Presidential debates dominate TV

You know how I love my Thursdays! Smallville is all new and fresh, even the colors and settings are different. All so very Metropolis and that has me tuning in again after giving up on the series last season. I like the new villainess, Tess Mercer, but I’m not sold on the other new character, Davis the Paramedic. We’ll see…we’ll see.

Supernatural was solid but not terribly exciting last night. Frankly, I prefer protective hero Dean that we see in the monster-of-the-week episodes. This deer-in-headlights, low self-esteem Dean is starting to grate on me already. Next week we have more backstory and a HUGE Winchester reveal and then we should be back to monsters. I like monsters.

I’m still tuning in to Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, but at this point it’s all starting to sound the same. That one might be coming off the DVR schedule soon. Glam God is winding down as the stylists came up with looks that fused two celebrity styles in to one. Apparently, I have no taste when it comes to fashion because I always like the looks the judges call boring!

Since my Aussie girlfriends, who usually keep me company at 2 am, were all out and about last night, I got a chance to watch Fringe from earlier this week. Another home run, I say! Though the layers of mythology on this one are really starting to confuse me. But Peter playing Someone to Watch Over Me on the piano was so charming it made up for any flaws. I love this show.

As for tonight, I think it’s time for me to break out the DVDs.

Tonight on TV – Thursday, September 25

If you are still baffled about whom to cast your ballot for, Barack Obama and John McCain will be verbally duking it out tonight. ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox will all be showing the first Presidential Debate from Mississippi anywhere between six and nine depending on your time zone.

After that, ABC will apparently be running local programming.

CBS will be re-airing the pilot of The Mentalist and possibly Numb3rs (time zone.)

In a new episode of America’s Toughest Jobs on NBC, daring contestants roll around in barrels in preparation for a bull fighting gig.

Fox goes with Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

The CW will be showing its final episode of Friday Night SmackDown (no this is not an alias for tonight’s debate) before it’s moved to MyNetworkTV.

Twisting, Jumping and tumbling your thing? MYTV is showcasing some of the United States best Olympic gymnasts on the 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars.

Over on cable

CMT’s Gone Country, Outsiders Inn and Country Fried Home Videos (season finale) are all new episodes, if you are looking for something not debate-related to watch.

Cults, Religion and Mind Control are the topics explored this evening in a brand new, 2 hour episode of THS Investigates, on E!.

For the tween set, the Disney Channel has a new spin-off of the Zach and Cody series called Suite Life On Deck which premieres this evening.

AMC is showing the multiple Oscar winning, Million Dollar Baby.

It’s a night of repeats on the music networks with MTV’s Exiled and Parental Control. VH1 shows Maxim Hot 100 2008 and 40 Greatest Pranks…again.

And Dr. Daniel Jackson pays a visit to Stargate Atlantis on SCI FI Channel at 10 p.m.

News and notable

The big news of today — Sarah Michelle Geller may return to TV! (Made your day, didn’t I?) Writers of a new series for HBO says they crafted the part just for her.

The next biggest news is that Fox has apparently axed the new sitcom Do Not Disturb after only three airings. I believe that makes it the first show of the season to be sent packing. (Packing! It’s hotel humor!)

MTV has picked up a second season of From G’s to Gents.

CBS is working on a new series based on the novels of Judi McCoy about a dog walker who gets involved in mysteries.

Finally, Food Network is casting for the next round of The Next Food Network Star. To apply, visit www.FoodNetwork.com and click on “Be on Food Network.”

Photo: AMERICA’S TOUGHEST JOBS — “Bull Fighting” Episode 106 — Pictured: Contestant Sandy Gabriel — NBC Photo: Gabe Ramirez

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