Blogs

newsobserver.com blogs

What to Watch on Friday: From Goat Rodeo to Graceland

Finding Bigfoot: Further Evidence (8pm, Animal Planet) - Footage of what appears to be the eyes of Bigfoot brings the team to Kentucky to investigate reports of activity in Daniel Boone National Forest.

The Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Ricky, Stephen and Karl share their definitions of what it means to be an Englishman. Karl explains why, if he wasn't English, he'd rather be Italian.

Goat Rodeo Live (10pm, UNC-TV) - Classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma performs bluegrass with fiddler Stuart Duncan, bassist Edgar Meyer and Nickel Creek mandolin player Chris Thile at Boston's House of Blues.

Paul Simon's Graceland Journey: Under African Skies (10pm, A&E) - A look at the making of Paul Simon's album "Graceland" and the controversy over Simon's decision to collaborate with South African musicians despite a UN boycott against the country's apartheid regime.

What to Watch on Friday: Season 3 premiere of 'Ricky Gervais Show'

The Finder (8pm, Fox) - Walter's search for a missing husband and father, who is also sought by an FBI agent, hinges on a partial voice-mail recording of his last message to his family. Meanwhile, the case conjures up painful memories for Leo of his deceased wife and daughter.

The Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Topics for the third season premiere of this animated podcast include Karl's theory on museum collections, an invention for a mug coaster, and a fashion trend disappointment. Also, Karl's movie idea about a man whose brain is transplanted into Tom Cruise's body.

Supernatural (9pm, CW) - Sam and Dean reconnect with an old hunter friend who suddenly disappears in an abandoned house that is haunted by a powerful ghost.

Grimm (9pm, NBC) - Monroe and Rosalee hide a suspect in a string of murders from a creature bounty hunter.

In Plain Sight (10pm, USA) - Mary's fugitive father surfaces, putting Jinx and Brandi in danger and leaving Mary to wonder whom she can trust.

What to Watch on Friday: The beginning of the end of 'Friday Night Lights'

Friday Night Lights (8pm, NBC) - The premiere episode of the final season is finally on NBC, after everyone with DirecTV and a dvd player has already seen it. Tonight's episode opens with Coach Taylor trying to manage high expectations for the Lions' new season. Also, Vince and Luke recruit a new player and two more graduates head for college.

Shark Tank (8pm, ABC) - Can't get enough of this show. If you haven't seen it, just give one episode a shot. Tonight, the sharks are pitched aromatic lip gloss and a lighted decal invention. Also, one entrepreneur is deeply in debt to her brother and another wants to revive a once-prosperous keychain business. And we get an update from last season's "hands-free umbrella" idea.

Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Topics for tonight's second season finale include virtual reality, happiness, and Karl's wish for the British TV show, "Jim'll Fix It."

Fringe (9pm, Fox) - The team goes to extremes when time is running out to get William Bell's consciousness out of Olivia's body.

Sanctuary (10pm, Syfy) - For trespassing in Praxis, the team is sentenced to death, but Ranna needs Magnus to gain insights into Adam and the tremors that are affecting the city.

What to Watch on Friday: Karl Pilkington ponders the future

ACC Tournament (Noon, WRAL/ESPN2) - UNC and Miami start today's action at Noon. Then at 2pm, we get Clemson vs. Boston College, and at 7pm it's Duke vs. Maryland. The final game of the night, at 9pm, is Florida State vs. Virginia Tech/Ga Tech.

The Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - The topics of tonight's animated (and hilarious) podcast include Karl Pilkington's thoughts on academics' predictions for the future, and what the guys would do on the day the world ended.

Fringe (9pm, Fox) - The team investigates a gang of thieves who can defy gravity. Also, Walter assesses the harm he's caused to the fabric of the universe.

Law & Order: UK (9pm, BBC America) - A high-court judge is shot during what appears to be a carjacking, but the investigation implicates someone close to the victim.

Real Time with Bill Maher (10pm, HBO) - Guests are Bill T. Jones, Paul Begala, Tom Davis, and Dana Loesch.

What to Watch on Friday: Colin Powell honored at NAACP Image Awards

NAACP Image Awards (8pm, Fox) - Wayne Brady and Holly Robinson Peete host the 42nd annual gala, which honors achievements in the arts by people of color. Tyler Perry leads the field with 19 nominations. General Colin Powell (left) receives the President's Award for public service in the cause of civil rights. Fayetteville, N.C., native Affion Crockett is scheduled to appear.

Who Do You Think You Are (8pm, CBS) - Lionel Richie tracks his family history, focusing on his maternal grandmother's ancestry.

The Defenders (8pm, CBS) - Nick and Pete defend the son of a hotel owner who is accused of strangling a casino host in a hot tube. Meanwhile, a comic (Kathy Griffin) is sued for insulting an audience member.

Supernatural (9pm, CW) - Sam and Dean search for a deadly monster created by the Mother of All and are assisted in their hunt by Bobby and Samuel.

Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Topics include Karl's ideal height, a poem from Karl's diary about a bout with kidney stones, and Stephen's evening at a club in London.

