America's Got Talent , on NBC
After an emotional summer, the contestants finally find out who'll walk away with the $1 million prize in this season finale. Nick Cannon once again hosts this special two-hour edition, which includes performances by special musical guests.
Q: I recently read the book "The Postman Always Rings Twice" by James M. Cain (I still haven't seen the movie), but I don't understand the title -- there's no mention of a postman anywhere.
Perhaps this is one of those rare cases where you should see the movie first. Or at least immediately afterwards.
It's not mentioned in the book, but in the 1946 film adaptation (considered by most to be the best of several), main character Frank Chambers explains the concept.
Dads, on Fox
Childhood friends Eli (Seth Green) and Warner (Giovanni Ribisi) hit it big with their video game company, but their lives get more complicated when their fathers move in with them in this series premiere. Peter Riegert and Martin Mull also star.
Dancing With the Stars, on ABC
Judges Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and Len Goodman gear up for another round of excitement on the dance floor in this season premiere. Co-hosted by Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, the series follows celebrities paired with professional ballroom dancers.
Q: There is a popular joke that Samuel L. Jackson is in "everything" -- how many movies has he been in?
There certainly is a sense that Samuel L. Jackson is in every movie you want to see, but it might be just that: The famously foul-mouthed tough guy seems to simply have exceptional taste in roles. Or else a really good agent (for those who want to pursue this argument, he is represented by Toni Howard at the Hollywood agency ICM Partners).
Late Laughs for the week of September 15 - September 21, 2013
The Tonight Show: Jay Leno (R)
Two years ago when Anthony Weiner resigned, he said more embarrassing pictures may come out in the future. You know how he knew that? Because he went home after that and sent them.
Lindsay Lohan is out of rehab, she is doing well. TMZ is reporting she will spend a few days with a sober coach. Might I suggest she also see a stay-out-of-court coach, a don’t-steal coach, a career coach and most important, a driving coach?
The Great Santini BRothers, on History
Owners George and Joe Sr. prepare their sons to take over the family moving business. Set in New York City, this reality series follows the men as they take their sons on some of their strangest, most challenging moves.
Online hunger: Cooking Channel special explores the internet's most interesting foodies
Eden Grinshpan as seen in "Food Fanatics with Eden Grinshpan"
New Releases for the week of September 15 - 21
The Bling Ring
When the quiet and reserved Marc Hall transfers to a new school in Calabasas, Calif., he quickly becomes friends with a group of fame-obsessed girls. Enchanted by the lavish lifestyles and luxurious belongings of celebrities, Marc and his new friends resort to extreme measures in order to support their expensive lifestyles -- breaking into the homes of some of their favorite celebrities and robbing them.
Director: Sofia Coppola. Stars: Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Claire Julien, Taissa Farmiga, Leslie Mann. 2013. 90 min. Crime.
World War Z
In the wake of a zombie pandemic, United Nations employee Gerry Lane is persuaded to take on a dangerous mission to find the origin of the virus. Facing horrific dangers and bleak odds, Gerry travels the world to find an answer and save humanity from pending extinction.
Director: Marc Forster. Stars: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Matthew Fox. 2013. 116 min. Action.
The East
Former FBI agent Sarah Moss has become a successful operative, now working for a private intelligence firm where she is tasked with going undercover and locating an underground activist group known as "The East." As she infiltrates the group, Sarah grows close to one of the members and begins to question her undercover duty, struggling with her allegiance to her firm and her growing understanding and appreciation of The East's doctrine.
Director: Zal Batmanglij. Stars: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson, Jason Ritter. 2013. 116 min. Thriller.
Disconnect
In a world driven by technology, ordinary people search for human connections, including a lawyer who spends more time with his cellphone than his family, a couple whose dark secrets are exposed online, and a former cop who struggles to deal with his son who cyber-bullies one of his classmates.
Director: Henry Alex Rubin. Stars: Jason Bateman, Jonah Bobo, Haley Ramm, Alexander Skarsgård. 2012. 115 min. Drama.
Breakout
A man serving time for a protest gone wrong must devise a plan to break out of prison to save his son and daughter, who are being chased through the wilderness by a pair of criminals. When the brother and sister duo witness a murder during their camping trip, the murderers turn their attention to the kids, whose only hope lies with their incarcerated father breaking free.
Director: Damian Lee. Stars: Brendan Fraser, Ethan Suplee, Dominic Purcell. 2013. 89 min. Action.
A family affair: The new season of 'Survivor' pits loved ones against one another
Jeff Probst hosts "Survivor: Blood vs. Water"
It can't be easy cooking up new twists and surprises after 27 seasons of a reality show, but the creative masterminds behind "Survivor" have managed to come up with lots of shockers for viewers this fall.