TV: Five shows worth watching tonight: May 21
A select viewing guide for Monday, May 21
REALITY The Real Housewives of Vancouver Slice, (10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; then 11 p.m. - midnight) ET; (7 a.m. – 6 p.m., then 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.) PT It's the show everyone's talking about (even if they won't admit to watching it). Launched last month, this homegrown entry in the Housewives franchise has more than a million viewers watching each week. If you're late to the party, tonight's marathon will introduce you to the five West Coast doyennes abruptly thrust into the spotlight. The ladies in question: Christina Kiesel, who still claims to be 29; Jody Claman, who runs a West Vancouver catering firm; Reiko MacKenzie, a martial artist with a fleet of luxury cars; Ronnie Seterdahl Negus, a mother of five looking to open her own winery; and Mary Zilba, Miss Ohio 1986. In tonight's first show, Jody arranges a luxury trip to Whistler, Mary deals with her latest breakup and Reiko picks out a new car at the local Ferrari dealership.
DRAMA House Fox, Global, 8 p.m. ET/PT And so we bid farewell to one of the most original characters in TV history. Launched in 2004, House sprung from the creative mind of Canadian-born lawyer/producer David Shore, who gave the British actor Hugh Laurie the role of his lifetime as the ill-tempered, drug-addicted medical genius and misanthrope Dr. Gregory House. Tonight's two-hour sendoff begins with a retro-special featuring interviews from the cast and producers and including previously unseen clips from the show in its early years. Then comes the much-anticipated final episode in which the treatment of a drug addict, played by James LeGros, forces House to finally take stock of his own personal demons and make a lifestyle change. The episode title, Everybody Dies, does not promise a happy ending.
REALITY Moonshiners Discovery, 9 p.m. ET; 11 p.m. PT Currently one of the most-watched programs on the U.S. Discovery Channel, and pulling solid ratings here, this series surely gives hope to anyone wanting to make a living from illegal activity. As the title suggests, the premise follows a group of country boys brewing up homemade liquor deep in the hills of rural Virginia. One camera crew follows the veteran moonshiner Tim, his son JT and their partner in crime known as “Tickle.” The other unit tracks the government agent Jesse, whose job is to bring down the good ol' boys. It's fascinating and seemingly unfaked and you have to admire that get-‘er-done moonshiner mentality. In tonight's new episode, Tim and Tickle soup up the hot rod they use to make deliveries, but only because they're forced to make a daring daytime bootlegging run.
REALITY Clash of the Commercials: USA vs. the World CBS, 10 p.m. ET/PT Never mind the upcoming Summer Olympics -- the real competition is finally determining which are the world's best TV ads! Co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and entertainment reporter Kevin Frazier, the “interactive countdown special” will direct viewers to the CBS website where they can screen the top-10 U.S. TV ads of all time and then watch the top-10 ads culled from international television. Watch it for the clips of European commercials, most of which include flashes of occasional nudity (which naturally will be blurred out for the protection of American minds).The Associated Press
MOVIE The Ninth Gate Bravo!, 11 p.m. ET; 8 p.m. PT Remember when Johnny Depp took chances in his choice of movie roles? In this 1999 thriller directed by Roman Polanski, he plays the rare-book dealer Dean Corso, who is hired by the ominous bibliophile Boris (Frank Langella) to prove the authenticity of a 17th-century book called The Nine Gates. As he tracks down the other two known owners, he discovers that the book contains clues that allegedly enable the owner to summon the devil himself. When his best friend Bernie (James Russo) turns up dead in a manner identical to one of the book's illustrations, Corso discovers he can't get rid of the cursed tome fast enough. It's no Rosemary's Baby, but it's still pretty scary.