Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
May 3, 2005

 

Get ready double-shots of Elvis, The Donald, and Rob and Amber for May sweeps.  

 

CBS airs two Elvis Presley specials.  The first is a two-part television movie on May 8 and May 11.  Then, Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley break out the family album on the 13.

 

Donald Trump gets double-exposure.  The finale of his reality show, “The Apprentice” airs on May 19 on NBC (Go Tana)! Then ABC does “Trump Unauthorized” May 24. 

 

ABC goes after another network’s big gun, as “Primetime Live” investigates Fox’s “American Idol” May 4.  Speaking of, the finale of “A.I” airs May 25.  My take is that Carrie is too country, Bo is too rock, and Vonzell will win. My favorite stars on the show are the judges. 

 

“Oops she did it again.”  Britney Spears and her husband Kevin Federline begin their new reality series on UPN May 17. Britney and Kevin’s married predecessors Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey star in another special on ABC May 23.

 

Also, Pat O’Brien, recently released from a substance abuse treatment center, does the “confessional interview” with Dr. Phil on CBS May 4 at 8 p.m.

 

The series finale of “Everybody Loves Raymond” airs on CBS May 16.  Don’t cry.  The family will live on in reruns, and Patricia Heaton will haunt us in Acme commercials for the foreseeable future.  The requisite series finale clip-show will air beforehand.

 

Noah Wyle leaves the “ER” on NBC May 5. Where have you gone Eriq “with a q” LaSalle? Ashton Kutcher and Topher Grace depart “That 70’s Show” for the movies on Fox May 18. I’m betting on Topher to have a longer career than Ashton.

 

The annual “Survivor” finale and reunion takes place May 15 on CBS.   Last year’s “Survivor” power-couple Rob and Amber get married on CBS May 24.  Rob and Amber could also win another million dollars in the finale of “The Amazing Race” May 10. The logical next step for the first-couple of reality TV, should be a summer in “The Big Brother” house.

 

The always-popular “Daytime Emmys” airs on CBS May 20.

Number one series “CSI” concludes May 19, rookie of the year “Desperate Housewives,” ends on May 22 and “Lost” wraps up on May 25. UPN’s “Veronica Mars” ends May 10 – I’m glad it got renewed, and medical success stories “House” and “Grey’s Anatomy” conclude on the 17th and 22nd respectively.