WASHINGTON, November 20, 2012 ― The Sons of Anarchy is another of those basic cable shows that numbers among the top ten most viewed prime time programs. Without the power or the budget of one of the major networks, it still manages to garner as many viewers as some of the most watched major network shows.
I think Sons of Anarchy is so popular because it appeals to the rebel in all of us. My baby boomer biker friends would rather miss a trip to the superbowl than their yearly pilgrimage to Sturgis, South Dakota. Ever since Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper went in search of America in “Easy Rider,” the biker culture in this country has been alive and thriving.
All those leather clad and bandana wearing bikers who show up every year in Sturgis for biker’s week make the trip to experience a small piece of the biker mystique. Be glad they can let loose there, because more often than not they are the bankers, lawyers, doctors and accountants who take care of us the remaining 51 weeks of the year.
Besides, anarchy is vastly underrated these days.
And now, for tonight’s viewing pleasure:
All times are EST
8 p.m. Amazing dancing, a high school crush and a Thanksgiving parade in this hour.
ABC: Dancing With The Stars: All Stars: (Live) The ninth-round results show. Included: The Wanted sing a medley of their hit songs; Paula Abdul dances; and a dance crew from New Zealand perform.
CBS: NCIS: (New) Gibbs (Mark Harmon) searches for a terrorist, with the help of a Marine captain dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, Abby (Pauley Perrette) gets excited about the NCIS Thanksgiving dinner; and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) makes special plans for the opera.
FOX: Raising Hope: (New) For Natesville’s annual Thanksgiving Radish Harvest Festival, Jimmy (Lucas Neff) enters a contest to sell candy bars, and if he wins Hope can ride on a Thanksgiving float.
NBC: The Voice: (Live) Two singers from each team are eliminated tonight.
CW: Hart of Dixie: (New) A high-school boy develops a crush on Zoe (Rachel Bilson), and she’s advised not to break his heart until after the big football game.
8:30 p.m.
FOX: Ben and Kate: (New) Kate attends a high-school reunion the night before Thanksgiving, and Will suggests that she stand up to a woman who bullied her when they were students.
9 p.m. Thanksgiving dinners, a celebrity soup kitchen and dueling testosterone in this hour.
ABC: Happy Endings: (New) It’s Thanksgiving dinner at Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave’s (Zachary Knighton) new place, but he goes a little overboard when he feeds his guests a heaping helping of his heritage in his efforts to have them experience the holiday in a Navajo way.
CBS: NCIS: Los Angeles: (New) The team investigates a crime that was posted on the Internet involving a surfer and a dead Navy scientist.
FOX: New Girl: (New) Jess (Zooey Deschanel) enlists Schmidt’s (Max Greenfield) help for a “Parent Trap”-type scheme when her divorced parents (Jamie Lee Curtis, Rob Reiner) visit for Thanksgiving.
NBC: Go On: (New) An old college friend arrives, sparking a surprise competition between Ryan (Mathew Perry) and Steven (John Cho) to win her affection.
CW: Emily Owens, M.D.: (New) Emily (Mamie Gummer) becomes the laughingstock of the hospital when she is embarrassed by a drug-impaired patient. Meanwhile, Tyra (Kelly McCreary) sets Emily up on a date with her ex-boyfriend; and a family secret is revealed when a teen needs a partial liver transplant but neither parent is a match.
9:30 p.m.
ABC: Don’t Trust the B–H in Apartment 23: (New) June (Dreama Walker) spends an awkward Thanksgiving with Chloe (Krysten Ritter) when they visit Chloe’s parents. Meanwhile, James (James Van Der Beek) volunteers at an exclusive celebrity-run soup kitchen to garner good publicity and then is unpleasantly surprised when he finds out he actually has to work.
FOX: The Mindy Project: (New) Mindy (Mindy Kaling) cooks Thanksgiving dinner at Gwen’s (Anna Camp) house, but is surprised that the guest list includes Dennis (Ed Helms), her former blind date, who shows up with his new girlfriend.
NBC: The New Normal: (New) As the gang gears up to celebrate Thanksgiving, Shania (Bebe Wood) and Bryan (Andrew Rannells) save some turkeys from their crispy fate and take them home as pets, sparking a meat-free menu in the process. Elsewhere, everyone tries to make amends with those they’ve been battling.
10 p.m. A new Sons of Anarchy, a mob hit, and an absent mom returns in this hour.
ABC: Private Practice: (New) Henry’s birth mom returns and decides she wants to have a bigger presence in his life, causing Addison (Kate Walsh) to reexamine her own role as a parent. Meanwhile, Addison’s former mentor reveals a troubling secret.
CBS: Vegas: (New) The Milwaukee mob puts out a hit on Savino (Michael Chiklis), and Sheriff Lamb (Dennis Quaid) finds himself protecting the casino boss instead of trying to get the goods on him. Meanwhile, the mayoral-election results are in.
NBC: Parenthood: (New) Crosby (Dax Shepard) and Jasmine (Joy Bryant) organize an event for Jabbar’s (Tyree Brown) school; Amber (Mae Whitman) gains insight into Ryan’s (Matt Lauria) past during a road trip; Adam (Peter Krause) and Kristina arrange a sleepover for Max (Max Burkholder); Julia (Erika Christensen) and Joel (Sam Jaeger) try to adapt to both of their kids’ needs.
Basic cable:
New episodes of:
Alaska: The Last Frontier at 9 p.m. on DSC
Mankind: The Story of All of Us at 9 p.m. on History Channel
Doomsday Preppers at 9 p.m. on NGC
Dangerous Grounds at 9 p.m. on Travel Channel
Million Dollar Decorators at 10 p.m. on BRAVO
Buying Alaska at 10 and 10:30 p.m. on DSC
Chopped at 10 p.m. on Food Channel
Sons of Anarchy at 10 p.m. on FX
For movie lovers:
To Kill a Mockingbird at 8 p.m. on AMC
Frequency at 8 p.m. on FMC
Miracle on 34th Street at 8:30 on ABCFAM
Tower Heist at 9 p.m. on HBO
Air Force One at 9:35 p.m. on ENC
Last Day on Earth at 10 p.m. on SHO
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