Must See HDTV (October 29th – November 4th)

Must See HDTV October 29th  November 4th

While the fall sports have taken the center stage, there's still plenty of other content to fill the schedule. Assassin's Creed 3 hits consoles this week, as well as the return of Okami in HD, while indie flicks Safety Not Guaranteed and Ruby Sparks are available on Blu-ray. Comedian Louis CK will take the stage on Saturday Night Live, and a collection of Alfred Hitchcock movies comes home in a new boxed set. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

NBA
After a whirlwind summer that saw the Heat complete their quest to win an NBA Championship (despite a lockout-shortened season) and the Olympic team bring home basketball gold medals, it's time for NBA action again. The season officially resumes Tuesday night as the Celtics take on the Heat and the Mavericks face the Lakers on TNT. There's a full slate of other interesting games awaiting including the debut of #1 draft pick Anthony Davis on the Hornets and more. We've got plenty of storylines to follow like Linsanity's move to Houston, Miami's quest to repeat and Dwight Howard joining Kobe, Steve and Pau on the Lakers.
(October 30th, TNT, 8PM)

Saturday Night Live w/ Louis CK
Comedian Louis CK has seen his popularity blow up as of late thanks to his cable show and an internet distributed show that set records. Now he's hosting Saturday Night Live, which should go well, and if it doesn't, then it will provide plenty of material for the next season of his show which is scheduled to air in 2014.
(November 3rd, NBC, 11:30PM)

Alabama/LSU college football
Last year Alabama LSU played in the regular season before meeting again in the championship game, and while that seems less likely to occur this time around it's still an SEC matchup worth keeping an eye on. Currently ranked first and fifth, respectively, in the BCS it will be one of the key matchups this season and provides an opportunity for LSU to redeem itself for last year's losses -- not that Nick Saban and Alabama will make doing that easy.
(November 3rd, CBS, 8PM)

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Must See HDTV (October 22nd – 28th)

Must See HDTV October 22nd  28th

While baseball's postseason moves on to its final round, football is just hitting its stride and NBA preseason action is just beginning to get interesting. This week Blade Runner gets yet another HD home release, there's one more presidential debate, and on Friday the maker of Pushing Daisies returns for a one-off / backdoor pilot attempt called Mockingbird Lane -- check out a teaser after the break. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

I, Robot (3D)
A 3D Blu-ray release isn't uncommon these days, however I, Robot has a fresh twist: it wasn't in 3D in theaters, ever. Fox has made the interesting decision of converting the flick in post and releasing a 3D version exclusively for the home. Fans of the 2004 Will Smith flick can snag a $24.99 Blu-ray 3D set, but if you pre-ordered at Comic-Con, it comes with a bust of the robot character, Sonny. We'll have to wait and see if this trend takes off (Fox says it has more titles in the pipeline), or if people prefer the standard original releases.
($24.99 on Amazon)

Forza Horizon
The Forza series has brought its brand of sim racing to Xbox consoles for several generations, but this latest version takes all of its underlying technology on a trip to the arcade side of town. You won't be doing so much tweaking under the hood this time, but there's still a healthy selection of cars plus options for night and off road racing to keep you interested. Joystiq was impressed enough by its "massive toy chest of hyper-accurate Hot Wheels" to give it four out of five stars, racing fans can check out a demo on Xbox Live now.
($59.99 on Amazon)

World Series
Baseball fans, it all comes down to this. For the championship in 2012 the Detroit Tigers will face TBD in an epic battle that kicks off Wednesday night. Either St. Louis or San Francisco will be representing the National League in the World Series, but we'll have to wait until tonight's game to know which one. The days for the games are already locked in however, so clear your schedule as needed.

