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What to Watch on Wednesday: Season finales for 'Whitney' and 'The Neighbors'

Whitney (8pm, NBC) - Two back-to-back episodes close out Season 2 tonight. In the first episode, Whitney asks Alex to be Lily's male pal. In the season finale, Whitney catches sight of her psychiatrist frantically eating a birthday cake by herself, and confronts her.

The Neighbors (8:30pm, ABC) - In the Season 1 finale, the Weavers take the Bird-Kersees to Atlantic City, where Marty is amazed to find out that Larry Bird can count -- and see through -- cards, and Jackie expresses a desire for a human wedding. Meanwhile, back home, Dick Butkus gets an ominous call from his grandfather, played by George Takei, left. Will the Zabvronians have to go back home? (Please, no.) "The Middle," "Modern Family" and "Suburgatory" are all new tonight.

Nova: Meteor Strike (9pm, UNC-TV) - "Nova" crews and impact scientists head to Siberia to search for debris from the Feb. 15, 2013 meteor strike in order to ascertain the meteor's origin and makeup.

Nashville (10pm, ABC) - Rayna appears on Katie Couric's talk show to discuss her failed marriage. Meanwhile, Deacon becomes enamored with his dog's veterinarian.

Southland (10pm, TNT) - John desperately tries to save Hicks while facing dark truths from his own past. Also, Sammy is haunted by a lie he told, Lydia and Ruben search for a John Doe, and Ben takes his relationship with Elena to the next level (which I can only assume means he breaks up with his girlfriend so that he's not two-timing both women).

What to Watch on Wednesday: A musical 'Neighbors' episode with an Oscar pedigree

Whitney (8pm, NBC) - Whirney and Alex celebrate their honeymoon at a lake house owned by Alex's parents. They're unexpectedly greeted there by Alex's father, who reveals a flaw in his seemingly perfect marriage.

The Neighbors (8:30pm, ABC) - The Bird-Kersees see a Broadway show in New York City, and Larry is so inspired he decides to create a musical of his own, but a 911 call after an emergency tests the limits of their contact with the outside world. The episode features original songs by Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken ("The Little Mermaid").

The Americans (10pm, FX) - Philip reunites with an old flame, straining his already troubled relationship with Elizabeth.

Southland (10pm, TNT) - John mulls over the life he'll have once he leaves the LAPD, and Lydia bonds with a man she sent to death row in the past. Also, an annoyed Sammy becomes a tabloid celebrity in the wake of a heroic act, and Ben makes a questionable decision while tracking a drug dealer.

Psych (10pm, USA) - Shawn and Gus team up with college students filming a documentary about Bigfoot in the woods.

Restaurant Stakeout (10pm, Food) - In the third season opener, the married owners of Hot Rods Real Pit BBQ in Wharton, N.J., ask Willie for advice on how to improve their business, which he learns is suffering because of negative attitudes and lack of training. I recently watched this show for the first time and it stressed me out so much.

What to Watch on Wednesday: Have Snoopy over for Thanksgiving

Whitney (8pm, NBC) - Money problems plague Whitney, so she shares a joint checking account with Alex, only to discover that he's in having cash flow problems as well.

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (8pm, ABC) - In this Thanksgiving classic, Charlie Brown is the hapless host and Snoopy is in the kitchen dishing up ice cream, popcorn and toast. Includes the cartoon, "This is America Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyage," which finds the gang aboard the Mayflower in 1620.

Nova: Inside the Megastorm (9pm, UNC-TV) - A repeat of Sunday's look at Hurricane Sandy, its impact and the future of storm prediction.

American Horror Story: Asylum (10pm, FX) - A young girl is mysteriously abandoned at Briarcliff. Later, Bloody Face's past is revealed.

Chicago Fire (10pm, NBC) - Severide delays taking a drug test after he and the rest of the firehouse staff are exposed to a meth lab over the Thanksgiving holiday. Elsewhere, Truck and Squad run into problems while coming to the aid of a gang-related shooting victim, and a deep-fried-turkey fire gets out of control.

