without a trace

• At 8, FOX has the two-hour season premiere of American Idol.
• ABC has the series premiere of Homeland Security at 8, followed by two new episodes of Scrubs and a new Primetime: What Would You Do?
• CBS has new episodes of NCIS, The Mentalist, and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new, two-hour Biggest Loser at 8, then a new Law and Order: SVU.
• There's a new 90210 on The CW at 8, followed by a new Privileged.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs, then a new Wreckreation Nation.
• History Channel has a new episode of The Universe at 9.
• Sci-Fi has a new ECW at 9.
• At 10, FX has a new Nip/Tuck.
• TNT has a new Leverage at 10.
• Food Network has the series premiere of Chopped at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Orange County.
• At 11, TBS has a new 10 Items Or Less.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• At 8, CBS has a new NCIS, followed by new episodes of The Mentalist and Without A Trace.
• ABC has the series premiere of Homeland Security, then the season premiere of Scrubs (two episodes), and a new Primetime: What Would You Do?
• NBC has a new, two-hour Biggest Loser at 8, then a new Law and Order: SVU.
• The CW has new episodes of 90210 and Privileged.
• ESPN has the GMAC Bowl at 8.
• At 9, PBS has a new Frontline.
• Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs at 9, followed by a new Wreckreation.
• History Channel has a new episode of The Universe at 9.
• Also at 9: Sci-Fi has a new ECW.
• At 10, TNT has a new Leverage.
• FX has the season premiere of Nip/Tuck at 10.
• There's a new Real Housewives of Orange County on Bravo at 10.
• William Shatner interviews Leonard Nimoy on a new Raw Nerve, at 10 on The Biography Channel.
• At 11, TBS has the season premiere of 10 Items Or Less.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

Since I'm still new enough at TV Squad not to exist on the "Meet the TV Squad" page, this is my first Festivus. It's nice to be able to dig deep into my heart for all of my TV wishes in hopes that some internet fairy will grant them and make the television landscape just a little bit more awesome... for me, at least.

Without further ado, here is what I want for Festivus:

• Christina Hendricks and the rest of the Mad Men cast should guest-star on more shows. Ever since I started watching Mad Men, I've noticed Hendricks popping up places. She's on an episode of Without a Trace here, an old episode of Cold Case there... I love me some Joan Holloway and Mad Men isn't returning soon enough. I loved seeing Jon Hamm host SNL, and I'm super excited about his upcoming guest stint on 30 Rock. More please!

• At 8, ABC has A Charlie Brown Christmas, then a new According to Jim.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, followed by new episodes of The Mentalist and Without A Trace.
• NBC has the season finale of The Biggest Loser at 8, then the premiere of Momma's Boys.
• G4 goes over the top video game stories of the year on a new X-Play, then a new Attack of the Show has a holiday gift guide.
• Also at 8: BBC America has a new Christmas episode of My Family.
• At 8:30, Nickelodeon has a Christmas episode of Fairly OddParents, then Christmas episodes of Home Improvement and The George Lopez Show.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs.
• History Channel has a new episode of The Universe at 9.
• There's a new ECW on Sci-Fi at 9, then a new Cha$e.
• At 10, ABC has a new Eli Stone.
• TNT has a new Leverage at 10.
• Lifetime has a new Blush at 10.
• Biography Channel has a new Shatner's Raw Nerve at 10, with Kelsey Grammer.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

• At 8, ABC has Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, followed by two (yes, two!) new episodes of According To Jim and a new Eli Stone.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, then new episodes of The Mentalist and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new Biggest Loser at 8, followed by a new Law and Order: SVU.
• FOX has new episodes of House and Fringe.
• TCM has Citizen Kane at 8.
• IFC has a new IFC Media Project at 8, then a new Hell Girl.
• At 8:40, BBC America has a new Gavin & Stacey.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs.
• There's a new episode of The Universe on History Channel at 9.
• At 10, Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Orange County.
• Biography Channel has the series premiere of Shatner's Raw Nerve at 10.
• Sci-Fi has a new Cha$e at 10.
• MTV has a new Paris Hilton's My New BFF at 10.
• IFC has a new IT Crowd at 10.
• Also at 10: Travel Channel has a new Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.
• At 10:30, Disney has a new Life with Derek.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

