"Project Runway"

Credit: Lifetime Television

We're down to the final five, and I'm guessing all the hugging and loving of past episodes is about wrapped up,  no matter how much Anya tries to keep things positive. It's getting down to the wire, and God knows that Josh M. is nothing but a big, pouty baby when he hasn't won a challenge (and a haughty bully when he has), so there's simply no way to keep the tension out of the workroom this week. But let the games begin -- we can only hope Josh M. gets his walking papers at last. 

 "The View"

Credit: ABC

We can always count on the ladies of "The View" to dispel interesting morning chatter, whether it's insight into world events or just gross TMI about their bathroom habits. This morning, we were able to enjoy (I use that word loosely) both. Read and be enlightened. Or something. 

 "Sister Wives"

Credit: TLC

Watching "Sister Wives" (Sundays at 9 p.m. ET) can be a deeply unnerving experience. Like a lot of people, I've never exactly cottoned to the idea of polygamy. I'm happy to share lots of things -- sandwiches, sweaters, tabloid gossip -- but husbands I prefer to keep to myself. Selfish, I know. It doesn't help, of course, that in my mind the word polygamy is inextricably tied to the sordid and deeply creepy trial of Warren Jeffs and the less creepy but no less chaotic HBO series "Big Love." On some level, polygamy just gives me the willies. So why, at the end of most episodes, do I (very briefly) find myself thinking, well, maybe having a few spouses isn't such a bad thing after all (though personally I'd prefer polyandry, as I suspect that if I had three or four husbands at least one of them would know how to fix a damn faucet)? 

 Ricki Lake

Credit: ABC

Even though Chynna blew it last night by forgetting most of her routine and Carson was at the bottom of the board, I'm inclined to think neither one will go home. I'm putting my money on Nancy Grace or Rob Kardashian getting the boot. I don't really understand why these two are inspiring any loyalty, given that Nancy clearly looks uncomfortable on the dance floor (no matter how often she tells us she's having fun) and Rob has as much personality as a bag of hair. 

We kick things off with a cover of "Soul Man" by Raphael Saadiq. I did not know he was a member of Tony! Toni! Toné!, but I do kind of love that he was. Great rendition of a classic, too.

 "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"

Credit: Bravo

While the promos for tonight's episode have made it clear that the show will devolve into screaming, shrieking and gangsta finger waggling, we kick things off with a scene of happy domesticity: Lisa making potato salad. She's preparing dinner for her daughter Pandora, Pandora's boyfriend Jason and his parents. The potato salad does look tasty, but I'm not sure I'd want to eat anything at Lisa's house simply because I think it would have a high percentage of Giggy's fur in it. That little critter may have doggy alopecia, but that head is still mighty furry. I just wonder if anything you eat at Lisa's house tastes like you're trying to consume a down pillow inside out. 

 Carson Kressley on "Dancing with the Stars"

Credit: ABC

It's the night we've all been waiting for on "Dancing with the Stars"! Okay, it's the night some people have been waiting for. Cher tweeted that she'd sit in the audience to cheer her son Chaz Bono on if he made it through to this week, so we'll all get to see if her plastic surgery has veered into Joan Rivers territory or if she's (aack!) attempting to age gracefully or, hopefully, something in between. But before we see Cher politely applauding in the audience, it's time to watch some dancing. 

 "The Rosie Show"

Credit: OWN

From the jazzy intro to the red draped stage and live format, "The Rosie Show" initially feels like any late night talk show. But, this being Rosie O'Donnell and the network being OWN, there are some significant differences. The announcer, Michelle, is a woman; the opening monologue prominently features jokes about the host's kids; and Oprah shows up. If you were expecting Letterman, you're sure to be disappointed.

 "Our America with Lisa Ling"

Credit: OWN

As you might imagine, it's good to have Oprah Winfrey in your corner. With her show "Our America with Lisa Ling," former "The View" co-host Lisa Ling has been able to explore a wide variety of challenging topics in-depth without network pressure to condense material to snippets. Most importantly, Ling has scored a high profile timeslot for her show on OWN, following Oprah's own "Oprah's Lifeclass" ("Our America"'s second season debuts Sun. Oct. 16 at 10 p.m. on OWN). Still, the intrepid journalists acknowledges that the fledgling network hasn't exactly taken over basic cable, even with the Oprah stamp of approval. "OWN has gone through it's challenges," Ling admitted in a conference call with reporters. "it's a brand new network. It's looking to find its voice, but I actually feel more strongly about it now than ever."

 "The Vampire Diaries"

Credit: CW

Damon doesn't seem to be the focus in this episode, given how much is happening to everyone, but by the end of the show it's abundantly clear -- Damon is tired. Tired of trying to be nice, tired of everyone trying to make him be nice, tired of playing nice. It's not surprising that our resident bad boy would eventually bristle at playing by the rules, and unlike Stefan, he's become hardened enough that his mushy marshmallow center isn't easy to access 24/7 -- even when Elena's around. As for Elena, as much as she misses Stefan, she needs to be more aware of how much she wants Damon to step into his shoes, whether she admits it to herself or not. But, as I said, there's a lot happening in this episode to everyone, so let's get recapping.