Snazzy music helps set Smash’ apart
Nothing but reruns and yawns tonight on the bigs.
The night’s one upside: “Pepsi Smash,” on the WB at 8. Actually some pretty cool music is featured tonight.
Los Lonely Boys are a trio of young Texans who are also brothers.
Henry Garza rips it up on guitar, evoking Stevie Ray Vaughan among others. And his brother Ringo is in fact the drummer. You have to love ‘em.
Also seen are the hot hip-hop of Kanye West and the uber emo of Dashboard Confessional, as well as less appealing outfits, like 311.
Alas, an hour of “Jamie Kennedy” reruns follows.
Highlights
ABC offers an hour of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” repeats at 8, followed by an installment of “Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital.” If a miniseries falls in the forest and no one watches it, does it really air?
Then at 10, it’s a “PrimeTime.”
CBS has two “Without a Trace” reruns, at 8 and 10: In the first, an army officer disappears, and the later show has a missing cop-turned-bounty-hunter. The bright spot here is the smart 9 p.m. rerun of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” in which a very bad beating leads to a death in police custody.
NBC, bless its heart, offers all repeats, starting at 8 with a “Friends” — Ross tries to get Rachel her job back — two “Will & Graces” loaded with guest stars — Barney Miller hits on Will! — and a “Scrubs” rerun, featuring Scott Foley as a wedge between J.D. and Elliott.
Followed, of course, by existential dramas in the “ER.”
That new summer sitcom with the stand-up comedian didn’t last very long, did it? What was his name again?
Fox has reruns of “North Shore” —prime cheese! — at 8 and “Tru Calling” — not so much! — at 9.
“Wide Angle,” at midnight on KSPS: Season premiere promises to take us “Inside the Mind of a Suicide Bomber.”
In interviews from inside Israeli prisons, this film looks at what makes the Palestinian suicide bombers able to do what they do. Talks with three failed bombers, one recruiter and one bomb builder reveal the training, methodology and profound belief in martyrdom that drive their murderous missions.
While they profess their hatred of Jews and Israel and believe that a suicide bombing will lift them to paradise, some also reveal personal-life problems that helped drive them. And there’s another key factor: the tremendous gulf between the poverty and deprivation on the Palestinian side of the barbed wire, as contrasted to the relative comfort inside Israel.
Family Fare
“Holes” (2003), Starz at 9: Shia LaBeouf leads the young inmates of a detention camp run by a warden (Sigourney Weaver) who tells them they must dig, without a good reason as to why.
Cable Cast
“Celebrity Poker Showdown,” Bravo at 9: We’re getting into the playoffs now, as winners of previous games come together to compete for the big money — which goes to charity. But, of course, it’s the banter that makes the show go.
“Hot Dog Heavens,” Travel at 9: Nathan’s on Coney Island and many other fine wiener destinations.
Late Night Talk
“Late Show with David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Will Ferrell and musical guests Dashboard Confessional.
“Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” NBC at 11:35: Ben Stiller and Fantasia Barrino. Repeat.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC at 12:05 a.m.: For once, Kimmel’s got the show of the night with the nutso great Fred Willard and the little-seen musical guest Lloyd Cole.
“Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn,” CBS at 12:35: Julie Chen.
“Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35: Chris Rock, Shannon Elizabeth and Joe Buck.