Morris Chestnut, Brian Williams
This week, TV was filled with surprise appearances. Tommy returned on Brothers & Sisters. Rihanna spoke about ex Chris Brown. The JFK assassination was front and center on Mad Men. Kate Hudson distracted Fox cameramen during the World Series. And the pilot episode of V taught us that appearances can deceive. Welcome to this week's Top Moments: Screen Time Edition.
10. Worst Return: Guess who's back on Brothers & Sisters? Prodigal son Tommy, who we last saw abandon his family to join a hippie commune in Mexico. What's he up to now? ...
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Food Network Challenge
Food Network Challenge
9/8c Food Network
A Christmas favorite receives a Halloween makeover in this episode from 2007, as four renowned pastry chefs build haunted gingerbread creations, ranging from spooky houses to a slime-filled cave and even a Spanish galleon manned by skeleton soldiers. Let's just hope that these edible works of art taste a lot sweeter than they look.
Read on for previews of the World Series, Robin Hood, Suze Orman Show and The Locator.
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Modern Family
Modern Family
9/8c ABC
Remember the first day of school? It was an opportunity to make new friends, start fresh and look forward to another year of learning. But since it's the Pritchetts we're talking about, you can throw all that schmaltzy stuff out the window. Instead, Phil and Claire get off on the wrong foot once the kids are out of the house, and Jay and Gloria disagree on Manny's choice of attire. And speaking of firsts, Mitchell and Cameron are beside themselves when Lily gets her first bump on the head.
Read on for previews of the World Series, Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space and Dinner: Impossible.
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2008 MLB World Series
Fox's World Series coverage kicked off with an average of 13.9 million total viewers (14.6 mil for the game proper) and topped the demos in almost every half-hour. That gave Fox its most-watched Wednesday night since the American Idol finale (5/21/2008). Elsewhere....
8 pm
CBS' Old Christine (eight million viewers, up 260K) and Gary Unmarried (7.85 mil, +140K) both hit season highs. Knight Rider slowed down by 430 thou, yet still placed third with 7.23 mil. After a one-week respite, Pushing Daisies resumed its sad slide, slipping 10 percent (to 5.67 mil). Top Model (4.38 mil) gained 500 thou from its last regular episode.
9 pm
Criminal Minds bested baseball in total viewers (delivering 14.72 mil, down seven percent week-to-week). Private Practice (7.78 mil, up 520K) edged out Deal or No Deal (7.6 mil) to claim third. The CW's Stylista (premiering to 2.46 mil) sewed up 56 percent of the Top Model audience.
10 pm
CSI: NY topped the hour with 14.24 mil, down 10 percent from last week. Behind baseball, Dirty Sexy Money did 5.86 mil, slipping a hair. Lipstick Jungle fell 12 percent, to 4.2 mil.
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Jimmy Rollins and Evan Longoria
The World Series begins Wednesday with the turnaround Tampa Bay Rays hosting the Philadelphia Phillies. Fox's Tim McCarver says the team that excels at the basics will be the one to enjoy baseball's ultimate champagne bath. "Base-running, for instance, is a major part of the game that's not talked about a lot," says McCarver, who was a part of three Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals teams in the 1960s. "Also, one's ability to turn a double play. These hidden things add up to wins or losses ...A lot of people lump all that in the category of 'doing the little things well.' The little things are not little. They're the difference makers."
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Johanna, Cologne, Ashlie and DyShaun, Stylista
Stylista
9:02 pm/ET CW
The Apprentice meets Project Runway tonight in the CW's newest reality show, which mixes business with fashion.
Read on for previews of the World Series, Ghost Hunters, Criminal Minds and Top Design.
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Jonathan Papelbon by Jim Rogash/WireImage.com
Boston Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon will be a guest on Late Show with David Letterman tomorrow night (Oct. 31, 11:35 pm/ET, CBS). Papelbon closed out three of Boston's four wins in their World Series sweep of the Colorado Rockies.The World Series averaged 17.1 million viewers on Fox, an 8 percent increase from last year's Fall Classic. Sunday's Game 4 drew 20.94 million viewers, making it the second-most watched program of the week (behind Dancing With the Stars)....Elsewhere, FIFA, the world-governing body of soccer, has awarded the 2011 Women's World Cup to Germany and the 2014 Men's World Cup to Brazil.
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This Wednesday, as the launch of Fox's World Series coverage averaged 16.67 million total viewers, the best Game 1 tally in three years (since Cards/Red Sox):8 pm/ETPushing Daisies placed second with 9.46 mil, down 300K week-to-week and 26 percent from its debut. NBC's Phenomenon conjured up 8.43 mil, topping Kid Nation (8.03 mil, up 130 thou). Top Model (4.72 mil) slipped a quarter mil.9 pmIt was business as usual for Criminal Minds (14.93 mil) and Private Practice (11.77 mil, No. 1 in demos). Bionic Woman slowed down by another 740 thou, and is now off 43 percent from its premiere. (That said, NBC points out that despite the baseball coverage, Jaime maintained her grip on key demos.) Gossip Girl (2.55 mil) gained 130K.10 pmCSI: NY this week won the hour with 13.64 mil, down 210K. Likewise, Dirty Sexy Money (8.56 mil, -270K) and Life (6.85 mil, -800 thou) also took hits.
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Joe Buck and Tim McCarver by Marc Levine/Fox Sports
The World Series matchup is set. Following last night’s 11-2 win in Game 7 of the ALCS, the Boston Red Sox will host the Colorado Rockies in Game 1 on Wednesday night.Outgoing New York Yankees manager Joe Torre has declined Fox’s offer to join Joe Buck and Tim McCarver as an analyst for the Fall Classic, Sports Illustrated ports. “Joe was flattered to be asked but respectfully declined because he has made some family commitments," Fox Sports spokesman Dan Bell told SI.com. After 12 years managing the club, last week Torre rejected the Yankees' one-year contract extension. Torre will appear on Late Show with David Letterman next Monday (Oct. 29, 11:35 pm/ET, CBS).The World Series schedule (all games on Fox at 8 pm/ET) will be:Game 1: Wednesday, Oct. 24Game 2: Thursday, Oct. 25Game 3: Saturday, Oct. 27Game 4: Sunday, Oct. 28Game 5: Monday, Oct. 29*Game 6: Wednesday, Oct. 31*Game 7: Thursday, Nov. 1**if necessary
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Since his child-molestation trial, Michael Jackson has been as rarely seen as his sister Janet's overgarments, but he'll appear at the World Music Awards next month to receive a Diamond Award, which is not a prize dreamt up by his pal, Elizabeth Taylor, but a recognition of artists who have sold more than 100 million albums.... Charmed enchantress Holly Marie Combs and husband David Donoho, a onetime Charmed key grip, welcomed into the world their second child, Riley Edward, on Thursday, People hears.... Although the final game of this year's World Series won the night for Fox in both total viewers and the 18-49 demo, the five-night Series' 10.1 overall rating/17 share marked the lowest numbers ever for the fall classic.Monday's Today's News column was written by Ben Katner.
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