A look at some of this week's noteworthy television:
The Next Iron Chef (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., Food Network) Alton brown hosts this new reality series which searches for the chef for the next season of Iron Chef America.
Life Is Wild (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WPIX 11) A widowed doctor moves his family to South Africa and family friendly programming ensues.
Mystery!: Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Series 6: Chinese Walls (Sunday, 9:00 p.m., WNET 13; Tuesday, 9:00 p.m., WLIW 21) After a break for Ken Burns War, Mystery! returns with the story of a murdered lawyer who led a double life as an internet porn star.
Top Gear (Monday 8:00 p.m.., BBC America) We mentioned this incredible British show last week and it even gets better. One of the presenters, Richard Hammond, shows his accident in a jet powered car, which was unofficially the fastest British car crash ever. He was in hospital for awhile and this episode that originally aired in the UK in January, marked his return. If you don’t know the show, think Mythbusters, but without the science content. They also attempt to resurface a road, which normally takes a week in just 24 hours. It is brilliant and one of the funniest shows on television.
Celebrity Exposé (Monday, 8:00 p.m., WWOR 9) MyNetworkTV has lucked out with their new celeb based series with this week’s profile - the train wreck known as Britney Spears. It was a stroke of luck that this episode was slated to air given the pop tart's troubles last week.
49 Up (Tuesday, 9:00 p.m., WNET 13) Forty-two years ago Michael Apted followed a diverse group of British children in a British television documentary called 7 Up. He then followed up with the kids as they grew up every seven years. PBS offers up an extended interview with Apted on YouTube.
Control Room Presents (Monday, 9:00 p.m., WWOR 9) The second episode in this new music series from MyNetworkTV will feature a concert performance of John Mayer from Webster Hall.
30 Rock (Thursday, 8:30 p.m., WNBC 4) We thought that last week’s episode with Jerry Seinfeld was a tad weak, but still it was better written and funnier than most other “comedies” on TV, plus it films here. This week Will Arnett and Rip Torn guest as General Electric executives with all sorts of wackiness ensuing.
Women’s Murder Club (Friday, 9:00 p.m., WABC 7) The title reminds us of the The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series of books, but this is nothing like it, save for the women crime solvers. It is more like Monk meets Sex in the City,. Four women – a detective, a prosecutor, a medical examiner and a reporter, who go solve murders in the city by the bay. Law & Order alum is the most notable of the stars.
