topchefmasters

-- Ever wonder how theme songs for shows like 'All in the Family' and 'The Golden Girls' came about? Now's your chance to find out [Neat-o-Rama]

-- Heidi Montag may think she's a feminist, but she definitely doesn't play one on TV. See 20 of TV's least feminist characters [Lemondrop]

-Speaking of Speidi, you may also want to read this list of dysfunctional TV couples [Your Tango]

(more fun finds after the jump)

This week on TV: 'Nurse Jackie' premieres, the pros take over 'Top Chef' and WE tries their own version of 'Jon & Kate.'

MONDAY, JUNE 8
'Nurse Jackie' (10PM, Showtime) series premiere
There are several moments in the 'Nurse Jackie' premiere we'd like to tell you about, but they're just too good to spoil.

A hint: they involve a severed ear, the people inside a house and one of star Edie Falco's 'Sopranos' cohorts. Falco has shed her gaudy jewels and Joisey girl accent for this dark comedy about NYC ER nurse Jackie Peyton, one of her hospital's most talented professionals ... even when she's trying to score drugs to feed her raging addiction.

In the pilot, Jackie's dealing with the sad death of a patient, a cocky doctor (Peter Facinelli), a newbie she's forced to train and an office romance, all while trying to keep that little drug problem on the down low.

The heat of summer is matched only by the hot new TV shows we'll be seeing this season.

We've got the scoop on the return of familiar faces ('Nurse Jackie''s Edie Falco), the next cable hits ('Hawthorne'; 'Hung'), the new reality shows ('The Bachelorette'; 'Kendra') and more that will have everyone talking.

See all of this year's new shows in our 2009 Summer TV gallery.

Bravo has announced the show Top Chef Masters will begin Wednesday June 10th. The show is basically the celebrity version of Top Chef, where "world-renowned" chefs will compete for $100,000. The money will be given to their favorite charity. The format hasn't changed: the quickfire and the elimination challenges remain, but there will be a five-star grading system implemented.

There are 24 chefs, but I will have to trust the producers with their use of the words "world-renowned" since I'm just an average guy. One of the few chefs I know is Top Chef guest judge Wylie Dufresne, who is well known for his work on molecular gastronomy. The contestants' bios are available on the Bravo website.