TV Premieres, Finales & Specials This Week 05/22/2011

We are rolling into the final week of May.  That means the Spring school season is about over and the Summer TV season is almost officially here.  There were several casualties for TV series (check this article for a full breakdown of series cancellations and renewals) which means some of the season finales this week are actually series finales. 

It’s once again time for this week’s complete listing of premieres, finales and specials for the week.

          The series finale of “The Event” airs on NBC

NOTE: All Times are Listed for EST – TV schedules subject to change

Sunday, May 22

America’s Funniest Home Videos (7pm on ABC) Season finale

American Dad (7:30pm on Fox) Season 6 finale

The Simpsons (8pm on Fox) Season 22 finale

Bob’s Burgers (8:30pm on Fox) Season 1 finale

The Celebrity Apprentice (9pm on NBC) Season 11 finale

Family Guy (9pm on Fox) Season 9 finale

Inspector America (10pm on History) Season 1 finale

The Borgias (10pm on Showtime) Season 1 finale

 

Monday, May 23

The Bachelorette (9pm on ABC) Season 7 premiere

House (8pm on Fox) Season 7 finale

The Event (9pm on NBC) Series finale – cancelled after a single season…

The Chicago Code (9pm on Fox) Series finale - cancelled after a single season…

Make it or Break it (9pm on ABC Family) Season 2 finale which is also the end of the series.

Too Big to Fail (9pm on HBO) A docudrama with Paul Giamatti portraying Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke

Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory (10:30pm on MTV) Season 4 finale

 

Tuesday, May 24

The Biggest Loser (8pm on NBC) Season 11 finale

Dancing With the Stars (9pm on ABC) Season 12 finale

Glee (9pm on Fox) Season 2 finale

Pregnant in Heels (10pm on Bravo) Season 1 finale

 

Wednesday, May 25

The Oprah Winfrey Show (5pm on ABC) This is it, the end of the line for the Oprah show.  For those without that super-modern DVR technology it will be re-aired on CW at 10:30pm as well.

The Middle (8pm on ABC) Season 2 finale

American Idol (8pm on Fox) Season 10 finale – the winner is announced

Popped (8:30pm on Fuse) Series premiere

Modern Family (9pm on ABC) Season 2 finale

Cougar Town (9:30pm on ABC) Season 2 finale

Criminal Minds (10pm on CBS) Season 1 finale

Happy Endings (10:30pm on ABC) Season 1 finale

Thursday, May 26

Code Wars: America’s Cyber Threat (6pm on CNBC) A special report on the vulnerabilities America faces as a nation when all system are all online and subject to attack.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl (10:30pm on Showtime) This season 4 finale will also serve as the series finale.

Gigolos (11pm on Showtime) Season finale

Sunday, May 29

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding (9pm on TLC) A new reality series

Monday, May 30

Breakout Kings (10pm on A&E) Season 1 finale

Platinum Hit (10pm on Bravo) New music/contest series with Jewel and Kara DioGuardi hosting. 12 “undiscovered” singers and songwriters compete in songwriting challenges. The episode's winning song will be performed by a popular artist.

Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition (10:01pm on ABC) New spinoff series

The Hard Times of RJ Berger (10:30m on MTV) Season 2 finale

Tuesday, May 31

Shadow Hunters (9pm on National Geographic Wild) New series

Traffic Light (9:31pm on Fox) Season 1 finale

The Real World (10pm on MTV) Season 25 finale

Million Dollar Decorators (10pm on Bravo) New series

Love Handles (10pm on Lifetime) New reality series

 

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SageTV HD Theater 200 External IR Mod (Part 1)

By: Clift

One of the advantages of SageTV’s latest versatile HD extender, the STP-HD300 over the previous model, the STP-HD200, is the ability to remotely locate the small device and use an external IR receiver. This feature was often cited as a major oversight by some on the HD200. The HD200 is a small device that is just begging to be remotely located. As part of this two part series, I will show how to easily modify the HD200 to add your choice of an IR receiver (within reason). Before we get started it is important to realize that this is a hardware mod that will void your warranty. If, however, you are the owner of an HD200

that is already out of warranty and are still reading, then you’ll want to stay tuned and give this mod a try. That is, provided you feel comfortable modding your darling HD extender and the risks that go along with doing that.

In this first part we will explore some pre-requisite details before performing the mod. In part 2 the execution details and modification steps will be provided. It’s important to know that I have performed this mod on my HD200, so I know it can be done, and that it works. But like all things, your mileage may vary.

Since this is the pre-requisite part of the mod, let’s talk about what we’re going to do, and what we’re not going to do. For one, we’re not going to irreversibly modify the HD200. By that I mean that it will be possible to return to mostly stock. We’re going to open the HD200, solder a lead to the IR receiver trace on the main-board, drill a hole in the back of the HD200 casing, solder the lead to a panel mount stereo audio jack, and finally, install the stereo audio jack.

