TVSquad

If you're a fan of Top Chef, there's nothing tougher for the contestants than desserts. Just this past week during 'restaurant wars,' did you notice that one team decided to have no desserts on their menu at all. They just didn't want to risk blowing it.

Well, Bravo noticed, not just last week but all through the Top Chef series. Bravo's creating a Top Chef spinoff called Just Desserts in which chefs will have no choice, they'll have to deal with sugar, icing, cakes and struedels.

Top Chef: Just Desserts is the second Top Chef spinoff, after Top Chef Masters. I'm anticipating Top Chef: Maitre D's down the road, aren't you?

Yes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this a bit much. TLC has given the greenlight to BBQ Pit Masters, a new food show about American barbecue competitions. Does Bobby Flay, Mr. Food Network grill master himself, know about this? I can see him getting as red as his hair when he reads about it.

So, TLC is saying that this new show, a documentary about the über-competitive world of competitive grilling, will run for eight hour-long episodes commencing December 2. How this will be different from similar food competitions on other networks -- like Food Network -- remains to be seen.

After the big Jon & Kate premiere last night ("Look, honey! They're not sitting on the couch together! They must be getting a divorce!"), TLC premiered their new series, Cake Boss. It features Buddy Valastro, owner and head pastry chef at Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, NJ, and shows how he runs the bakery along with his very Jersey family. Think about a cross between Ace of Cakes and The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and you'll get an idea of what's going on here: lots of hand gesturing and swearing being thrown around with the fondant and buttercream.

At least that's what the preview episode the network aired about a month ago showed. It was loud and obnoxious and looked like a lot of fun. Last night's premiere, though, concentrated more on the funky cake-making aspect of the job than the interpersonal relations between Buddy and his crew. What a snooze.

The Food Network is one of my favorite channels, I admit it. I can tune in just about anytime and enjoy Ace of Cakes or Good Eats or Boy Meets Grill or Paula Deen, whatever. Generally speaking, they seem to have a good, consistent and enjoyable programming package.

Okay, that's what's good about FN. Now for the sour to go with the sweet. Last night I was catching up with The Next Food Network Star, watching the second showing of the reality competition show because I wasn't able to watch the original broadcast. No big deal, right? Wrong!

• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader at 8, followed by new episodes of Don't Forget The Lyrics and So You Think You Can Dance.
• TLC has a new American Hot Rod at 8, then new episodes of American Chopper and Hard Shine.
• At 9, History Channel has a new Boneyard.
• VH-1 has a new World Series of Pop Culture at 9.
• At 10, NBC has Victoria Beckham: Coming To America. Not sure if this is the same show that aired a few nights ago or a new episode. Then again, I don't really care.
• There's a new Burn Notice on USA at 10.
• AMC has the series premiere of Mad Men at 10.
• Also at 10: Food Network has a new Ace of Cakes.
• At 10:30, BBC America has a new Hollyoaks.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Ugly Betty, followed by new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and October Road.
• CBS has a new Survivor at 8.
• NBC has a new My Name Is Earl at 8.
• There's a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader at 8 on FOX.
• The CW has new episodes of Smallville and Supernatural.
• At 9, NBC has a new 30 Rock, then new episodes of Scrubs and ER.
• TLC has a new American Chopper at 9.
• HGTV has a new Divine Design at 9.
• Also at 9: Food Network has the Food Network Awards, followed by a new Ace of Cakes.
• At 10, CBS has a new Shark.
• Showtime has a new Penn & Teller's Bullshit, then a new This American Life.
• At 10:30, G4 has a new episode of Ninja Warrior.

Check your local TV listings for more.