Thursday 16
“The Apprentice 2” (KOB-4 7 p.m.) In tonight's season finale, Trump will put another useless figurehead on the payroll. Who will it be? Who really cares?
Friday 17
“Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy” (KASA-2 7:30 p.m.) Popeye returns for his first animated cartoon in God knows how long. Wouldn't you know it: It's computer animated.
Saturday 18
Puppetmaster vs. Demonic Toys (Sci-Fi Channel 7 p.m.) Fans of crappy D-grade horror have no doubt been salivating at the prospect of these two franchise gargantuas finally going one-on-one with each other. It's no Freddy vs. Jason, but the action figure possibilities are ripe.
Sunday 19
“Significant Others” (Bravo 7 p.m.) Wow. That was a short season. Still, it was good to see another outing for this semi-improvised sitcom about troubled couples in therapy. Catch tonight's season finale for more humor and discomfort.
“The Venture Brothers: A Very Venture Christmas” (Cartoon Network 12:45 a.m.) If you haven't been watching this brilliantly hilarious parody of action toons, then I'm blaming you personally if it doesn't get picked up for a second season. (Especially since the season ended with the brothers getting gunned down Easy Rider-style.) At least we've got this new Christmas special (set before the bloody season ender), in which the Venture crew battle the evil German Christmas myth of Krampus.
Monday 20
“Monster Garage” (Discovery 7 p.m.) The gearhead crew get into the spirit of the season by turning and Indy pace car into a wheelie-popping Santa Claus-carrying parade float.
Tuesday 21
“The Real Gilligan's Island” (TBS 6 p.m.) In the 1979 TV movie The Castaways of Gilligan's Island, the castaways finally escaped by rebuilding a World War II bomber they found on the island. The bomber was forced to land again after bumbling Gilligan fell out of the plane, but the short trip was picked up on Navy radar, and everybody was rescued. They later turned the island into a resort. I doubt anything like that will happen in this final episode of the vaguely disappointing “reality show” version.
“Father of the Pride” (KOB-4 8 p.m.) Oh, joy. My favorite TV show is back from hiatus.
“The 27th Kennedy Center Honors” (KRQE-13 8 p.m.) The main reason for tuning in to this somber annual tribute night is to see the oddball combinations of award recipients. Tonight, we've got the usual mixed bag of celebrities, including Warren Beatty, Ossie Davis, Elton John, Joan Sutherland and John Williams.
Wednesday 22
“Drawn Together” (Comedy Central 11:30 p.m.) In its first season, this “animated reality show” has achieved a depth of crude humor that I find downright admirable. By satirizing popular cartoon characters and genres with this band of foul, drunk, drug-addled, racist, homophobic, sex-crazed idiots has proven that the creators have a pretty good eye and ear for popular cartoon culture. Tonight is the season finale, but you can probably bet on at least one more season to come.
