THURSDAY
Best bet on broadcast I: Fox, “So You Think You Can Dance,” 8 p.m. Season premiere. Last summer’s top-rated show in adults 18-49 returns.
Best bet on broadcast II: NBC, “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” 10 p.m. Last fall’s most-buzzed about show returns … to burn off its remaining episodes after being yanked for low ratings in February and canceled last week.
Best bet on cable: MTV, “Band in a Bubble,” 11 p.m. Truth in advertising, no? The rock band Cartel enters a transparent bubble for three weeks to work on an album and get some publicity. Er, examine the “creative process.”
FRIDAY
Best bet on broadcast: CBS, “Late Show with David Letterman,” 11:35 p.m. “Gilmore Girls” star Alexis Bledel appears, and hopefully Dave will ask her about the rumored “Girls” movie.
Best bet on cable: Starz, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” 9 p.m. If you don’t feel like fighting the crowds for part three, stay home and watch part two again.
Top sporting event: ESPN2, “MLL Lacrosse: Boston Cannons at Long Island Lizards,” 7 p.m. Warm up for Monday’s men’s NCAA lacrosse final with some pro action.
SATURDAY
Best bet on broadcast: NBC, “Chicago,” 8 p.m. After watching, attempt to explain how Richard Gere did not get an Oscar nomination for this. You can’t.
Best bet on cable: BBC America, “Robin Hood,” 9 p.m. Season finale. Robin fights depression, then really fights after a terrible secret is revealed.
Top sporting event: ABC, “NBA Playoffs: San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz,” 8:30 p.m. The Jazz try to dig out of a two-game hole in the third game of the Western Conference series.
SUNDAY
Best bet on broadcast: NBC, “Friday Night Lights,” 10 p.m. NBC tries out “Lights” in a new spot, hoping to reach a new audience this summer.
Best bet on cable: HBO, “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” 9 p.m. Anna Paquin stars in an adaptation of Dee Brown’s book.
Top sporting event: ABC, “Indianapolis 500,” 1 p.m. Helio Castroneves captured the pole, and his teammate Sam Hornish Jr. is the defending champ.
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A look at this week’s top TV draws |
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THURSDAY, MAY 24 |
|
Time |
Network |
Program |
Description |
|
8 p.m. |
Fox |
"So You Think You Can Dance" (R) |
Season premiere. The regular season's officially over and now it's time for some summertime filler. |
|
8 p.m. |
Travel Channel |
"Cool Camps for Kids" (N) |
Having trouble getting the kids excited about going to camp? Have them check this out. |
|
9 p.m. |
ESPN |
"NBA Basketball" (S) |
A conference final game, teams still to be decided. |
|
9 p.m. |
MTV |
"Pimp My Ride" (R) |
Why on Earth would you need a cotton candy machine in your car? |
|
9 p.m. |
VH1 |
"VH1 Rock Honors" (A) |
Bam Margera hosts, honoring the likes of Genesis and Ozzy Osbourne. |
|
10 p.m. |
NBC |
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" (D) |
The mighty have fallen. This year's most buzzed-about new show starts burning off its remaining episodes. |
|
11 p.m. |
MTV |
"Band in a Bubble" (R) |
Series premiere. Members from the band Cartel lock themselves in a fiberglass bubble to record their new album. |
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FRIDAY, MAY 25 |
|
Time |
Network |
Program |
Description |
|
7 a.m. |
NBC |
"Today" (N) |
Performances by Blondie and Lily Allen. |
|
8 p.m. |
CW |
"Friday Night Smackdown" (S) |
It may be rerun season on broadcast, but hey, wrestling's still new! |
|
8 p.m. |
CMT |
"CMT Diary" (R) |
Series premiere. Like MTV's version, with country stars. First up: Gretchen Wilson. |
|
9 p.m. |
WE |
"Wife, Mom, Bounty Hunter" (R) |
Sandra tracks a fugitive with a tip from his own grandmother. |
|
10 p.m. |
VH1 |
"Maxim's Hot 100" (A) |
A countdown of the world's most beautiful women, at least according to the magazine. |
|
10 p.m. |
Court TV |
"Investigators" (N) |
A look back at Robert Spangler, who killed two of his wives and his two children. |
|
SATURDAY, MAY 26 |
|
Time |
Network |
Program |
Description |
|
3:30 p.m. |
Fox |
"Major League Baseball" (S) |
It's Cubs-Dodgers, Tigers-Indians or Phillies-Braves. |
|
8 p.m. |
NBC |
"Chicago" (M) |
An airing of the heavily honored musical. |
|
8 p.m. |
Hallmark |
"Pandemic" (M) |
An L.A. virus movie starring Tiffani Thiessen. |
|
8:30 p.m. |
ABC |
"NBA Basketball" (S) |
A conference final game, teams TBD. |
|
10 p.m. |
A&E |
"Jackpot Diaries" (N) |
Conclusion of the look at what people do when they win lotteries, etc. |
|
10 p.m. |
Style |
"Clean House" (N) |
You think your house is a mess? Wait until you see this biker family's pad. |
|
SUNDAY, MAY 27 |
|
Time |
Network |
Program |
Description |
|
1 p.m. |
ABC |
"Indianapolis 500" (S) |
The 91st edition of what may be the greatest American auto race. |
|
3 p.m. |
NBC |
"Senior Golf" (S) |
Final round of the Senior PGA Championship, won last year by Jay Haas. |
|
5 p.m. |
Fox |
"NASCAR Racing" (S) |
The Coca-Cola 600, live from Concord, N.C. |
|
8 p.m. |
ESPN |
"Major League Baseball" (S) |
The Tigers and Indians battle for American League Central division supremacy. |
|
9 p.m. |
VH1 |
"Celebrity Fit Club" (R) |
The remaining contestants are glad Dustin is gone, but they may not be done with him quite yet. |
|
10 p.m. |
TLC |
"The Real Deal" (R) |
A company's IT guy buys his first house, but then computers start crashing at his work. |
|
11 p.m. |
MTV |
"Rob & Big" (R) |
Season premiere. The skater and his overweight sidekick/bodyguard buy a miniature horse. |
|
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show. |
