What is the nature of greed that it makes the desperate not try to go out and get jobs, but to travel thousands of miles to dig for gold?There are already a number of Friday night gold-digging series with a similar premise: Americans ravaged by the recession who think they’ll find their redemption with a little prospecting.
“Jungle Gold” (Discovery, 10 p.m.) is the off-putting title bout a couple of off-putting Utah real estate schemers suddenly caught in debt when the market collapsed. Rather than sell their opulent houses or big SUVs, they go to Ghana, Africa, to try and find gold.
They’re not the smartest guys in the world. They pay their last money for a claim that they find has been jumped on by others before they get there. needing to find some quick cash, they instead buy lumps of gold from locals in the city int he first episode and hope to resell it for a profit. Their families via Skype naturally look skeptical.
At least the guys in “Gold Rush” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) have been at it for a while, embarking on their third season. By now the show folllows four different crews scraping the Alaska landscape in hoping to find some flakes they think will make them rich. it turns into more of a workplace saga, but it already looks to be a more lucrative season than the past (and for Discovery too; this is their highest rated show).
No boxers or briefs questions please when MTV hosts its “Ask Obama Live: An MTV Interview with the President” (MTV, 5 p.m.). Sway Calloway hosts, asking questions obtained from young voters.
In addition to her daily talk show, Katie Couric also has time to do some specials for ABC News. Tonight’s, “All Access Nashville with Katie Couric” (ABC, 9 p.m.). It’s not about the new series t the music town. The interviewer visits the home of Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Pistol Annies.
Finally! Someone comes up with yogurt for dogs on “Shark Tank” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Finally! Someone comes up with yogurt for dogs on “Shark Tank” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Barney Frank, Chrystia Freeland, Eliot Spitzer, Michael Steele and Nate Silver are guests on “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
Also getting into the topical humor bandwagon, with the premiere of “Pauly Shore’s Poly-Tic’s” (Showtime, 9 p.m.). Part of it is standup he recorded at the 9:30 Club in Washington. He also interviews Herman Cain, Barney Frank, Ralph Nader, Michael Steele and Larry King. To show his political chops, they precede it with a replay of his “Bio-Dome” (Showtime, 7:25 p.m.).
Later, it’s the TV premiere of the feature film “Tim and Eric’s Million Dollar Movie” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) by the two guys from the late night Adult Swim show, “Tim and Eric: Awesome Show, Great Job,” Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareham.
Broyles pops up on a new “Fringe” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
A new season starts for “Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids” (TLC, 9, 9:30 p.m.). And the cancer struggle of Lori Allen, the bridal shop owner on “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta” is recalled on the special “Say Yes to the Cure: Lori’s Fight” (TLC, 10 p.m.).
A sixth season starts on the North End in Boston for Gordon Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares” (Fox, 8 p.m.). But a show with some regulatory teeth, “Health Inspector” (Food Network, 10:30 p.m.) comes later.
“Dateline” (NBC, 10 p.m.) looks into some of the weirder ads on Craigslist. They don’t have to look far.
The remaining contestants on “America’s Next Top Model” (The CW, 8 p.m.) get to go to Jamaica. So those college girls don’t miss spring break after all.
They’re criticizing costumes and wearing them too on the “Fashion Police Halloween Special” (E!, 10 p.m.).
After the mayhem of the first episode, the second “Hunter” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.) settles more into its plotline, with Sam becoming a tutor to get inside her target’s house.
The solid documentary on the presidential candidates on “Frontline” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) gets another replay in case you haven’t seen it. The second half of “Second Coming?: Will Black America Decide 2012” (BET, 9 p.m.) looks at voter suppression and shifting demographic trends.
There’s a Halloween themed episode on “Haven” (Syfy, 10 p.m.).
The month-long Friday night salute to American politics on Turner Classic Movies winds up with “Advise & Consent” (8 p.m.), “All the President’s Men” (10:30 p.m.) and “Seven Days in May” (1 a.m.).
Later, a documentary about the man who made scare movies in the 1950s, “Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story” (TCM, 3:15 a.m.) and one of Castle’s films, “Macabre” (TCM, 4:45 a.m.).
In college football, it’s Cincinnati at Louisville (ESPN2, 8 p.m.) and Nevada at Air Force (CBS Sports Network, 8 p.m.). In preseason basketball action, it’s New Orleans at Miami (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Denver at Phoenix (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Ellen Barkin, Adam Levine. Katie Couric: Taylor Swift. The View: Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Geena Davis, Chuck Nice. The Talk: Scott Baio, Johnny Gill. Ellen DeGeneres: Halle Berry. Late Talk
David Letterman: Dennis Quaid, Krysten Ritter, Diamond Rings. Jay Leno: Sarah Silverman, Paula Deen, Lyle Lovett. Jimmy Fallon: Ethan Hawke, James Van Der Beek, Deron Williams, the XX. Craig Ferguson: Amanda Peet, John Cho. Carson Daly: Sam Rockwell, Jordan Roberts, Kimbra (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Salman Khan. Chelsea Handler: Miley Cyrus, John Caparulo, Fortune Feimster, Josh Wolf (rerun).
Kelly & Michael: Ellen Barkin, Adam Levine. Katie Couric: Taylor Swift. The View: Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Geena Davis, Chuck Nice. The Talk: Scott Baio, Johnny Gill. Ellen DeGeneres: Halle Berry. Late Talk
David Letterman: Dennis Quaid, Krysten Ritter, Diamond Rings. Jay Leno: Sarah Silverman, Paula Deen, Lyle Lovett. Jimmy Fallon: Ethan Hawke, James Van Der Beek, Deron Williams, the XX. Craig Ferguson: Amanda Peet, John Cho. Carson Daly: Sam Rockwell, Jordan Roberts, Kimbra (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Salman Khan. Chelsea Handler: Miley Cyrus, John Caparulo, Fortune Feimster, Josh Wolf (rerun).