February 9 – 13: Best In Show, NAACP Image Awards, Joss Whedon Returns and More…
Where to be and what to watch...
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/9/2009 2:00:00 AM
Monday, Feb. 9
USA tweaks its “Characters Welcome” tag to “Characters Unleashed,” as the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show airs at 8 p.m. ET, then on CNBC at 9. We’re not sure who the smart money is on, but we’re rooting for a winsome Labrador retriever called Ch. Belquest Lovely Lady Lumps. Out West, the scary-smart minds at CableLabs hold a media briefing on the organization’s Innovation Showcase event. Speakers include Comcast CTO Tony Werner and his Charter counterpart, Marwan Fawaz.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Season two of DEA, depicting the intrepid soldiers of the Drug Enforcement Administration as they tackle the narcotics trade in New Jersey, airs on Spike at 10. It comes from Al Roker Entertainment. Speaking of shaky dealings, hip-hop star T.I. attempts to patch up his image the way the tarnished do in America—on television. T.I.'s Road to Redemption premieres on MTV at 10. On a lighter note, master thesp Betty Buckley—whom we’ll always know as Abby from Eight Is Enough—stars in the stage premiere of Broadway by Request at Feinstein’s in Manhattan.
Wednesday, Feb. 11
The Texas Cable Association holds its Cable at the Capitol event in Austin. The annual shindig is designed to “showcase the latest cable technologies and to educate legislators about issues of importance to the industry.” And here are a couple of important cable events: On DIY, the Project Xtreme series ventures 100 feet below Charm City to see how its subterranean rail system works when “Baltimore Subway” premieres at 10. On Comedy Central, meanwhile, oddball funnyman Demetri Martin launches “potentially the most important TV show of all time ever” when Important Things With Demetri Martin debuts at 10:30. It appears that Martin shares his Comedy cousin Stephen Colbert’s knack for understatement.
Thursday, Feb. 12
The 40th NAACP Image Awards are on Fox, airing live from the Shrine Auditorium at 8. Halle Berry and Tyler Perry host, with performances from the likes of Jennifer Hudson and Seal. Look for filmmaker/cable TV mogul/former veep Al Gore in the crowd; Big Al gets a Chairman’s Award. Elsewhere on the box, a fresh-faced gaggle of 16 hopefuls do battle in the unforgiving environs of Tocantins, Brazil. Yes, the latest edition of Survivor rolls on CBS at 8.
Friday, Feb. 13
Disney does its darndest to lure Generation X-box back to the TV, as Disney XD—featuring “live-action series, original movies, power-packed comedies and sports-themed content” from ESPN—makes its debut. The channel launches with the drama Aaron Stone—about, yes, an ace video gamer—at 7. And can Joss Whedon still create television that captures the imagination and a few ratings points? Find out when Dollhouse rolls on Fox at 8. Buffy alum Eliza Dushku stars as a young woman with her personality wiped clean who’s living in a hidden dormitory. Attractive girls with no personalities cohabitating in some secret lair? Hey, it works for America’s Next Top Model.
