Better Off Ted

A look at tonight's sci-fi TV:

Better Off Ted, "Mess of a Salesman" – I can't think of a better way to cap off Better Off Ted's second season than with a guest spot from Warehouse 13's Eddie McClintock. OK, maybe a guaranteed season three renewal from ABC might top that, but McClintock would definitely be my number two. In tonight's (probable) season finale, McClintock plays Ted's older brother, a fast-talking schemer who screws over the company and corrupts Phil and Lem. Elsewhere in the episode, Veronica and Linda work together to help a charity for girls. (8:30 p.m. on ABC)

Human Target, "Embassy Row" – Firefly's Sean Maher guest stars as a journalist who's poisoned after breaking a major scandal. Chance crashes the Russian embassy to find the guilty party and save his friend's life. Along the way, he meets Emma Barnes, a slick FBI agent posing, of course, as a hooker. (9 p.m. ET on Fox)

SciFi Science, "How to Become a Superhero" – Mad scientist Dr. Michio Kaku reveals the plans for his "super suit," a uniform that can give anyone who wears it superpowers. (10 p.m. ET on The Science Channel)

Shatner's Raw Nerve – Kick back with good ol' Shat as he welcomes guests Whoopi Goldberg, aka Star Trek: TNG's Guinan, and Mackenzie Phillips. (10 p.m. ET on Bio)

Head after the jump for clips and more TV picks.

A look at tonight's sci-fi TV:

Better Off Ted, "Lust in Translation" – Phil and Lem build a voice translation device that Ted uses to start a romantic relationship with a sexy German executive. The only problem? The device uses Phil's voice, which puts a damper on things. Elsewhere, Linda and Veronica compete in a game called "Linda Bagel." It's the second-to-last episode of the season. Show some support and tune in live, Tedheads! (9:30 p.m. ET on ABC)

Sci Fi Science, "How to Build a Sci-Fi Robot" – Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku explores modern AI systems and tracks the creation of smart robots. (10 p.m. on The Science Channel)

Head after the jump for clips and more TV picks.

A look at tonight's sci-fi TV:

Better Off Ted, "The Impertence of Communicationizing" and "The Long and Winding High Road" – It's another double dose of Better Off Ted as our favorite sci-fi sitcom goes up against American Idol. In tonight's first episode, Veridian sends a memo out to employees about inappropriate behavior. Thanks to a typo, the memo advises everyone to insult each other with offensive language. This storyline led to a great batch of NSFW outtakes that you can watch after the jump.

In tonight's second ep, Ted's rival develops a project identical to the one Ted and his team are working on. Ted, being Ted, decides to take the high road, but Veronica Linda and Rose plot to take the rival down. (8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC)

SciFi Science, "How To Build A Light Saber" - Dr. Kaku teaches armchair Jedi Knights how to harvest crystals to create a sword of light, aka a lightsaber. (10 p.m. ET on The Science Channel)

Head after the jump for clips and more TV picks.

A look at tonight's sci-fi TV:

Better Off Ted, "Beating a Dead Workforce" and "Change We Can't Believe In" - In an effort to kill the show dead, ABC is double running the remaining episodes of Better Off Ted all month. Tonight's first ep sees Veronica using the death of a Veridian employee to inspire the office drones to work even harder.

A company security guard becomes Ted's stalker in the second ep. While Ted's busy dealing with that mess, Phil and Lem are forced to deal with Veronica directly instead of using Ted as a buffer – which happens to be the boys' worst nightmare. (8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC)

SciFi Science, "How to Build a Starship" - Dr Michio Kaku is back to prove that hurtling across the galaxy in a spacecraft isn't just a fantasy, and he's got the blueprints to prove it! In the second of tonight's two eps, Dr. Kaku shows you how to become invisible. (10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on The Science Channel)

Head after the jump for more TV picks

A look at tonight's sci-fi TV:

Better Off Ted, "Battle of the Bulbs" - Tonight's episode sees Ted and Linda duking it out over who can build a better light bulb – his lasts forever, and hers features "aromas ranging from zucchini bread to fresh laundry," so its anybody's game, really. What we're really excited about is tonight's guest spot from News Radio's Khandi Alexander. She plays Lem's mom, a super genius scientist with a disturbing crush on our favorite underused character, Dr. Bhamba. (9:30 p.m. on ABC)

Outer Space Astronauts, "Vast Empitness" – In a possible nod to Star Trek's most popular illegal beverage, Romulan ale, Ka'ak serves up some mystery alien moonshine that leaves the crew with a hangover from hell. (11 p.m. on Syfy)

Head after the jump for clips and promos.