Tools
To pull this off you’re going to need the following tools:
-A soldering iron. Any basic one will do
-Solder, obviously
-Small Philips screw driver

Parts

You’re also going to need the following parts:

-five to six inches of 3 lead wire. Either purchase something thin with little resistance, or “borrow” some from your stash of computer stuff (and don’t pretend you don’t have a stash…. We all do).
-A panel mount audio jack (search Google, or hit up your local Radio Shack, part number: 274-249).
-An IR Receiver cable. One of the ones you have lying around from that old tuner card you have. It’s probably in your secret stash. Or, you could buy one from the SageTV store – the one they sell for the HD300, ironically.
-(Optional) Some electrical tape. While you’re in there you can FINALLY gag that network activity LED indicator from the inside!

In part 2 of this modification, we’re going to step by step walk through the process of installing. Stay tuned...

Update:  Part Two is Published - check it out!

TV Premieres, Finales & Specials This Week 05/17/2011

It’s mid-May, lots of casualties for TV series (check this article for a full breakdown of series cancellations and renewals) which means some of the season finales this week are actually series finales. 

It’s time – past time actually for this week’s complete listing of premieres, finales and specials for the week. Nearly all of these are finales which is to be expected this time of year.

 

NOTE: All Times are Listed for EST – TV schedules subject to change

Wednesday, May 18

America’s Next Top Model (9pm on CW) Season 16 finale

Criminal Minds (9pm on CBS) Season 6 finale

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (10pm on NBC) Season finale

 

Thursday, May 19

The Big Bang Theory (8pm on CBS) Season 4 finale

Rules of Engagement (8:31pm on CBS) Season 5 finale

The Mentalist (9pm on CBS) Season 3 finale

Grey’s Anatomy (9pm on ABC) Season 7 finale

Bones (9pm on Fox) Season 6 finale

The Office (9pm n NBC) Season 7 finale

Private Practice (10:01pm on ABC) Season 4 finale

Parks and Recreation (10pm & 10:30pm on NBC) Season 3 finale (two episodes in a row

 

Friday, May 20

Kitchen Nightmares (8pm on Fox) Season 4 finale

Supernatural (9pm on CW) Season 6 finale

Storytellers (11pm on VH1) Cee Lo Green is the star on Storytellers this week.  This guy seems to be getting plenty of exposure lately.  Expect him to sing “Forget You” and the Gnarls Barkley song “Crazy.”

 

Saturday, May 21

Saturday Night Live (11:29pm on NBC) Season 36 finale

 

Sunday, May 22

America’s Funniest Home Videos (7pm on ABC) Season finale

American Dad (7:30pm on Fox) Season 6 finale

The Simpsons (8pm on Fox) Season 22 finale

Bob’s Burgers (8:30pm on Fox) Season 1 finale

The Celebrity Apprentice (9pm on NBC) Season 11 finale

Family Guy (9pm on Fox) Season 9 finale

Inspector America (10pm on History) Season 1 finale

The Borgias (10pm on Showtime) Season 1 finale

 

Monday, May 23

The Bachelorette (9pm on ABC) Season 7 premiere

House (8pm on Fox) Season 7 finale

The Event (9pm on NBC) Series finale – cancelled after a single season…

The Chicago Code (9pm on Fox) Series finale - cancelled after a single season…

Make it or Break it (9pm on ABC Family) Season 2 finale which is also the end of the series.

Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory (10:30pm on MTV) Season 4 finale

 

Tuesday, May 24

The Biggest Loser (8pm on NBC) Season 11 finale

Dancing With the Stars (9pm on ABC) Season 12 finale

Glee (9pm on Fox) Season 2 finale

Pregnant in Heels (10pm on Bravo) Season 1 finale

 

 

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Network TV Series Status – Which Shows Canceled or Renewed

As we head into the weekend the major TV Networks are finally telling us which TV series will survive and which are being canceled – just ahead of the Network Upfronts. 

Some of the more significant cancellations include: Brothers & Sisters, Chicago Code, Lie to Me, Medium, Outsourced, The Event and V.

On the renewal side, I’m surprised that Chuck and Fringe were renewed.

UPDATE: 5/18 CW Renewed One Tree Hill, Nikita  but cancelled Hellcats

CBS Cancels $#*! My Dad Says, Defenders and Mad Love

Here’s the latest status of your favorite series:

TV SERIES	STATUS	NETWORK
$#*! My Dad Says	Cancelled	CBS
30 Rock	Renewed	NBC
American Dad	Renewed	FOX
American Idol	Renewed	FOX
Better With You	Cancelled	ABC
Big Bang Theory	Renewed	CBS
Body of Proof	Renewed	ABC
Bones	Renewed	FOX
Breaking In	Cancelled	FOX
Brothers & Sisters	Cancelled	ABC
Castle	Renewed	ABC
CHAOS	Cancelled	CBS
Chase	Cancelled	NBC
Chicago Code	Cancelled	FOX
Chuck	Renewed	NBC
Community	Renewed	NBC
Cougar Town	Renewed	ABC
The Defenders	Cancelled	CBS
Detroit 187	Cancelled	ABC
Family Guy	Renewed	FOX
Fringe	Renewed	FOX
Glee	Renewed	FOX
Grey's Anatomy	Renewed	ABC
Happy Endings	Renewed	ABC
Harry's Law	Renewed	NBC
Hell's Kitchen	Renewed	FOX
Hellcats	Cancelled	CW
House	Renewed	FOX
How I Met Your Mother	Renewed	CBS
Human Target	Cancelled	FOX
Law & Order: LA	Cancelled	NBC
Lie to Me	Cancelled	FOX
Life Unexpected	Cancelled	CW
Lone Star	Cancelled	FOX
Mad Love	Cancelled	CBS
Medium	Cancelled	CBS
Modern Family	Renewed	ABC
Mr. Sunshine	Cancelled	ABC
My Generation	Cancelled	ABC
NCIS	Renewed	CBS
Nikita	Renewed	CW
No Ordinary Family	Cancelled	ABC
Off the Map	Cancelled	ABC
One Tree Hill	Renewed	CW
Outlaw	Cancelled	NBC
Outsourced	Cancelled	NBC
Parenthood	Renewed	NBC
Parks and Recreation	Renewed	NBC
Perfect Couples	Cancelled	NBC
Private Practice	Renewed	ABC
Raising Hope	Renewed	FOX
Running Wilde	Cancelled	FOX
Sing-Off	Renewed	NBC
Smallville (planned finale)	Cancelled	CW
Survivor	Renewed	CBS
The Amazing Race	Renewed	CBS
The Biggest Loser	Renewed	NBC
The Cape	Cancelled	NBC
The Cleveland Show	Renewed	FOX
The Event	Cancelled	NBC
The Good Guys	Cancelled	FOX
The Middle	Renewed	ABC
The Office	Renewed	NBC
The Simpsons	Renewed	FOX
The Whole Truth	Cancelled	ABC
Traffic Light	Cancelled	FOX
Treme	Renewed	HBO
Two and a Half Men	Renewed	CBS
Undercover Boss	Renewed	CBS
Undercovers	Cancelled	NBC
V	Cancelled	ABC
Who Do You Think You Are?	Renewed	NBC

 

I’ll add any additional series as I learn of their status.  What’s your reaction?  Any surprises or disappointments?

TV Premieres, Finales & Specials This Week 05/10/2011

Another week of May equals even more finales.  Time for this week’s complete listing of premieres, finales and specials for the week.

 

NOTE: All Times are Listed for EST – TV schedules subject to change

Tuesday, May 10

Ax Men (9pm on History) Season 4 finale

Stargate Universe (9pm on SyFy) Series finale

CSI: Miami (10pm on CBS) Season 9 finale

Brothers & Sisters (10:01pm on ABC) Season 5 finale

 

Wednesday, May 11

Better With You (8:30pm on ABC) Season 1 finale

 

Thursday, May 12

Community (8pm on NBC) Season 2 finale

The Vampire Diaries (8pm on CW) Season 2 finale

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (9pm on CBS) Season 11 finale

Nikita (9pm on CW) Season 1 finale.  This one is still unsure of a return to second season.

Outsourced (10:30pm on NBC) Season 1 finale

 

Friday, May 13

Smallville (8pm on CW) Season 10 ends as the end of the entire series-Series finale

Shark Tank (8pm on ABC) Season 2 finale

CSI: NY (9pm on CBS) Season 7 finale

Blue Bloods (10pm on CBS) Season 1 finale

 

Saturday, May 14

 

Sunday, May 15

Jerseylicious (8pm on Style) Season 3 premiere

The Family Crews (8pm on BET) Season 2 finale

Survivor: Redemption Island (8pm on CBS) Season 22 finale

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (8pm on ABC) Season 9 finale

Desperate Housewives (9pm on ABC) Season 7 finale

The Cleveland Show (9:30pm on Fox) Season 2 finale

 

Monday, May 16

Disaster Date (7pm on MTV) Season 4 premiere

How I Met Your Mother (8pm on CBS) Season 6 finale

Chuck (8pm on NBC) Season 4 finale

90210 (8pm on CW) Season 3 finale

Mad Love (8:30pm on CBS) Season 1 finale

Gossip Girl (9pm on CW) Season 4 finale

Off Limits (9pm on Travel) New travel series

The Real Housewives of New Jersey (9pm on Bravo) Season 3 premiere

Mike & Molly (9:31pm on CBS) Season 1 finale

Hawaii Five-0 (10pm on CBS) Season 1 finale

Castle (10:01pm on ABC) Season 3 finale

 

Tuesday, May 17

NCIS (8pm on CBS) Season 8 finale

One Tree Hill (8pm on CW) Season 8 finale

Hellcats (9pm on CW) Season 1 finale

Raising Hope (9:01pm on Fox) Season 1 finale

Traffic Light (9:31pm on Fox) Season 1 finale

The Good Wife (10pm on CBS) Season 2 finale

If you follow GeekTonic for the TV Premieres and news, you’ll want to click here if you would like to get a regular e-mail for GeekTonic TV Premieres & News