Top Chef (10pm, Bravo) - Emeril Lagassee and Tom Colicchio lead teams in a grand-scale Thanksgiving-theme challenge. The guest judge is Dana Cowin.

Hell on the Highway (10pm, NGC) - The first snowstorm of the season causes problems along the Donner Pass. An accident leaves a rig sprawled across the highway and a tow-truck driver is almost injured while trying to clear a jackknifed truck.

What to Watch on Wednesday: 'Whitney' returns, 'American Horror Story' terrifies

Whitney (8pm, NBC) - Season 2 opens with Whitney and Alex celebrating their unofficial wedding day. Whitney's mother arrives but then abruptly departs, leaving Whitney in tears. Meanwhile, Lily and Roxanne butt heads trying to purchase the perfect wedding gift for their friend.

Nova: Ultimate Mars Challenge (9pm, UNC-TV) - A look at NASA's Curiosity Mission to Mars. Included are remarks from Mars Science Laboratory personnel, including chief engineer Rob Manning.

Suburgatory (9:30pm, ABC) - Tessa wants to spend Thanksgiving in New York City with her mother, who is en route from Berlin, and her grandmother. Of course, the holiday doesn't turn out like she planned. Meanwhile, Dallas asks George to prepare a feast, but he resorts to help from a professional. All ABC comedies are new tonight (and Matthew Broderick guest stars on "Modern Family."

American Horror Story (10pm, FX) - Sister Jude digs up dirt on Dr. Arden and Kit makes a surprising confession. And in what is perhaps the most terrifying sequence of events I've watched on TV all year, Bloody Face is unmasked.

Nashville (10pm, ABC) - Rayna wants her music to have a fresh sound, so she contacts a producer with a solid track record in that department. Meanwhile, Juliette tries to get good publicity by dating an NFL player with a pristine reputation.

Eddie Murphy: One Night Only (10pm, Spike) - Celebrities like Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Arsenio Hall, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Martin Lawrence pay homage to comedian Eddie Murphy.

What to Watch on Thursday: Scotty McCreery performs on Christmas special

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (8pm, ABC) - I've said this before. I consider "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" to be a documentary on the origin of Santa Claus. Required watching if you haven't already seen it.

Community (8pm, NBC) - Jeff and Shirley join forces to take on arrogant classmates in a game of foosball. Elsewhere, Annie doesn't come clean after she accidentally breaks Abed's new DVD, and the lie quickly snowballs when Abed launches a search to find the culprit.

CMA Country Christmas (9pm, ABC) - Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles returns as host of this special featuring traditional songs and memories of holiday experiences. Scheduled performances include Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, Darius Rucker  and . . .  Scotty McCreery! Scotty will sing "The First Noel."

Keep a Child Alive with Alicia Keys (9pm, Showtime) - Alicia Keys guides five American contest winners on a tour of South Africa, where they visit Keep a Child Alive-funded sites in Johannesburg and Durban.

Bones (9pm, Fox) - Human remains found in mail at a dead-letter office are linked to a local retail center, where a group of employees are recent lottery winners. Also, Booth gets surprising news from his grandfather (Ralph Waite).

Whitney (9:30pm, NBC) - Lily prepares for her wedding and enlists maid-of-honor Whitney to plan an engagement bash. But all the party-planning stress causes sleepless nights for a frazzled Whitney, so she visits a therapist (Chelsea Handler) for advice.

Prime Suspect (10pm, NBC) - Duffy attempts to give a hit-and-run case to Jane when he thinks it can't be solved, and the clues in a murder case lead Jane and Evrard to a porn king.

What to watch on Thursday: Katie Couric profiles our dear Regis

Regis Philbin: The Morning Maestro (8pm, ABC) - In a special edition of "20/20," Katie Couric profiles Regis Philbin, who retires tomorrow as cohost of "Live with Regis and Kelly" after 28 years on the show. Things to look forward to: Regis takes Katie to the Bronx neighborhood where he grew up, including a special ceremony at Cardinal Hayes Memorial High School, and the two have snacks at Conti's Bakery with Regis' childhood pal, Freakin' Finelli. No more Regis in the morning? Oh, the pain!!

