Guide | TheFutonCritic.com - The Web's Best Television Resource

WHAT NEW SHOWS & MOVIES ARE COMING UP?

PERSONAL EFFECTS (LIFETIME)
· [original telefilm] · 11/21/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Lifetime's press release, April 2009) Lifetime Television, the leading basic cable network for original movies among women, has assembled a diverse slate of contemporary films. The Network's 2009-10 longform schedule remains top-notch, with the Company scheduled to present 12 Lifetime Original Movies by year's end. Premiering at 9:00 PM (ET/PT) on May 30 will be the highly-anticipated, two-part miniseries event Maneater, presented by Vaseline Aloe Fresh, based on Gigi Levangie Grazer's New York Times best-selling novel and starring Sarah Chalke (Scrubs). Other upcoming Lifetime Original Movies include Acceptance, with Joan Cusack (Working Girl, School of Rock), for August; and September's Georgia O'Keeffe, starring three-time Academy Award?, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-nominee Joan Allen (The Contender) and Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winner Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune). October will feature the debut of Sorority Wars, featuring Courtney Thorne-Smith (Ally McBeal), Faith Ford (Hope & Faith) and Lucy Hale (Privileged), and the acquired feature film drama Personal Effects, starring Michelle Pfeiffer (Dangerous Liaisons, Hairspray) and Ashton Kutcher (What Happens in Vegas), will make its U.S. television premiere on Lifetime in November. For the holidays, Lifetime will debut 12 Men of Christmas as part of its annual "Fa-La-La-La-Lifetime" holiday event, which last year reached more than 100 million viewers.

COWBOYS & OUTLAWS (HISTORY)
· [series premiere] · 11/22/09 at 9:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · sundays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

N/A

HAUNTED, THE (ANIMAL PLANET)
· [series premiere] · 11/22/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · sundays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Animal Planet's press release, October 2009) Tales of ghosts and supernatural beings haunt the dreams of children and inspire peculiar horror films and books, but what if you found yourself trapped in the middle of your own ghost story? What if your home had been the scene of a terrifying fire 100 years ago? Or your basement had been used for violent and deadly experiments? What if you discovered unexplainable bloody handprints on the walls around your baby's crib? And what if you didn't know these things had happened but the animals around you did? Welcome to the eerie world of THE HAUNTED, Animal Planet's newest original, 10-part series.

FIND MY FAMILY (ABC)
· [series premiere - special time] · 11/23/09 at 9:30 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from ABC's press release, November 2009) From the producer of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" comes the highly anticipated "Find My Family," a program with one simple mission -- to bring families back together. With the help of a dedicated team of researchers, hosts Tim Green and Lisa Joyner guide people searching for lost loved ones through emotional journeys that will change their lives forever. The heartwarming new series premieres MONDAY, NOV. 23 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET), following "Dancing with the Stars." Full-hour editions of the show will air Mondays from 9:00-10:00 p.m., ET beginning MONDAY, NOV. 30.

DINNER WITH THE BAND (IFC)
· [series premiere] · 11/24/09 at 11:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · tuesdays from 11:00 PM-11:30 PM EST

(from IFC's press release, September 2009) IFC has selected a rockin' line-up of indie bands to join New York City chef Sam Mason, who recently challenged Iron Chef Morimoto on Iron Chef America, as he hosts the network's new original series, Dinner with the Band, premiering Tuesday, November 24 at 11 pm, ET/PT in IFC's "Automat," a four-hour block packed with exclusive uncut, uncensored alternative programming including testosterone-infused network premieres, originals, shorts, web shows, anime and more. The season's featured bands include Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Kid Sister and Flosstradamus, Les Savy Fav, MEN, YACHT and Final Fantasy. Dinner with the Band is the first alternative food show combining culinary delights, musical performances and conversations with some of the most acclaimed indie bands on the scene today. In each of the six, 30-minute episodes, Chef Mason invites one of his favorite touring bands to his Brooklyn loft where he adds his culinary spin to the bands' favorite dishes while conversing with them about life and meals on the road. As an added bonus, each of the bands will perform three songs on the show.

BEN 10: ALIEN SWARM (CARTOON)
· [original telefilm] · 11/25/09 at 7:00 PM

(from Cartoon Network's press release, October 2009) Ben 10: Alien Swarm is directed and executive-produced by Alex Winter, who also directed Cartoon Network's first Ben 10 live-action movie, Ben 10: Race Against Time, which scored over 13 million viewers during its Thanksgiving weekend premiere in 2007. The new movie follows Ben as he breaks ranks from the Plumbers (a secret organization that battles alien forces) to help Elena, a mysterious young woman from his past, uncover an alien threat to our world. Ryan Kelley (Prayers for Bobby) stars in the coveted role of 16-year-old Ben Tennyson, with industry veteran Barry Corbin (No Country for Old Men) starring as Grandpa Max. Galadriel Stineman (Junkyard Dog) is Gwen, Ben's super-powered cousin, and Nathan Keyes plays Kevin Levin, who has joined Ben's team for the good of the universe, but still seems to have a scheming side. Alyssa Diaz (Red Dawn) plays Elena, a long-time friend of Ben. Elena's search for her father leads the group into an adventure to stop an alien threat from destroying the world.

