9 p.m. ET)
Don't miss Edie Falco's Emmy-worthy performance in this episode, much of it centered on Carmela's emotional vigil by Tony's
side in his hospital room. Many of those scenes, in which the grisly details of Tony's gunshot wound are revealed, make clear how a bullet can destroy a body, and they are a reminder that the realities of such injuries are rarely depicted on television shows, including gruesome procedural crime dramas.
Perfect Disaster (Discovery Channel, 9 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. Two Episodes. This six-part series uses CGI effects and computer models to depict the probable impact of different types of "perfect storms" in six different cities. Tonight, a mammoth tornado
hits Dallas and a solar storm leads to a blackout in New York City. In the weeks ahead, viewers will see a typhoon destroy Hong Kong, a flood wipe out London, a firestorm in Sydney and an ice storm bring life in Montreal to a virtual standstill.
The Surreal Life (VH1, 9 p.m. ET)
Season Premiere. Steve Harwell of Smashmouth, Sherman Hemsley of The Jeffersons, Whitesnake video vixen Tawny Kitaen, C.C. DeVille of Poison, Playboy covergirl Andrea Lowell and Alexis
Arquette are the latest batch of somewhat famous people to subject themselves to bizarre round-the-clock scrutiny as housemates in this cheesy VH1 franchise. Brady Bunch mom Florence Henderson is also on hand as full-time advisor to this batty batch. There were rumors months ago that former American Idol contestant Corey Clark (the one who made those
tawdry accusations against Paula Abdul) would be a surprise roommate this season. We haven't seen this episode, but we have been told that the cast chooses the seventh roommate from a "pool of former reality hunks in a Fifteen More Minutes of Fame Pageant." Perhaps that's where Clark comes in.
Hollywood Science: Car Chases (National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m. ET)
Premiere. Top filmmakers including James
Cameron (Titanic) and Jan de Bont (Speed) reveal how daring movie car chases are actually executed.
Big Storm: The Lynndie England Story (Sundance Channel, 9 p.m. ET)
U.S. Premiere. Sundance Channel tonight will mark the third anniversary of the war in Iraq with four films that address controversial
issues relating to the conflict. The first is a portrait of Lynndie England, who became the American solider most identified with the international scandal that arose following the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. Included: interviews with Janis Karpinski, the Army Reservist who was the
commanding general of Abu Ghraib; investigative reporter Seymour Hirsh, who wrote at length about the abuse and its aftermath in The New Yorker, and England herself. Dutch filmmaker Twan Huys directed.
Occupation: Dreamland (Sundance Channel, 10 p.m. ET)
U.S. Premiere. Filmmakers Garrett Scott and Ian Olds chronicle the experiences of eight men from the Army's 82nd Airborne
Division in Falluja throughout a six-week period in early 2004, during their always-hazardous patrols and back at their barracks, a former resort now known as Dreamland.
Torture: The Guantanamo Guidebook (Sundance Channel, 11:30 p.m. ET)
If you have ever wondered what actually goes on at the United States detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, this documentary
will be a riveting eye-opener. Seven British men volunteer to be detained for 48 hours in conditions very similar to those at Guantanamo, where they are subjected to the discomfort and humiliation of by-the-book information-seeking by former U.S. military interrogators known as Team Delta.
Embedded/Live (Sundance Channel, 12:30 a.m. ET)
Sundance Channel's night of films exploring issues raised by the Iraq War concludes with this film of Academy Award-winner Tim
Robbins' controversial stage satire about an invasion by United States military forces of a rogue Mideast nation called Gomorrah.
MONDAY, MARCH 20
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (Disney Channel, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Disney Channel every night this week will present original episodes of Suite Life at 6:30 p.m. ET. In tonight's episode, the
mischievous twins damage a wall at the Tipton Hotel and Mr. Moseby decides they should repair it themselves. Tomorrow, Cody and Zack run opposite each other for class president. In Wednesday's episode, Mr. Moseby's overbearing big brother visits the Tipton. On Thursday, Cody is
forced to take wood shop with Zack, and on Friday, Maddie prepares for her sweet-sixteen party. Read Maya Motavalli's interview with Suite Life stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse here.
Prison Break (Fox, 8 p.m. ET)
Return. As last fall's surprise hit resumes, it's
the eve of Lincoln's execution and Michael's escape plan is suddenly compromised.
24 (Fox, 9 p.m. ET)
This show has been the most exciting series on television this year -- but compassion fatigue is starting to set in after the
violent deaths of four long-time characters, including the very popular Edgar. Let's see if the producers can go a full hour without killing someone we love. Watch yourself, Chloe! Please!
