TVSquad

• TLC has a new Little People, Big World marathon all night.
• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
  
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and The Unit.
  
• NBC has a new Football Night In America at 7, then the Patriots/Chargers game.
  
• The CW has a new In Harm's Way at 7, followed by new episodes of Valentine and Easy Money.
• At 8, FOX has the Dodgers/Phillies game.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then new episodes of Iron Chef America and The Chef Jeff Project.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
• HBO has a new True Blood at 9, followed by new episodes of Entourage, and Little Britain.
• Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, then a new Californication.
• Nickelodeon has a new Nick News at 9.
• At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
• There's a new Army Wives on Lifetime at 10.
• BBC America has a new Skins at 10.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken, then a new Superjail.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

Wow, this is quite a list of shows this week, though I think the only one I'm definitely going to buy is the second season 30 Rock set. Maybe the Three Stooges set too. Those are good sets to have. I'm tempted to buy the complete series set for Speed Racer because I remember it from my childhood, but I have a big suspicion that my memories would be better than the show itself.

• 30 Rock - Season 2
  
• The Beverly Hillbillies - Season 2
• Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern - Collection 2
• Brotherhood - Season 2
• Corner Gas - Season 5
• Doctor Who - The Brain of Morbius and Trial of a Time Lord
• Full Circle with Michael Palin
• Ghost Hunters - Season 4, Part 1
• How I Met Your Mother - Season 3
• Johnny Cash & Friends - Christmas Specials
• Martin - Season 5
• Midsomer Murders - Box Set 11
• Mission: Impossible - Season 5
• The Munsters - Complete Series and Family Portrait
• Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Vol. 2
• Robot Chicken - Season 3
• The Sarah Jane Adventures - Season 1
• The Simpsons - Season 11
• The Smurfs - Season 1, Vol. 2
• The Three Stooges Collection - Vol. 4: 1943-45
• South Park - The Cult of Cartman
• Speed Racer - Complete Series
• Speed Racer: The Next Generation - Vol. 2
• Wagon Train - Going West

• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
  
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and The Unit.
  
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, then the Steelers/Jaguars game.
• The CW has the series premieres of In Harm's Way, Valentine, and Easy Money starting at 7.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then a new Iron Chef America.
• Disney has a new Studio DC: Almost Live at 8, followed by a new Wizards of Waverly Place.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Contemporary.
• There's a new True Blood on HBO at 9, then new episodes of Entourage and Little Britain.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Californication.
• At 10, AMC has a new Mad Men.
• Lifetime has a new Army Wives at 10.
• BBC America has a new Skins at 10.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken, then a new Superjail.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes.
• ABC has the Jimmy Kimmel Big Night of Stars special at 8, then the Emmy Awards (we'll have a live blog here starting at 6pm ET).
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Cowboys/Packers game.
• At 8, Food Network has a new Challenge.
• Discovery has a new Raging Nature at 8.
• At 8:30, Disney has a new Wizards of Waverly Place.
• At 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Mystery.
• HBO has a new True Blood at 9, followed by a new Entourage.
• At 10, Lifetime has a new Army Wives.
• Food Network has a new Feasting on Waves at 10.
• Also at 10: BBC America has a new Skins.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.
• At 12:30am, Cartoon Network has a new Tim and Eric's Awesome Show, Great Job.

Check your local TV listings for more.

This is going to please Buffy The Vampire Slayer fans.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Seth Green, who played Oz on Buffy and currently is one of the brains behind Robot Chicken, is joining NBC's Heroes this season. He'll have a multi-episode storyline with fellow Robot Chicken-er Breckin Meyer. They'll play two comic-book aficionados who cross paths with one of the heroes, though it's not certain right now which of the heroes they'll interact with, in what way, or what their character names are going to be.

Is this good news for the show, or are we already starting to see too many new characters for the show so soon after new characters were introduced in the strike-shortened, fan-hated second season? I agree that it's an awfully large cast right now as it is, but I also understand that as the seasons go on and new plots develop, new characters are necessary. And having a fan favorite like Green (playing someone geeky) might be fun.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Earth - The Biography
• L.A. Ink - Season 1
• Las Vegas - Season 5
• Masters of Horror - Season 2 (Boxed Set)
• The Mummy - Seasons 1, 2, and 3 (animated)
• Robot Chicken - Star Wars
• Sesame Street - Count On Sports
• Spaced - Complete Series
• Transformers - Cybertron
• TV Funhouse - TV Funhouse

Being the award for Excellence in Animation, this was easily the widest ranging category, and you all really came through in your nomination suggestions (sorry The Venture Brothers doesn't qualify). With animation owning several channels all to itself and still appearing everywhere else, you've got kid's shows, very much adult only series (did I mention The Venture Brothers can't get nominated?), gag cartoons, sci-fi cartoons and even gothic horror.

With your help from my Adam Finley Award call for nominations post last week where you tried to trick me into nominating The Venture Brothers, even though I can't, we've managed to narrow down the field of contenders to what we feel were the five strongest entries into the wide world of television animation in the past season. Don't forget to check out the Reader's Choice at the bottom where you can vote for which of the five you think are deserving to win. Next week, we'll be revealing both your winner and ours.