Continue reading Must See HDTV (October 22nd - 28th)

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Must See HDTV (October 15th – 21st)

We've pretty much exhausted the high profile fall premieres for now, but there still presidential debates and baseball playoff action to be had. Also, while we have not moved so far in the future that we've reached the date Marty McFly went to in Back to the Future Part II (that's in 2015, perhaps by then people will stop reposting photoshopped images), we have reached the data Avatar is available at retail on Blu-ray 3D. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Avatar (3D)
It's taken a couple of years, but Avatar is finally widely available on Blu-ray 3D after being tied up as a Panasonic pack-in exclusive. The bad news? It's not the Extended Collector's Edition, so if you want 3D and extras your wait may continue. Otherwise, James Cameron's special effects should be enough to thrill the eyes of anyone that snagged a 3DTV in the last few years and is looking for a good demo disc.
($24.99 on Amazon)

MLB Playoffs
We have reached the league championship series and, assuming both series need some extra games, should be in for excellent baseball all week. The Yankees have lost Derek Jeter for the postseason, but are by no means done... unless their bats stay as cold as they've been. In the National League the Giants and the Cardinals are duking it out, we'll see if the 2-3-2 home field format plays into the outcome for either team, after the Giants took three on the road in the last round.

NBA Preseason
It's finally time for hoops again, and after some overseas exhibitions you can watch NBA teams work their way back into shape as they take each other on this week. If you're a basketball fan you probably love TNT's Thursday night broadcasts, and the first preseason one features the Celtics and the Nets at 8PM.

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Must See HDTV (October 8th – 14th)

Must See HDTV October 8th  14th

The fall premiere season is hardly over, with CW taking the wraps off of if its new comic book adaptation, Arrow (preview video embedded after the break) while NBC and ABC unveil Chicago Fire and Nashville. Of course, some old favorites are returning too, and web series Dr. Horrible's Singalong Blog is making its TV debut Tuesday night. Oh, and some little flick called E.T. is coming home on Blu-ray for the first time. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

The Walking Dead
After season two's exciting finale we are once again all in on AMC's zombie apocalypse series. Fans of the comic are looking forward to seeing characters like Michonne and The Governor, but first our ragtag band of survivors will apparently try to take control of a prison. Should be a piece of cake. Check out the season three trailer embedded after the break and set your DVR for Sunday night.
(October 14th, AMC, 9PM)

Prometheus
The sci-fi movie that has produced more divisive opinions than any other in 2012 finally hits Blu-ray this week. Complete with a 3D edition and requisite iPad companion app, the hook is promises of extra scenes and background information that may help fill in this story. Unfortunately, unlike one of director Ridley Scott's other flicks, Blade Runner, the extras aren't smoothly integrated as an XL-sized director's cut, at least not in this edition. Still, if you dig it there should be plenty to keep you watching once the movie is over, and while it's playing the visual effects will entertain.
($24.99 on Amazon)

The League
Whether you're as obsessed with fantasy football as we are or not (hopefully not, it's just unhealthy at some point) this series about a group of friends and their league is one of the most consistently funny shows of the last few seasons. Last season ended with the Shiva trophy getting a viking funeral at sea, and while we have on idea how they'll top that, we suspect Rafi will be involved somehow. Of course, it's not the only show on FX Thursday night, as It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns ahead of it this week, with shows from Russell Brand and W Kamau Bell bringing up the rear.
(October 11th, FX, 10:30PM)

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Must See HDTV (October 1st – 7th)

Must See HDTV October 1st  7th

We're still trying to clear our DVRs from last week's flood of fall premieres, but luckily there's only a few brand new shows arriving this week. On the other hand, there are a slew of Blu-ray releases and videogames debuting, so plan your time carefully. Find any new favorites among the shows making their debut last week? Let us know in the comments below and check out the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

NBA 2K13
With competitor NBA Live shelved (again) there's only one option for hoops on your console this year, luckily it's a pretty good one. NBA 2K13 has reworked its control scheme (again) and listed Jay-Z as its executive producer to promise some extra flair and a booming soundtrack. We can't wait for the annual rite of popping the game in, taking on our friends online and quickly getting disconnected as the servers get overloaded (again.)
($58.99 on Amazon for PS3 and Xbox 360)

