Tonight's TV Hot List: Friday, July 31, 2009

Good Morning America
7/6 CT ABC
Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol winner and, many say, the best, doesn't have a new album coming out this week (her latest, All I Ever Wanted, has been a fixture on the Billboard 200 since its release in March), but the third single from it, "Already Gone," has already established its own Billboard beachhead. You can expect that she'll perform the new single this morning when she headlines GMA's Central Park summer concert. — Paul Droesch
Southland
8/7 CT NBC
Just in case you missed the series premiere of this police drama in April, here's a chance to catch the show from the beginning before the new season starts on Friday, September 25. Benjamin McKenzie of The O.C. stars as Los Angeles rookie cop Ben Sherman, whose future with the force depends on a good evaluation from his partner (Michael Cudlitz), who is, of course, a tough veteran with his own way of bringing down the bad guys. When a bust gets out of control, Sherman has to act on instinct and hopes that his partner won't judge him too harshly. Otherwise, his first day could be his last. — Rhoda Charles
Real Time with Bill Maher
10/9 CT HBO
What a week it's been, from Sarah Palin's final speech as Alaska's governor to the ongoing debate over the Democratic health-care initiative to the war in Afghanistan. To help make sense of it all, Maher turns to MSNBC's Rachel Maddow; CNN reporter Michael Ware, who's covering the war; writer Joe Queenan ("Closing Time"); and historian Niall Ferguson, whose Ascent of Money book and PBS series explores the financial history of the world. — Jeff Gemmill
Degrassi: The Next Generation
8/7 CT The N
In the eighth-season finale, things take a frightening turn for coworkers Holly J. and Spinner when The Dot is robbed at gunpoint. The intensity of the situation leads Holly J. to get emotional and confess her long-harboring feelings to Spinner. Elsewhere, Connor wants to reunite the old gang, but he doesn't get much support from Clare and KC with this plan. — Jennifer Sankowski
Dog Whisperer
9/8 CT National Geographic
The owners of the Venice Beach Freakshow love to embrace oddball animals, so they adopted a five-legged miniature pinscher from a Mississippi dog pound, thinking he'd fit right in with their family. But they were wrong. The dog's aggression is so severe that the family may have no other choice than to let him go. Hope now rests with Cesar to work his magic on this one-of-a-kind canine. — Karen Andzejewicz