BEYOND SHERWOOD (SYFY)
· [original telefilm] · 11/28/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Syfy's press release, September 2009) The evil Sheriff of Nottingham uses a shape-shifting monster to try and destroy young Robin Hood.

NATIONAL TREE (HALLMARK)
· [original telefilm] · 11/28/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Hallmark's press release, March 2009) Willful Oregon teenager Rock Burdock (Evan Williams, "Save the Last Dance 2") wins a national Christmas tree contest and convinces Corey (Andrew McCarthy, "Lipstick Jungle"), his overprotective father, to move the fifteen-year-old tree that commemorates Rock's birth to Washington, D.C. Corey, in turn, persuades Rock to transport the tree on a road trip across the country so he and his son can enjoy some quality time together. Although not excited about the idea, Rock agrees, and the journey turns out to be an adventure that strengthens the bonds between father and son. Executive produced by Gerald Abrams and Cotty Chubb; produced by Paul Goldman. Graeme Clifford directs from a script written by J.B. White and adapted from a novel by David Kranes.

DOG WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS, THE (ABC FAMILY)
· [original telefilm] · 11/29/09 at 8:00 PM

(from ABC Family's press release, October 2009) Christmas chaos ensues for the Bannister family when they adopt a misguided guard dog, Zeus, to try and keep their home safe from neighborhood prowlers in the new ABC Family holiday movie, "The Dog Who Saved Christmas," premiering on Sunday, November 29th (8:00-10:00Pm ET/PT). The two-hour film, premiering as part of the network's annual "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" programming event, stars Dean Cain, Gary Valentine, Elisa Donovan, Joey Diaz, Mindy Sterling, Adrienne Barbeau and Mario Lopez as the voice of Zeus.

MEET THE NATIVES USA (TRAVEL)
· [series premiere - special time] · 11/29/09 at 9:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · sundays from 9:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Travel Channel's press release, October 2009) Imagine playing in the snow, seeing the New York skyline, or eating a Thanksgiving turkey, all for the first time. Beginning Sunday, November 29 with stacked episodes at 9PM and 10PM and premiering Sundays at 10PM through December 20, five tribesmen from the South Pacific island of Tanna will do just that when they embark on a 7,000 mile journey to assimilate to western civilization in Travel Channel's MEET THE NATIVES USA. Hand-picked by their supreme chief to undertake a special mission to America, the ambassadors from Tanna leave their traditional way of life behind to travel to the U.S. to learn more about American culture.

DOG NAMED CHRISTMAS, A (CBS)
· [original telefilm] · 11/29/09 at 9:00 PM

(from CBS's press release, July 2009) A DOG NAMED CHRISTMAS, a new "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation starring Bruce Greenwood (the newest "Star Trek" movie and "Thirteen Days"), Tony Award nominee Linda Emond ("Life x 3," "Julie & Julia") and Noel Fisher ("The Riches," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") will be broadcast Sunday, Nov. 29 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The movie tells the tale of a developmentally challenged young man with a penchant for caring for animals in need, who sets out to convince his family - and their whole rural community - to participate in a local shelter's inaugural "Adopt a Dog for Christmas Program."

BRITAIN'S MISSING TOP MODEL (BBCA)
· [series premiere] · 12/1/09 at 9:00 PM

I'M PREGNANT AND… (HEALTH)
· [series premiere] · 12/1/09 at 9:30 PM
· [regularly airs] · tuesdays from 9:30 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from Discovery Health's press release, November 2009) This brand-new series follows the stories of women facing serious issues--emotional, physical, mental or circumstantial--as they navigate their nine-month journey through pregnancy.

SCI-FI SCIENCE: PHYSICS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE (SCIENCE)
· [series premiere] · 12/1/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · tuesdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Science Channel's press release, April 2009) Based on the New York Times best-selling book, "Physics of the Impossible," Dr. Michio Kaku takes viewers to the frontiers of science with an authoritative exploration of the world of phasers, force fields, teleportation, time travel and more. He investigates the physics behind some of science fiction's wildest offerings and concludes that many of the technologies once thought impossible may actually be inevitable.