Today's news that CBS ordered five more episodes of Eleventh Hour is not a big surprise. A big surprise would have been if the network didn't give the freshman drama a re-order. The Jerry Bruckheimer production has been in the most-favored nation position at CBS -- meaning whatever Jerry wants, he usually gets.

The network enjoys a very fruitful/profitable relationship with the TV/filmmaker. Together, CBS and Jerry share Cold Case, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, Without A Trace and The Amazing Race. They're thinking of changing the initials CBS to Columbia Bruckheimer System. (Kidding!)

• At 8, ABC has two new episodes of Dancing with the Stars, followed by a new Eli Stone.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, then new episodes of The Mentalist and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new Biggest Loser, followed by a new Law and Order: SVU.
• FOX has new episodes of House and Fringe.
• The CW has a new 90210 at 8, then a new Privileged.
• There's a new Nova on PBS at 8.
• At 8:40, BBC America has a new Gavin and Stacey.
• At 9, Sci-Fi has a new ECW, then a new Cha$e.
• Food Network has the special Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving Turkey at 9.
• At 10, FX has a new episode of The Shield.
• Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Atlanta at 10.
• A&E has two new episodes of The Rookies at 10.
• Also at 10: Travel Channel has a new Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

The answer: Hugh Laurie.

Ha! Just kidding. Actually, the question this week comes from TV Squad reader Toni, who asks "On House, what was the name of the guy who played Stewart Nozick?" She knows him from somewhere but can't think of his name or what show she knows him from (that has happened to all TV viewers at some point, I think).

The actor's name is Todd Louiso, and he's one of those character actors who has been in a little bit of everything over the years, on TV and on the big screen. The first thing I think of when I see Louiso is his role in the John Cusack film High Fidelity (that's him with Cusack in the pic). He played the record store worker that Jack Black was always teasing. He was also in Apollo 13, Snakes on a Plane, Thank You For Smoking, Jerry McGuire, and The Rock.

The TV show that viewers might remember him from is the short-lived Phenom and several episodes of Chicago Hope. He has also made guest appearances on Law and Order, Everwood, Without A Trace, and others.

It's November sweeps time. When thinking of that time of year, TV fans know that this also means huge cliffhangers, major twists and a lot of guest stars. A good number of fans don't like the stress this time of year brings, especially since they know some of their favorite series will go on hiatus for December and the first weeks of January.

To help you prepare for November sweeps 2008, we compiled spoilers for the November episodes of some of the best shows on TV. We give you spoilers for series such as: Bones, Brothers & Sisters, Criminal Minds, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Fringe. Ghost Whisperer, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, Prison Break, Smallville, The Simpsons, The Unit, Without a Trace and Ugly Betty.

SPOILERS FOLLOW!

If you've been used to getting your dose of fighting action on CBS Saturday nights, you're going to have to look some place else.

CBS has canceled its popular Saturday Night Fights show after the company that produced the show, Pro Elite, went out of business this week. They were supposed to film a match on November 8 in Reno, NV (and Showtime was supposed to air it later) but the company has canceled that show. No word on why the company is no longer operating.

