worst cooks in america

Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times Eastern).

• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour episode of 'The Bachelor.'
• CBS has a new 'How I Met Your Mother' at 8, followed by new episodes of 'Accidentally on Purpose,' 'Two and a Half Men,' 'The Big Bang Theory,' and 'CSI: Miami.'
• NBC has new episodes of 'Chuck,' 'Heroes,' and 'The Jay Leno Show.'
• FOX has a new 'House' at 8, followed by a new 24.
• The CW has a new 'One Tree Hill,' then a new 'Life Unexpected.'
• PBS has a new 'Antiques Roadshow' at 8.
• ABC Family has a new 'Secret Life of the American Teenager' at 8, followed by new episodes of 'Make It or Break It' and 'Greek.'
• At 9, USA has a new 'Monday Night RAW.'
• TLC has a new 'Cake Boss' at 9.
• History Channel has a new 'American Pickers' at 9, then two new episodes of 'Pawn Stars.'
• At 10, TNT has a new 'Men of a Certain Age.'
• FX has a new 'Damages' at 10.
• A&E has a new 'Hoarders' at 10.
• Food Network has the season finale of 'Worst Cooks in America' at 10.
• TLC has a new 'Ultimate Cake-Off' at 10.
• Also at 10: Travel Channel has a new Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

• ESPN2 has coverage of The Australian Open all night.
• At 6:30, FOX has the NFC Championship Game, the Vikings vs. the Saints.
• At 7, NBC has a new, two-hour Dateline, followed by Figure Skating.
• At 8, ABC has a new, two-hour Extreme Makeover.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, then new episodes of Iron Chef America and Worst Cooks in America.
• Nickelodeon has a new Nick News at 8.
• BBC America has Rear Window at 8.
• At 8:30, Disney has a new Jonas.
• A 9, PBS has a new Masterpiece Classic.
• HBO has a new Big Love at 9.
• History Channel has a new Ax Men at 9, then a new Madhouse.
• Biography Channel has a new I Survived at 9.
• At 10, Travel Channel has two new episodes of 101 Chowdown Countdown.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7.
• NBC has a new, two-hour Dateline at 7, followed by the season premiere of Chuck (two episodes).
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, then The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: in 3-D! On Ice! and a new Cleveland Show.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, followed by new episodes of Iron Chef America and Worst Cooks in America.
• At 9, CBS has a new Cold Case.
• PBS has a new Masterpiece Classic at 9.
• HBO has the season premiere of Big Love at 9.
• TLC has Brace For Impact: The Chesley B. Sullenberger Story at 9.
• History Channel has the season premiere of Ax Men at 9, followed by the series premiere of Madhouse.
• Also at 9: Syfy has Battlestar Galactica: The Plan.
• At 10, A&E has a new The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Tonight at 10, Food Network's 10,000th food competition show debuts. It's called The Worst Cooks in America, and it's hosted by Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan. I have a big problem with it, and it's not just that it's the 10,000th food competition show on Food Network (OK, maybe I have two problems with it).

Here's the set-up: ten horrible cooks compete in a ten week "boot camp," and whoever improves the most gets $25,000. That sounds like a lot of fun, right? We all know people who can't cook, and if they're trying to cook something a little bit more complex than canned soup, it could be entertaining.

But here's my question: what's to stop these people from lying?

• ABC has a Secret Life of the American Teenager marathon all night.
• TCM has W.C. Fields movies all night.
• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7.
• NBC has a new Football Night in America at 7, then the Jets vs. the Bengals.
• At 7:30, FOX has a new episode of The OT.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by new episodes of The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, and American Dad.
• Food Network has a new, two-hour Iron Chef America at 8, then the series premiere of The Worst Cooks in America.
• At 9, Syfy has Sea Beast.
• At 10, A&E has a new episode of The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.
• IFC has two episodes of Arrested Development at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

'The Worst Cooks in America' (Sun., 10PM, Food) series premiere
Whether it's because of economic reasons, healthier eating concerns or just the desire to chow down on tastier food, this Food Network reality series couldn't have come at a better time, as 12 of the self-proclaimed titular bad cooks try to start off the new year by learning some serious culinary skills. Professional chefs Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan will put the wannabes through a cooking boot camp that will leave them not only armed with the skills and knowledge to whip up some tasty vittles, but also -- for the most improved of the worst cooks -- $25,000 richer.

It was just a matter of time before Food Network showcased people who actually can't cook. On January 3, the new food competition show Worst Cooks in America will debut. The winner gets $25,000!

Just so we're clear, the winner doesn't get $25,000 for making worse food than their competitors. No, the show will put the contestants through a boot camp where they will learn to take their skills (which probably consist of boiling water for pasta and microwaving Boston Market frozen dinners) and actually become better cooks. The food will be judged by a panel of food experts (of course) and whoever is the most improved wins. The two chefs leading the teams will be Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan.