TV Patrol: Wednesday… It’s Survivor Day?

Yes, it’s true… after 20 seasons, Survivor will now be on Wednesday nights. I’m a creature of habit & I really hate change. For some reason this just doesn’t seem right. It’s like going to church on Saturday. I’m grateful for my DVR & the ability to pre-schedule it on my “to do list” or I’d forget every week. I don’t quite understand CBS’s reasoning on this one. They have always won in the ratings war on Thursday nights. Are they that afraid of NBC’s comedy line-up this season? Is moving The Big Bang Theory to this night a good idea? The ratings will tell I guess.

Survivor: Nicaragua airs at 8pm & this season we have two definite changes in the format. Instead of picking tribes & thinking of a name, it’s all been done ahead of time. It’s young v.s. old….. 20 cast-aways in all. The La Flor Tribe is young & hot looking…. no one is over 30. The Espada Tribe is old & wise… no one is under 40. They also have NFL coach Jimmy Johnson, who’s just there for the experience, not to win the money…. right! The Medallion of Power (MOP) has been added. This is used before an immunity challenge by one of the teams. I’m sure they have a coin toss or something to see who gets to use it first. If that tribe decides to use it, it will gain an advantage, such as a head start or a clue to a puzzle. Then it must be turned over to the other tribe. I think it will only be in play once for each.

Oh… the producers have also assured us that the hidden immunity idols are going to be much more difficult to find this time around. One thing hasn’t changed… The Sole Survivor still wins $1 million!… oh & of course, Jeff Probst is still the host…. even snarkier than before.

The two-hour finale of Big Brother 12 airs LIVE tonight at 9pm. The BRA-GADE will finally split up & only one will win $500,000. Hayden & Lane will go head to head in the final Head of Household competition while Enzo watches. The winner will then choose one of the others for the Final 2. Julie Chen will bring out the “Jury” who have been sequestered since their eviction. The seven of them will cast a vote for one or the other & “ding ding ding” ….we will have a winner…. Surfer dude Hayden is the favorite to win. A big reunion follows & everyone will find out that Ragan was the 2nd sabotuer & one of them will win $25,000 as America’s Favorite… little blonde Britney is favored to win that prize. It will then put us all out of our misery & be OVER!

The premiere of NBC’s new drama Outlaw airs at 10pm. Jimmy Smits portrays ultra-conservative Supreme Court judge Cyrus Garza. He’s also an unrepentant sexist & a gambler. After being confronted by a comely protester over a condemned man’s death sentence & then sleeping with her, he sits up all night watching videos of his liberal dad who’s been dead over a year. Suddenly he sees the light & overnight becomes a liberal activist… out to save the world. He quits his job as SC judge & opens a law practice to fight for truth,  justice & the American way!

Bravo’s Top Chef: DC has it’s season finale at 10pm. Angelo, Ed & Kevin are still in Singapore & tonight they make the meal of a lifetime. The price for this dinner?… $125,000! Don’t worry… these guys get a little help from former Top Chef alumni. Hung Huynh (Season 3), Michael Voltaggio (Season 6) & Ilan Hall (Season 2) will be on hand as sous chefs for the final 3.

The new series Top Chef Just Desserts debuts right afterwards on Bravo at 11pm. Gail Simmons is the host of this sweet-filled competition. Each week the pastry chefs have two challenges. The first is a “quick-fire” test of their basic skills. I’m sure the winner of this challenge will have some sort of advantage in the next, more complicated endeavor. At the end of each show, someone is eliminated. You all know the format… right? Helping Gail with the judging are pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini as head judge, Chef Hubert Kellar & Daily Candy editor Dannielle Kyrillos.

TruTV has the debut of their new reality show Ma’s Roadhouse, airing at 9pm. Rick Fairless owns “Strokers”, a Texas motorcycle shop, tattoo parlor & biker bar. His 71 year old mother is the manager. She’s rude & outspoken, not afraid to voice her opinion about anything & she likes the young bikers who frequent the bar. You can see the situation here, can’t you? This could get interesting.

The 24th season finale of Real World: New Orleans airs tonight at 10pm on MTV. Much to everyone’s chagrin… Ryan’s back for the final episode. Pablo’s asshole behavior doesn’t set well with Sahar & things finally come to a head. Season 25 will be Las Vegas bound!

Gordon Ramsey’s newest endeavor has it’s finale tonight at 8pm on FOX. In a two-hour MasterChef , finalists David, Whitney, Lee, & Sheetal all cook their way towards that $250,000 cookbook deal & the 1st honor of “America’s Best Home Cook”. This could be another major upset, something that’s happened quite a bit these past few weeks.

The 5th season of America’s Got Talent comes to it’s finale tonight at 8pm, on NBC. America has voted & the winner of the $1 million & a Las Vegas show will be crowned. After last night’s show, it looks like little opera sensation Jackie Evancho will be our winner. Somehow I just don’t see a 10 year old as a Vegas headliner. I’m really partial to the blues singer Michael Grimms, but he needs a record contract more than a stage show. Prince Poppycock, who blew it big-time last night & Fighting Gravity, who also made a mistake, are the two acts that DO belong in Las Vegas.

That’s it for the night kids…. the summer shows are wrapping up this week to make room for next week’s HUGE onslaught of new & returning shows. I will try my best to keep you updated.