WASHINGTON, December 3, 2012 – America’s fiscal cliff looms closer and no progress worth mentioning has been made. Maybe the politicians are expecting the world to end on December 21st when the Mayan long count calendar ends. That would be the only acceptable explanation as to why both sides are doing nothing but posturing. Makes you wonder: Did the Mayans know something about entitlements and unfunded liabilities that we didn’t know when they thrashed out the endgame on their calendar? (Maybe we’ll learn something about this tonight at 9 and 10 p.m. on NatGeo.)
In any event, Congressional negotiations have reached the comical stage, with each side digging in their heels and drawing a line in the sand. Since politicians live in a bubble, with little worry that their lives will be affected by their posturing and inaction, maybe we should run Congress like the networks manage a sitcom. If Congressional Nielsens get too low, Congress gets cancelled and replaced.
Specifically, give Congress 12 “episodes” to work out their differences or they are gone. All of them. It could not be any worse than holding Americans hostage to their own individual ideologies while the country crumbles around them, which is what they’re doing right now.
As an added bonus, this new Congressional arrangement might even provide the impetus for even more and better reality TV shows. Think of it: Congressman X standing in the unemployment line, looking for the first job he’s ever held in his life and striking out due to lack of any “relevant experience” in “high-paying jobs” like ditch digging. You know, the kind of jobs that college grads with BS degrees in Transylvanian Studies have to settle for. Just sayin.’
Meanwhile, we’ll always have those Two Broke Girls to give us weekly lessons on creative poverty—although this series might be jumping the shark with that Martha Stewart cupcake story line.
For a lead-in to this perky pair—who appear on CBS twice this evening—try The Voice, where the remaining hopefuls vie for that series’ quarterfinal round. Oh, but then we’d have to miss 90210’s excellent Playboy Mansion adventure. What a delicious dilemma. We’re feeling better already.
Tonight’s viewing:
All times are EST
8 p.m. A party at the playboy mansion and Monday Night Football in this hour.
ABC: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: (New) Part 1: The team helps build a home for a family that’s house and farm burned in a wild fire; fire department renovation.
CBS: How I Met Your Mother: (New) Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) had a tough decision to make when deciding on which strip club would receive his stamp of approval.
FOX: Bones: (New) The team investigates the death of a boy whose soul remains alive.
NBC: The Voice: (Live) The six remaining artists perform, with a trip to the quarterfinals hanging in the balance.
CW: 90210: (New) Naomi (Annalynne McCord) hosts an elaborate charity lingerie show at the Playboy Mansion in an attempt to gain membership status with the elite ladies West Beverly alumni group.
8:30 p.m.
CBS: Two Broke Girls: (Repeat) Max (Kat Dennings) and Caroline (Beth Behrs) attempt to keep faith that Martha Stewart., who tasted and liked one of their cupcakes in last season’s finale will call and help support their business.
ESPN: Monday Night Football: Giants at Redskins
9 p.m. Managing woes and a home rebuilt in this hour.
ABC: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: (New) Part 2: The team helps build a home for a family whose house and farm burned in a wild fire; fire department renovation.
CBS: Two Broke Girls: (New) When Max (Kat Dennings) and Caroline (Beth Behrs) hire an intern to help take care of some of the dirty work in preparation for opening their new cupcake shop and Max has trouble with her new managerial role.
Tonight’s burning bonus question: Would you buy a cupcake from either of these Two Broke Cupcakes? (Credit: CBS)
FOX: The Mob Doctor: (New) A master thief requests Dr. Devlin’s (Jordana Spiro) treatment at Roosevelt Medical.
CW: Gossip Girl: (New) Serena (Blake Lively) and Dan (Penn Badgley) decide to throw their first Thanksgiving together, inviting only their closest friends, but everyone seems to have their own agenda for attending.
9:30 p.m.
CBS: Mike and Molly: (New) Molly (Melissa McCarthy) encourages Mike (Billy Gardell) to go after a detective position but the stress of taking the qualification exam takes a big toll on their relationship.
10 p.m. A mysterious Kris Kringle and a new Christmas special in this hour.
ABC: Castle: (New) Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) investigate when a bearded man named Kriss Kringle falls from the sky in Central Park; Beckett and Castle work on a Christmas list together.
CBS: Hawaii Five-0: (New) Max (Masi Oka) and his crush get put in harms way when a botched bank robbery leads the team to determine that the criminals had very unexpected motives.
NBC: (New) Blake Shelton’s Not-So-Family Christmas: Country artist Blake Shelton hosts a holiday variety special featuring performances of holiday classics, new music and comedy bits. Guest stars include Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert, Larry the Cable Guy, Jay Leno and Reba McEntire.
Basic cable:
New episodes of:
Doomsday: Book of Revelation- The End is Near at 8 p.m. on NGC
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills at 8 and 9 p.m. on BRAVO
The Mayan Apocalypse 2012 at 9 p.m. on NGC
Hoarders at 9 p.m. on A&E
American Chopper at 9 p.m. on DSC
American Pickers at 9 p.m. on History Channel
Cake Boss: Next Great Baker at 9 p.m. on Food Channel
The Layover With Anthony Bourdain at 9 p.m. on Travel Channel
Intervention at 10 p.m. on A&E
Fast N’ Loud at 10 p.m. on DSC
Maya Underworld: The Real Doomsday at 10 p.m. on NGC
Hotel Impossible at 10 p.m. on Travel Channel
Pawn Stars at 10 and 10:30 p.m. on History Channel
Cake Boss at 10 and 10:30 p.m. on TLC
For movie lovers:
8 p.m.
Windtalkers on FLIX
X-Men Origins: Wolverine on FX
Star Trek Generations on SyFy
Bonnano: A Godfather’s Story on REELZ
End of days at 9 p.m. on MOMAX
Contagion at 9 p.m. on HBO
Tron: Legacy at 9 p.m. on ENC
50 First Dates at 10 p.m. on CINEMAX
For further consideration:
Oliver Stone’s Untold History of The United States at 9 p.m. on SHO
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