History Channel tells NBA high points
While basketball fans look forward to the NBA playoffs, The History Channel will be glancing back with “NBA’s Top 10 Greatest” (8 p.m.), an hourlong special that spotlights the top 10 moments in professional basketball as determined by the fans by voting on the league’s official Web site.
Television commentator and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton is the host. He’s joined by a panel of experts, sportswriters and current and former NBA players, including Walt Frazier, George Gervin and Dave Cowens.
In addition to the league’s “Greatest Moments,” they’ll discuss such categories as: Greatest Coaching Performance; Greatest NBA Finals Moment; Greatest Move; Greatest Duel; Greatest Upset; Greatest Champion Team; Greatest New Star; Greatest Slam Dunk; Greatest Dynamic Duo; and Greatest Shot.
It’s not giving away too much to reveal that some of the highlights include The Boston Celtics’ unprecedented run of eight consecutive NBA titles from 1959 to 1966; The Chicago Bulls’ record-setting 72-win season in 1996; and Derek Fisher’s last-second shot in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Playoffs.
The soon-to-be concluded television season will be remembered as the year that viewers rediscovered the networks. With the possible exception of The WB, every network had one or several shows that audiences embraced.
The midseason has proven especially successful, particularly for hospital-based dramas such as “House” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
But amid the popping of champagne corks, you can still hear an undercurrent of nervous grumbling from the producers of situation comedies.
The John Stamos comedy “Jake in Progress,” for instance, appeared to have a lot going for it. In addition to its handsome star and solid ensemble, “Jake” was produced by Brad Grey, a force behind HBO’s most-talked-about hits, including “The Sopranos” and “The Larry Sanders Show.”
Many, including this critic, felt that “Jake” could capture the same “Sex & the City” audience that had flocked to “Desperate Housewives.” But the ratings for “Jake” never materialized, and tonight its season concludes with little fanfare.
On back-to-back episodes of “Jake in Progress” (ABC), Brooke’s ex is a handful (8 p.m.) and a series of romantic interruptions (8:30 p.m.).
Host Candice Olson reveals some of her makeover show’s secrets on “Divine Designs: Behind the Scenes” (9 p.m., HGTV). Tonight: a kitchen caught in a floral 1970s time warp enters the 21st century.
Other highlights
Tribe members, merged at last, tangle for the immunity necklace on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS).
Sandy concocts a plan to help Atwood on “The O.C.” (8 p.m., Fox).
Sharon Stone guest-stars as a therapist on “Will & Grace” (8:30 p.m., NBC).
Brass’ distant daughter needs help on “CSI” (9 p.m., CBS).
A new cleaning product on “The Apprentice” (9 p.m., NBC).
A mother who gave up everything for her disabled child has her moment on “Extreme Makeover” (9 p.m., ABC).
A dead friend in need on “Tru Calling” (9 p.m., Fox).
A prep school girl goes missing on “Without a Trace” (10 p.m., CBS).
An activist on a hunger strike needs medical attention on “ER” (10 p.m., NBC).
Scheduled on “Primetime” (10 p.m., ABC): a couple who treated their pet chimp as a member of the family are brutally attacked by two other chimps; amateur inventors get their products evaluated by a home shopping network.
Cult choice
Armand Assante, Greta Scacchi, Isabella Rossellini, Vanessa Williams, Bernadette Peters, Geraldine Chaplin, Eric Roberts and Christopher Lee appear in the four-hour 1997 adaptation of Homer’s epic “The Odyssey” (7 p.m., Sci Fi), directed by Andrei Konchalovsky.
Series notes
A neighborhood scandal on “Joey” (8 p.m., NBC) … Wrestling on “WWE SmackDown!” (8 p.m., UPN) … Four back-to-back episodes of “Blue Collar TV” (8 p.m., WB).