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A look at this week’s top TV draws
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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NBC
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"Today" (N)
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Music star James Blunt performs.
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8 p.m.
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CW
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"Beauty and the Geek" (R)
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Season premiere. Last season's winners help host Mike Richards select this season's 25 contestants.
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8 p.m.
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NBC
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"The Biggest Loser" (R)
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The teams are forced to race up the stairs of a 10-story building.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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"Elvis: Viva Las Vegas" (N)
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Elizabeth Vargas examines The King's Vegas days.
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9 p.m.
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MyNetworkTV
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"Jail" (R)
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Kind of like a sequel to "Cops," focusing on jails.
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10 p.m.
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HBO
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"Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" (S, N)
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Among other things, an interview with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb.
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10 p.m.
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TLC
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"LA Ink" (R)
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Kat and the crew try to put some money together so Pixie can get the surgery she needs.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"Back to You" (C)
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Series premiere. Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton play a reunited newscast duo in Pittsburgh.
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8 p.m.
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CBS
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"Kid Nation" (R)
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Series premiere. The controversial show where kids ages 8-15 live in a New Mexico ghost town.
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8 p.m.
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CW
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"America's Next Top Model" (R)
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Season premiere. The journey for this cycle's 33 contestants starts on a Caribbean cruise.
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9 p.m.
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NBC
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"Last Comic Standing" (R)
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Season finale. The show's fifth winner is selected.
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9 p.m.
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Fox
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"Kitchen Nightmares" (R)
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Series premiere. Chef Gordon Ramsay earns ratings for Fox in the summer, but how will he do in the fall?
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10 p.m.
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VH1
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"The Rise and Fall of Joe Francis" (N)
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A short chronicle of the plight of the "Girls Gone Wild" creator.
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10 p.m.
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MTV
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"The Real World" (R)
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The group gets ready for Mardi Gras in Sydney, which, apparently, is the world's biggest gay-pride festival.
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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ABC
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"Good Morning America" (N)
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Country legend and actress Reba McEntire performs.
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7:30 p.m.
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ESPN
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"College Football" (S)
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Texas A&M and Miami meet for the first time since 1944.
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8 p.m.
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CBS
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"Survivor" (R)
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Season premiere. The 15th season takes place in China.
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9 p.m.
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USA
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"Burn Notice" (D)
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Season finale. Sam ends up where you never want to be: held hostage by heroin smugglers.
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10 p.m.
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AMC
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"Mad Men" (D)
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Don's face appears on an industry magazine after he wins an important award.
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10 p.m.
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FX
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"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (C)
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Dennis and Dee's mom dies, and she leaves them nothing in her will.
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10 p.m.
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A&E
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"Dallas SWAT" (R)
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Season finale. An officer looks into one last case before he retires.
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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NBC
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"Today" (N)
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Tom Hanks and Ken Burns guest, while GQ magazine celebrates its 50th birthday.
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7 p.m.
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ESPN
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"Major League Baseball" (S)
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Who would have thought Brewers-Braves would be such an important game this late in the season?
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8 p.m.
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CMT
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"Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team" (R)
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The final round of auditions has newcomers trying to take the places of veterans.
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9 p.m.
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Fox
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"Nashville" (R)
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Rachel, Sarah and Lindsey all try to impress a talent scout.
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10 p.m.
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Sci Fi Channel
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"Painkiller Jane" (D)
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Season finale. A group of dangerous Neuros escapes from NICO.
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10 p.m.
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Showtime
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"The Payaso Comedy Slam" (C)
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Eight Hispanic comics perform their sets in San Bernardino.
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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3:30 p.m.
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NBC
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"College Football" (S)
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Michigan State takes on 0-3 Notre Dame in South Bend.
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3:30 p.m.
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Fox
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"Major League Baseball" (S)
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Mariners-Angels, Brewers-Braves or Mets-Marlins.
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3:30 p.m.
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ABC
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"College Football" (S)
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Michigan's off to a 1-2 start but can get back on track with a win versus Penn State in the Big Ten season opener.
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"Cops" (R)
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Cops in Florida stop a man driving a golf cart. No, it's not Bill Murray.
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8 p.m.
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ABC
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"College Football" (S)
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Either Washington State-USC or Iowa-Wisconsin.
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9 p.m.
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ESPN 2
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"College Football" (S)
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If you like all offense with little defense, Purdue-Minnesota is the game for you.
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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1:30 p.m.
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ABC
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"NASCAR Racing" (S)
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A Nextel Cup race in Dover, Del.
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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"The Simpsons" (C)
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Season premiere. Homer develops a taste for flying in private jets after he and Mr. Burns jet-set to Chicago.
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8:15 p.m.
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NBC
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"NFL Football" (S)
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Two of the NFC's best, Dallas and Chicago, battle at Soldier Field.
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9 p.m.
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CBS
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"Cold Case" (D)
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Season premiere. Lilly goes back to work just a few weeks after she was shot.
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9 p.m.
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Fox
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"Family Guy" (C)
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Season premiere. An hour-long spoof of "Star Wars."
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10 p.m.
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CBS
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"Shark" (D)
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Season premiere. Sebastian enlists some help after his only witness in a double-murder is murdered himself.
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10 p.m.
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HBO
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"Curb Your Enthusiasm" (C)
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Larry has issues with the way other people shop. Larry needs a hobby.
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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.
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