For many longtime TV Squad readers the name Adam Finley could only be associated with one thing: the wide world of animation. Adam was passionate about animation, covering many shows for us here as well as reporting on anything and everything happening in the industry. So it's only right that the award for Excellence in Animation be named after him.

There's all kinds of possibilities for contenders here. I'd give a nod to both Star Wars tributes -- Family Guy and Robot Chicken -- and South Park definitely stretched their animation style with 'Major Boobage,' but I didn't think the episode was all that good. Aqua Teen Hunger Force had some good episodes this season (personal favorites include the VeggieTales parody and that crazy trilogy that opened the season).

But I've by no means watched all the best in animation this year, so I call out to you, dear readers. Which episodes or shows do you think set the bar or even raised it in this past year? Are The Simpsons out of their prime and not worthy of TVS recognition? How about King of the Hill or American Dad? The new The Mr. Men Show is retro-tastic, simple, but still cleverly awesome! Too many to handle! Help me TVS Readers, you're my only hope!

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and Shark.
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, followed by the Colts/Chargers game.
• The CW has a new episode of The CW Now at 7.
• At 7:30, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• The CW has a new Life is Wild at 8.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• At 9, Food Network has the season finale of The Next Iron Chef.
• HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me at 9, then a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Brotherhood.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken, then new episodes of Metalocalypse, Xavier: Renegade Angel, and Lucy, Daughter of the Devil.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by the season premiere of The Amazing Race and new episodes of Cold Case and Shark.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 7:30, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos., followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then two new episodes of Family Guy and a new American Dad.
• The CW has a new Life is Wild at 8.
• There's a new Nature on PBS at 8, then a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• TBS has Lindsay Lohan in Herbie: Fully Loaded at 8 (then again at 10). Please insert your own "Lindsay Lohan/Fully Loaded" joke here.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, followed by a new Next Iron Chef.
• Also at 8: Nickelodeon has a new Zoey 101, then a new Unfabulous.
• At 9, HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me, followed by a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Showtime has a new Dexter at 9, then a new Brotherhood.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken, then a new Metalocalypse.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• G4 is running a Heroes marathon all day and night.
• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7.
• At 8, FOX has Game 4 of The World Series.
• The CW has a new Life Is Wild at 8.
• There's a new Nature on PBS at 8, then a new Masterpiece Theatre.
• The Cartoon Network has the new movie The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It at 8.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then new episodes of The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America.
• At 9, CBS has a new Cold Case, followed by a new Shark.
• HGTV has the special What's With That Haunted Halloween House at 9.
• HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me at 9, then a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Dexter, followed by a new Brotherhood.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, NBC has a new Football Night In America, then the Eagles/Giants game.
• The CW has a new CW Now at 7, followed by a new Online Nation.
• At 7:30 (or after football), CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Cold Case and Shark.
• At 8, PBS has a new installment of The War.
• ABC has a new Extreme Makeover at 8, then the season premieres of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.
• There's a new Simpsons at 8 on FOX, followed by new episodes of King of the Hill, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• At 9, Lifetime has a new Side Order of Life.
• VH-1 has a new Rock of Life with Bret Michaels at 9.
• Showtime has the season premires of Dexter and Brotherhood, starting at 9.
• Also at 9: HBO has a new Tell Me You Love Me, followed by a new Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Discovery has a new Man vs. Wild at 10.
• MSNBC has this morning's Meet The Press at 10.
• At 11:30, Cartoon Network has a new Robot Chicken, then new eps of Metalocalypse, Frisky Dingo, and Lucy, Daughter of the Devil.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• 30 Rock - Season 1 (also available in Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 sets)
• The Black Donnellys - Complete Series
• Bosom Buddies - Season 2
• Desperate Housewives - Season 3: Dirty Laundry Edition
• Dirty Jobs - Collection 1
• Falcon Beach - Season 1
• The Gumby Show - Gumby Essentials: Vol. 1
• It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia - Seasons 1 and 2
• Man vs. Wild - Collection 1
• Nip/Tuck - Season 4
• The Office - Season 3
• Prison Break - Season 2
• Robot Chicken - Season 2
• Rules of Engagement - Season 1
• She-Ra - Season 2
• SpongeBob SquarePants - Season 5, Vol. 1

A few days before an advanced copy of Robot Chicken Season Two arrived in the mail, I had been watching my Mission Hill DVD. For those who don't know, Mission Hill was the creation of Simpsons writers Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley. It focused on a college graduate named Andy French, living the typical slacker existence of an aimless college grad. The series aired when I myself was an aimless, slacking twentysomething, so I found the series funny, poignant, and often heartbreakingly real.

I realized while watching it that Adult Swim hasn't had a series with that kind of substance in a long time. Series like Baby Blues and Home Movies have been replaced by weird post-modern fare like Aqua Teen Hunger Force* and the works of Tim and Eric, with very little programming left with any real emotion.

And now we return to E! True Hollywood Story -- Optimus Prime.

The early 21st century wasn't kind to the Autobot leader. With revenues from his successful 80's cartoon drying up, the accumulated losses he took from his investments in WorldCom and Enron, and the disaster that was the short-lived game show Autobot or Decepticon, Optimus Prime could barley put a cube of Energon on the table. He tried to get back in television with small bit parts on According to Jim and Still Standing but no one was really watching.