“NCIS”
Tuesday 8pm, CBS
“NCIS” is one of those shows that all moms love. Ask your own; 2-to-1 odds that she just loves that Mark Harmon, and wishes that DiNozzo and Ziva would just get together already. The truth is, as far as procedurals go, “NCIS” does it right. The show has steadily increased in the ratings, and this season—its sixth—cracked the Top 10, and thus has earned its own spin-off (which is fitting, since “NCIS” was itself a spin-off of “JAG”). Tonight is the finale of the two-part “backdoor pilot,” and introduces the characters that will make up the new series, most notably the agents played by Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J, who have entered the “It Has Come To This” phase of their careers.
“Life After People: The Series”
Tuesday 10pm, History Channel
Ever feel like humanity had its shot, but it’s just not working out? This new show is for you. A documentary of events that haven’t happened (yet), “Life After People” is a spin-off of the popular special of the same name that aired last year. The 10-part series fleshes out what scientists theorize would happen if humanity suddenly disappeared, basing their predictions on real-world findings, from the ruins of ancient cultures to rebounding fish colonies during World War II. It’s tough watching the CGI mock-ups of landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge or Empire State Building collapsing, but it’s good to know that your cat will likely end up living large.
“The Fashion Show”
Thursday 10pm, Bravo
I’ve bitched at length about the “Project Runway” situation, so I’m not even going there, except to say that this is Bravo’s new “PR” knock-off. It’s like those “Gucci” bags you buy on the streets of Manhattan with the bad stitching: From far away it looks like a reasonable facsimile, but up close it’s a big ol’ mess. Exhibit A: Kelly Rowland, R&B singer, actress, and former Child of Destiny, is the new Heidi Klum. Now, Rowland is a lovely, well-dressed woman, but why is she the host/judge of a fashion show? Was every other supermodel busy? However, props for scoring soundbyte machine Isaac Mizrahi for the Michael Kors role. The show will follow the “Top Chef” formula, with a mini-challenge followed by an elimination challenge. Ultimately, America will decide which designer gets the chance to sell his or her clothing for realsies.
