Best of the Week vol. LIII

Quote of the Week: Do you get Big Chuck and Lil’ John here? (Punchy, How I Met Your Mother)

Song of the Week: Free Your Mind – En Vogue (Modern Family)

Big News of the Week: NBC Mid Season Announced: Considering they went with the Jay Leno Hour last year, it is hard to be befuddled by NBC’s scheduling, but their mid-season lineup is weird even for the Peacock standard. Let’s start with the oddest of the odd, Thursdays all sitcom lineup starting January 20, with Olivia Munn’s Perfect Couples taking over at 8:30 after Community, Parks and Recreations getting the post-Office slot, with 30 Rock and Outsourced getting the uncharted 10:00 hour. Which begs the question whatever happened to Love Bites which was supposed to get the 10:00 slot last fall before the show’s virgin character got knocked up in real life? Or give The Marriage Ref back the timeslot for the three hour comedy block?

Instead The Marriage Ref, which for some reason still is an hour show when thirty minutes would work much better, will start up the all reality Sunday night with a two hour The Apprentice following both beginning March . Of course the reason The Apprentice is failing this Fall because it is only one hour. Wow. Of course NBC knows a little something about failing upwards.

Other head scratchers, Parenthood will air every Tuesday in January in its regular spot before being moved to Monday at 10:00 in March where it will replace new show Harry’s Law which will get its limited run started January 17. Which means Chase gets the coveted timeslot against American Karaoke, Wednesdays at 9:00 starting January 12. This means the Law and Orders are getting split up, SVU is getting pushed back to 10:00 on Wednesday while Los Angeles gets the old Parenthood slot starting in February.

Sadly no word on when Friday Night Lights returns.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:



New Album Release of the Week: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (CD / DVD Deluxe Edition) - Kanye West

New DVD Release of the Week: The Pillars of the Earth [Blu-ray]

Free Download of the Week: Bloodshot Records Label Sampler (Amazon MP3): Features tracks by The Old 97’s Alejandro Escovedo, and the Bottle Rockets

Deal of the Week: Holiday Albums for $5: This includes albums by Mariah Carey, James Taylor, Harry Connick Jr., and Bob Dylan.



Video of the Week: One last bit of NBC mid season programming, The Cape premieres Sunday January 9 with a two hour premiere that will reair in new timeslot Monday January 10 both at 9:00. But looking at its new promo, entitles Suit Up, Barney Stinson has a legitimate lawsuit he can draw up. But I do think NBC has much confidence in the show as it already has The Event set to return February 28, which by my math only means seven episodes for The Cape.



Next Week Pick of the Week: 2010 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Thursday at 9:00 AM on NBC: It is the annual tradition, this time you can expect appearances by India Arie, Big Time Rush, Betty Buckley, Ann Hampton Callaway, the casts of Broadway’s American Idiot, Elf, Memphis and Million Dollar Quartet, the Big Apple Circus, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Miranda Cosgrove, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Gloriana, Michael Grimm, Arlo Guthrie, Keri Hilson, Eric Hutchinson, Juanes, Victoria Justice, Gladys Knight, Mannheim Steamroller, Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih, Power Rangers Samurai, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Crystal Shawanda, Jessica Simpson, Kylie Minogue, and Kanye West. Wait, Kanye West? Here’s hoping he has a run in with co host Matt Lauer. Or maybe he will also show up in primetime during Taylor Swift’s special airing at 8:00 on NBC.