Tonight's TV Hot List: Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010

Pit Boss
10/9c Animal Planet
Shorty takes on the role of mentor as he visits the California Youth Authority, a juvenile reform center, to facilitate a dog-training program for the youth housed there. It's a personal mission for Shorty, as he once received some guidance there himself before spending a decade in prison in connection with a gang-related shooting. — Rhoda Charles
Saturday Night Live
11:29/10:29c NBC
It's the life of Bryan when the live-wire comedy show's second Season 36 outing features Bryan Cranston as host. (Jane Lynch is on tap to host next week's show.) Taking to the Studio 8H hosting stage for the first time, Cranston is coming off his third consecutive Emmy win as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Breaking Bad. Cranston is no stranger to Emmy accolades or to comedy, as he has also scored three Emmy nominations for his role in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle. Providing the music is rap raconteur Kanye West, whose newest CD is slated to drop later this year. — Dean Maurer
Iconoclasts
9/8c Sundance
The fifth season of the series that brings together interesting pairs of personalities from all walks of life kicks off with Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron heading into the wilds of the Republic of Congo to learn about primates from anthropologist Jane Goodall. Theron should be no stranger to big apes: She starred in the 1998 remake of 1949's Mighty Joe Young, about a gentle, giant gorilla. Theron is also seen working with the young South Africans and teaching them about AIDS protection. — Ray Stackhouse
Ryder Cup Golf
8 a.m./7c NBC
The U.S. squad may be defending the Ryder Cup (having won in 2008 in Louisville), but the U.S. hasn't been victorious on its opponents' turf since 1993. Day 2 competition at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales features a two-man team event in alternate-shot and better-ball matches, with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and FedExCup champ Jim Furyk giving the U.S. team plenty of star power to counter the Europeans' home-course advantage. Both teams feature Ryder rookie 21-year-olds, with Rory McIlroy representing Europe, and Rickie Fowler playing for the U.S. — Dave Roeder
Planet Sheen
11 a.m./10c Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon premieres two new cartoons back-to-back today. The first is Planet Sheen, and it's a spin-off of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius. Jimmy's energetic pal Sheen takes center stage when he lands on a strange planet and envisions teaching the locals about Earth's modern, advanced ways. Following this is T.U.F.F. Puppy, a tale about a dim-witted dog (voice of Jerry Trainor from iCarly) teaming up with a skilled cat to work as spies and protect their town from evil. — Jennifer Sankowski
The Empowered Patient
7/6c CNN
CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, whose well-received Empowered Patient book inspired this hour-long report, draws examples from her life to explain why people need to speak up for themselves and/or their loved ones in medical settings, and seek out second opinions when things don't sound right. She also interviews actor-leukemia survivor Evan Handler about how and why he became an "empowered patient." — Jeff Gemmill
The Blind Side
8/7c HBO
Sandra Bullock won her first Academy Award and Golden Globe — for a role she originally turned down — for her performance in this feel-good 2009 sports drama. Based on Michael Lewis' book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, the PG-13-rated film follows the path of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a troubled black youth who is taken in by a white Memphis couple (Bullock, Tim McGraw), becomes a football standout and is eventually drafted by the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. Kathy Bates co-stars. — Joe Friedrich
The Princess and the Frog
9/8c Starz
Here's the enchanting animated adventure of a prince (voice of Bruno Campos) who is transformed into a frog and accidentally curses a beautiful princess (Anika Noni Rose) with the same fate after he kisses her in an effort to break the spell. This sends the two royals on a wild ride through the Louisiana bayous, where they seek a voodoo priestess who may be able to restore their true forms. The 2009 Oscar nominee for Best Animated Feature Film is rated G and features two Oscar-nominated songs, "Almost There" and "Down in New Orleans." — Ray Stackhouse