Tonight on the tube: Game 5, Heroes and CBS reruns

by Jason Hughes

TLC

8:00p/7:00 Central

After taking a spanking by the Phillies in Game 4, the Rays’ backs are against the wall down 3-1 going into tonight’s World Series Game 5 on FOX. ESPN has Monday Night Football for the pigskin fan with the Colts taking on the Titans at the half hour.
ABC’s Dancing With the Stars is back for another round of competition, while NBC’s Chuck has to cozy up to Jeff, which may be even more challenging, when Jeff turns out to be the key to avoiding WWIII. He also has to explain his increasingly erratic behavior to guest Tony Hale (Arrested Development).
Ski Patrol keeps following the lives and times of the men and women who control the slopes on TruTV (how far it’s come from a court channel).
On TLC’s Little People, Big World the first episode features Matt and Amy speaking together at a conference, while the second has Zach making a civil war film for extra credit. Not to be left out, Jenny is encouraged to let out her wild side on The CW’s Gossip Girl.
CBS is on repeats all night, starting with a The Big Bang Theory from last season, with the boys fighting over who gets to date Sheldon’s hot twin sister. Then it’s time for Robin Sparkles’ sophomore video, “Sandcastles in the Sand,” on How I Met Your Mother.

9:00p/8:00 Central

Heroes is all new on NBC with Nathan & Tracy face off against Suresh. Kristen Bell also returns as Elle. Alternately, watch Lucas find surprising interest in his book again on One Tree Hill over on The CW.
Real and Chance are back again with Real Chance of Love on VH1. You either know who they are and want to watch or you don’t and really don’t want me to explain it to you. Trust me.
TLC continues the family fun with two new episodes of Jon & Kate Plus 8. First up, the family packs and plans for their trip to Hawaii. Then, Kate sprinkles the house full of Valentine’s surprises.
After Dancing With the Stars, stick with ABC at the half hour for a new Samantha Who? Tonight, Tony Hale guests on his second show of the night, offering Sam pills as part of a clinical trial for memory loss.
In the Halloween spirit, The History Channel offers Primal Fear, examining the roots of some of our most common collective fears. Like the fear of being body-slammed by a 500+ pound man in his underwear on USA’s WWE Raw.
CBS repeat night continues with Charlie getting the hots for an older woman on Two and a Half Men, followed by the pilot episode of Jay Mohr’s Gary Unmarried, getting a Monday night tryout.

10:00p/9:00 Central

The families keep getting bigger on TLC. On the first of two new 17 Kids and Counting episodes, the family chores are switched up when everybody switches gender duties. Then, follow the Duggars as they head for the Big Apple and the Today Show.
E! offers up a new Dr. 90210 while MTV takes us back to The Hills. A&E wraps up the second season of Paranormal State with a two-part one hour finale featuring a possible case of severe demon possession. Ironically, right above that description on A&E’s website is the channel’s slogan. “Real Life. Drama.”
TNT’s Raising the Bar brings up a case where an HIV infected man is accused of attempted first degree murder for spitting on someone. Yeah, you read that right. At least people remember that HIV is out there and still pretty deadly.
I’m still not sure why it’s worth a weekly trip to The Biography Channel to find out Why I Ran from people who tried to dodge Johnny Law. But then again, I’m not sure we need a reality show to find a Scream Queen for Saw VI like VH1 thinks we do.
Network drama offers up a choice between the new (Henry and Edward really need to learn to get along better or they’ll keep betraying themselves on NBC’s My Own Worst Enemy), and the old (ABC’s Boston Legal features the return of Betty White as Catherine Piper). Alan and Denny really do head off for a ranch, as they discussed, only to find themselves face-to-face with Melvin Palmer. That leaves Shirly Schmidt to deal with Catherine, who’s accidentally killed again.
CBS wraps their night with a rerun of CSI: Miami where the episode blurb says “An attempt on Calleigh’s life puts both her professional and personal life in jeopardy.” Wouldn’t an attempt on your life put your whole life in jeopardy … meaning every part of it. God, I love marketing people.