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Must See HDTV (January 16th - 22nd)

Richard Lawler
Senior News Editor
Updated ·4 min read

After a CES related hiatus, we're back, and just in time for the premieres of a few of our favorite shows. Since we've been busy watching demo reels instead of what's on, feel free to let us know if we missed anything important during our Las Vegas trip (is anyone watching The Firm? Is it good?) 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.

Alcatraz
The latest show from J.J. Abrams (Lost, Fringe) finds a San Francisco where some of the most dangerous inmates of the infamous prison are suddenly reappearing on the streets. We'd explain the plot further, but given its creator there's probably no point. Given his track record, it's certainly worth given a look, even if only because Jorge Garcia (Hurley from Lost) is in it. The series premiere airs tonight, check out a quick preview trailer embedded after the break.
(January 16th, Fox, 8PM)

Archer
In case you somehow haven't caught on by now, we love Archer. While he's a terribly incompetent spy, Sterling Archer still somehow always completes his mission and in entertaining fashion. Season three is finally getting under way this week, if you've followed our advice you already have the S1 & S2 Blu-ray discs filed away and are ready to go.
(January 19th, FX, 10PM)

Justified
US Marshal Raylan Givens returns this week in season three of Justified, and with the return of his old friend Boyd Crowder to a criminal lifestyle, we're sure it will be an explosive one in Harlan County. After the events of last season, an all new lineup of interesting figures is set to try and take control of criminal enterprises in this tiny corner of the mountains, which will inevitably lead to two things: intricate, flowery dialogue, and people getting shot.
(January 17th, FX, 10PM)









Blu-ray & Games

  • The Ides of March

  • Courageous

  • License to Drive

  • Good Morning Vietnam

  • Traffic (Criterion)

  • Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D

  • Dead Poets Society

  • The Tuskegee Airmen

  • Redline (anime)

Monday

  • Alcatraz (series premiere), Fox, 8PM

  • Lost Girl (series premiere), Syfy, 10PM

  • Mobster Confessions (series premiere), Discovery, 10 & 10:30PM

  • Being Human (season premiere), Syfy, 8PM

  • Gossip Girl (winter premiere), CW, 8PM

  • Betty White's 90th Birthday (special presentation), NBC, 8PM

  • Betty White's Off Their Rockers (series premiere), NBC, 9:30PM

  • How I Met Your Mother, CBS, 8PM

  • Pretty Little Liars, ABC Family, 8PM

  • Who's Still Standing, NBC, 8PM

  • 2 Broke Girls, CBS, 8PM

  • WWE Raw, USA, 9PM

  • First Week In, Discovery, 9PM

  • The Lying Game, ABC Family, 9PM

  • Two and a Half Men, CBS, 9PM

  • Mike & Molly, CBS, 9:30PM

  • Castle, ABC, 10PM

  • Hawaii Five-0, CBS, 10PM

  • Rock Center with Brian Williams, NBC, 10PM

Tuesday

  • Justified (season premiere), FX, 10PM

  • Southland (season premiere), TNT, 10PM

  • Remodeled (series premiere), CW, 9PM

  • 90210 (winter premiere), CW, 8PM

  • White Collar (winter premiere), USA, 10PM

  • Glee (winter premiere), Fox, 8PM

  • Last Man Standing, ABC, 8PM

  • Switched at Birth, ABC Family, 8PM

  • New Girl (winter premiere), Fox, 9PM

  • Raising Hope (winter premiere), Fox, 9:30PM

  • Flashpoint, Ion, 10PM

  • Body of Proof, ABC, 10PM

  • Ink Master (series premiere), Spike, 10PM

Wednesday

  • American Idol (season premiere), Fox, 8PM

  • Criminal Minds (winter premiere), CBS, 9PM

  • CSI (winter premiere), CBS, 10PM

  • Royal Pains (winter premiere), USA, 10PM

  • Mistresses (season premiere), BBCA, 10PM

  • The Middle, ABC, 8PM

  • One Tree Hill, CW, 8PM

  • Whitney, NBC, 8PM

  • Are You There, Chelsea?, NBC, 8:30PM

  • Suburgatory, ABC, 8:30PM

  • Harry's Law, NBC, 9PM

  • Modern Family, ABC, 9PM

  • Nova, PBS, 9PM

  • Sons of Guns, Discovery, 9PM

  • Happy Endings, ABC, 9:30PM

  • Revenge, ABC, 10PM

  • Face Off, Syfy, 10PM

  • Law & Order: SVU, NBC, 10PM

Thursday

  • Archer (winter premiere), FX, 10PM

  • Unsupervised (series premiere), FX, 10:30PM

  • Lakers/Heat, TNT, 8PM

  • Mavericks/Jazz, TNT, 10:30PM

  • American Idol, Fox, 8PM

  • 30 Rock, NBC, 8PM

  • The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 8PM

  • The Vampire Diaries, CW, 8PM

  • Wipeout, ABC, 8PM

  • Parks & Recreation, NBC, 8:30PM

  • Rob, CBS, 8:30PM

  • The Finder, Fox, 9PM

  • Grey's Anatomy, ABC, 9PM

  • Impact Wrestling, Spike TV, 9PM

  • Less Than Kind, DirecTV, 9PM

  • Man, Woman, Wild, Discovery, 9PM

  • NY Ink, TLC, 9PM

  • The Office, NBC, 9PM

  • The Secret Circle, CW, 9PM

  • Call Me Fitz, DirecTV, 9:30PM

  • Up All Night, NBC, 9:30PM

  • The Firm, NBC, 10PM

  • The Mentalist, CBS, 10PM

  • Private Practice, ABC, 10PM

Friday

  • Chuck, NBC, 8PM

  • WWE SmackDown, Syfy, 8PM

  • Fringe, Fox, 9PM

  • Grimm, NBC, 9PM

  • Merlin, Syfy, 10PM

  • Portlandia, IFC, 10PM

  • The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, IFC, 10:30PM

  • The Life & Times of Tim, HBO, 9PM

Saturday

  • Cops, Fox, 8 & 8:30PM

  • The Fades, BBCA, 9PM

  • JB Smoove: That's How I Dooz It (special presentation), Comedy Central, 10PM

Sunday

  • Ravens/Patriots AFC Championship, CBS, 3PM

  • 49ers/Giants NFC Championship, Fox, 6PM

  • A Cinderella Story (special presentation), ABC Family, 8PM

  • Once Upon A Time, ABC, 8PM

  • Desperate Housewives, ABC, 9PM

  • Prime Suspect (series finale), NBC, 9 & 10PM

  • Shameless, Showtime, 9PM

  • American Idol, Fox, 10PM

  • House of Lies, Showtime, 10PM

  • Pan Am, ABC, 10PM

  • Californication, Showtime, 10:30PM

  • Angry Boys, HBO, 10 & 10:30PM