TV Daily

Salon's guide to what to watch on Monday: PBS's "The Mysterious Human Heart" takes an in-depth look at everyone's favorite muscular organ.

Prime Pick

Mysterious Heart

Photo: PBS

Even though you probably know several people whose lives were cut short by a heart problem, it's hard not to take the beating of your own heart for granted. Three-part PBS series "The Mysterious Human Heart" (9 p.m. EDT, check listings) will have you thanking the heavens above that your little pump is still doing its job. The series premieres tonight with an hourlong episode about heart pumps and heart transplants that will curl your toes. The second hour explores the treatment options for those whose hearts' rhythms are disrupted. Interviews with patients, doctors and scientists and in-depth looks at the lives of those struggling with heart ailments make this a fascinating and informative series that's well worth watching.

Also…

Is the CIA really filled with smoking-hot women? It is on NBC's new spy dramedy "Chuck." On Monday night's episode, Chuck collaborates with two CIA babes to steal a diamond back from some terrorists. Next comes the premiere of ABC's "Samantha Who?" (9:30 p.m. EDT), which stars Christina Applegate as a woman with amnesia. The pilot episode is pretty uneven, but Jean Smart's hilarious performance as Samantha's alarmingly self-involved mother is more than worth the price of admission.

On the talk shows

Regis and Kelly

ABC, 9 a.m. EDT
Christina Applegate

The View

ABC, 11 a.m. EDT
Sen. Hillary Clinton, Evanescence

Ellen DeGeneres

Syndicated, check local listings
Jennifer Connelly, Gordon Ramsay

Oprah Winfrey

Syndicated, check local listings
Jerry Seinfeld

Charlie Rose

PBS, check local listings
Erik Prince

Larry King

CNN, 9 p.m. EDT
Donald Trump

Jon Stewart

Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EDT
TBA

Stephen Colbert

Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EDT
Paul Glastris

David Letterman

CBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT
Jake Gyllenhaal, 50 Cent

Jay Leno

NBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT
James Spader, Lara Logan, Gloria Estefan

Tavis Smiley

PBS, check local listings
Angie Stone

Jimmy Kimmel

ABC, 12:05 a.m. EDT
Danny DeVito, Mario Batali, Frankie Valli (repeat)

Conan O'Brien

NBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT
Anderson Cooper

Craig Ferguson

CBS, 12:35 a.m. EDT
Michael Caine, Lizzy Cooperman

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

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