STEVEN SEAGAL: LAWMAN (A&E)
· [series premiere] · 12/2/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · wednesdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from A&E's press release, October 2009) A&E presents "Steven Seagal Lawman," a new Real-Life series that will chronicle martial arts expert and international film star Steven Seagal's extraordinary life in law enforcement on Wednesday, December 2nd at 10PM ET/PT on A&E with back-to-back episodes. Seagal's movies have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. He is an expert martial artist with a 7th-degree black belt in aikido. Along with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, he is considered one of the film industry's greatest action stars. But it turns out that Steven Seagal isn't just an action hero in the movies. For almost 20 years, Seagal has been working as a fully-commissioned deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. In fact, in addition to going out on patrol, Seagal is an expert marksman who has worked with their SWAT team and has instructed Jefferson Parish officers in firearms and hand-to-hand combat.

CONSPIRACY THEORY WITH JESSE VENTURA (TRUTV)
· [series premiere] · 12/2/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · wednesdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from truTV's press release, August 2009) CONSPIRACY THEORY WITH JESSE VENTURA He's undertaken some of the most dangerous missions in the world as a Navy SEAL. He's body-slammed giants in the wrestling ring as a WWE superstar. He's even conquered politics as the governor of Minnesota. Now, Jesse Ventura is about to face his greatest challenge yet: uncovering the most compelling plots and schemes.

LAUNCH MY LINE (BRAVO)
· [series premiere - special time] · 12/2/09 at 11:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · wednesdays from 11:00 PM-12:00 AM EST

(from Bravo's press release, October 2009) Bravo's new fashion creative competition series, "Launch My Line," will premiere on Wednesday, December 2 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, following part one of the "Top Chef: Las Vegas" finale. Acclaimed designers, twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten of DSQUARED2 serve as the series hosts, and fashion notables Stefani Greenfield and Lisa Kline are series judges. "Launch My Line" features ten well-known professionals who are highly regarded in their varied fields of expertise, but have always envisioned having their own clothing line. These professionals, who include a choreographer, a DJ, a CEO and a fashion critic, will be paired with ten established fashion designers who will help them execute their dream clothing line. The ten pairs will be put to the test, as they have to rely on each other's expertise to produce a cohesive fashion line while competing in challenges that include some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Some teams form a natural connection while others have instant tension, but at the end of every episode a complete look from each team must walk the runway and be judged in front of a live studio audience. In the end, the winning professional will have their clothing line launched and their expert designer, who helped them along way, will receive $50,000.

JERSEY SHORE (MTV)
· [series premiere] · 12/3/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · thursdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from MTV's web site, November 2009) Grab your hair gel, wax that Cadillac and get those tattooed biceps ready to fist pump with the best this summer at the Jersey Shore. MTV's newest docu-soap exposes one of the tri-state area's most misunderstood species, the Guido. Our Guidos and Guidettes will move into the ultimate beach house rental and indulge in everything the Seaside Heights, New Jersey scene has to offer. Beach by day, dancing and partying all night. They'll live, work, and rage together until the summer ends. There's no spray tan too orange, no hair too spiked, and no bod too tight for this crew.

BBQ PIT MASTERS (TLC)
· [series premiere] · 12/3/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · thursdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

reality series focusing on the world of competitive grilling

ULTIMATE POWER BUILDERS (PLANET GREEN)
· [series premiere] · 12/4/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · fridays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Planet Green's press release, July 2009) Ultimate Power Builders defies all four basic elements (earth, air, heat, and water) to engineer big, ambitious and environmentally-friendly projects that will shape the Earth's landscape for future generations, while providing unlimited sources of energy. Watch as the construction of one mega-structure after another evolves, whether it's a carbon neutral city in the Middle East; a skyscraper in China which produces its own power and water; an energy plant that harnesses the power of the atom or a geothermal station that drills deep within the Earth to tap the extreme heat down below to operate. Ultimate Power Builders reveals how far technology will go to secure a sustainable existence for all. Ultimate Power Builders is a co-production of Saint Thomas Productions and Planet Green.

DEBBIE MACOMBER'S MRS. MIRACLE (HALLMARK)
· [original telefilm] · 12/5/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Hallmark's press release, March 2009) Seth Webster is a frustrated, single father who can't find a housekeeper to manage his overly energetic twin sons. When a seemingly magical housekeeper arrives at Christmastime, she helps Seth move on after his wife's death and find new love that brings the family together again. Executive produced by Dan Wigutow and directed by Michael Scott.

12 MEN OF CHRISTMAS (LIFETIME)
· [original telefilm] · 12/5/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Lifetime's press release, May 2009) It's anything but a Merry Christmas for die-hard New Yorker E.J. Baxter (Chenoweth) when she loses her high-powered publicity job and her fiance all on the same night as her office holiday party. To escape everything around her, E.J. takes a job in Kalispell, Montana, and channels her energy to help raise funds for the local search-and-rescue team. She cooks up a concept that will leverage Kalispell's greatest asset - their handsome guys - by having them step out of their uniforms and onto the pages of a calendar that is certain to raise both temperatures and pulses. Though she faces resistance from some of the men, E.J. eventually wins them over...especially a certain Mr. December!

ALICE (SYFY)
· [original mini-series] · 12/6/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Syfy's press release, October 2009) Syfy's contemporary re-imagined spin on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland will premiere on Sunday, December 6th @ 9-11pm ET/PT and air over two consecutive nights. In this modern day spin on the classic stories by Lewis Carroll, Academy Award winner Kathy Bates (Misery) stars as the Queen of Hearts and Caterina Scorsone (Crash television series) as Alice.

BURN UP (PLANET GREEN)
· [original mini-series] · 12/7/09 at 7:00 PM

(from Planet Green's press release, November 2009) Airing for the first time on U.S. television, the dramatic UK thriller, BURN UP will premiere on Planet Green on Sunday, December 6 at 9PM ET. The two-part mini series special is a high-stakes conspiracy thriller in which two friends - power players in the international oil industry - face a series of violent events and shocking revelations that could tear apart their friendship, their business, even civilization as we know it. Airing to success in 2008 on BBC2, this Rose d'Or winner has drawn accolades for Oscar winning writer Simon Beaufoy's (Slumdog Millionaire, The Full Monty) contemporary approach to a real world issue.

BURN UP (PLANET GREEN)
· [original mini-series] · 12/7/09 at 9:00 PM

ALICE (SYFY)
· [original mini-series] · 12/7/09 at 9:00 PM

MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE (TNT)
· [series premiere] · 12/7/09 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from TNT's press release, May 2009) In December 2009, TNT plans to debut the new series MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE, a character-based drama from Everybody Loves Raymond Emmy winners Ray Romano and Mike Royce. Romano will star in the project, which will take a wry look at what it means to be a guy approaching mid-life, with Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Street) and Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap).

OUTER SPACE ASTRONAUTS (SYFY)
· [series premiere] · 12/8/09 at 9:30 PM
· [regularly airs] · tuesdays from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from Syfy's press release, November 2009) Syfy continues to expand its horizons with the premiere of new irreverent half-hour comedy series, Outer Space Astronauts. Using the latest in computer graphics technology to meld live-action and 3D animation, the visually innovative five-episode series premieres on Syfy on Tuesday, December 8 at 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT) following the season finale of the hit reality series, Scare Tactics at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Outer Space Astronauts will continue to roll out every Tuesday night at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).

CHRISTMAS HOPE (LMN)
· [original telefilm] · 12/12/09 at 8:00 PM

(from LMN's press release, April 2009) Lifetime Movie Network, the number two-rated women's network in Primetime and Total Day for six straight years, with the first three months of 2009 being the most watched quarter ever in its history. Among the Network's Original Movies debuting in 2009 are The Wronged Man, starring Julia Ormond (Sabrina, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and from producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator franchise); and two films based on novels by author Ann Rule that will air in August Too Late to Say Goodbye, starring Rob Lowe (Brothers & Sisters, The West Wing), and the miniseries event Everything She Ever Wanted, with Gina Gershon (Bound, Face/Off) and Victor Garber (TV's Alias, Milk). Additional movies include June's two murder-mystery franchise movies based on Ellen Byerrum's popular Crimes of Fashion novels Killer Hair and Hostile Makeover, with Mark Consuelos (Hope & Faith), Maggie Lawson (Psych), Mario Cantone (Sex and the City) and Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves, TV's Battlestar Galactica); and One Hot Summer, which will debut in July. The Network will close out 2009 with Christmas Hope, based on the third novel of Donna VanLiere's best-selling Christmas trilogy, starring Madeleine Stowe (The Last of the Mohicans) and Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills, 90210). Christmas Hope will be joined by Christmas Shoes and Christmas Blessing, the first two movies adapted from the trilogy that were acquired by Lifetime Movie Network and have quickly become holiday favorites.

CHRISTMAS IN CANAAN (HALLMARK)
· [original telefilm] · 12/12/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Hallmark's press release, September 2009) Grammy Award-nominated artist and actor Billy Ray Cyrus ("Hannah Montana") is set to star in "Christmas in Canaan," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie about the unlikely friendship that develops between two boys one white and one black -- in 1960s Texas, and how they bond over concern for a wounded puppy. It's amidst the magic of Christmas that the boys learn about family, hope and love despite living in the shadow of racism. The holiday movie, which is based upon the book Christmas in Canaan by Grammy Award winner Kenny Rogers and Donald Davenport, has begun production in Vancouver, Canada and will premiere on Hallmark Channel in December of 2009.

