The ubiquitous Ryan Seacrest is our host for "Fox's 25th Anniversary Special," a rousing two-hour celebration of the greatest hits produced by a network that launched in 1987 with a feisty, maverick attitude and brought big changes to prime time.
Stars scheduled to appear and reminisce include Calista Flockhart ("Ally McBeal"); Kiefer Sutherland ("24"); David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson ("The X-Files"); Ed O'Neill, Katey Sagal and Christina Applegate ("Married ... With Children"); Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler ("American Idol"); Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher ("That '70s Show"); and Gabrielle Carteris, Shannen Doherty and Jason Priestley. ("Beverly Hills, 90210").
Meanwhile, the proud combatants of "Celebrity Boxing" are wondering why they got left off the invite list. See it tonight on Fox.
• Also tonight: "Masterpiece Classic" continues its standout season with a two-part adaptation of Sebastian Faulk's best-selling novel, "Birdsong," the story of lovers (Eddie Redmayne and Clemence Posey) torn apart by World War I. (PBS) ... Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns to series television in "Veep," an over-the top comedy that has her playing a hapless and potty-mouthed vice president. (HBO) ... Cuba Gooding Jr. stars in the new TV film, "Firelight," playing a counselor at a correctional facility for young women, helping his charges turn their lives around as volunteers who battle forest fires and perform rescues. (ABC)
• Monday: On "Smash," Karen (Katharine McPhee) finds herself falling under the spell of Rebecca's (Uma Thurman) charmed, movie-star life. But what we really want to see is the show's big Bollywood number. (NBC) ... Another wild, over-the-top season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" comes to an end as the lead queen sashays away with his/her prize prize -- but not before one more ultra-fierce challenge. (Logo)
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• Tuesday: The soapy new drama "The L.A. Complex" follows six young dreamers who move into the same Southern California apartment building and strive for stardom. (The CW)
• Wednesday: In the new extreme game show, "Total Blackout," contestants confront their fears -- and each other -- during a series of challenges waged in "blinding darkness." Jaleel White is our host. (Syfy)
• Thursday: Tina Fey and the "30 Rock" gang perform without a net once again with the show's second live episode. "Community" star Donald Glover plays as a young Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan). (NBC) ... Thanks to those Bravo housewives, we're now subjected to "Don't Be Tardy for the Wedding." It follows Kim Zolciak ("The Real Housewives of Atlanta") as she prepares to get hitched to pro football player Kroy Biermann. Oh, joy. (Bravo)
• Friday: The weirdness continues on "Grimm." Nick's (David Giuntoli) investigation into the murder of a construction worker reveals a long-running feud in the creature world. And please don't ask us to explain. (NBC)
• Saturday: No, "Flipped Off" is not about naughty hand gestures. It's a new reality series that follows "Survivor" bad boy Russell Hantz as he enters the risky world of house-flipping. Shoot, we were hoping he had taken up permanent residence on Exile Island. (A&E)
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©2012 the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
Distributed by MCT Information Services
