For the season finale of ABC's feel-good reality series 'Secret Millionaire' (Sun., 8PM ET), Ali Brown was able to help a charity in her own hometown. She connected with Harvest Home in Venice, California. It's a place for homeless pregnant women that provides room, board and the tools to better their lives.

When she went into the director's office, Brown was moved to tears even before her reveal. The charity's director, Jennifer Jenson, graciously handed her a box of tissues.

"This is why I love it here," she laughed. But it was Jenson's turn for tears when Brown revealed that she was a millionaire and handed over a check for $50,000.

The latest episode of 'Secret Millionaire' (Sun., 8PM ET on ABC) featured Curves founders/CEOs Diane and Gary Heavin. The millionaires spent time at three non-profits in Houston's poverty-stricken Third Ward under the guise of making a documentary on volunteerism.

At the end of the week, the couple made donations to all three charities. At the Sean Ashley House -- which helps children and adults with disabilities, with a focus on autism -- Gary said, "You're not just care-givers, you're--"

"Extended family," interjected Diane. Gary added, "That's what these kids need: They need to be loved." To assist with their efforts, the Heavins donated $250,000, the largest gift in 'Secret Millionaire' history.

"I never, never expected this," said one of the directors. "Thank you so much! I'm just in shock!"

'Secret Millionaire' (Sun., 8PM ET on ABC) may be about people with a lot of money reaching out and touching lives, but the bigger draw is often those people and organizations who don't have much at all reaching out anyway.

This week's millionaire was John Ferber, a successful internet advertiser. He spent a week in Los Angeles's Skid Row. Though he had a modest place to sleep, he did spend many of his days on the streets with the homeless.

On those streets, he met Amin, a man who spends his own time giving to those around him. While Ferber was shadowing him, they saw a man walking by wearing shoes that were absolutely covered with excrement. Without a moment's hesitation, Amin took off his own shoes and gave them to the man.

'Secret Millionaire' (Sun., 8PM ET on ABC) has shown us big hearts with big wallets each week, and this time we got it in the form of motivational speaker James Malinchak. He spent his week in Gary, Indiana with only $50 in his pocket and a desire to reach out to his fellow man.

While there he met Tony Branch, an out-of-work steelworker who spent his free time volunteering at a girls' basketball program. Basketball was a big part of Malinchak's own background, so the work being done with these girls touched him particularly.

When he got a chance to come back, he stunned them with a gift of $50,000 and remains in contact with both the organization and Branch, whom he befriended during his time in Gary.

The latest 'Secret Millionaire' (Sun., 8PM ET on ABC) is Mark Paskin, who made his fortune in real estate and investments. But it was the work at Young Detroit Builders that touched his heart, as well as the dedication and commitment of Executive Director Beverly Manick, whom he had the pleasure to work with while he was "undercover."

"You've taken these young people who've come up from a messed-up background and you put them on the right direction in life," he told her upon returning to the organization.

As he worked with her, he saw at first-hand how YDB is helping these disadvantaged high-school dropouts learn life skills and gain the knowledge needed to secure their GEDs.

Dani Johnson is a self-made millionaire, who was homeless at one time in her life. Her story is part of what made her such a great candidate for the return of 'Secret Millionaire' (Sun., 8PM ET on ABC). As part of her experience on the show, she lived for a week in the Western Heights area of Knoxville, TN. As the people living there have about $40 in food stamps per week, that's what she was given to get through.

She spent much of her time volunteering and getting to know three local charities. And it was through them that she saw the strength of the human spirit in even the most dire economic situations.

When she revealed that she was "actually a very successful businesswoman" to one of the charities, she got a confused reaction.

We might have to wait another month and a half for a new episode of 'The Vampire Diaries,' but here's a treat to help tide us over until then: 'TVD' creator Kevin Williamson gave Entertainment Weekly new details about the recently announced companion series he's writing.

"It's set on a college campus," he said. "There's a little bit of some paranormal investigation involved, but it's more about the characters. It's more about what Julie and I like to do, which is create a world of people. A young girl goes to college, and it turns out there's a lot more going on."

As for the reports that the still-developing show will be like 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' crossed with 'The X-Files'? False."That's exactly what the show is not," Williamson said. "That was the wrong characterization. I was like, 'What is 'Buffy' meets 'The X-Files'? They're completely at odds tonally. It's neither."

In other TV news ...

