Around the Remote: Chuck Barney's TV picks for Aug. 3-9

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 3, 2008 | by Chuck Barney

DON'T MISS: Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony -- crank up the DVR and let the Games begin. But first, several hours of bloated pageantry. A cast of 10,000 performers is scheduled to perform in Beijing's National Stadium. And if that doesn't bring a lump to your throat, maybe the traditional parade of nations or the lighting of the Olympic caldron will. Over a 17-day period, NBC along with its family of cable stations (including USA, MSNBC, Oxygen and Telemundo) have planned more than 3,600 hours of coverage, including every single sport. Yes, even badminton. Watch just a sizable fraction of this stuff and you will deserve a medal. 8 p.m. Friday, Channels 3 and 11 (NBC).

OTHER BETS:

SUNDAY: You knew that, sooner or later, Pam Anderson would get her own reality show. In "Pam: Girl on the Loose," the top-heavy star takes us into her world, which could be pretty scary, come to think of it. 10 p.m., E!

MONDAY: Miley Cyrus must have a clone, because the girl seems to be everywhere. Here, she pops up as host of "Teen Choice 2008," the only awards show we know of that bestows surfboards upon the winners. How cool is that? 8 p.m., Channels 2 and 40 (Fox).

MONDAY: On a new episode of "The Closer," Brenda and Fritz are at it again as she battles him for control of a murder case involving a man wearing a surveillance wire. Will these two ever live in harmony? Not likely. 9 p.m., TNT.

MONDAY: Poor Diddy. He oversees a showbiz empire tied to his acting, music, fashion, TV production and whatnot. But he could use some help. So bring on "I Want to Work for Diddy," a reality show in which contestants vie to be his personal assistant. 9 p.m., VH1.

TUESDAY: We've never actually watched "How to Look Good Naked," but the title intrigues us. On this episode, Carson Kressley helps a mother of four feel good about wearing a bathing suit again. A noble pursuit, indeed. 10 p.m., Lifetime.

WEDNESDAY: They came, they saw, they got frazzled. Now that the teens involved in "The Baby Borrowers" have completed their caregiving duties, they gather for a "town hall" meeting to discuss the lessons they learned. Lesson No. 1: Celibacy has its rewards. 9 p.m., Channels 3 and 11 (NBC).

WEDNESDAY: If you like watching humongous sweaty men pound the snot out of one another, "Hard Knocks '08: Training Camp With the Dallas Cowboys" is your show. You might want to wear a helmet. 10 p.m., HBO.

THURSDAY: The votes are in, and now it's time to find out who will capture the crown on "So You Think You Can Dance." Our prediction: It will be someone with really good footwork. 8 p.m., Channels 2 and 40 (Fox).

THURSDAY: They're also down to the wire on "Last Comic Standing." The winner nabs, among other prizes, a talent contract with NBC, which means he or she could eventually wind up on a sitcom no one watches. 8 p.m., Channels 3 and 11 (NBC).

FRIDAY: Oh, that naughty Laurie. While Bruce and Susan plan a trip to the cabin on "Swingtown," she has her own plans to go hang out with that hottie teacher Doug. Meanwhile, Janet and Roger see a therapist. 9 p.m., Channel 13; 10 p.m., Channel 5 (CBS).

SATURDAY: Yes, the competition is fierce in the Olympics, but some us would rather watch Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie duke it out in the 2005 film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith." Who knew gunplay could be a form of foreplay? 8 p.m., FX.

Reach Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Also, check out his daily "TV Freak" blog at www.ibabuzz.com/tvfreak.>

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