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

Richard Lawler
Senior News Editor
Updated ·4 min read

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)

Blu-ray & Games

  • The Walking Dead (S2)

  • Battleship

  • Sons of Anarchy (S4)

  • Homeland (S1)

  • Boardwalk Empire (S2)

  • Think Like A Man

  • The Pirates! Band of Misfits (3D)

  • Madden NFL 13

  • Rock Band Blitz (Xbox 360, PS3)

  • Ratchet & Clank Collection (PS3)

  • Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD (PS3)

  • Psychonauts (PS3)

Monday

  • Alphas, Syfy, 8PM

  • The Secret Life of the American Teenager (summer finale), ABC Family, 8PM

  • Bachelor Pad, ABC, 8PM

  • WWE Raw, USA, 8PM

  • Stars Earn Stripes, NBC, 9PM

  • Single Ladies (season finale), VH1, 9PM

  • Warehouse 13, Syfy, 9PM

  • Major Crimes, TNT, 9PM

  • Perception, TNT, 10PM

  • Grimm, NBC, 10PM

  • The Inbetweeners, MTV, 10:30PM

  • Web Therapy, Showtime, 11PM

Tuesday

  • 2012 Republican National Convention, ABC, NBC, CBS, 10PM

  • America's Got Talent, NBC, 8PM

  • Pretty Little Liars (summer finale), ABC Family, 8PM

  • Face Off, Syfy, 9PM

  • Top Gear (US), History, 9PM

  • White Collar, USA, 9PM

  • Hard Knocks, HBO, 10PM

  • Covert Affairs, USA, 10PM

  • The Burn, Comedy Central, 10:30PM

Wednesday

  • Patriots/Giants preseason football, NFL Network, 7:30PM

  • 2012 Republican National Convention, ABC, CBS, NBC, 10PM

  • Oh Sit!, CW, 8PM

  • Melissa & Joey (season finale), ABC Family, 8PM

  • Baby Daddy (season finale), ABC Family, 8:30PM

  • America's Got Talent, NBC, 9PM

  • Royal Pains, USA, 9PM

  • Damages, DirecTV, 9PM

  • Necessary Roughness (summer finale), USA, 10PM

  • Dirty Jobs, Discovery, 10PM

  • The Franchise, Showtime, 10PM

  • Futurama (season finale), Comedy Central, 10PM

  • The Real World, MTV, 10PM

Thursday

  • Chiefs/Packers preseason football, NFL Network, 7PM

  • Broncos/Cardinals preseason football, NFL Network, 11PM

  • UCLA/Rice college football, CBS Sports Network, 6:30PM

  • South Carolina/Vanderbilt college football, ESPN, 7PM

  • Texas A&M/Louisiana Tech college football, ESPNU, 7:30PM

  • Washington State/BYU college football, ESPN, 9:15PM

  • Minnesota/UNLV college football, CBS Sports Network, 9:15PM

  • 2012 Republican National Convention, ABC, CBS, NBC, 10PM

  • Impact Wrestling, Spike TV, 8PM

  • Wipeout, ABC, 8PM

  • Rookie Blue, ABC, 9PM

  • Caught Looking, NBC Sports Network, 9PM

  • Saving Hope, NBC, 9PM

  • Wilfred, FX, 10PM

  • Sullivan & Son, TBS, 10PM

  • Rock Center With Brian Williams, NBC, 10PM

  • Awkward, MTV, 10:30PM

  • Louie, FX, 10:30PM

  • Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, FX, 11PM

  • Children's Hospital, Cartoon Network, 11:59PM

Friday

  • Boise State/Michigan State college football, ESPN, 8PM

  • NC State/Tennessee college football, ESPNU, 7:30PM

  • WWE SmackDown, Syfy, 8PM

  • Boss, Starz, 9PM

  • Strike Back, Cinemax, 10PM

  • XIII, Reelzchannel, 9PM

  • Lost Girl, Syfy, 10PM

Saturday

  • Doctor Who (season premiere), BBC America, 9PM

  • Hawaii/USC college football, Fox, 7PM

  • Michigan/Alabama college football, ABC, 8PM

  • Arkansas State/Oregon college football, ESPN, 9:30PM

  • Saving Hope, NBC, 9PM

Sunday

  • Belgium F1 GP, Speed, 8AM

  • Indycar @ Baltimore, NBC Sports Network, 2PM

  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Series @ Atlanta, ESPN, 6:30PM

  • ABC Fall Preview Special, ABC, 7PM

  • Survivorman, Discovery, 8PM

  • Storm Surfers, 3Net, 9PM

  • One Car Too Far, Discovery, 9PM

  • Leverage, TNT, 9PM

  • Hell On Wheels, AMC, 9PM

  • Breaking Bad (summer finale), AMC, 10PM

  • Copper, BBC America, 10PM

  • Weeds, Showtime, 10PM

  • Web Therapy, Showtime, 10:30PM

  • Small Town Security (season finale), AMC, 11PM