• Sam Neill has nabbed the male lead in J.J. Abrams' 'Alcatraz.' The actor will star alongside Sarah Jones in the Fox pilot. [Deadline]

• Tonsillitis is traveling around the 'Glee' set. It's so bad that production on a big musical number for the post-Super Bowl episode was canceled tonight. It'll instead be shot in January, and filming will resume on Monday. [EW]

• Bravo is putting together its own gay housewives series that will compete with Logo's 'The A-List.' The new show is tentatively called 'From the Bottom to the Top,' and is being overseen by Andy Cohen. [NY Daily News]

• At 8, ABC has a new Pushing Daisies, followed by new episodes of Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money.
• CBS has a new Old Christine at 8, then new episodes of Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY.
• NBC has A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa at 8, followed by a new Life.
• FOX has a new Secret Millionaire.
• The CW has The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show at 8, then a new Stylista.
• PBS has a new Great Performances at 8.
• There's a new Time Warp on Discovery at 8.
• TNT has Christmas in Washington at 8, then the Patrick Stewart version of A Christmas Carol.
• Also at 8: Nickelodeon has Christmas episodes of The Naked Brothers Band, Fairly OddParents, and Home Improvement (two episodes).
• At 9, HGTV has White House Christmas 2008.
• Hallmark has Peter Falk in the movie When Angels Come To Town at 9.
• At 10, TBS has two new episodes of Tyler Perry's House of Payne.
• Martha Stewart guest stars on a new Top Chef on Bravo at 10.
• Sci-Fi has a new Estate of Panic at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

• At 8, CBS has a new Survivor, then new episodes of CSI and Eleventh Hour.
• NBC has a new My Name Is Earl at 8, followed by new episodes of Kath & Kim, The Office, 30 Rock, and ER.
• FOX has a new Secret Millionaire at 8, then a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
• ABC Family has The Year Without A Santa Claus at 8, followed by Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys and Twas The Night Before Christmas.
• AMC has the original The Day The Earth Stood Still at 8.
• Cartoon Network has a new Chowder at 8.
• At 9, Lifetime has the movie Christmas Child.
• CNN's Planet in Peril premieres at 9.
• TBS has the Festivus episode of Seinfeld at 9.
• Food Network has the special Dear Food Network: Holiday Parties at 9.
• Hallmark has the movie Moonlight and Mistletoe at 9.
• Also at 9: Spike has a new TNA Impact!
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Sarah Silverman Program.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

• At 8, ABC has a new Pushing Daisies, followed by new episodes of Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money.
• CBS has a new Old Christine at 8, then new episodes of Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds, and CSI: NY.
• NBC has the special Little Spirit: Christmas in New York at 8, followed by new episodes of Life and Law and Order.
• FOX has a new Secret Millionaire at 8.
• ABC Family has Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town at 8, followed by Rudolph's Shiny New Year.
• Discovery has two new episodes of Time Warp at 8.
• Travel Channel has The Most Christmasy Places in America at 8.
• At 9, The CW has a new Stylista.
• PBS has a new P.O.V. at 9.
• Food Network has the special Dear Food Network: Holiday Roast Beast at 9.
• There's a new Ghost Hunters on Sci-Fi at 9, then a new Estate of Panic.
• At 10, TBS has two new episodes of House of Payne.
• Discovery has a new Prototype This! at 10.
• A&E has two new episodes of Parking Wars at 10.
• USA has Elf at 10.
• Travel Channel has two new episodes of Man vs. Food at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Top Chef.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new Chocolate News.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

• At 8, ABC has a new Pushing Daisies, followed by new episodes of Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money.
• CBS has Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer at 8, then The Grammy Nominations Concert Live, and The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
• NBC has Christmas in Rockefeller Center at 8, followed by new episodes of Life and Law and Order.
• FOX has the series premiere of Secret Millionaire at 8.
• Discovery has two new episodes of Time Warp at 8.
• TNT has A Christmas Story at 8.
• At 9, The CW has a new episode of Stylista.
• Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters at 9, followed by a new Estate of Panic.
• Also at 9: Showtime has a new Inside The NFL.
• At 10, TBS has the season premiere of Tyler Perry's House of Payne, then another new episode.
• Bravo has a new Top Chef at 10.
• A&E has two new episodes of Parking Wars at 10.
• At 10;30, Comedy Central has a new Chocolate News.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

It looks like someone took the effort to create a Flash player with embedded videos of many of the upcoming new fall shows. Included are clips from Dollhouse, Fringe, Life on Mars, The Eleventh Hour, Scrubs, The Cleveland Show, The Goode Family (pictured right) as well as several others. I only had a chance to look at some of them. The previews aren't of all the new shows available in the fall (NBC only has one preview), but it's still quite a few. Which ones are missing?

Embedded videos after the jump

FOX announced its plans for the 2008-2009 season today. Here are the highlights:

Returning: The Moment of Truth, So You Think You Can Dance, The Simpsons, Family Guy, American Dad, American Idol, America's Most Wanted, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Bones, Cops, Don't Forget the Lyrics!, Hell's Kitchen, House, King of the Hill, Kitchen Nightmares, MADtv, The Moment of Truth, Prison Break, Talkshow with Spike Feresten, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, 'Til Death

Out: Back To You, Canterbury's Law, K-Ville, Nashville, New Amsterdam, Next Great American Band, Return of Jezebel James, Unhitched

New: Sit Down, Shut Up; The Cleveland Show; Dollhouse (Midseason); Fringe; Do Not Disturb (formerly The Inn); Secret Millionaire (Midseason)

Schedule and detailed descriptions of the new shows after the jump.