FRIDAY
Best bet on broadcast: NBC, “Friday Night Lights,” 9 p.m. The final original episode filmed before the writers’ strike stopped production finally airs, in which Smash reexamines his college plans.
Best bet on cable: VH1, “Free Radio,” 9:30 p.m. Series premiere. An incompetent DJ interviews celebrities, including “24’s” Kiefer Sutherland tonight, in this partially improvised new comedy.
Top movie: More Max, “The Constant Gardner,” 6:45 p.m. Warm up for the apparently on-again Oscars with this 2005 film, for which Rachel Weisz earned best supporting actress.
SATURDAY
Best bet on broadcast: ABC, “Charlie Brown Valentine,” 8 p.m. If only all love stories were this enduring: Charlie Brown attempts to woo the little red-haired girl yet again.
Best bet on cable: HBO, “Bernard and Doris,” 8 p.m. Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes star in this original movie about heiress Doris Duke and her butler, to whom she left her fortune.
Top sporting event: Fox, “Budweiser Shootout,” 8 p.m. Whetting racing fans’ palates for the upcoming Daytona 500.
SUNDAY
Best bet on broadcast: CBS, “Grammy Awards,” 9 p.m. The 50th annual event, and the first big awards show on broadcast after the Golden Globes and People’s Choice Awards were wiped out by the writers’ strike.
Best bet on cable: BBC American, “British Academy of Film Awards,” 8 p.m. The British equivalent of the Oscars, with several of the same best picture nominees, including “Atonement,” “There Will Be Blood” and “No Country for Old Men.”
Top sporting event: Fox, “Pro Bowl,” 4:30 p.m. This is usually one of the least-interesting all-star games, but seeing the Patriots and Giants after last week’s shocking Super Bowl could be interesting.
|
A look at this week’s top TV draws
|
|
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
7 a.m.
|
ABC
|
“Good Morning America” (N)
|
Wall Street Journal writer Wendy Bounds guests.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
ESPN
|
“NBA Basketball” (S)
|
Kevin Garnett visits Minnesota for the first time since being traded as the Wolves host the Celtics.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“Friday Night Lights” (D)
|
Smash won’t give up on his dream of playing college football.
|
|
9:30 p.m.
|
VH1
|
“Smash Radio” (N)
|
Recently released jailbird Keifer Sutherland is interviewed.
|
|
10 p.m.
|
NBC
|
“Las Vegas” (D)
|
Terry Bradshaw guests as a man with a mysterious winning streak in horse race betting.
|
|
10 p.m.
|
USA
|
“Psych” (D)
|
Shawn and Gus pose as male models while investigating a murder.
|
|
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
3 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“PGA Golf” (S)
|
Third round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which mixes celebrities and pros.
|
|
3:30 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“College Basketball” (S)
|
Most will see a good Pac-10 matchup between USC and Washington State.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
Fox
|
“NASCAR Racing” (S)
|
The 70-lap Budweiser Shootout, which isn’t for points but kicks off the new season.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
ESPN
|
“College Basketball” (S)
|
Important Big East game between Georgetown and Louisville.
|
|
9 p.m.
|
Lifetime
|
“Making Mr. Right” (M)
|
An editor tries to turn a con man into her magazine’s Bachelor of the Year.
|
|
11 p.m.
|
Fox
|
“Mad TV” (C)
|
Among other things, a parody of “Hannah Montana.” Finally!
|
|
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10
|
|
Time
|
Network
|
Program
|
Description
|
|
1 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“NBA Basketball”
|
A finals preview? The Spurs take on the Celtics.
|
|
1 p.m.
|
Fox
|
“NASCAR Racing” (S)
|
Qualifying runs for the Daytona 500.
|
|
3 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“PGA Golf” (S)
|
Final-round coverage of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which Phil Mickelson won last year.
|
|
4:30 p.m.
|
Fox
|
“NFL Football” (S)
|
Coverage of the Pro Bowl, live from Honolulu.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
ABC
|
“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (R)
|
Two-hour edition in which Ty and Co. help a veteran of the War in Iraq.
|
|
8 p.m.
|
CBS
|
“Grammy Awards” (A)
|
The 50th annual event, live from Los Angeles. Will Amy Winehouse actually show up?
|
|
10:30 p.m.
|
HBO
|
“The Wire” (D)
|
Omar has disappeared, putting Marlo and his crew on alert.
|
|
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.
|
