POSTS TAGGED: Tonight's Top 10 TV Shows

Tuesday, July 3 The oldest newspaper still in print in Norway was first published on this date in 1767. Originally called Kongelig allene privilegerede Trondheims Adresse-Contoirs Efterretninger, it now goes by the name Adresseavisen, and is the paper that published the highly controversial cartoon that was supposed by many to be a caricature of the [...]

Monday, July 2 WalMart turns fifty today, as the very first WalMart store opened on this date in 1962. Freaking WalMart. The Bachelorette (ABC 8pm) Emily visits Arie, Chris, Jef and Sean in their hometowns. I can’t wait for her to meet all of Jef’s really good male friends. With whom he plays sports ball. [...]

Saturday, June 30 On this date in 1882, the remarkably odd and delusional Charles Guiteau was hanged for the assassination of President James Garfield. He believed that this act was necessary for the future health and stability of the United States, and in his trial he even claimed that, while it was his hand holding [...]

Friday, June 29 On this date in 1974, Mikhail Baryshnikov defected from the USSR to Canada. Had Canada known of his eventual guest star stint on Sex and the City, they probably would have shipped his ass back to Mother Russia. After all, even Canadians draw the line somewhere. My Babysitter’s a Vampire (The Disney [...]

Wednesday, June 27 On this date in 1358 the Republic of Dubrovnik was official declared no longer subject to the rule of Venice and although it was taken under Hungary’s protection, it became a primarily autonomous city-state, until being conquered by Napoleon Bonaparte four hundred fifty years later. Challenge: say “Republic of Dubrovnik” five times [...]

Tuesday, June 26 The Cyclone at Coney Island, the world’s most famous wooden rollercoaster, opened on this date in 1927. It is both an official New York City landmark and a National Historic Landmark. US Olympic Trials (NBC 8pm) Swimming: Live from Omaha, Nebraska They’re holding them in Omaha so that Michael Phelps can chow [...]

Monday, June 25 Our favorite foul-mouthed, cranky-pants, world-traveling, hyper-critical chef, writer, and TV personality, Anthony Bourdain turns fifty-six today. The Bachelorette (ABC 8pm) The group travels to Prague; Emily must decide which men get to take her home to meet their families; Emily addresses Arie’s past relationship with one of the show’s producers. Reality show [...]

Saturday, June 23 On this date in 1532, Henry VIII and the French king François I signed a secret treaty allying their countries against Charles V of Spain. This was followed by a great deal of cable nudity. Ivory Wars (The Discovery Channel 8pm) With the rise in ivory poaching, Africa’s wild elephants are in [...]

Friday, June 22 This was adopted as the official flag of Sweden in 1906. This fact is about 46 times more interesting than anything on television tonight. Deadliest Catch (The Discovery Channel 8pm) Social Reload: No Exit I know what all of those words mean individually, but couldn’t begin to explain what this episode might [...]

Thursday, June 21 On June 21, 1948, Columbia Records unveiled the first LP record, completely changing the music industry. Before LPs, records could only contain about 5 minutes of music per side, requiring music to be released in actual albums, a book containing several records with generally only two songs (or two movements for classical [...]

Wednesday, June 20 On this date in 1893, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the brutal hatchet murders of her father and stepmother. While there have been many speculations over the years as to whether or not she was actually guilty, and many other suspects have been hypothesized, you have to admit that Ms. Borden is [...]

Tuesday, June 19 The very first Garfield comic strip was published on this date in 1978. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to what they look like now, but the original Jon and Garfield aren’t anything to write home about.  Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC 8pm) Actor Mark Wahlberg; actress Mila Kunis. I didn’t realize Jimmy [...]

Monday, June 8 On this date in 1873, Susan B Anthony was fined $100 for attempting to vote in the 1972 presidential election. She looks pretty pissed about it. The Bachelorette (ABC 8pm) The group travels to Dubrovnik, Croatia; the men hope Emily’s one-on-one time with Ryan will allow her to see through his facade; [...]

Saturday, June 9 Donald Duck debuted in The Wise Little Hen on this date in 1934. Stanley Cup Final (NBC 8pm) Game 5. From Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. If only Charlie Sheen could have waited for one more game before getting locked out on a smoke break. Stephen Hawking’s Grand Design (The Discovery Channel [...]

Friday, June 8 Joan Rivers turns 79 today. In another 100 years, she will look like this:  Wild Wild West (VH1 6:30pm) Secret agent James T. West and his partner fight evil inventor Dr. Loveless who plans to assassinate President Grant. I actually saw this in the theater. On purpose. Twice. House (Fox 8pm) An [...]

Thursday, June 7 Silent film legend Mary Pickford made her screen debut on this date in 1909, in the film The Violin Maker of Cremona. She was sixteen years old at the time. Duets (ABC 8pm) The music superstars perform inspirational songs with their duet partners; a contestant is eliminated. I happen to find The [...]

Wednesday, June 6 The Chicago “L” made its first for-profit trip on this date in 1892, carrying 30 people from the 39th Street station to the Congress Street Terminal. It now carries an average of 700,000 people every weekday, another 700,000 over the weekend, and the annual ridership for 2011 was over 220 million people. [...]

