Tonight's TV Hot List: Friday, Sept. 17, 2010
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher
10/9c HBO
Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of summer, but it signals the beginning of the political season leading up to the midterm elections. And right on cue, Bill Maher returns from his annual summer hiatus, just in time to discuss what figure to be a number of hotly contested congressional races. Joining Maher on the panel as Real Time continues its eighth season are Mad Men star Jon Hamm, ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz and Republican political strategist Mark McKinnon. — Joe Friedrich
As the World Turns
2/1c CBS
The world's been turning for folks in the fictional town of Oakdale since April 2, 1956, but today it stops. That's because the curtain's closing on this long-running, Emmy-winning soap opera, which launched the careers of many stars, including Meg Ryan and Julianne Moore. Characters face major decisions on this final day. And fans get to say good-bye to fun troublemakers such as Lisa Grimaldi, visit beloved clans like the Hugheses one last time, and close a chapter on a piece of TV history. — Jennifer Sankowski
Haven
10/9c Syfy
This episode answers the question: "What's worse than being a psychic who can't predict winning lottery numbers?" Audrey tries to delve into the Colorado Kid case, but Nathan interrupts her with a modern-day mystery in the form of a killer who's loose in Haven, and that's how Nathan and Audrey meet a woman who's trying — and failing — to prevent deaths she claims to have foreseen. — Michael Chant
Beyond Survival with Les Stroud
10/9c Discovery
Is this a reality series or the plot of a future George Romero movie? Survivorman Les Stroud takes a trip to Papua New Guinea, where he'll journey into the jungle to participate in a long-forbidden ritual designed to raise the dead, which could come in handy if the host ever takes a co-host under his wing for one of his typically dangerous getaways. — Michael Chant
Friday Night Alright
11/10c VH1
The pop-rockers of Train trot out a mostly acoustic set in Los Angeles for a tiny audience, powered by front man Pat Monahan's animated performance. Included among songs from Train's 2009 CD, Save Me, San Francisco are a bouncy rendition of their infectious hit "Hey, Soul Sister," the tender supplication "Marry Me" and a funky take on "If It's Love." The guys also deliver a keyboard-driven romp through one of their signature tunes, "Drops of Jupiter," and a fun cover of Rihanna's "Umbrella." — Fred Mitchell
College Football
8/7c ESPN
Southern Mississippi gets a second chance in the national spotlight as the Golden Eagles host Kansas two weeks after a demoralizing 41-13 ESPN loss at South Carolina. The Conference USA stalwarts best known for producing QB Brett Favre lean on defense and turnovers to get to their annual bowl game. They'll face a Jayhawks squad that upset Georgia Tech 28-25 last Saturday, as new QB Jordan Webb led a 407-yard effort in coach Turner Gill's first victory. The former Nebraska star is one of a dozen African-American head coaches (out of 120 schools) at the NCAA's top level, up from just four in 2008. — Roger Leister
Boxing
11/10c Showtime
Freddy "El Riel" Hernandez (28-1, 19 KOs) makes his third ShoBox appearance against Mike Anchondo (30-2, 19 KOs) in a welterweight bout in Primm, Nev. Hernandez hasn't lost since 2005, and is coming off his biggest victory — a February kayo of former champ DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley. — Dave Roeder