TV Critic's Picks: Free meal

By neal justin television

Last update: July 2, 2009 - 11:42 PM

Free meal

For many of us, a business lunch consists of a tuna salad sandwich at our desks. Far fewer folks can afford to talk shop at the hoity-toity Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City. "The Ultimate Power Lunch: 50 Years of the Four Seasons" (11 a.m. today, CNBC) allows us desk eaters to get a glimpse into the establishment's golden-anniversary party as CNBC's Bill Griffeth asks customers about the current economy. With luck, no one will talk with their mouth full.

Red, white and whew

If Jewel, pictured, really wants to set off some fireworks this holiday weekend, she'll show up for "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular" (8 p.m. Saturday, KARE, Ch. 11) in the star-spangled bra she wore in her "Intuition" video. Most likely, we'll have to endure a new number, a bunch of oohing and aahing over the same ol' display we see every year and Tiki Barber's impression of a professional correspondent.

Ice, ice baby

Prep for the latest big-screen adventures of Manfred the Mammoth and Scrat the Squirrel by watching 2002's "Ice Age" (6 p.m. Sunday, FX) and 2006's "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (8 p.m. Sunday, FX), two animated efforts that aren't nearly as entertaining as Pixar's instant classics, but still provide enough laughs and special effects to cool off your sweaty children.

NEAL JUSTIN

Howdy, pardners

"Angel and the Badman" (8 p.m. Sunday, Hallmark) may not be the first John Wayne film you'd want to remake, but it's inviting enough to attract Lou Diamond Phillips, pictured, recent champion of "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" We only wish Phillips had been packing in that jungle so he could have silenced Spencer and Heidi. Also on board: Luke Perry and Wayne's grandson, Brendan Wayne.

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TV critics' picks: This week - July 2, 2009

TV critics' picks: This week - Mandy Patinkin, who previously quit CBS dramas "Chicago Hope" and "Criminal Minds," returns to the network for a guest appearance on the organ-donation drama "Three Rivers" (8 p.m., WCCO, Ch. 4). The Emmy winner is most likely returning to his old grounds because he was the recipient of corneal transplants in the late '90s. Also, he left an umbrella in his dressing room. More