A look at tonight's sci-fi TV:

Better off Ted, "The Lawyer, The Lemur, and The Listener" – Even a giant corporation like Veridian Dynamics can't escape the current crappy economy. When layoffs hit the company, Veronica looks to an unlikely source for some inside info -- Ted's 8-year-old daughter! Elsewhere, Linda is writing a children's book with a main character who resembles our favorite squirmy and unhappily married scientist, Phil. And Lem scores with a hot lawyer who might or might not be billing him for their dates. (9:30 p.m. ET on ABC)

Outer Space Astronauts, "Undies," "Of Cannibals and Cuddlepuffs" – I'm still not watching this odd blend of live-action and low-fi animation, mostly because it seems to be full of unfunny poopie jokes. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, one of tonight's episodes features a pair of filthy underwear that exhibits superpowers. (11 p.m and 11:30 p.m. on Syfy.)

Head after the jump for clips.

(S02E01) Great. Now I'm gonna be picturing Ted as "Aquated" for the next few days. (Surprise! He looks good in aquatights!)

Phil and Lem's hilarious superhero fantasy was only a tiny throwaway gag in a premiere full of wonderfully weird moments and plotlines. There was Ted's fake obsession with Utah, Veronica's real obsession with Utah, and Taye Diggs' obsession with dressing up like a bear and terrorizing innocent park dwellers. What's say we start off by discussing that last one?

At this point, I'm convinced that Diggs' contract with ABC says that he gets to appear on all of the network's shows. (I can't wait to see him on General Hospital.) I'm not complaining, though. The guy really knows how to deliver the funny (and the crazy). At first I thought his character was going to end up being Ted's bland and handsome rival for Linda's affections. Thankfully, the writers had something far more insane in mind. Hearing Diggs confess his secret to Linda – on their first date! – reminded me of why I love this show so much: It's just so damn bizarre! But Better Off Ted rarely feels like it's actually trying to be weird. Like Diggs, the show makes crazy look easy.

View the entire premiere after the jump (or at SlashControl) and read the rest at TV Squad.

Better Off Ted, "Love Blurts" – ABC's funniest comedy is back with more witty workplace gags and insane sci-fi hijinks. In tonight's season two premiere, Veridian hooks up Ted and Linda with their perfect genetic matches, while ice queen Veronica coaxes Lem for a sperm donation. Taye Diggs, who seems bent on appearing in every ABC show on the air right now, guest stars.

Outer Space Astronauts, "Diplomatic Hat" - This homegrown sci-fi send-up mixes live action with web-style animation to deliver an endless stream of hit-and-miss gags. Watch the entire premiere below or at SlashControl.

Head after the jump for promo clips and previews.

Looking for something good and geeky to watch? Here are this week's notable DVD and Blu-ray releases:

Mystery Science Theater 3000: XVI [Limited Edition] (DVD)
I've stopped trying to keep track of the endless parade of MST DVD releases, but I'm told this is a must-buy solely because it comes with a limited-edition Tom Servo figure -- quite possibly the only Tom Servo figure that will ever be made, like forever. The four-disc set features the crew tearing down Z-grade flicks like The Corpse Vanishes, Warrior Of The Lost World, Santa Claus, and Night Of The Blood Beast.

Terminator Salvation (DVD and Blu-ray)
Finally, disgruntled Terminator fans everywhere can buy this joyless McG flick and destroy it with their bare hands today! (Imagine the communal catharsis.) I suggest freezing the disc with liquid nitrogen and shattering it to pieces with a sledgehammer. And if that doesn't work, try tossing it into a giant vat of molten steel -- I hear that's a surefire way to dispatch the Blu-ray director's cut, which features alternate endings and Moon Bloodgood's super-short topless scene.

Better Off Ted: Season One (DVD)
What's not to love about a network show that delivers decent jokes about killer cyborgs and giant HAZMAT suits? Buy this, watch it, and catch season two, premiering December 8 on ABC.

Gremlins (Bu-ray)
Sadly, there's no new material added to this Blu-ray release of director Joe Dante's wild '80s classic. (But you know you're dying to watch Spike melt into a steamy puddle of green goo in high-def.)