ANNIHILATION EARTH (SYFY)
· [original telefilm] · 12/12/09 at 9:00 PM

N/A

GHOST INTERVENTION (TLC)
· [series premiere] · 12/12/09 at 9:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · saturdays from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from TLC's press release, November 2009) On the heels of what's become a national phenomenon with paranormal activity and metaphysical realms, TLC will premiere GHOST INTERVENTION on December 12 at 9PM ET/PT, a four-part docu-series that chronicles a case manager and a team of women with psychic abilities as they try to help different families who are struggling with paranormal activity in their homes. In each hour-long episode, the women use their psychic abilities to read each of these homes, before they even meet the families who live in them. When the families actually sit down with our paranormal team, they realize that their uncanny talents are exactly what they need in order to finally find the source of psychic conflict and rid their lives of the lingering negative spirits.

SANTA BABY 2: CHRISTMAS MAYBE (ABC FAMILY)
· [original telefilm] · 12/13/09 at 8:00 PM

(from ABC Family's press release, April 2009) Actress Jenny McCarthy will star in the network's new original holiday movie, "Santa Baby 2," with Paul Sorvino and Dean McDermott. The movie will premiere in December during ABC Family's 12th annual "25 Days of Christmas" programming event which will feature over 200 hours of holiday-themed entertainment for the whole family from December 1- 25. McCarthy reprises her role as Mary Class, Santa's business minded daughter, to help save Christmas in "Santa Baby 2," the sequel to ABC Family's original hit movie of 2006. Santa's in the midst of a late-life crisis -- he's tired of the responsibilities of the job and is ready to pass on the reins to Mary, who feels torn between the family business and running her own high stakes firm in New York City, along with balancing a relationship with the love of her life, Luke. The situation gets increasingly dire when a disgruntled former elf, Teri, in cunning disguise, sows dissension at the North Pole in an effort to take over Christmas. "Santa Baby 2" also stars Paul Sorvino as 'Santa Claus,' Dean McDermott as 'Luke Jessup' and Kelly Stables as 'Teri'; written by Peter Garrett Frawley & Brian Turner and executive-produced by Jody Brockway and Craig McNeil.

JACKSONS, THE: A FAMILY DYNASTY (A&E)
· [two-hour series premiere] · 12/13/09 at 9:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · sundays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from A&E's press release, November 2009) A&E presents "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty," a new real-life series that will chronicle the personal and professional lives of Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon as they prepare for a Jackson Five reunion, while also coming to terms with Michael's tragic loss. The series premieres Sunday, December 13 with back-to-back one-hour episodes beginning at 9:00pm ET/PT. The series will then move to its regularly scheduled time, Sunday's at 10:00pm ET/PT beginning December 20 on A&E. Behind the headlines lies a captivating family, whose lives have been unwillingly played out before cameras for decades. After 40 years in the business together, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito and Marlon, have sold more than 250 million albums worldwide. Now, the brothers allow unprecedented access into their world as they record new material and rehearse for a concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Jackson Five. "The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty" will chronicle the brothers' relationships with each other, their parents and their children, while also balancing the demands of their professional commitments and celebrity. The series will also document the brothers' coming to terms with Michael's tragic loss and how to properly honor his legacy.

SING-OFF, THE (NBC)
· [series premiere] · 12/14/09 at 8:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 8:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from NBC's press release, November 2009) DEBUT OF 'THE SING-OFF' OFFERS A CAPPELLA VOICE COMPETITION -- "The Sing-Off" is a four-night event premiering Monday, December 14 (8-10 p.m. ET) that features a one-of-a-kind battle of voices that continues on December 15 and 16, culminating with a live finale on December 21 (8-10 p.m. ET each night). The show will feature the country's top eight a cappella groups performing popular songs in a way that viewers never heard them before. There's no lip-synching, back-up bands or safety net. They'll be singing for America's vote with the winner walking away with the ultimate prize -- an Epic Records/Sony Music recording contract. "The Sing-Off" is produced by Joel Gallen's ("America's Best Dance Crew") Tenth Planet Productions, Outlaw Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television. Joel Gallen, Deb Newmyer and Sam Weisman are executive producers.

THREE GIFTS, THE (HALLMARK)
· [original telefilm] · 12/19/09 at 9:00 PM

(from Hallmark's press release, September 2009) Dean Cain ("The Gambler, The Girl and the Gunslinger"), Jean Louisa Kelly ("Yes, Dear"), Mimi Kennedy ("Dharma and Greg") and Reginald VelJohnson ("Family Matters") star in "The Three Gifts," a holiday Hallmark Channel Original Movie about a childless couple who invite three orphans to spend Christmas with them and end up falling in love with the boys.