• At 8, ABC has a new Opportunity Knocks, followed by a new Dancing with the Stars and the season premiere of Eli Stone.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, then new episodes of The Mentalist and Without A Trace.
• NBC has new episodes of The Biggest Loser and Law and Order: SVU.
• FOX has a new House at 8, then a new Fringe.
• PBS has a new Nova at 8, followed by a new Frontline.
• ABC Family has a new Lincoln Heights at 8, then a new Greek.
• At 8:40, BBC America has a new Gavin & Stacey.
• At 9, Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Atlanta.
• CNBC has the special The Nuclear Option at 9.
• There's a new Dirty Jobs on Discovery at 9.
• Sci-Fi has a new ECW at 9, followed by two new episodes of Scare Tactics.
• Also at 9: ESPN has two new episodes of The World Series of Poker.
• At 10, FX has a new episode of The Shield.
• MTV has the season premiere of Paris Hilton: My New BFF at 10.
• IFC has a new episode of The IT Crowd.
• Travel Channel has a new Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

You know that scene in the movie When Harry Met Sally, when Meg Ryan is in a New York deli and simulates having an orgasm? Then Estelle Reiner looks over and says to the waiter, "I'll have what she's having."?

Well, that's how a lot of actors in Hollywood must be feeling about actor Steven Weber -- "I'll have what he's having!" -- because he's been on a hot streak going from role to role to role, TV series to TV series. The latest is his landing a juicy part on Desperate Housewives.

The former Wings star will be playing Julie's lover, her college professor who's a serial monogamist, having been married three times. Susan, reportedly, is going to freak out about her daughter getting serious with a guy who's old enough to be her father.

This role is being slated for just one episode, so far, but you never know. He could turn out to be Susan's son-in-law down the road.

• At 8, ABC has a new Opportunity Knocks, then a new Dancing with the Stars and the special Half The Size.
• CBS has a new NCIS, followed by new episodes of The Mentalist and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new Biggest Loser at 8, followed by a new Law and Order: SVU.
• FOX has two new episodes of House and Fringe.
• There's a new 90210 on The CW at 8, then a new Privileged.
• TCM has Lassie Come Home at 8, then Meet John Doe.
• Also at 8: ESPN has two new episodes of The World Series of Poker.
• At 9, PBS has a new P.O.V.
• Food Network has a new episode of Food Detectives at 9.
• At 10, A&E has a new episode of The Cleaner.
• FX has a new episode of The Shield at 10.
• MTV has the series premiere of Paris Hilton's My New BFF at 10.
• Bravo has a new Rachel Zoe Show at 10.
• Travel Channel has a new Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.
• IFC has a new episode of The IT Crowd.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

• At 8, CBS has the season premiere of NCIS, followed by the series premiere of The Mentalist and the season premiere of Without A Trace.
• ABC has the series premiere of Opportunity Knocks at 8, then a new, two-hour Dancing with the Stars.
• FOX has new episodes of House and Fringe.
• NBC has a new, two-hour Biggest Loser at 8, followed by the season premiere of Law and Order: SVU.
• ABC Family has a new Lincoln Heights at 8, then a new Greek.
• Also at 8: ESPN has two new episodes of The World Series of Poker.
• At 9, PBS has a new American Masters.
• There's a new Eureka on Sci-Fi at 9, then a new ECW.
• Food Network has a new Food Detectives at 9, followed by a new Road Tasted with The Neelys.
• At 10, FX has a new episode of The Shield.
• Travel Channel has a new Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk show listings.

Are you anxiously awaiting news of who was in that SUV that exploded? Still fraught with worry over how Gibbs is going to get his team back together? Or maybe you are just excited that Survivor is finally going to be beamed into your living room in glorious HD. Well, you can start making plans for your fall scheduling now. The eye network has released the schedule of premieres for their new and returning shows.

I'm a little concerned about two things on the schedule. First, The New Adventures Of Old Christine and Project Gary lead into Criminal Minds on Wednesday nights. That's an odd pairing, and I don't think bodes well for either of the comedies. And second, The Unit gets shuffled off to Sunday at 10? NCIS and The Unit have done remarkably well paired up on Tuesdays. Good for The Mentalist, not so much for The Unit. The whole thing kicks off with Survivor on September 18th. The rest of the schedule is after the jump.