Beautiful People (ABC Family, 9 p.m. ET)
Lynn gives in to her feelings for Julian and spends a romantic afternoon with him, Karen uses Ben's invitation to a posh party to
gain admittance and takes an interest in the party's host, leading to an uncomfortable encounter with Ben, and the Kerrs experience their first winter snow storm since moving to Manhattan. Daphne Zuniga stars.
Naked Science: Death of the Sun (National Geographic Channel, 9 p.m. ET)
U.S. Premiere. One day the sun will burn out and all life on Earth will cease to exist. Fortunately, scientists don't expect
that to happen for billions of years. But they've been wrong before. Tune in and get the details.
Al Roker Investigates: Meth, Murder & Madness (Court TV, 11 p.m. ET)
Premiere. Today weatherman Al Roker doesn't simply host this program -- he gets involved on camera in the research
and interviews that are part of the show. In this episode, that includes riding along with police as they train to bust potentially explosive meth labs and talking with officials in charge of this true war on drugs. Meth is short for methanphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant made with ingredients that can be purchased in supermarkets. On the rise in small towns across the country, meth
drives its users to extremes, including murder, to support their lethal new habit. And it takes a particularly horrific toll on the addicted, literally melting parts of their bodies after prolonged periods of use.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
Blow Out (Bravo, 9 p.m. ET)
Season Premiere. As the third season begins, hairstylist to the stars and Beverly Hills entrepreneur Jonathin Antin learns
about the responsibilities of fatherhood, launches new products, finds a new therapist and attempts to set sales records during a two-hour appearance on QVC.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (VH1, 9 p.m. ET)
Premiere. Taped March 13 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, the annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
ceremony marks the inductions of Black Sabbath, Blondie, Miles Davis, Lynryd Skynyrd and the Sex Pistols. A&M Records founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss receive Lifetime Achievement honors in the non-performer category. Metallica, Sting, Kid Rock, Shirley Manson and Herbie Hancock
appear. Included: a tribute to New Orleans featuring Buckwheat Zydeco, Allen Toussaint and Elvis Costello.
Hi-Jinks (Nick at Nite, 9:30 p.m. ET)
Jon Cryer of CBS' Two and a Half Men pulls a prank on young Angus T. Jones, who plays his son on that show. After agreeing to sign autographs for fans, Angus finds that he is asked to sign increasingly
bizarre items. In other segments, a dump truck destroys a teenager's dream car and a parrot in a pet store insults passing kids.
Boston Legal (ABC, 10 p.m. ET)
Shirley (Candice Bergen) and her ex-husband Ivan (Tom Selleck) work together on a divorce case involving a Victorian-era
collection of erotica; Paul (Rene Auberjonois) struggles to balance work with caring for his three-year-old granddaughter, and Catherine (Betty White) helps her 83-year-old friend Adele escape from the hospital.
The Shield (FX, 10 p.m. ET)
Season Finale. Ninety Minutes. Kavanaugh moves in on Corrine and makes one last Herculean effort to bring down Mackey as
season five reaches what will certainly be an explosive cliffhanger. The Shield is scheduled to return for its sixth and final season in January.
Nashville Star (USA Network, 10 p.m. ET)
Live. Ninety Minutes. Larry the Cable Guy sits in as guest judge, Gretchen Wilson performs and one of the remaining nine aspiring country superstars is told to hit the road.
The Real Housewives of Orange County (Bravo, 10 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. It's like MTV's Laguna Beach, but with old people. Five sophisticated women -- some married, some single, most of them mothers -- are the subjects of Bravo's latest reality
docudrama, set in an exclusive gated neighborhood in picturesque Southern California described as one of the most stylish communities in the country. This is yet another of those shows that seeks to prove it ain't easy being rich (and makes having money look not so great), but viewers may enjoy watching these ladies balance careers, motherhood and the demands of trophy wifedom with the rigors of diamond parties and Botox sessions.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22
TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (Nick at Nite and TV Land, 9 p.m. ET)
Premiere. The casts and crews of Cheers, Batman, Good Times and Dallas are honored in special categories during TV Land's annual awards extravaganza. Scheduled to appear: Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt and
Rhea Perlman of Cheers; Adam West and Burt Ward of Batman; John Amos, Jimmy "JJ" Walker, Ja'net Dubois, BernNadette Stanis, Johnny Brown and Ralph Carter of Good Times and Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Charlene Tilton, Steve Kanaly, Susan Howard,
Ken Kercheval and Mary Crosby of Dallas. Megan Mullally is the host. Taped March 19 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
Suburban Shootout (Oxygen, 9 p.m. ET)
U.S. Premiere. Seemingly ordinary housewives lead clandestine criminal lifestyles in this darkly funny British import. The focus
is on two malicious, power-hungry women: Camilla, the leader of a female mob that holds every shop in town in their collective grip of terror, and her former best friend Barbara, now determined to protect the town from Camilla and her gang.
Unanimous (Fox, 9:30 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. In what may be the worst idea for a new reality series this season, nine people are locked in an underground
bunker and must all agree on which one of them will receive $1.5 million before they can be released. Which means if they all agree in the first episode, the show's over.
Heist (NBC, 10 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. Doug Liman (the director of Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Go) created this serialized drama about a team of expert burglars attempting one of the biggest heists in history: The simultaneous
robbery of three jewelry stores on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The series also follows the lead detective of the LAPD's Robbery/Homicide Division as she heads up a special task force to investigate robberies committed by this group. As the top thief and the lead detective draw ever closer, romance ensues. Written by Mark and Robb Cullen (FX's Lucky). Dougray Scott, Steve Harris, Seymour Cassel and Michele Hicks star.
The Evidence (ABC, 10 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. Orlando Jones and Rob Estes star as best friends and long-time partners in the San Francisco Police Department
in a procedural crime drama that presents all of the evidence needed to solve the crime of the week at the start of each episode. In the opener they investigate the murder of a pretty young pharmacist. Martin Landau co-stars.
South Park (Comedy Central, 10 p.m. ET)
Season Premiere. Cartman and Co. begin their tenth season minus one long-running character -- smooth-talking Chef. Isaac Hayes, the man who has given voice to Chef since the show began back in 1997, recently
quit in a snit over an episode last fall that lambasted Scientology. (You can read Ed Martin's review of that episode here.) Hayes, a Scientologist, complained that series writers and executive producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone had disrespected religion in that episode, or some such nonsense. Did Hayes not notice the ongoing and very thorough (and often very funny) trashing of Jews, Christians and Muslims throughout the many years he worked on this series?
Living in TV Land: William Shatner (TV Land, 11 p.m. ET)
Premiere. The life of actor William Shatner is reviewed via comedic biographical spoken-word songs performed by
Shatner (from his album Has Been) and footage of the actor going about his everyday life, which includes his recent win at the Emmy Awards, working on the set of his ABC series Boston Legal, making appearances at Star Trek conventions, competing in a Hollywood horse show riding competition and attending the birth of his granddaughter.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
Supergroup (VH1, 10 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. Five hard-rock icons come together to create a new super-band. Over the course of the series Ted Nugent,
Sebastian Bach, Scott Ian, Evan Seinfeld and Jason Bonham spend two weeks together in Las Vegas taking instruction from legendary rock manager Doc McGhee, charged with transforming them into a mighty group. The series will culminate with a concert at Vegas' Empire Ballroom.
The Showbiz Show with David Spade (Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m. ET)
Season Premiere. Actor and comedian
David Spade continues his reign of terror in Hollywood, snidely ripping apart everyone and everything in a determined effort to never work in that town again.
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
Cow Belles (Disney Channel, 8 p.m. ET)
Premiere. Alyson Michalka (Phil of the Future) and her sister Amanda, known to young music fans as the singing
duo Aly & AJ, star in this Disney Channel Original Movie as wealthy and pampered teenagers put to work by their father at his thriving dairy business. It's all very Simple Life, until someone cleans out the company's funds and the girls take it upon themselves to step up and save the day.
Hannah Montana (Disney Channel, 9:30 p.m. ET)
Series Premiere. Following the mega-success of High School Musical, Disney Channel presents an ongoing weekly series filled with musical sequences that could have kids racing to iTunes. Miley Cyrus,
daughter of country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus, stars as Miley Stewart, a talented teen who leads a secret double life as international pop singer named Hannah Montana. At home in Malibu with her brother and father Miley enjoys the life of an anonymous thirteen year old -- but once she dons Hannah's signature blond wig she becomes a sought after superstar with legions of fans who enjoys the perks of stardom. Only her dad, her brother and her best friends Lilly and Oliver
know her secret. Billy Ray plays Miley's father and manager. Eleven-year-old television critic Maya Motavalli asserts that Hannah Montana "has the makings of a great Disney Channel show. Miley Cyrus is a great singer and actor." Significantly, Maya says the songs in the show are "awesome," adding, "I can't get them out of my head." (Perhaps that's because she's always attached to her iPod.) Watch MediaVillage for an upcoming interview with Miley Cyrus.
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