Tuesday, June 5 On this date in 1956, Elvis Presley scandalized the world with his “provocative” hip movements while performing “Hound Dog” on the Milton Berle show. America’s Got Talent (NBC 8pm) Auditions continue in Austin, Texas. Tell us more! Hell’s Kitchen (Fox 8pm) The teams face a challenge and a dinner service; a contestant [...]

Monday, June 4 On June 4, 1989, the Chinese “People’s Liberation Army” cleared Tiananmen Square of the thousands of protesters who had gathered to speak out against the oppression of China’s Communist government and the grossly disparate lifestyles of the Chinese people and government officials. There is no official death toll from that date, but [...]

June 2 The Marquis de Sade was born on this date in 1740. Apparently television programmers across the globe are celebrating his birthday by airing absolutely abysmal shows this evening in order to torture us for their own pleasure. So let’s move on, shall we? June 3 Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s poem “Casey at the Bat” [...]

Friday, June 1 You know how some people are always talking about how the United States was founded on the principle of freedom of religion, and the Pilgrims who came to America held that ideology, etc.? Mary Dyer might have had a thing or two to say about that before she was hanged on Boston [...]

Thursday, May 31 The last Model T rolled off the Ford assembly line on this date in 1927. Duets (ABC 8pm) The singers perform classic duets with their partners. I must admit to being intrigued by what Robin Thicke might consider to be a “classic” duet. Touch (Fox 8pm) Finale: Martin and Abigail (Catherine Dent) [...]

Wednesday, May 30 Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States and the wild-haired figure on $20 bills, fought his famous duel against Charles Dickinson on this date in 1806. Jackson had accidentally married a still-married woman several years prior, and although she did finally get a valid divorce and legally re-marry Jackson, the [...]

Tuesday, May 29 The charming, brilliant, witty, devout, and remarkably rotund English writer Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born on this date in 1874. I adore this man, dead though he has been for many-a-year, and often listen to his Father Brown stories on my iPod while I am falling asleep. Because they are like a [...]

Monday, May 28 On May 28, 1934, Yvonne, Annette, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie Dionne were born. The first known surviving quintuplets, the girls became instantaneous celebrities, and were removed from their parents’ custody at the age of four months by the government of Ontario, Canada. The government then set them up in a sort of [...]

05/26/2012 Bram Stoker’s Dracula was published on this date in 1897. NBA Basketball (ABC 8pm) Conference Semifinal: Teams TBA How long before the game do they know who’s playing? That seems like important information. How To Be a Gentleman (CBS 8pm, 8:30pm) Bert and Andrew each form a relationship with a woman, but Andrew gets [...]

Wednesday, May 23 On this date in 1618, the Second Defenestration of Prague took place. It’s a complicated story, full of politics and religion, but the moral is this: if you ever have reason to believe that you’ve angered a Czech, stay on the ground floor. The Middle (ABC 8pm) Finale: Mike’s brother, Rusty (Norm [...]

Tuesday, May 22 On May 22, 1906, Orville and Wilbur Wright were granted U.S. Patent Number 821,393 for their flying machine. American Idol (Fox 8pm) The two finalists perform. Remember how Kelly Clarkson won American Idol and then became totally, legitimately successful? That’s probably not going to happen for either of these people. Sorry, guys! [...]

Good night, sweet prince. And flights of angels sing thee to a new & awesome show.

Saturday, May 19 Dallas Comic Con is this weekend. Guests include Patrick Stewart, John de Lancie, Summer Glau, James Marsters, and Peter Mayhew. I want to go to there. Serial Killer Earth (History International 10pm) Premiere: When Lakes Attack — A tornado tears through a midwest town; a giant wall of snow in Canada sends [...]

Friday, May 18 On this day in 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted, resulting in the loss of 57 lives, catastrophic damage to the surrounding forests, and over one billion dollars in property damage. Fortunately, geologists were able to predict an impending eruption, and convinced authorities to close Mount St. Helens to the public, likely saving [...]

Thursday, May 17 to: Grace Zabriskie, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bill Paxton, Bob Saget, Enya, Craig Ferguson, and Trent Reznor. Missing (ABC 8pm) Finale: In a last-ditch effort to save her son, Becca faces her inner demons; Suspect Zero tries to finish his sale. What this show was really missing was viewers. Renewal status: Cancelled. I [...]

Wednesday, May 16 The 1st Academy Awards took place on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. American Idol (Fox 8pm) The finalists visit their hometowns and perform for the judges. The season slowly grinds to an end, but never fear — I’m sure we’ll start seeing auditions for season [...]

Tuesday, May 15 The first private mental hospital in the United States, The Asylum for Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason, opened in Philadelphia, PA, on this date in 1817. Having read the majority of the 600+ comments under the latest “Toddlers & Tiaras” minicap (a minicap, people!) I can think of at least [...]

Smallpox sucks.

Happy Mother’s Day!

“I don’t do drugs. I am drugs.”

Tomato, Tomahto, but under United States law it’s a vegetable, botany be damned.

Coca-Cola: It’s good for what ails you!

Don’t cry for her, Argentina!