Channel Surfing

By Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
March 22, 2005

 

Viewers can catch lots of new shows every night this week.

 

Tonight is the second installment of the revamped “A Current Affair” in syndication (WTXF 11 p.m.).  Since original host Maury Povich is busy with his own talk show, Tim Green becomes the latest to move from sports to entertainment (Pat O’Brien, Kevin Frazier) as the new host of “Affair.” Where have you gone Maureen O’Boyle?

 

Tomorrow, it may or may not be good, but it has a great name – “Life on a Stick” on Fox at 9:30 p.m. A bunch of newcomers star in the sitcom about teens working at the mall.

 

TV Land unveils its first reality series “Chasing Farrah” at 10 p.m. In the vein of “The Osbournes,” and “The Anna Nicole Smith Show,” this series follows Farrah Fawcett around (not Majors anymore).  The network is usually content to air reruns, but when it puts its mind to producing its own shows, it succeeds (“TV Land Awards”).

 

My new hero, Lizzie Grubman is the boss from hell in “Power Girls” on MTV at 8 p.m.  Grubman is the public relations diva that went to jail a couple of years ago for running over people in the Hamptons.  Now see her run over her employees.

 

Thursday, another boorish boss is the center of “The Office” on NBC at 9:30 p.m.  Though NBC has had bad luck with other sitcoms from England translated to the Colonies (“Men Behaving Badly,” “Coupling”), this one is getting good reviews.  Steve Carrell (“Bruce Almighty,” “Anchorman”) inherits the Ricky Gervais role. This may turn into the Thursday night hit that the network hoped “Joey” would be.

 

A couple of other shows that recently debuted are worth checking out.  “The Starlet” on WB is getting lousy ratings, but I love it. Faye Dunaway, Vivica Fox, and casting agent Joseph Middleton are three Simons.  And John Stamos is as pretty as ever on “Jake in Progress” on ABC at 8 p.m.

 

Friday, Ving Rhames is “Kojak” on USA at 9 p.m.  Who loves ya baby!

 

Saturday, another classic from the 70’s is brought back in the six-episode series “Little House on the Prairie” on ABC at 8 p.m.  Cameron Bancroft (“Beverly Hills 90210”) takes over the Michael Landon role of Charles Ingalls.

 

Sunday, “Grey’s Anatomy” gets the plum post –“Desperate Housewives” timeslot on ABC at 10 p.m.  Patrick Dempsey and Sandra Oh are the well-known members of the cast in a drama about medical students. 

 

ABC wants to see if this show attracts more viewers than the regular 10 p.m. occupant “Boston Legal.” In a surprise, it was announced that “Sideways” star Oh and her husband and director of the movie Alexander Payne are separating. Dempsey sure has changed from 1987’s “Can’t Buy Me Love.”