WORST COOKS IN AMERICA (FOOD)
· [series premiere] · 1/3/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · sundays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Food Network's press release, November 2009) This January, 12 of the most hopeless cooks in the country will compete in a high-stakes elimination series in Worst Cooks in America. At stake for the last two standing is the chance to cook for a panel of esteemed culinary critics and win the grand prize of $25,000. Premiering Sunday, January 3rd at 10pm ET/PT, the five-week series will put the "recruits" through a culinary boot camp led by two acclaimed chefs: Anne Burrell, host of Food Network's Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, and Beau MacMillan, executive chef at elements in Phoenix.

BE GOOD JOHNNY WEIR (SUNDANCE)
· [series premiere] · 1/4/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 10:00 PM-10:30 PM EST

(from Sundance's press release, April 2009) This series features controversial three-time US Figure Skating Champion and 2006 Olympian, Johnny Weir. Considered a late bloomer, beginning his skating career at twelve years old, Weir has not only quickly become a popular sports icon, but also been recognized as a bold and irreverent personality. "Be Good Johnny Weir" will follow Johnny, his coach, friends, choreographers , costumer, and skating manager mom Patti Weir through the ups and downs of his career as he attempts to make it to his last Olympics in February 2010. The series is produced by David Barba, James Pellerito and Original Media (Miami Ink, LA Ink, The Philanthropist). Original Media CEO Charlie Corwin serves as an Executive Producer. Endemol, parent company of Original Media, will manage international distribution.

MANHATTAN MARRIAGE PROJECT WITH GINO FILIPPONE (TLC)
· [series premiere] · 1/8/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · fridays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from TLC's press release, November 2009) The Empire State Building is not only one of New York's most iconic images, but it also happens to be one of the most popular places in America to get hitched. Gino Filipone - part minister, part wedding planner and part therapist - performs over 200 weddings a year and is all about creating the perfect wedding experience for his clients. In the business of love, he is on call 24/7 and constantly on the go. On the 55th floor of the Empire State building, Gino has created a chapel with spectacular views of the city and romance galore. But no matter what type of wedding Gino is planning, he makes sure that each occasion is not only the perfect New York moment but also the perfect wedding to remember for a lifetime. In the end, strange requests, unique vows, and quick hitches make every day fascinating when you are getting Married in Manhattan.

WISHING WELL, THE (HALLMARK)
· [original telefilm] · 1/9/10 at 9:00 PM

(from Hallmark's press release, November 2009) When a city-bred journalist heads to small-town Illinois for a story, her one-day visit turns into a much longer stay with the toss of a coin when Academy Award and Golden Globe winner Ernest Borgnine, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Sally Kellerman and Jordan Ladd ("Death Proof") star in "The Wishing Well," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie premiering Saturday, January 9 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C). Jason London ("All Roads Lead Home"), Jadin Gould ("United States of Tara"), Tempestt Bledsoe ("The Cosby Show"), Yeardley Smith ("The Simpsons") and Charles Shaughnessy ("The Nanny") costar in the time-twisting story about finding answers in the most unexpected of places.

BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE (SPIKE TV)
· [series premiere] · 1/12/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · tuesdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Spike TV's press release, October 2009) "Blue Mountain State" is a half-hour scripted comedy series that follows three incoming freshman attending college football powerhouse, Blue Mountain State University. The series stars former NFL running back and veteran actor, Ed Marinaro as the coach, Darin Brooks as the talented quarterback who is content to ride the bench while partying with his best friend, played by Chris Romano and Sam Jones III as the school's top recruit and future NFL pro.

ARCHER (FX)
· [series premiere] · 1/14/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · thursdays from 10:00 PM-10:30 PM EST

(from FX's press release, September 2009) The League, FX's new ensemble comedy series set against the backdrop of a fantasy football league from producers Jeff Schaffer (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld) and Jackie Marcus Schaffer (Disturbia), will premiere on October 29 and run Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT behind all new episodes of the hit comedy It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia for six consecutive weeks. The network has also set the timetable for the rollout of its two other new comedies Archer and Louie, which will debut in January and the first quarter of 2010, respectively. FX has ordered six episodes of The League, six episodes plus four additional scripts of Archer and 13 episodes of Louie, all from FX Productions.

WRONGED MAN, THE (LMN)
· [original telefilm] · 1/16/10 at 8:00 PM

(from LMN's press release) Renowned actress Julia Ormond (Legends of the Fall, Sabrina) will headline The Wronged Man, an unforgettable story of justice and redemption premiering on Lifetime Movie Network in November 2009. Mahershalalhashbaz Ali (The 4400), Ormond's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button co-star, also joins the cast as an African-American husband and father convicted of raping a young girl. The film is based on the true story of an unlikely friendship between paralegal Janet Gregory (Ormond) and Calvin Willis (Ali) as they fight to overturn his sentence and restore faith in the justice system. The Wronged Man, from executive producer Gale Anne Hurd's (The Incredible Hulk) Valhalla Motion Pictures and Sony Pictures Television, will begin production this month.

