NBC looks to improve post-Super Bowl

This coming week is a big one for TV with the Super Bowl on Sunday.  NBC has the highest-rated TV event of the season this year, and it looks like a big week for them altogether. Obviously the Super Bowl is a must-see, so we’re just going to ignore that. Here are four shows to get through the post-Bowl hangover.

What to watch
SHOW: “The Office”
EPISODE: “Stress Relief”
WHEN: Sunday after the Super Bowl on NBC
Each year the program that gets the coveted post-Bowl spot is the network’s choice for most promising, so it’s no shocker that NBC has chosen “The Office.” In this one-hour episode, look for special appearances by Jack Black and Jessica Alba and a roast of Michael Scott. While “The Office” struggles with hour-long episodes and the stunt casting is disheartening, it’s impossible to imagine that this will not be hilarious.

SHOW: “Friday Night Lights”
EPISODE: “Hello, Goodbye”
WHEN: Friday at 9 p.m. on NBC  
Though buried on Friday nights, it’s still good to have “Lights” around for another season, especially after watching episodes like this one. Here we’ll see the final appearance by Smash, who after injuring his knee in the playoffs last season is still looking for a college. Coach Taylor has been pushing Smash to rehab in the first few episodes and it will pay off here.

What to TiVo
SHOW: “Smallville”
EPISODE: “Requiem”
WHEN: Thursday at 8 p.m. on the CW
If you’ve kept up with Clark Kent’s journey for all eight years – and chances are you haven’t – this is not an episode to miss. After seven years of “will they or won’t they” that clearly meant nothing because the comic mythology says they don’t and a five-episode guest run this year, Lana Lang finally says goodbye to Clark. She’s held up Superman-to-be for long enough, but hopefully the show sends Lana out on a good note.
 
SHOW: “Heroes”
EPISODE: “A Clear and Present
Danger”
WHEN: Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC
Alright, this is seriously the show’s last chance. I said last week “Heroes” should be cancelled, but I’m giving it one more chance to prove me wrong. This episode kicks off the newest volume entitled “Fugitives,” which is supposed to reset the show in reality. There are some interesting threads here – Nathan rounding up all his fellow heroes, the return to normal life for Peter – but I can’t help but think it will all come crashing down.

Rant of the week
Huge amounts of props go out to “Lost” for fully embracing its sci-fi geek roots and not worrying about mainstream audiences.
Armed with a set end date and a built-in cult following that will never waiver, the show’s creative team introduced intelligent time-travel rules to the show during last week’s premiere and did so in confusing “Lost” fashion.
Yet I’ve never been happier with the show because they’re so willing to honor the fans that have stuck with the show through the good (seasons one and four) and the bad (the six-episode pod that began season three.)
Throughout the two-hour premiere, longtime fans and rapid discussers of the show were given numerous shout-outs that the general audience will never pick up on. That’s why I love this show.