On the semi-finals of 'Top Chef Masters' (Wed., 10PM ET on Bravo), the four remaining chefs got to cook a buffet-style meal for service personnel coming back from tours of duty and their families. Each had to incorporate into the meal the dish their serviceman or woman missed the most while away.

It was a fitting tribute to our fighting forces as 'Top Chef Masters' heads into the homestretch, though the challenge was decidedly more difficult for some chefs than others, as it pulled them farther from their comfort zones, and some of the favored dishes were a little less-than-ordinary.

!!SPOILER ALERT!!

In the eighth week of competition on 'Top Chef Masters' (Wed., 10PM ET on Bravo), the chefs were tasked with a breakfast challenge, using a microwave. This is far harder than you might think if you break down all the traditional breakfast foods. This isn't a toaster pastry after all.

Later, they took on a science-based challenge, with each chef being presented with a lab assistant and ingredients representing a scientific principle. The goal was to make a meal that was delicious as well as demonstrating the principle.

Padma Lakshmi joined the judging panel on this challenge, which netted some interesting results. Do we really need to incorporate a science lesson into a cooking show?

In the third-season premiere of 'Top Chef Masters' (Wed., 11PM ET on BRAVO), the 12 contestants' first Elimination Challenge was a Restaurant War. Team Leela impressed the three judges critics on the appetizer, but then disaster struck. The main course was "missing in action."

"The critics' tickets [came] in right at the busiest time of the whole evening," but the chefs working the kitchen eventually dropped all other orders to cook the dishes that would really count.

Unfortunately, their entrees were decidedly not worth the wait. The lamb was too rare. And Curtis Stone discovered an apple slice still had the sticker on it!

Even if ABC waited too long to air their complete Charlie Sheen interview on last night's special '20/20,' as I speculated yesterday, it didn't seem to matter all that much.

According to Deadline.com, ABC won the Tuesday at 10PM timeslot in the 18–49 demo, attracting 9.5 million viewers. '20/20' almost doubled the rating of its lead-in, 'V,' and it gave the Alphabet net its best ratings in that time slot in two years.

Are we ever going to tire of Charlie Sheen mania? Probably. But for now, Sheen continues to be "Winning!", as he is saying on Twitter and all over the media landscape. And now that he's had his twin boys taken away from him, the story doesn't seem like it'll go away anytime soon.

In other TV news...

• Christina Aguilera joins Cee Lo Green and Adam Levine as a coach on NBC's 'The Voice.' The series premieres on April 26. Hopefully, Aguilera's current legal problems won't interfere with the taping of the show. [NBC]

Some major changes are afoot at 'Top Chef Masters' -- Bravo announced today that celebrity chef Curtis Stone will take over hosting duties from Kelly Choi for the just-announced third season.

The network also renewed 'The Rachel Zoe Project,' 'Millionaire Matchmaker,' 'Flipping Out,' 'Work of Art' and 'Bethenny Ever After,' TV Guide reports. As for new shows, 'Million Dollar Decorators' and 'Pregnant in Heels' will premiere in April.

'The Real Housewives of New York City' is returning on Tues., Feb. 15, 'Bethenny Ever After' on Mon., Feb. 28, and 'The Real Housewives of Orange County' on Sun., March 6. 'Watch What Happens Live' will move from Tuesdays to Thursdays.

In other TV news ...

• Merv Griffin Entertainment is developing a new reality series based on ... Pac-Man? Yep, the show will look like a 'Wipeout'-style obstacle course and is currently being shopped to networks. [Deadline]

• Several familiar faces are returning to 'The Office' on Feb. 17. The episode, which features a movie written by Michael Scott, will feature the return of Melora Hardin's Jan, Rashida Jones' Karen, David Denman's Roy and Andy Buckley's David as actors in Michael's action movie. [TV Guide]

• 'Smallville''s Aquaman is dropping by '90210' as a love interest for Teddy. Alan Ritchson will play Teddy's former prep school roommate/crush. [TVLine]

"One vowel makes all the difference." That was the declaration made on 'Today' (Weekdays, 7AM on NBC), and it couldn't have been more true. Australian chef Curtis Stone described a woman who'd submitted a question via Facebook as a "nagger," and Kathie Lee Gifford's jaw dropped.

Chuck Nice, seated next to Stone, and Rick Yougner jumped immediately to his rescue, enunciating the word clearly for Gifford and co-host Hoda Kotb. "He said nagger! Nagger!" they emphasized.

Maybe the women were distracted by his handsome visage, but they clearly heard another word entirely in Stone's accent.

If you're a bit of a foodie, you probably watch a lot of TV chefs. There are a bunch of them, all over the dial, sharing their knowledge of food and how to prepare dishes -- whether it's a bowl of chili or a beef Wellington. Tonight, for example, Fox's resident chef Gordon Ramsay will be launching a new cooking show called 'MasterChef.' (Not to be confused with 'Top Chef.')

'MasterChef' (9PM ET, Fox) is based on the Australian version of the show -- not the BBC model -- in which a large group of hopefuls from across the country audition with their best dish, and if they pass the judges, they move on to the semi-finals.

