ALMA Awards, on NBC
Comedian George Lopez and actress Eva Longoria team up once again to honor fellow Latinos in the entertainment industry at this year's ALMA Awards. Five-time Grammy winner Christina Aguilera will receive a 2012 NCLR Special Achievement Award.
Q: Settle a bet for me: Is it true that Willem Dafoe was in a movie with Madonna?
Any great actor, especially one as prolific as Willem Dafoe, will tell you that they can't all be gems.
And so yes, offbeat cult favorite Willem Dafoe did star in Madonna's financially disastrous erotic thriller "Body of Evidence" in 1993.
Parks and Recreation, on NBC
When Leslie and Andy travel to Washington, D.C., to visit Ben and April at their new jobs, Leslie meets Senators Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe. Meanwhile, Ron organizes a barbecue as a thank you for the staff.
Tipping the scales: Network and cable giants battle for Emmy supremacy
Jimmy Kimmel hosts the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards
Just as the fall season kicks into high gear, the industry celebrates the best television has to offer. As networks and popular cable channels fight for a piece of the lucrative ratings pie, The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences honor this past season's outstanding work in comedy, drama, reality TV and more.
Survivor: Philippines, on CBS
Eighteen contestants travel to Southeast Asia where they'll be divided into three tribes. Three of this season's castaways are getting another shot at the prize after being medically evacuated in previous editions of the game.
Q: Other than the obvious actor crossovers, are there any connections between "Roseanne" and "The Big Bang Theory"?
The biggest connection is definitely "Big Bang Theory" creator Chuck Lorre.
Before becoming the hit-sitcom machine we know today, Lorre was a writer and producer for "Roseanne" from 1990 to 1992, the show's third and fourth seasons.
So he knew Johnny Galecki, Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert before casting them on "The Big Bang Theory." He also brought along a few other folks he worked with on the "Roseanne" set.
Go On, on NBC
Former "Friends" star Matthew Perry portrays a not-so-friendly sports talk radio host who is struggling to move on after the loss of his wife. He reluctantly finds solace in a support group when his alpha-male boss forces him to attend grief counseling.
The Mob Doctor, on Fox
Jordana Spiro stars as promising young surgeon Dr. Grace Devlin, who makes a deal with the devil when she agrees to work for the Mafia to pay off her brother's gambling debt.
Q: I love "The Closer," and Kyra Sedgwick has made the show. Why is she leaving? The spinoff, "Major Crimes," looks like the same type of show with the same people, so the only difference will be the loss of Kyra Sedgwick.
This is pretty much what all actors say about leaving a long-running series, but "The Closer" star Kyra Sedgwick just said "it was time, as an artist, for me to do something else."
In a news conference (quoted by TVFanatic.com), she said that, "When I started to contemplate the idea of what Season 8 would look like, it felt daunting and overwhelming and didn't feel right."
New Releases for the week of Sept. 16 - 22
The Cabin in the Woods
Five college students head out to a remote cabin for some rest and relaxation, but find murder and mayhem instead. Once the friends are trapped in the cabin, unseen technicians manipulate their surroundings and perceptions in an effort to elicit a particular chain of events. As the friends struggle to stay alive, they discover that the scenario they are being forced to enact may serve a dark, sinister purpose, and that the fate of all humanity may rest in their hands.
Director: Drew Goddard. Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Bradley Whitford. 2011. 95 minutes. Horror.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
A group of unconnected British retirees travel to India in hopes of leaving their various troubles behind. They quickly realize that their accommodations are not all the advertisement promised, but what the facilities lack in luxury, the quirky hotel owner makes up for in enthusiasm. The retirees explore their new surroundings, meet new people, and open their minds to new experiences. In so doing, each traveler rediscovers themselves and finds that their stay at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel could change their lives.
Director: John Madden. Stars: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Dev Patel. 2011. 124 min. Comedy.
Salvation Boulevard
When a beloved evangelical pastor accidentally shoots an atheist during a debate, the murder is set up to look like a suicide. Carl, a deadhead-turned-Christian, witnessed the shooting and is the only loose end left for the preacher's people to tie up. Now Carl must go on the run from his fellow parishioners, who will do anything to save their beloved pastor.
Director: George Ratliff. Stars: Jennifer Connelly, Greg Kinnear, Ciaran Hinds, Marisa Tomei, Pierce Brosnan, Ed Harris. 2011. 96 min. Comedy.
The Woman in the Fifth
Fleeing a scandal at home, college professor Tom Ricks goes to Paris to be closer to his estranged family. Desperate for money, Ricks takes a boring job working for a local crime boss. He also meets and embarks on a steamy affair with a beautiful and mysterious woman. When people around him begin to die, it seems that someone is targeting people who have wronged Ricks in some way. Someone in his life is not who they claim to be, and Ricks must unravel the mystery before the body count rises.
Director: Pawel Wawlikowski. Stars: Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas, Joanna Kulig. 2011. 85 min. Thriller.