“Top Chef”
Wednesday 10pm, Bravo
With last week’s stunning news that “Project Runway” is jumping ship to Lifetime (and seriously, how nuts is that?), Bravo desperately needs to keep its second-best reality competition at the top of its game. Thankfully, “Top Chef”’s fourth season is plenty spicy. Never have I seen a surlier bunch of cooks in one place. At almost every elimination so far this season, at least one of the bottom-placing chefs has thrown a full-on hissy fit. We’re talking sulking, bitching and giving the judges an inordinate amount of sass. I keep expecting head judge Tom Colicchio to get up from behind the table and administer some serious spankings. Still, it’s compulsively watchable, and I am rooting for a couple of the properly socialized contestants. (Geeky Stephanie has really grown on me; soft-spoken, lesbian-styled gastronomist Richard is clearly the one to beat.) I just wish they’d lock Spike, Andrew and Zoi in a meat locker.
“Trading Spaces”
Saturday 9pm, Discovery
Remember, like, five years ago, when TLC’s “Trading Spaces” was the biggest thing on cable? A simple show about two sets of neighbors given a designer, a carpenter, a budget and tasked with redoing a room in each others’ houses became a phenomenon, with spin-offs, books and even wall calendars. Bizarre. Of course, nothing gold can stay, and the show went through massive changes and eventually spiraled in the ratings. This season, TLC wised up and brought back spunky original host Paige Davis, and returned to the original format, but with a twist: Instead of neighbors, it now follows people with specific personal connections, like a mother and daughter, divorced spouses, or a boss and his underling. The network also brought in some new designers, including Goil, the only good part of Bravo’s wretched “Top Design,” and some hot new carpenters (call me, Thad!). Sadly, wackadoo designer Hildi is still there. How horrified would you be if she walked into your house with a tape measure?
“Gossip Girl”
Monday 8pm, CW
Even during the writers’ strike, this teen soaper was the subject of much, ahem, gossip. Tongues were wagging that washed-up “OC” star Mischa Barton was being brought on to play the role of a recently rehabbed troublemaker (ah, typecasting). Apparently Barton leaked the story—and her refusal—of the offer to the press, and show runners responded by telling her where to stick her Swarovski crystal-covered Sidekick. Allegedly. Instead, they’ve made the much smarter decision to cast a former “Buffy” cast member, Michelle Trachtenberg, in the meaty role, a new bitchy foil for Queen Bee Blair. Meanwhile, news broke that one of the boys on the show will come out of the closet, and eyes immediately turned to resident hunk/J.C. Chasez “pal” Chace Crawford. But fear not, Chace fans; word has it that the gay character is Serena’s twinkie brother. Allegedly!
