This is a relatively quiet week in TV in terms of big shows starting or finishing their seasons.
On CBS, this could be the end of “Numb3rs,” (left) which concludes its sixth season Friday after a very respectable run. The CW brings back “America’s Next Top Model” Wednesday for its 16th cycle. That show, though, is starting to gray at the edges and the slipping ratings show it. ABC’s “Supernanny” celebrates its 100th episode Friday, an impressively long run for this type of show, proof that parenting is never ever easy.
HBO is rolling out a big miniseries Sunday called “The Pacific.” Yes, miniseries. Remember them? This one is a ten-part story chronicling American soldiers on the Pacific front during World War II, based on true stories. It’s created by the same producers who did “Band of Brothers,” including Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. This is high budget, high production values and greatly moving.
Some decent-sized cable hits are also ending their seasons but will return in the future: USA’s “Psych” and “White Color,” History Channel’s “Pawn Stars,” and Oxygen’s “The Bad Girls Club,” to name a few. And one of E!’s most successful shows “Kendra” is back Sunday.
MONDAY
“The Bachelor” 8 p.m. ABC— Jason Mesnick gets hitched to Molly Malaney.
“Chuck” 8 p.m. NBC — Chuck loses his “flashing” ability. Not good.
“How I Met Your Mother” 8 p.m. CBS — Jennifer Lopez guests.
“Make It Or Break It” 9 p.m. ABC Family (first-season finale) — The gals are all nerves against the Chinese team.
“The Buried Life” 10 p.m. MTV (first-season finale) — The guys help an adopted man find his birth father.
“Pawn Stars” 10 p.m., 10:30 p.m. History (second-season finale) — Possible buys include a banjo ukulele, Soviet nuclear-missile launch keys and a baseball jersey signed by Lou Gehrig.
“NFL Full Contact” 11 p.m. TruTV (first-season finale) — The focus is on the NFL draft.
TUESDAY
“American Idol” 8 p.m. Fox — Last week made it clear that it’s now Crystal Bowersox’s competition to lose.
“Lost” 9 p.m. ABC — Benjamin Linus: evil or not?
“The Bad Girls Club” 10 p.m. Oxygen (fourth-season finale) — The outgoing gals plan a grand bikini parade. Bad girls and bikinis go well together, don’t they?
“Food Wars” 10 p.m. Travel (new series) — Two Buffalo eateries battle over who has the better chicken wings.
“The Forgotten” 10 p.m. ABC (first-season finale) — Suffering low ratings, this Christian Slater series is likely to be forgotten after this season.
“White Collar” 10 p.m. USA (first-season finale) — Neal and Alex go after an elusive music box at the Italian consulate.
WEDNESDAY
“America’s Next Top Model” 8 p.m. the CW (14th-season debut) — Two metro Atlantans compete: Anslee and Alasia. Alasia makes an impression almost immediately: watch her wig!
“American Idol” 9 p.m. Fox — Are Casey James and Andrew Garcia amiable one-trick ponies? And is Lee DeWyze the best guy this year?
“Criminal Minds” 9 p.m. CBS — Gabrielle Carteris (”90210″) guests.
“Modern Family” 9 p.m. ABC — Phil dopily invites an old girlfriend (Judy Greer) to visit – via Facebook.
“High Society” 9:30 p.m. the CW (new series) — A reality show featuring Manhattan socialites.
“First Love, Second Chance” 10 p.m. TV Land (new series) — Former couples are reunited and given a second shot at love.
“Psych” 10 p.m. USA (fourth-season finale) — A would-be murderer uses Alfred Hitchcock as inspiration.
THURSDAY
“American Idol” 8 p.m. Fox — Four more out and the top 12 is set. A few are virtually guaranteed a slot at this stage: Lee DeWyze, Crystal Bowersox, Casey James.
“Community” 8 p.m. NBC — Katharine McPhee of “Idol” fame competes against her former show as she guests as Pierce’s stepdaughter.
“Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” 8 p.m. CBS — Despite warnings from his castmates, Russell seeks the immunity idol at his own peril. He can’t help himself after the success he had last time around.
“Grey’s Anatomy” 9 p.m. ABC — Derek has to pick Richard or Owen to do a difficult operation. Being the boss now isn’t easy, eh?
“Sober House With Dr. Drew” 10 p.m. VH1 (second-season debut) — Fellow problem celebs Heidi Fleiss, Tom Sizemore and Dennis Rodman are among the “Rehab” vets who continue on at this transitional facility.
“Project Runway” 10 p.m. Lifetime — Atlanta’s Anthony Williams landed in the bottom three for a third time last week. That’s not a good trend for long-term survival.
FRIDAY
“Ghost Whisperer” 8 p.m. CBS— Melinda rescues a child trapped in a house for years by evil spirits.
“Who Do You Think You Are?” 8 p.m. NBC — Former NFL star Emmitt Smith checks out a rumor that a grandmother might have white ancestry.
“Caprica” 9 p.m. SyFy— Amanda has unsettling visions of her dead brother.
“Supernanny” 9 p.m. ABC (sixth-season finale) — Jo Frost checks back with some of her most memorable families.
“The Ricky Gervais Show” 9 p.m. HBO — Topics include customs of New Guinea tribes and an e-mail about dangerous dolphins.
“Numb3rs” 10 p.m. CBS (sixth-season finale) — With ratings down, this drama’s days may be numbered. Charlie and Amita get married.
WEEKEND
“True Blue: Ten Years of Blue Collar Comedy” 8 and 9 p.m. Saturday CMT — Alpharetta’s Jeff Foxworthy created this tour ten years ago and propelled the careers of Bill Engvall, Larry the Cable Guy and Ron White.
“Who is Clark Rockefeller?” 9 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — Based on a true story, Eric McCormack (“Will and Grace”) pours on the creep playing a con man pretending to be a Rockefeller.
“The Pacific” 9 p.m. Sunday HBO (new series) — The creative team behind “Band of Brothers” creates a ten-part miniseries focusing on the Pacific side of World War II.
“Sons of Tucson” 9:30 p.m. Sunday Fox (new series) — Three brothers convince a slacker to act as their father while their real dad is in prison. It’s funnier than it sounds.
“The Antonio Treatment” 10 p.m. Sunday HGTV (new series) — “Design Star” victor Antonio Ballatore does cool room makeovers.
“Kendra” 10 p.m. Sunday E! (second-season debut) — Kendra adjusts to life as a mommy.