But have you ever thought about which of the celebrity cooks and chefs on television you'd want to teach you? We took 10 popular TV chefs and rated their teaching abilities from 1-10 -- 10 being the best possible teacher, 1 being the worst. Let us know if you agree with our ratings ...

Australian celebrity chief Curtis Stone will join Bobby Flay as judge and investor on 'America's Next Great Restaurant,' a new NBC reality series, in which contestants will pitch concepts for a new restaurant chain, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Stone has appeared on a number of cooking and dieting shows, including TLC's 'Take Home Chef,' and 'The Biggest Loser' and is a frequent guest on 'The Today Show.' He also competed on 'The Celebrity Apprentice' earlier this season.

Also just named to the judges' panel: Chipotle founder Steve Ells and executive chef Lorena Garcia. They'll decide which contestant's restaurant deserves their backing to become a chain in three U.S. cities.

The series comes from Emmy nominated duo Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, whose 'Top Chef' franchise airs on NBC partner network Bravo.

Look for 'American's Next Great Restaurant' sometime next season.

Weird times are happening on 'Celebrity Apprentice' (Sun., 9PM ET on NBC). Who will get fired next?

[Spoiler alert.]

Since Sharon Osbourne played a big role in her team Rocksolid's win on week eight of 'Celebrity Apprentice' (Sun., 9PM ET on NBC), Donald Trump asked her who should be fired from the losing team. Curtis Stone, the Aussie chef, was her quick answer, and apparently she isn't the only one who doesn't like him.

(S09E09) This was a very emotional week for the contestants. Remember when O'Neal thought Sunshine had been eliminated, and the producers made him wait until the last possible moment to see that she was still there? They were at it again this week with Daris, only the news wasn't so good. Why they can't just let the first person in say, "Sorry, bud," and put him out of his misery, I don't know.

Actually, I do. It's good for ratings. Also good for ratings is a sexy chef, which is why they brought Curtis Stone back for a food-themed week. Even the blatant product placement in-show commercials were food-based, covering avocados, milk and a silent shout-out to Subway.

There were two challenges this week, and I'm going to go ahead and spoil right here that the black team finally won a challenge, though I won't tell you which one -- or if it was both. It was a much needed boost of confidence for the team, coming off of that brutal weigh-in loss last week on top of all those challenge losses.

Fired up for a new season of 'The Celebrity Apprentice'? Fourteen celebs -- of varying levels of celebrity-dom -- are working for a bonus of $250,000 to be donated to a charity of their choice. And maybe a chance to spark up a little interest in their careers, too.

Business mogul Donald Trump will do the firing once again, aided by son Donald Trump Jr., daughter Ivanka Trump and long-time adviser George H. Ross on this third season of 'Celebrity Apprentice.' The teams, incidentally, are divided by sex.

The action starts 9 PM ET Sunday on NBC. Before then, we've studied the field and calibrated who the likely winner will be.

See for yourself after the jump.

Reality TV has hired Donald Trump -- again.

Variety reports that The Donald has just inked a deal with the Golf Channel for a new unscripted reality show titled 'Donald J. Trump's Fabulous World of Golf' (yep).

Trump, who owns many golf courses in such places as Westchester, New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Puerto Rico, is rounding up a host of celebrities to compete one-on-one for charities. Already on board to play a few holes are NFL legends Jerry Rice and Lawrence Taylor, with more athletes, musicians, actors and business-types reportedly to come.

The series will debut on April 26, 2010, with an initial order of six half-hour episodes.

In 2010, Rachael Ray and Paula Deen will compete against Curtis Stone for the most ubiquitous face in TV food.

Over the next year, the Australia-born, London-trained chef, cookbook author and media personality is set to invade your boob tube on a boatload of shows, including 'Losing It With Jillian,' which NBC has spun off from 'The Biggest Loser' to showcase uber-trainer Jillian Michaels. Stone will provide better-eating advice for families while Michaels whips them into shape.

This week on TV: Cakes from Jersey, Derek Jeter's on the 'Loser' team and 'Friday Night Lights' is finally back.

MONDAY, OCT. 26
'Cake Boss' (10PM, TLC) season 2 premiere
Jersey City baker Buddy Valastro was such a hit with viewers last summer that TLC brought him back right away for more wedding cake-bakin' fun -- tonight, in back-to-back new episodes. First up, when Buddy finds out that one of his customers wants to propose to his girlfriend in the bakery, Buddy bakes a cake shaped like a ring box. And in the second ep, the pastry maestro whips up a frosted gem for Dylan's Candy Bar in New York.

'So You Think You Can Dance' – The top 20 dancers are revealed (8PM, Fox)
'Gossip Girl' – Chuck asks for Serena's PR, um, expertise for his club opening (9PM, The CW)
'Real Chance of Love' – The guys pick their ladies from among the final five (9PM, VH1) season 2 finale
'Unwrapped' – In honor of trick-or-treating, this 'Unwrapped' is all about candies (9PM, Food Network)
'Castle' – A creepy murder leads Castle and Beckett to vampire fetishists (10PM, ABC)