Thursday 4
“Teachers” (BBC America 7 p.m.) This new, eight-part comedy concentrates on a group of young high school teachers who have more in common with their students than they'd like to admit. Namely, getting drunk, gossiping, smoking, having sex and forming their own cliques.
“Starved” (FX 11 p.m.) This controversial, semi-improvised, Hollywood-set “comedy” is the work of writer/director/actor Eric Schaeffer (My Life's in Turnaround, If Lucy Fell). The show concentrates on people with eating disorders such as anorexia, and features actors who have all suffered from such disorders. Sounds a bit uncomfortable, but could be some real, raw comedy.
“It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (FX 11:30 p.m.) This new sitcom revolves around three friends who own a bar in the City of Brotherly Love and have to overcome their relentless self-involvement to make their friendship and business work. It was created by Rob McElhenney (Wonder Boys, 13 Conversations About One Thing), an actor taking his first shot behind the camera.
Friday 5
“The Golden Palace” (Lifetime 9 p.m.) Are you like me? Can you not get enough of “Golden Girls” reruns on Lifetime? Well, now the network is gifting us with episodes of the short-lived 1992 spin-off, in which we lost Bea Arthur but gained Don Cheadle.
Saturday 6
“UFC Ultimate Fight Night” (Spike 7 p.m.) Spike TV for Men gets all testosteroney on us tonight with some Ultimate Fighting. After all, what says manly more than two guys locked in a chain-link octagon beating the holy crud out of one another?
Sunday 7
“Girls Next Door” (E! 10 p.m.) Well, it was inevitable. This new reality series points the cameras at the famed Playboy Mansion, concentrating on Hugh Hefner's three “girlfriends.”
“Queer as Folk” (Showtime 10:30 p.m.) Showtime's long-running gay drama comes to an end tonight in all its teary glory. Things kick off at 10:30 p.m. with a retrospective. The final episode unspools at 11 p.m. If you don't watch, you won't have anything to talk about at the gay water cooler come Monday.
Monday 8
“Dean Martin: Greatest Hits”/“Frank Sinatra: Ol' Blue Eyes is Back” (KNME-5 7/8:30 p.m.) The Rat Pack is back thanks to a couple classic TV specials featuring two of America's swingin'est singers.
“Beautiful People” (ABC Family 7 p.m.) A small-town gal from New Mexico (no, really) wins a scholarship to a rich, sophisticated and very exclusive prep school in New York City. Suddenly, it's goodbye backwater New Mexico, hello big city Manhattan with sister and mom (Daphne Zuniga) in tow. New Mexicans in New York? It's like “The Beverly Hillbillies” all over again.
“Too Late With Adam Carolla” (Comedy Central 12:30 a.m.) Former Jimmy Kimmel sidekick Adam Carolla finally gets his own late-night talk show courtesy of Comedy Central.
Tuesday 9
“G-Phoria” (G4 9 p.m.) G4's annual video game awards show comes blasting out of the underground with Wilmer Valderrama (“That '70s Show”) doing hosting duties. Expect almost as many rap stars to show up here as at the Vibe Awards.
