Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Monday, July 14

-Just two of the Top 10 finalists performing on "Canadian Idol" tonight are female. And what do they have to sing? Songs by David Bowie! Good luck, ladies. (CTV)

-Over at "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" where all of the contestants are female, two hopefuls vying for the lead in Toronto's upcoming "The Sound of Music" musical are cut from the competition. That leaves just four sprightly singers in the running. (CBC)

-Six country-singing contestants perform on "Nashville Star," trying to gain a spot in the Top 4. (E, NBC)

-The Canadian sci-fi drama "Stargate: Atlantis" premieres its fifth season with Col. Samantha Carter trying to rescue the team that was caught in a blast at the compound. (The Movie Network, Movie Central)

-If that isn't enough intergalactic doom and gloom for you, check out "Naked Science" as it highlights the threats that asteroids pose to Earth. (Discovery HD)

-"Extraordinary Animals" is also worth a click as it features alleged psychic dogs, arty elephants, genius chimps and talkative dolphins. (Animal Planet)

-For something of substance, consider "Dance Me Outside," a 1995 Genie Award winner about life on an Ontario reserve in the 1990s. Don McKellar wrote the piece, based on a short story by W.P. Kinsella. Bruce McDonald directed the cast that includes Adam Beach and Jennifer Podemski. (APTN)

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Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Tuesday, July 15

-"Canadian Idol" gives the boot to another singer tonight. If the contestant is female, the show will take a dramatic turn as that will leave just one girl among the Top 9 clamouring for the title. (CTV)

-"Hell's Kitchen" wrapped up last week with Christina Machamer landing the executive chef spot in caustic Chef Ramsay's new restaurant. But fret not fans, for there's more cooking fun - and a fresh round of temper tantrums - on the way. Tonight, "Hell's Kitchen U.K." premieres with 10 British celebrities cooking up plates for host chef Marco Pierre White. If you thought Ramsay was a tough nut to crack, get a load of White's antics: hanging chefs by their aprons from hooks on the walls and slashing their uniforms with his knife. (Citytv)

-More wild behaviour is on "Wipeout," a wacky game show that has contestants competing in daredevil stunts on a giant obstacle course. Such absurdity is striking a chord with viewers this summer, as the show has been a massive hit on both sides of the border. (Global, ABC)

-The sob stories on "America's Got Talent" are also resonating with viewers, making it the most-watched program recently. (A-Channel, NBC)

-Who doesn't love a good UFO conspiracy story? Canadian documentary filmmaker David Cherniack spent four years examining otherworldly happenings for "UFOs: The Secret History" and breaks down the mythology surrounding flying saucer sightings. (History Television)

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Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Wednesday, July 16

-Let's skip the vapid summer reality shows for a minute to focus on something that'll really get you thinking, shall we? "China's Stolen Children," an HBO documentary, details an undercover probe into a boom in stolen children that, according to the film, has resulted from China's infamous one-child policy. Interviewees include parents searching for their kidnapped son and a man who allegedly brokers the deals for children - and has even sold his own offspring. (The Movie Network, Movie Central)

-Young Americans who don't want to steal children but merely borrow them to get a taste of parenthood are featured in another episode of the controversial series "The Baby Borrowers." This instalment sees the participants raising preteens and their pets. (NBC)

-Ratings juggernaut "So You Think You Can Dance" has the Top 10 presenting their latest routines. The show has consistently been among the most watched programs in Canada and the U.S. this summer and it's no wonder - even when the moves are sub-par in the judges' eyes, they're still mind-blowingly good to most viewers. (CTV, Fox)

-And MTV's longest-running program, reality TV pioneer "Real World," ends its 20th season in Hollywood with the roommates saying goodbye to each other - and to their 15 minutes of fame. (MTV)

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Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Thursday, July 17

-English rock legends the Who are the focus of "VH1 Rock Honours." Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Flaming Lips and Incubus warm up the crowd before the honoured group - founded by Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey - hits the stage. (MuchMoreMusic)

-Ah, the thrill of young summer love: frolicking in the sand or grass together, having long chats on the swingset, holding hands at the drive-in - then it all comes crashing down when Labour Day rolls around and you have to break up because of school. Two young couples try to avoid such a fate in "True Life: I'm Having a Summer Romance." (MTV)

