Diane Werts writes about television for Newsday. Werts previously was the founding editor of Newsday's trend-spotting magazine TV
Off the Wall is just happy to be nominated.
AWARDS ALERT
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"Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane is honored by the annual "Guys Choice Awards" (Saturday night at, Spike) as this year's Funniest, while the Most Manticipated nod goes to Christian Bale and Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises." Neil Patrick Harris hosts Broadway's "Tony Awards" (Sunday 8 p.m., CBS/2), featuring performances from "The Book of Mormon," "Ghost: The Musical" and "Godspell" with Corbin Bleu. Nominees at tonyawards.com.
UNSCRIPTED ASSORTMENT
You've heard of flash mobs? Now come flash musical numbers, when "Real Life: The Musical" (Saturday night at 10, OWN) helps ordinary folks pull off extravagant song-and-dance wedding proposals and more. Steve Austin hosts "Redneck Island" (Saturday night at 10, CMT), a sort of "Survivor" competition for the you-might-be-a-redneck crowd. "Figure It Out" (weeknights at 7, Nickelodeon) revives the '90s game with new kid stars from "iCarly" and "Big Time Rush." Trading up toward more valuable things are "Barter Kings" (Tuesday at 9 p.m., A&E), representing "the thriving subculture of cashless trading." And then there's the irresistibly titled "World's Worst Tenants" (Tuesday at 10 p.m., Spike), following eviction specialists as they eject the likes of fight clubs and marijuana growers. Sneak peek at spike.com/shows/worlds-worst-tenants.
MINIS FROM ENGLAND
They're still doing limited series with regularity there. Alan Cumming makes a splash in "The Runaway" (Saturdays at 10 p.m., Ovation), playing a drag performer who comes to the rescue of a young woman fleeing crime and abuse. "Thorne" (Tuesday-Wednesday 9-11 p.m., Encore) delivers gritty murder investigation starring David Morrissey, the "Sense and Sensibility" star now playing the Governor on "The Walking Dead." Preview at tinyurl.com/72sasle.
MOVIE MANIA
George Clooney talks about his films, social activism and more on this week's "Movie Talk With Peter Bart" (Sunday at 9:45 a.m., Starz). Go off to see the Wizard, and St. Louis, and the Easter parade, as Turner Classic Movies celebrates what would have been Judy Garland's 90th birthday Sunday. The 24-hour salute's dozen films range from Garland's teenage years in "Love Finds Andy Hardy" (7:45 a.m.) and "The Wizard of Oz" (8 p.m.), to adult turns like "A Star Is Born" (3:45 p.m.). On Friday, TCM pays tribute to director Ishiro Honda, whose name you may not know but whose films you will: '50s nuke-monster faves "Gojira" (the more adult Japanese original of "Godzilla"), "Rodan" and "Mothra" (8, 9:30 and 11 p.m.). More at tcm.com/this-month/article/384918|0/Gojira-Godzilla-.html.
SECOND CITY
What is it with all the Chicago shows this week? Reality arrivals include "Mob Wives Chicago" (Sunday at 8 p.m., VH1) and the salon-set "Chicagolicious" (Monday at 9 p.m., Style). Guess who else is in town? "Conan" (Monday-Thursday at 11 p.m., TBS), explained at teamcoco.com.
INFURIATING FRUIT
Making the jump to TV is web fave "Annoying Orange" (Monday at 8:30 p.m., Cartoon Network). Play some AO Pinball at cartoonnetwork.com.
PLAY ON!
Jack Black, Common, Nick Cannon, Dee Snider, Alice Cooper, Robin Williams, Tony Hawk, Andrew Luck, Danny Pudi and Felicia Day are among the celebs helping count down G4's "Top 100 Video Games of All Time" (Monday-Friday at 8 p.m.). Get into the game at g4tv.com/top100.
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