HUMAN TARGET (FOX)
· [series premiere] · 1/17/10 at 8:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · wednesdays from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from FOX's press release, May 2009) It takes a brave, selfless man to make himself a "human target" in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle action drama centered on CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Mark Valley, FRINGE), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it's about one thing only: saving his clients' lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can't be solved through "normal" means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients' lives to become the human target. If you're a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you're the president of a bank who's been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner WINSTON (Chi McBride, "Pushing Daisies") and hired gun GUERRERO (Jackie Earle Haley, "Watchmen"), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance's dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a HUMAN TARGET?

LIFE UNEXPECTED (THE CW)
· [series premiere] · 1/18/10 at 9:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from The CW's press release, May 2009) After spending all of her 15 years bouncing from one foster family to another in Portland, Oregon, Lux (Britt Robertson, "Swingtown") has decided it's time to take control of her life and become an emancipated minor. Her journey through the legal maze leads Lux to her biological father, 30-something Nate "Baze" Bazile (Kristoffer Polaha, "Mad Men"), who owns a bar, lives like an aging frat-boy with two slacker roommates, and is astonished to learn that he has a teenage daughter. Lux is equally astonished when Baze reveals that her mother is Cate Cassidy (Shiri Appleby, "E.R."), a star on the local "Morning Madness" radio show, along with her on-air partner and real-life boyfriend, Ryan Thomas (Kerr Smith, "Eli Stone"). Lux has been listening to Cate's voice on the radio as long as she can remember, so she feels an instant connection with the mom she's never met. Baze takes Lux to meet Cate, who is shocked and saddened to learn that Lux has grown up in foster care, but thrilled to finally meet her beautiful daughter. When a judge decides that Lux isn't ready for emancipation and unexpectedly grants temporary joint custody to Baze and Cate, they agree to try to get past the awkwardness and make a belated attempt to give Lux the family she deserves. PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED is produced by Mojo Films in association with CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers Liz Tigelaar ("Brothers and Sisters," "What About Brian") and Gary Fleder ("October Road"). Gary Fleder directed the pilot.

CAPRICA (SYFY)
· [two-hour series premiere] · 1/22/10 at 9:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · fridays from 9:00 PM-10:00 PM EST

(from Syfy's press release, July 2009) Syfy has announced the airdate for its highly-anticipated upcoming series Caprica. On Friday, January 22, 2010 @ 9 PM, the show will kick off with a 2-hour premiere and will air regularly on subsequent Fridays @ 10 PM. Humanity's storyline takes completely new twists with Caprica, which follows two rival families and their patriarchs Daniel Graystone (Eric Stoltz) and Joseph Adama (Esai Morales) as they compete and thrive in the vibrant realm of the 12 Colonies, a society recognizably close to our own. This original, standalone series will feature the passion, intrigue, political backbiting, and family conflict in an omnipotent society that is at the height of its blind power and gloryand, unknowingly, on the brink of its fall.

SPARTACUS: BLOOD & SAND (STARZ)
· [series premiere] · 1/22/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · fridays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from Starz's press release, July 2009) Starz executives today announced that "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," the network's highly anticipated original series, will debut Friday, January 22, 2010 at 10:00 pm et/pt. The hour-long drama, shot on location in New Zealand, stars Andy Whitfield as the gladiator warrior hero Spartacus. UK born Whitfield, well-known to Australian audiences but a newcomer to the US, joins a talented cast of seasoned veterans including Lucy Lawless, best known for her role in "Xena: Warrior Princess" and John Hannah, who's familiar from The Mummy trilogy. Lawless portrays Lucretia, who along with her husband, Batiatus (Hannah), own the Ludus (a gladiator camp) - as well as Spartacus. The couple has fallen on hard times financially and has bought Spartacus hoping his fighting prowess will help them regain their status in the brutal world of gladiatorial contests. In addition to "Xena," the long-running global hit series, Lawless has also appeared in SCI FI Channel's critically acclaimed "Battlestar Galactica."

PREGNANCY PACT (LIFETIME)
· [original telefilm] · 1/23/10 at 9:00 PM

drama inspired by the true story of the boom of teen pregnancies at gloucester high school in massachusetts

LA LA LAND (SHOWTIME)
· [series premiere] · 1/25/10 at 11:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 11:00 PM-11:30 PM EST

(from Showtime's press release, May 2008) The MARC WOOTTON PROJECT will feature the acclaimed British comedian in a six-episode series of alternative comedy highlighted by his unique brand of character-driven sketches that have made him a hit in the U.K. The concept of this yet-untitled series is still being developed, but the show will go into production and premiere on SHOWTIME in 2009. It will feature Wootton's outrageous and provocative characters. Wootton, who has appeared in numerous comedy series and specials in the U.K., is best known for his role as an overly theatrical psychic named Shirley Ghostman who performs for an unsuspecting audience who think he's real on the BBC series High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman. Writers for the BBC series included Wootton and Oscar(R)-nominee Peter Baynham (Borat). LA WEEKLY described it as "Da Ali G Show meets Crossing Over with John Edward."