-One couple that has made it through many ups and downs - British tabloid favourites Katie Price and Peter Andre - are featured in another episode of the guilty pleasure "Katie and Peter: The Next Chapter." (Star)

-On "So You Think You Can Dance," it's elimination night and two dancers will be snipped from the show. (CTV, Fox)

-Another standup comedy talent will be sent packing on "Last Comic Standing," where Canadian funnyman Sean Cullen is still in the running. (Global, NBC)

- Darren Bousman, director of three "Saw" horror films, helms tonight's episode of "Fear Itself." The story, written by Steve Niles ("30 Days of Night"), sees a woman awakening to a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies. (E, NBC)

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Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Friday, July 18

-With age restrictions preventing many tiny talents from trying out for the dozens of reality shows out there, it was inevitable that a series would come along to fix that. "The Next Star," premiering tonight, allows Canadian singers aged 15 and under to go through challenges to determine if they are ready for the spotlight. Three mentors, including Canadian vocalist Suzie McNeil, coach the six finalists, who are not eliminated throughout the show. Instead, they each record a single and the public later votes for their favourite. The prize is a recording contract. Actor Adamo Ruggiero of "Degrassi: The Next Generation" hosts. (YTV)

-Taking us from innocent, starry-eyed singers to lewd college kids is "Greek," where geeky Rusty, a virgin, is uncomfortable when forced to find a date for the fraternity-sorority social. His friend Cappie helps him out by setting him up with Lisa Lawson, otherwise known as the "campus doorknob." (CTV)

-Rusty's woes are nothing compared to those of Jack Swanson on the much hyped Canadian cop series "Flashpoint." In this episode, Jack turns a policeman's gun on a surgical team after a donor heart that was supposed to go to his ailing teenage daughter is inadvertently given to someone else. (CTV)

-Budget-conscious cinephiles looking for a quality flick on regular cable can settle in with "Coal Miner's Daughter," a 1980 gem that won Sissy Spacek an Oscar for portraying country star Loretta Lynn. (APTN)

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Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Saturday, July 19

-Down in the dumps over the slump in the economy? Blood pressure rising as the gas prices soar? Two comedy specials on the docket should raise your spirits. "Stephen Wright: When the Leaves Blow," filmed at Toronto's Elgin Theatre, features witty and odd musings from the American comedian known for his frizzy hair and deadpan delivery. Topics touched on include baby monitors, iPods, Santa Claus and placebos. (The Comedy Network)

-Then there's "Comedy Now" with rising Canadian comic Ron Sparks, who got his start as a member of York University's Vanier Improv Company troupe in Toronto. (CTV)

-You may have probably watched it many times already, but "Pulp Fiction" is always worth a click. The 1994 crime drama was directed by Quentin Tarantino and stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth and Uma Thurman in four interweaving tales of violence and redemption. It was nominated for seven Oscars and got one for best screenplay. (CBC)

-No Oscar accolades for "Indecent Proposal," but the 1993 drama is still a good one. It stars Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore as a happily married couple thrown into a tailspin after a billionaire (Robert Redford) offers $1 million to sleep with the wife for one night. (AMC)

-Arachnophobes and cottage dwellers might get the chills from "Bug Day," a marathon of programs on spiders, bees and massive creepy crawler attacks. (National Geographic Channel)

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Today on the tube ...

By Victoria Ahearn

The Canadian Press

Sunday, July 20

-Canadian country singer Tara Oram, who placed sixth on last season's "Canadian Idol," documents her journey to make it in the music business in "The Tara Diaries," premiering tonight. Oram, who hails from Hare Bay, N.L., had cameras follow her while she visited Nashville, met with her manager, recorded songs and gallivanted with her boyfriend, "Canadian Idol" winner Brian Melo. The six-week series will encourage viewers to go to the CMT website to vote on topics related to her career and submit songs that she'll consider for her upcoming album. (CMT)

-Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens wannabes hit the stage for "High School Musical: Get in the Picture." The series, hosted by Nick Lachey and premiering tonight, is searching for one person to star in a music video shown in the end credits of the Disney film "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," opening this fall. The winner also gets a recording contract for two singles with Walt Disney Records, one of which will be a version of the song from the music video. (CTV, ABC)

-If show tunes are more up your alley, there's always the performance episode of "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" (CBC)