30 Rock
One of NBC's best comedies finally returns this week with Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, Tracy Jordan and all the rest trying to put together their sketch comedy series each week. We have no idea what this season has in store but Tina Fey and the rest of the writers rarely disappoint. Now, just bring back Community and we'll be happy NBC.
(October 4th, 8PM, NBC)

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Must See HDTV (September 24th – 30th)

Must See HDTV September 24th  30th

We are officially in the fall premiere season. From freshly-minted Emmy winners like Homeland to newbies like Last Resort, 666 Park Avenue and Elementary, the prime time schedule is suddenly full of shows jostling for our attention. Add in a full slate of movie releases, football games and even WNBA playoffs, well, and our DVRs have their work cut out for them. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

The Avengers
One of the summer's biggest hits is here on disc, in two discs Blu-ray / DVD combo pack (no digital copy) and four disc Blu-ray 3D edition (with digital copy). We got a chance to check it out early and there's certainly enough extras here to keep the fans happy, along with a slick and fast-loading menu system. We did not get an opportunity to try out the Second Screen app yet, but with the price of the four disc pack down to $25, we figure most fans will getting thier money's worth -- unless of course they're waiting for the delayed Marvel Cinematic Universe edition.
(September 25th, $24.99 on Amazon)

Last Resort
We're sure there's more to this military drama than just trying to be the next Lost, but when you start off stranded on a fictional island then throw in conspiracy theories and a submarine, our magnets start to tingle. From the trailer (embedded after the break)it certainly has an interesting plot, as the crew of a US military vessel is fired upon by its own country, and subsequently goes rogue in an attempt to find out why and get back home, but we've seen many of these mysterious shows come and go very quickly -- it will need to find its own hook, and fast.
(September 27th, ABC, 8PM)

Louie
As we welcome in a slew of new shows, we say goodbye to one for now. Comedian Louis CK's show was also an award winner last night, and it was well deserved. After a Rocky-style take on the late night wars the show wraps up its season this week with what appears to be a New Year's themed episode. If you haven't checked it out yet and are a fan of CK's comedy style, this is probably the time.
(September 28th, FX, 10:30PM)

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Must See HDTV (September 17th – 23rd)

Football is officially in swing, and this week we've got a couple of big college matchups with LSU taking on Auburn and Michigan vs. Notre Dame. Thursday is also one to keep an eye out for with Cam Newton taking on the Giants in prime time, NBC rolling out its usual slate of shows and a few season finales from FX. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventure
After Star Wars last year, Lucasfilm is back with another restored series in HD, this time Indiana Jones. Consisting of all three movies and another, completely unrelated flick plus lots of extras, it should be quite an experience for the fans. Check out the announce post here for more details on the enhancements, or check out the trailer embedded after the break..
($65 on Amazon)

The Mob Doctor
Coming in tonight after the season premiere of Bones, we're not sure if this show will stick around any longer than The Chicago Code did, but we'll give it a shot. Centered around a surgeon who somehow ends up paying off a mob debt with some off the books surgery, we're just happy to see PJ from My Boys back on TV -- if Jim Gaffigan drops by we're in for the duration.
(September 17th, Fox, 9PM)

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Must See HDTV (September 10th – 16th)

Must See HDTV September 10th  16th

With football and new TV series premieres, we're ready to call it officially fall. Keep an eye out for brand news shows like NBC's Go On and The New Normal, as well as returning favorites like Glee on Fox and the various talent show competitions. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Monday Night Football
Football is back, and it's Monday night, so you know what that means. Hank Williams Jr. is no longer a part of the festivities but the action hasn't changes. We've got a doubleheader lined up with Bengals/Ravens followed by Raiders/Chargers, so wrap up those bedtime stories and get in front of the TV.

