What's On Tonight: 'Eastbound & Down,' 'Oliver Twist'

BO's newest comedy concerns an ex-big leaguer who loses his arm (and yes, is caught in a steroids incident) and forced to go back to his hometown, where he generally acts like a jerk as he takes a job as a gym teacher.


"Eastbound & Down" (HBO, 10:30 p.m.) stars Danny McBride, a beefy Will Farrell discovery who also appeared in "Tropic Thunder" and "Pineapple Express." Though HBO has aired comedies about people who are tough to like, there was always a certain grace to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" that is utterly lacking in "Eastbound," which seems to have found a home there as a way to lure Ferrell to HBO for future projects. As it is, Ferrell appears in a cameo in the series, as a used car salesman with a long blonde wig. It looks like he's having a lot more fun than we are.


Much more intriguing: the Michael Gondry directed episode of "Flight of the Conchords" (HBO, 10 p.m.) that precedes it.


"Masterpiece Classic" (CPTV, 9 p.m.) begins a series of works by Charles Dickens beginning with a two part "Oliver Twist" with a terrific young star in William Miller and some interesting turns in the colorful cast by Timothy Sprall, Tom Hardy and Sophie Okonedo. Part two comes next Sunday.

Earlier, people who really, really love their dogs and cats may enjoy the episode of "Nature" (CPTV, 8 p.m.) that celebrates some of heir most devoted masters. It may be appalling at times for those who prefer humanity.


"The Amazing Race" (CBS, 8 p.m.) begins another run, this time with a quasi-celebrity who runs with his dad. It's Mike White, who co-starred in "School of Rock" and "Chuck & Buck." One other parent/child team features the show's first deaf contestant. They're up against the usual teams of cheerleaders, airline attendants, romantic couples and siblings. The race, covering 40,000 miles and nine countries stops for the first time in Siberia and Romania. First stop: the Swiss alps and a hilarious cheese carrying competition.

Another race, the Daytona 500 (Fox, 3:30 p.m.) runs today as well in Florida. Coverage begins at 2 p.m. Later, automotive related movies include "Cars" (ABC Family, 6 and 8 p.m.), "Gone in 60 Seconds" (Encore, 8 p.m.) and "Taxi Driver" (Flix, 8 p.m.). Yeah, the last one is sort of a stretch.


"The Simpsons" (Fox, 8 p.m.) goes high-def for the first time, which means the opening gets the first reworking in decades ("HDTV is worth every penny," Bart writes on the blackboard). The drawings are more sharp and the computer-assisted backgrounds more complex, as they were in "The Simpsons Movie." And the jokes are still pretty good in the story about what would have happened if Homer had won senior class president.


The No. 1 UConn women (ESPN2, 3:30 p.m.) host Pittsburgh at Gampel Pavilion. It follows another national broadcast of a women's team from the state, Marist at Hartford (ESPN2, 1 p.m.).


In men's hoops, it's Illinois at Indiana (CBS, 1 p.m.), Towson at Drexel (CSN, 3 p.m.), Duke at Boston College (NESN, 5:30 p.m.), North Carolina at Miami (NESN, 7:30 p.m.), Southern Cal at Arizona State (CSN, 10 p.m.).


The NBA All-Star Game (TNT, 8:30 p.m.) is played in Phoenix.

The big questions of space are posted in the three hour "The Known Universe" (National Geographic, 8 p.m.)

The miniseries "XII" (NBC, 9 p.m.) runs its concluding part II.

The 2009 BET Honors (BET, 8 p.m. get a replay.

Another thme notight on TLC where "The Worlds Heaviest Man" (7 p.m.) makes way for "The World's Heaviest Man gets Married" (8 and 11 p.m.), an event that would certainly qualify for both "Amazing Love Stories" (9 p.m.) and "Incredible Weddings" (10 p.m.).

Anything to recommend on the new MTV Sunday night lineup? Nothing but the daringly different "How's Your News?" (MTV, 10:30 p.m.).

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