Time retreats on MTV’s ‘ ‘70s House’
Could you live without your cell phone? The Internet? What if instant messaging consisted of tapping someone on the shoulder? Or if PDAs, pagers and Blackberry devices no longer existed?
Could you call your friends on a rotary phone? Could you rely on your own memory of their phone numbers? Could you give up your iPods and mp3 players and listen to tunes the old-fashioned way, on a phonograph or 8-track player?
In short, could you survive on “The ‘70s House” (10:30 p.m., MTV), a new experiment in domestic “reality”?
An instructive spoof from beginning to end, ” ‘70s House” invited 12 young people to spend time together in a reality-show setting. But the producers didn’t tell them they were entering a time warp.
As the players enter the door of a “Brady Bunch”-style house, they’re greeted by the show’s hosts, Bert (Bil Dwyer) – think Monty Hall of “Let’s Make a Deal” – and Dawn (Natasha Leggero), a post-hippie queen of mellow.
During the course of ” ‘70s House,” the hapless time travelers will be put through a series of trivia tests and the social mortification of appearing in public dressed like outcasts from “The Electric Company.”
Back at the house, the kids are immersed in the era of Watergate, water beds, pet rocks and polyester and will have to learn enough ‘70s lore to do battle in game-show tests of knowledge.
Scheduled guest judges include Erik Estrada, Jimmy Walker and Leif Garrett.
Will the players survive without microwaves? Can they learn to work the avocado-green appliances? Will they forgo the joys of multitasking for the pleasures of Fleetwood Mac’s multiplatinum “Tusk”?
Have they ever been mellow? Have they ever tried? You’ll just have to tune in to ” ‘70s House” to find out.
Other highlights
Entertainment reporters Lara Spencer and Carlos Ponce host “Celebrity Weddings Unveiled” (8 p.m., CBS).
The hunks invade on “Average Joe: The Joes Strike Back” (8 p.m., NBC).
Norman Mailer guest-stars on “Gilmore Girls” (8 p.m., WB). Note to English majors: Mailer’s literary rival Gore Vidal appeared on the WB’s “Jack & Bobby.” When are they going to invite John Updike to “Charmed”?
The summer replacement series “Fire Me … Please” (9 p.m., CBS) ends tonight.
Etiquette advice from the mother of the world’s rudest celebrity on “I Want to Be a Hilton” (9 p.m., NBC).
A young patient fears his ailment stems from a curse on “House” (9 p.m., Fox).
Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (10 p.m., CBS): a cop killer is found after half a century.
A missing youth ends up in a vacant dorm on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10 p.m., NBC).
Octavius is captured and trained as a gladiator on “Empire” (10 p.m., ABC).
An idealistic candidate challenges Newark, N.J.,’s powerful incumbent mayor in the documentary “Street Fight” on “P.O.V.” (10 p.m., KSPS).
Cult choice
James Earl Jones reprises his acclaimed stage role in the 1970 drama “The Great White Hope” (7 p.m., Fox Movie Channel).
Series notes
Rival eateries on “My Wife and Kids” (8 p.m., ABC) … Parallel wives on “Trading Spouses” (8 p.m., Fox) … Second thoughts on “All of Us” (8 p.m., UPN).
William Hung guest-stars on “George Lopez” (8:30 p.m., ABC) … Jealousy unbound on “Half & Half” (8:30 p.m., UPN).
A prescription for abstinence on “According to Jim” (9 p.m., ABC) … A very silent partner on “Girlfriends” (9 p.m., UPN) … Cutthroat cheerleading on “One Tree Hill” (9 p.m., WB) … Rodney ruins the mood on “Rodney” (9:30 p.m., ABC) … Outside help on “The Bad Girl’s Guide” (9:30 p.m., UPN).
Late night
Nicole Kidman and Foo Fighters appear “Late Show with David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jay Leno hosts Michael Clarke Duncan and Ringo Starr on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Gary Busey, Russell Simmons and The Transplants appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (12:05 a.m., ABC).
Michael Chiklis, Finesse Mitchell and Eldar chat on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Craig Ferguson hosts Dr. Phil McGraw and Ringside on “The Late, Late Show” (12:37 a.m., CBS).