Sons of Anarchy
It may not rise to the level of Breaking Bad or Justified but Sons of Anarchy is one of our other favorite cable TV series, and its new season gets started this week. SAMCRO is dealing with conflict from within and, judging from the previews, out side the club as well. We'll see how the addition of Jimmy Smits to the cast affects this show.
(September 11th, FX, 10PM)

Weeds
At long last, the Showtime series comes to an end this weekend. Some might say it should've wrapped up a couple of seasons ago, but if you're still following the Botwin clan and their assortment of friends, enemies and drug-dealing associates it's time to say goodbye.
(September 16th, Showtime, 10PM)

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Must See HDTV (September 3rd – 9th)

Must See HDTV September 3rd  9th

After college football got its season under way last week, now it's the professional's turn. But the NFL isn't all we have for you, while a light TV schedule is supplemented by a long list of high profile Blu-ray sets arriving this week. Of course, none of them are bigger than the 32-disc Harry Potter collection pictured above, check after the break for some video of what's inside. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Harry Potter Wizard's Collection
Fans of the glasses-wearing kid wizard can invest in the massive Harry Potter Wizard's Collection Blu-ray boxed set this weekend, which arrives packing 31 discs in its collector's edition casing. 3D, never before seen bonus clips, and digital copies -- it's all in there, and all your for the low, low price of $350 or so. Whether or not you're willing to shell out that kind of cash for all eight movies, there's a video look at the set after the break as some of the series' stars take turns unboxing it.
($344.99 on Amazon, September 7th)

NFL
Our fantasy leagues are drafted, our pick 'em leagues are registered for (you're registered for ours, right?) and the beer is getting cold. It's finally time for the NFL to return to us, and it all starts Wednesday night with kickoff festivities leading up to an NFC East grudge match between the Giants and Cowboys. Of course, that's just a teaser for Sunday's action, and finally the first Monday Night Football of the year next week. It doesn't get better than this.
(September 5th, NBC, 8:30PM)

2012 Basketball Hall of Fame
For basketball, the Hall of Fame covers both pro and collegiate ranks, and for 2012 it's inducting a class with members like Reggie Miller, Don Nelson, Katrina McClain, Phil Knight, Ralph Sampson, Chet Walker and Jamaal Wilkes. NBA TV is also producing a documentary about Reggie Miller that will air Tuesday night before he joins his sister Cheryl in the hall. The presentation airs Friday night, hoops fans can use it as a crutch between the Olympics / summer league festivities and the regular season which is still several weeks away.
(September 7th, NBA TV, 7:30PM)

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Must See HDTV (August 27th – September 2nd)

Must See HDTV August 27th  September 2nd

This is it, the crossover where summer and fall programming mix. College football is back in action, and we say good bye to some of our favorite summer TV shows like Breaking Bad. TV fans should also keep an eye out on the disc releases, as many shows boxed sets are hitting shelves before the new season begin airing soon. Look below for the highlights this week, followed after the break by our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and videogames.

Breaking Bad
This weekend the first half of the fifth and final season of AMC's Breaking Bad comes to a close, before viewers wait for the second half to air in summer 2013. You won't find any spoilers here, but the path Walter White has taken has certainly arrived at places few would have predicted when the show began. The only question now is how many surprises are left before it all comes to an end.
(September 2, AMC, 10PM)

Doctor Who
Also fresh this weekend is a new series of Doctor Who episodes, kicking off with Asylum of the Daleks. The better news as of late has been BBC America closing the gap in airing new episodes and that DirecTV is carrying the channel in HD at last. If you can't wait for new shows, check out the Pond Life preview clip embedded after the break.
(September 1, BBC America, 9PM)

College Football
While preseason week four of the NFL season is skippable pigskin action, the return of college football this weekend will have us planted firmly in front of our HDTVs. The Hawaii/USC and Michigan/Alabama matchups Saturday night should start the season off with a bang and we can't wait. Looking for your favorite team in the listings? We've got many of the nationwide broadcasts covered, but reader Jose Perez reminds us of this comprehensive TV schedule at LSUFootball.net that should let you know who is playing where all season long.
(August 30th - September 1st)

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