ShareThisBy TERRY MORROW
Thursday, October 19, 2006
"Masters of Horror" _ the scariest show on cable _ is back with more frights.
This critically acclaimed anthology series (10 p.m. Friday, Showtime) boasts three new directors this season along with a slate of veterans from last season. Rob Schmidt ("Wrong Turn"), Norio Tsuruta ("Premonition") and Tobe Hooper ("Texas Chainsaw Massacre") are in the director's chair this season.
The opener centers on a quality control supervisor (Chris Bauer) who wants the voices in his head to keep quiet. When he can't silence them, he takes to horrific methods to insure it happens.
Many of the 13 episodes for the season will have a decidedly topical bent. "Pro-life," the season's third episode, is about a pregnant woman carrying a demonic child. She seeks refuge in a women's clinic. John Carpenter directs.
Another episode, "Pelts," is about cruelty to animals. A fur trader (Meat Loaf) learns the raccoon pelts he has stolen are coming after him.
George Washington is revealed to be a cannibal in an episode titled "The Washingtonians," directed by Peter Medak ("The Changling").
In "Right to Die," a woman who is comatose is kept alive by artificial means, but her spirit turns vengeful because she wants to die.
Highlights for the week of Oct. 22-28 (all times Eastern; listings subject to change; check local listings):
SUNDAY, Oct. 22
_ "The Initiation of Sarah" (8 p.m. ABC Family). Morgan Fairchild stars in this remake of this sorority fright fest. Which begs the question: If Morgan Fairchild is pledging, how old do you have to be to join this sorority?
_ "Breaking Bonaduce" (9:30 p.m. VH1). When we catch up with Danny in the second season, he's seven months sober. But he's still a wreck so we'll watch.
_ "The Monastery" (10 p.m. TLC). Five men at a turning point in their lives agree to live with monks for 40 days in this new reality series. It's kind of like "The Apprentice," but the firing is from a higher power than Donald Trump.
MONDAY, Oct. 23
_ "Why I Wore Lipstick To My Mastectomy" (9 p.m. Lifetime). Sarah Chalke of "Scrubs" is back in the hospital, this time as a cancer patient who refuses to give up, in this adaptation of the hit book.
_ "Weeds" (10 p.m. Showtime). The season finale has arrived! Will Nancy puff, puff, give in to her DEA agent/ pseudo-husband?
TUESDAY, Oct. 24
_ "Joan Rivers: Before Melissa Pulls The Plug" (10 p.m. Bravo). Joan is back doing standup. Can we talk ... about really old jokes?
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 25
_ "Lost" (9 p.m. ABC). Jack is shocked to see how far The Others will go to keep him at bay.
THURSDAY, Oct. 26
_ "The Office" (8:30 p.m. NBC). If you missed the episode "Gay Witch Hunt" from a month ago, you should catch this repeat of it. This is the funniest episode on any sitcom this year.
FRIDAY, Oct. 27
_ "Mr. Meaty" (8:30 p.m. Nickelodeon). Josh and Parker discover being vampires isn't cool.
SATURDAY, Oct. 28
_ "Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes" (9 p.m. Sci-Fi Channel). Mourners turn to Pumpkinhead when they find their loved ones have been dumped in a swamp. Sounds like a plan.