Real Time with Bill Maher (10pm, HBO) - Guests are T.C. Boyle, Gloria Steinem, Gavin Newsom, Ezra Klein.

What to Watch on Friday: Belushi and Aykroyd together again (sort of)

The Defenders (8pm, CBS) - Nick (Jim Belushi) reluctantly defends a scornful judge, played by Dan Aykroyd, who is charged with multiple counts of drug possession.

Who Do You Think You Are (8pm, NBC) - The Vanessa Williams and Tim McGraw episodes this season have been great. Tonight, Rosie O'Donnell traces her roots, focusing on her late mother's life. The journey takes her to Ireland. There was a whole lot of crying in the previews.

Fringe (9pm, Fox) - Mysterious events lead to a woman in mourning over the death of her husband. Peter and Olivia try to bridge the emotional chasm between them.

Law & Order: UK (9pm, BBC America) - In an episode called "Masquerade," the stabbing of a student launches a probe that uncovers allegations of rape and murder.

Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Some of the topics on this hilarious show include Karl's bout with kidney stones, living things that resemble other things, and Noah's Ark.

Real Time with Bill Maher (10pm, HBO) - Guests are reporter Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, editor John Heilemann, talk-show host Tavis Smiley, and filmmaker Kevin Smith. Here's last week's Overtime, if you missed it.

What to Watch on Friday: Doomsday looms on 'Fringe'

UPDATED: At the last minute, The CW has bumped tonight's new episodes of "Smallville" and "Supernatural." Supernatural (8pm, CW) - Virgins mysteriously disappear, and Dean and Bobby learn that dragons are responsible for the kidnappings. Dean seeks out a weapon to slay the beasts, but he must prove himself worthy before he can claim it. Death tries to restore Sam's soul.

Fringe (9pm, Fox) - The doomsday device is assembled at Massive Dynamic, but a worried Walter asks Nina for help in understanding Peter's relationship to the weapon.

Piers Morgan Tonight (9pm, CNN) - Morgan interviews Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Colin Firth.

The Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Topics discussed tonight are animals and diseases, evolution, a domesticated housefly, films with subtitles, and the human anatomy.

Real Time with Bill Maher (10pm, HBO) - Guests are D.L. Hughley, former RNC chairman Michael Steele, Will Cain, Rep. Jack Kingston, and former Canadian prime minister Kim Campbell.

Free online: Season 2's premiere episode of HBO's 'Ricky Gervais Show'

Starting today, you can watch the entire first episode of Season 2 of HBO's "Ricky Gervais Show," a full week before its January 14 premiere date.

You can watch at iTunes, at HBO.com, or you click below to watch right here!

The show, which originated from a popular podcast, features the voices of Ricky Gervais, his longtime collaborator Stephen Merchant and colleague and friend Karl Pilkington, whose offbeat musings and pointless conversations are the basis of many of the storylines. Topics covered in season two include 21st-century scientific innovations, bizarre medical stories, Ricky’s pet project to "Get Karl Famous" and Karl’s fascination with doppelgangers and twins. Also included are the regular features "Monkey News," in which Karl describes the role banana-trained monkeys played in early space exploration, and readings from Karl’s diary.

What to Watch on Friday: "Ghost Whisperer" ends for good, plus other finales

Ghost Whisperer (8pm, CBS) - This is the fifth season finale that suddenly this week became the series finale. To close things out, Melinda confronts a poltergeist in a hospital, which initiates the big, final (and we do mean final) showdown with the dark forces that have terrorized her and her son.

Friday Night Lights (8pm, NBC) - In the season's third episode, Eric and Tami have an argument over finances, and East Dillon's two stars, Luke and Vince, clash. Also, Riggins pitches in to help Coach Taylor with the team. (Last week's recap).

Medium (9pm, CBS) - CBS execs said this week it was a close call between canceling "Ghost Whisperer" and "Medium" (we're personally glad it was "Medium" left standing), and this 6th season finale certainly sounds like it would have been a heck of an ender for fans. Tonight, Allison's brain tumor reappears, upending her world and creating life-shattering repurcussions for her family and friends.


Keep reading for more finales airing tonight...

What to Watch on Friday: Spike Lee traces his family tree

Who Do You Think You Are (8pm, NBC) - In the season finale (NBC renewed the show for next season), Spike Lee traces his roots to Georgia and Texas, and makes a surprising discovery about his great-great-grandfather.

Ghost Whisperer (8pm, CBS) - A ghost tells Melinda that a nanny is evil, but you can't just take a ghost's word for something like that, so Melinda investigates for herself.

The Ricky Gervais Show (9pm, HBO) - Topics tonight include physical altercations, human anatomy, school curricula, and whistling and happiness.

20/20 (10pm, ABC) - A report on mothers with drinking problems features author Mary Karr, who wrote about her alcoholism in "Lit: A Memoir."

Cars View All
Find a Car
Go
Jobs View All
Find a Job
Go
Homes View All
Find a Home
Go

Want to post a comment?

In order to join the conversation, you must be a member of newsobserver.com. Click here to register or to log in.
Advertisements