TV Daily

Salon’s guide to what to watch

Prime Pick

Survivor: China

Photo: CBS

Finally bored with filming on tropical islands, CBS is exploring uncharted territory with "Survivor: China" (premieres 8 p.m. EDT), filming in a country that isn't exactly popular among Hollywood location scouts. The CBS promos gush about sending the "Survivor" cast and crew to "the most mysterious place on Earth," a place where "the modern world collides with 5,000 years of ancient history." (Hey, doesn't that happen here, too?) But won't there be the same old obstacle courses and puzzles, just set in a different, slightly less convenient location? Host Jeff Probst told reporters that the setting provided inspiration for new challenges. (Maybe players have to navigate a coal mine, or chip lead paint off children's toys.) Probst also said that instead of sending one opponent to Exile Island, winning teams will get to kidnap one member of the other team to ply him or her for information. But the best innovation of all? Players were given Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" for inspiration on spying and manipulation. Now let's see if they weren't too lazy to read it.

Also…

If you always wanted to see Charlize Theron's Oscar-winning performance as a serial killer, tune in for "Monster" at 7 p.m. EDT on IFC. Democratic presidential hopefuls are set to discuss healthcare and financial security in Davenport, Iowa, on "The Candidates 2008" at 8 p.m. EDT on PBS (check local listings). And don't miss the two-part season finale of USA's excellent maverick-spy series, "Burn Notice," at 9 p.m. EDT.

On the talk shows

Regis and Kelly

ABC, 9 a.m. EDT
Courtney Thorne-Smith, Rusty Wallace, John Edward

The View

ABC, 11 a.m. EDT
Reba McEntire

Ellen DeGeneres

Syndicated, check local listings
Jessica Alba, Gary Vaynerchuk

Oprah Winfrey

Syndicated, check local listings
Sean Penn

Charlie Rose

PBS, check local listings
Alan Greenspan

Larry King

CNN, 9 p.m. EDT
TBA

Jon Stewart

Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EDT
Bill Clinton

Stephen Colbert

Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EDT
Jeffrey Toobin

David Letterman

CBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT
Seth Rogen, Sen. Joe Biden, Gogol Bordello (repeat)

Jay Leno

NBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT
Jessica Alba, D.L. Hughley, Cold War Kids (repeat)

Tavis Smiley

PBS, check local listings
Junot Díaz, Christian Scott

Jimmy Kimmel

ABC, 12:05 a.m. EDT
Dane Cook, Samaire Armstrong, KT Tunstall

Conan O'Brien

NBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT
Terrence Howard, Mystery

Craig Ferguson

CBS, 12:35 a.m. EDT
James Woods, Ben Lee

Contributors: Megan Doll, Heather Havrilesky, Eryn Loeb, Amy Reiter

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