Community (8pm, NBC) - Dean Pelton directs a commercial starring the study group and a collection of the school's most colorful characters. Even better, Abed shoots a behind-the-scenes documentary of the entire affair.

Private Practice (9pm, ABC) - In a special 2-hour chunk of "Private Practice," Amelia's colleagues stage an intervention when she returns home from a drug binge, and Pete and Violet's marriage reaches a tipping point.

Bones (9pm, Fox) - A toy company CEO (Morgan Fairchild) grants Booth and Sweets access to its top-secret lab after the remains of a female executive are discovered in a shrink-wrapped doll.

Whitney (9:30pm, NBC) - Whitney and Alex attempt to adopt a dog, but have problems with the dog shelter owner, who is played by comedian Lisa Lampanelli.  

Prime Suspect (10pm, NBC) - Jane and Reg investigate the murders of a young girl's parents, whose bodies were found in a hotel room.

What to Watch on Thursday: A strong premiere night on NBC

Charlie's Angels (8pm, ABC) - A remake of the 1970s hit show starring Minka Kelly, Annie Ilonzeh, and Rachael Taylor. I'm not a fan. You're better served watching "Community." Or "Big Bang Theory." Or "The X-Factor." Or anything else.

Community (8pm, NBC) - In the Season 3 premiere, the study group wonder if Pierce will join them as they gather at the start of a new semester. Also, Jeff clashes with his biology teacher (Michael K. Williams, "The Wire," "Boardwalk Empire") and is kicked out of class, and Dean Pelton has a new nemesis at Greendale -- John Goodman.

Big Bang Theory (8pm, CBS) - Two new back-to-back episodes open the fifth season. First, Penny hits a low point when she realizes what she's done by sleeping with Raj, and Sheldon becomes leader of the paintball team. Later, Penny and Sheldon clash and Amy is caught in the middle.

Parks and Recreation (8:30pm, NBC) - Leslie is faced with the difficult decision when she decides to run for office in the Season 4 opener. Meanwhile, Ron prepares for the return of his first wife (Patricia Clarkson).

Person of Interest (9pm, CBS) - A new drama following a presumed-dead CIA agent (Jim Caviezel) and a billionaire software genius (Michael Emerson) who try to stop crimes before they happen. Adrienne likes it. Read more.

The Office (9pm, NBC) - In the Season 8 premiere, the staffers discover their names on a mysterious list authored by new Sabre CEO, played by James Spader (right). Paranoia sweeps through the office as everyone speculates about what the list means.

Grey's Anatomy (9pm, ABC) - Meredith is fired in tonight's two-hour Season 8 premiere. I have nothing against "Grey's," but there's better stuff on.

Whitney (9:30pm, NBC) - A new sitcom about about unmarried couple Whitney (Whitney Cummings) and Alex (Chris D'Elia). Is it funny? Adrienne says ...

Prime Suspect (10pm, NBC) - A new series about a NYC homicide detective (Maria Bello) coping with sexism and harassment from colleauges while working murder cases. Also stars Aidan Quinn. It's a remake of Helen Mirren's classic PBS series, but it's quite good. I think you should watch.

The Mentalist (10pm, CBS) - In the fourth season opener, Jane is in prison and must prove that the man he killed was Red John. Lisbon wants Van Pelt to get counseling for having to shoot her fiance when it was discovered he was Red John's inside man. So that Red John thing is over, right?

THE NEW FALL SEASON: "Whitney"

In "Whitney" (9:30 tonight, NBC), comedian Whitney Cummings plays Whitney Cummings, a photographer in a three-year relationship with her boyfriend Alex (Chris D'Elia); she has no interest in marriage.

The first episode is about whether the pair is having enough sex, which sounds very much like the kind of issue you have when you're married. 

"Whitney" needs to be a whole lot funnier, and needs a lot more creativity to distinguish itself, and I can't see the makings of that kind of transformation from the pilot.

I did see a to-die for trench coat worn by one of Whitney's friends.

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