It's a busy weekend of gay TV as all three gay-inclusive soaps (The Young and the Restless, One Life to Live and As the World Turns) have the guys in the spotlight, Fox debuts the gay-inclusive sci-fi special Virtuality and BBC America debuts the first of Russell T. Davies' final Doctor Who specials.
With Adam hoping to make use of Rafe in his plans today and big moments for Luke and Noah, we'll be following the action with two liveblogs. Be sure to join us starting at 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM Eastern!
Full weekend listings continue below...
Friday
The Young and the Restless (CBS) Check local listings
Today's the big day for Rafe, as Adam tries to distract him with a little romance. Will Rafe return Adam's "feelings" and, if so, will we get a good idea of why he'd have feelings to return? (I'm starting to wonder if Rafe is about to show a deceptive side to himself.) Let's talk about it on the liveblog at 12:30 PM EDT!
Adam confesses to having "feelings" for Rafe
One Life to Live (CBS) Check local listings
There's more Kyle today as his attempts to blackmail his way out of criminal charges (hmm, that can't be a promising sign that he's reformed).
As the World Turns (CBS) Check local listings
And today's trio of gay-inclusive soapiness wraps up as Nuke breaks some news about Riley and Col. Mayer's plans start to fall apart. We'll be liveblogging this madness as well, at 2PM EDT.
Virtuality (Fox) 8:00 PM EDT
From Battlestar Galactica producer Ron Moore, the ground-breaking Virtuality includes two of the most complex gay male characters ever to appear on a sci-fi TV show as part of a space exploration mission that funds itself by allowing reality TV cameras access to their journey.
Virtuality's Gene Farber and Jose Pablo Cantillo
The Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC) 9:00 PM EDT
Rachel is supposed to be taking the night off tonight with the one true Wonkette, Ana Marie Cox, making her guest-hosting debut. With her irreverent attitude, quick wit and fearlessness (and let's not forget the time she pressed Robert Gibbs on Don't Ask Don't Tell) I suspect she just may be the gay news junkie's Kathy Griffin. Or maybe it's just me.
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC) 12:35 AM EDT
Indie rockers Grizzly Bear, with out frontman Ed Droste, are scheduled to perform tonight.
Saturday
Kings (NBC) 8:00 PM EDT
Queen Rose's mama bear instincts come out this week when the secret love lives of Prince Jack and Princess Michelle nearly come to light.
Groomer Has It (Animal Planet) 9:00 PM EDT
Tonight's season finale promises "the most stressful competition" of Lisa and out finalist Huber's lives.
Doctor Who's Dervla Kirwan, David Tennant, David Morrissey and Velile Tshabalala
Doctor Who (BBC America) 9:00 PM EDT
It's the beginning of the end for Russell T. Davies as the first of his final Doctor Who specials airs ... David Tennant is certainly welcome on my screen anytime but who's this other guy also being called Doctor?
Sunday
The Next Food Network Star (Food Network) 9:00 PM EDT
Well that can't be good. This week's previews seem to show Michael accidentally hitting Debbie with a baking pan. I have a bad feeling that's going to overshadow challenges about the "ultimate burger" and international ingredients.
True Blood (HBO) 9:00 PM EDT
Sookie makes a move to try to help Lafayette this week as she proposes a deal to Eric.
Well
Doctor who
Sorry, that picture is from the doctor who christmas special which isn't part of the 4 part final tennant eps the first of which is called 'planet of the dead, (which in britain we've had the first one but have to wait til november for the next 1, sooooo annoying)which has michelle ryan in it (from eastenders, bionic woman and more recently merlin)
My tonuge would catch your tongue...were the world mine :-)
Planet of the Dead
Yup. Last I knew the episode was on youtube too, if your patience fails you. Here's an actual promotional picture for Planet of the Dead :)
"Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn't as bright as it should be." - Rob Bell
Christmas Special
It is, however, part of the 5 specials that air between seasons 4 and 5, so I think calling it the beginning of the end of Tennant's... uh, tenure is entirely appropriate.
After all, if Christmas specials don't count, then Tennant's final appearance in the 2009 Christmas specials wouldn't count either.
FWIW...
Just to explain... 1) I actually said it was the first of Russell T. Davies' final specials, since Davies is the the biggest factor in making the show gay 2) with the latest run, US networks have always aired the Christmas special as the season premiere and with the network switch "The Next Doctor" is also being presented as the beginning of the new season (of five specials) "Planet of the Dead" isn't scheduled to air for another month in the US 3) thematically, I think it works better to see "The Next Doctor" (what I've heard about it, anyway) as part of a new season leading to Davies' second big finale, considering how "Journey's End" was already a big goodbye to the Davies era (though it sounds like we're going back there with BP, JB and CT being spotted on the set.
Also... after "Planet of the Dead" the next special won't air in the US until sometime after November? That's going to be painful, even if the BBC America deal suggests I might finally get to see the Christmas special sometime around Christmas (instead of the usual "Christmas in July" syndrome).
Thank makes sense.
Stupid BBCA, I really don't see the point of making people wait so long. I assumed the Christmas special had already aired in the US the Christmas it was realised because, you know, that would actually make sense. Haha. Sorry for doubtin' you, Lyle.
"To make a bad day worse, spend it wishing for the impossible." - Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes
Reformed Kyle Lewis
In general, I think of soap operas as trashy, lightweight fun that don't deserve a lot of thought. However, I'll admit that one thing they do better than most genre fiction is display characters in shades of gray. In sci-fi, a character who is redeemed essentially gets a new personality, free of the evil stuff he or she did before.
I love that Kyle is taking his first stumbling steps to redemption by trying to use the same tactics to get out of the hole he's in that got him there in the first place. Hopefully there will be a gradual learning curve for the character.
Sorry =(
I have no idea how BBCA works i just knew that here the xmas specials are considered a stand alone thing but usually means the next season is in a couple of months time. That sucks for you having to wait so long. It's always the same with great shows in other countries. I'm gonna miss tennant and davies but i feel good in the fact that i liked 'the girl in the fireplace' episode which was written by steven moffet.
My tonuge would catch your tongue...were the world mine :-)