TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: Comedy movies,
cable.
This is a good night to let Hollywood
provide the laughs.
That's led by “Juno” (2007), at 9
p.m. on Oxygen. It won an Academy Award for Diablo Cody's witty
script and was nominated for three more – for best picture, Jason
Reitman's direction and Ellen Page's perfect performance as a
pregnant teen with a droll sense of humor.
There are also two 2005 films, large
and slick and entertaining.
“The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (8 p.m. on
Bravo) was written by director Judd Apatow and Steve Carell, who
plays the guy trying to change his sexual status. “The Wedding
Crashers” (7:30 p.m., Comedy Central) has Vince Vaughn and Owen
Wilson as harmless chaps who look for fun and – surprise (?) –
get serious; Rachel McAdams and Isla Fisher co-star, with Will
Farrell popping up briefly.
TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: Gymnastics, 8-10
p.m., NBC.
Here are the Visa Championships, from
Hartford, Conn.
In the network tradition, the women get
top billing, competing tonight. The men are confined to daytime, from
2:30-4 p.m. Sunday.
TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: “The Perfect
Storm” (2000, A&E) or “Ocean's Eleven” (2001, TNT), both 8
p.m.
Take your choice of George Clooney
moods tonight. He's dead-serious in “Perfect Storm,” the true
story of three storms that combined off the coast of Massachusetts;
he's frisky in “Ocean's Eleven,” a clever heist film.
As usual, Clooney made sure he's
surrounded by top people. “Perfect Storm” is directed by Wolfgang
Petersen (“The NeverEnding Story”); it got Oscar nominations for
its sound and special effects. “Ocean's Eleven” was directed by
Oscar-winner Steven Soderbergh (“Traffic”), with a dream cast
that included Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Julian Roberts.
Other choices include:
– “Bachelor Pad” debut, 8-10
p.m., ABC. Here's a quick rerun of Monday's debut, which threw
together 11 women rejected on “The Bachelor” and eight men
rejected on “Bachelorette.” With no central person to impress,
there's more scheming and sniping and such. Tenley Molzahn screams
and hugs a lot, then plants a rumor (with little apparent basis) and
weeps copiously when confronted; viewers may wonder how Jake Pavelka
ever ended up with her and Vienna Giraldi as his final choices.
– “Cold Case,” 8 p.m., CBS.
Susanna Thompson guests as an FBI agent with a fresh crack at a case
that has eluded her for 30 years. She's greeted warily; she was once
romantically linked with Stillman, ending his marriage.
– “Rookie Blue,” 10 p.m., ABC. In
a rerun of Thursday's episode, Andy and Chris investigate a brutal
beating at a nightclub. They come across a dilemma that could have
aftershocks at the police station.
– “Law & Order: Criminal
Intent,” 10 p.m., NBC. Here's a variation on the Michael Vick case:
In this one, it's a boxer who's involved with a dog-fighting ring;
and, of course, there's a murder.
– “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29
p.m., NBC. This is a busy time for Gaboure Sidibe, the Oscar-nominee
for “Precious.” On Monday, she starts her co-starring role in
Showtime's well-made “The Big C”; she's also been popping up in
talk shows. She's the host of this rerun, with music by MGMT.