CINDERELLA PACT (LMN)
· [original telefilm] · 1/30/10 at 8:00 PM

(from LMN's press release, June 2009) Forget wedging your foot into the fabled glass slipper; try getting into last season's "skinny" jeans! Next February, Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) is set to star in Lifetime Movie Network's adaptation of Sarah Strohmeyer's popular novel Cinderella Pact. Emmy(R) Award-winning Executive Producer Barbara Lieberman (Murder in the Hamptons) presents the classic tale with a sugar-coated twist: a story about three best friends who, in a last ditch effort to lose weight, make a pact to follow the advice of their "fairy godmother" and end up changing their lives forever. Cinderella Pact will premiere in February 2010 on Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime's sister network and the second highest rated women's channel.

FOUR WEDDINGS (TLC)
· [series premiere] · 1/30/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · saturdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from TLC's press release, November 2009) Months in the planning and a small fortune to finance, it's no wonder a bride becomes convinced that her big day will be the perfect dream wedding. But what if four brides agree to be guests at each other's weddings and then judge which one really is the best? Welcome to Four Weddings. The stakes are more then just bragging rights, the winning bride and groom will be whisked away on a dream honeymoon!

SINS OF THE MOTHER (LMN)
· [original telefilm] · 2/6/10 at 8:00 PM

drama about a grad student who returns home to face her abusive, alcoholic mother only to discover that her mom is sober and has a 3-year-old daughter and new life

NFL FULL CONTACT (TRUTV)
· [series premiere] · 2/8/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · mondays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from truTV's press release, November 2009) For football fans, the excitement of watching two teams give it their all in head-to-head competition is a weekly ritual. But what they see on the field is actually the result of countless hours of hard work and high stress. This February, truTV and NFL Films will provide unprecedented, exclusive access to what really goes on behind the scenes of professional football in the new series NFL FULL CONTACT. The series, which premieres Monday, Feb. 8, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), will follow the action from draft day to the Super Bowl, showing football fans what happens beyond the playing field.

UNDERBELLY (DIRECTV)
· [series premiere] · 2/10/10 at 10:00 PM
· [regularly airs] · wednesdays from 10:00 PM-11:00 PM EST

(from DirecTV's press release, September 2009) DIRECTV's The 101 Network continues to bring viewers acclaimed programming that can't be seen anywhere else with the addition of the award-winning Australian crime-drama trilogy Underbelly. Based on true events, Underbelly is a gripping, gritty and shocking portrayal of the violent, drug-fueled Australian underworld from the 1970s through the early 2000s, with each installment portraying a specific period in the country's criminal history. The trilogy begins with: Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities and tells the story of the Griffith drug trade in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Part two of the series is titled Underbelly: War on the Streets and focuses on the Melbourne gangland killings between 1995 and 2004. The trilogy concludes with Underbelly: The Golden Mile that documents the hotbed of criminal activity in famed Kings Cross section of Sydney in 1989.

UNTITLED CLARK ROCKEFELLER PROJECT (LIFETIME)
· [original telefilm] · 3/13/10 at 9:00 PM

docudrama based on the true story of german con artist christian karl gerhartsreiter who eventually went on to pass himself off as clark rockefeller, an heir to the famous dynasty

AT RISK (LIFETIME)
· [original telefilm] · 4/10/10 at 9:00 PM

(from Lifetime's press release) The trademark suspense and rich characters of #1 best-selling crime writer Patricia Cornwell's books come chillingly to life in At Risk and The Front, two Lifetime Original Movies starring Andie MacDowell (sex, lies and videotape), Daniel Sunjata (TV's Rescue Me), Diahann Carroll (TV's Grey's Anatomy), Annabeth Gish (TV's Brotherhood, Mystic Pizza) and Ashley Williams (TV's Good Morning, Miami, TV's Saving Grace). The films mark the first time ever that Cornwell's books have been adapted for the screen. Each movie follows Massachusetts state investigator Win Garano (Sunjata) and his ambitious supervisor, district attorney Monique Lamont (MacDowell), as they investigate cases. Carroll stars as Garano's grandmother, Nana; Gish plays Garano's co-worker, Sykes; and Williams is Stump, a detective who becomes Garano's love interest.

FRONT, THE (LIFETIME)
· [original telefilm] · 4/17/10 at 9:00 PM