Remote Destinations

So Notorious

VH1

Sun., April 9, 10 p.m.

When I heard the words "Tori Spelling" and "good reviews" in the same sentence, my first impulse was disbelief. But it's true: Tori Spelling's new series, in which she plays a barely fictional version of herself, is garnering plenty of positive reviews. Post-90210, Spelling's career and personal life have been easy to mock, but on So Notorious, she embraces her reputation. It's refreshing to see a celebrity who can laugh at her own absurdity, and Spelling has nothing to lose by resorting to self-deprecation. As she told the New York Times, "I've heard it all. I'd rather be making the joke than other people making it. So why not?"

American Idol

Fox

Tues., April 11, 8 p.m.

Mandisa was voted off! Mandisa! I don't even watch American Idol, and I know this is a big deal. After all, most of the people who predict these kinds of things-including Simon Cowell-thought Mandisa would be there until the bitter end. Last Wednesday, though, marked the end of her Kelly Clarkson aspirations. In an MTV.com interview, Mandisa suggested that her weight or her strong faith might have been to blame for her getting the boot. There's no way to know for sure, but what is clear is that if even Mandisa wasn't safe from the wrath of the voters, the remaining eight contestants should consider themselves warned.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

HBO

Fri., April 7, 3:30 p.m.

Earlier this week, Warner Bros. confirmed that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will hit theaters on July 13, 2007. Not that anyone's counting, but that means Harry won't be back on the big screen for one year, three months, and six days. But fear not-it's never very difficult to find Potter and company on TV. On Friday night, you can catch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third film in the blockbuster series and the first one not directed by Home Alone director Chris Columbus. It's edgier, scarier, and, according to some people, the best Potter flick thus far. Watch for yourself, and if you don't have an opinion afterward, you'll have over 15 months to come up with one.

America's Next Top Model

UPN

Wed., April 12, 8 p.m.

The theme of the sixth cycle of America's Next Top Model is "Fairy Tales Come True," but for most of the contestants, fairy tales have been replaced with cat-fights, makeup mishaps, and runway stumbles. Top Model puts its contestants through Survivor-style elimination tasks-this season, one task required the women to strut down a runway with cockroaches. As if this isn't entertaining enough, Top Model gives you the opportunity to observe the antics of Tyra Banks on a regular basis. And, as anyone who's ever seen her talk show (or seen her talk show being made fun of on Best Week Ever) can tell you, that's fierce.

Sixteen Candles

AMC

Mon., April 10, 4 p.m.

This 1984 Molly Ringwald film is often credited with beginning the Brat Pack craze, so if you're fan of The Breakfast Club or St. Elmo's Fire-or, for that matter, Rob Lowe-you have Sixteen Candles to thank. The Brat Pack refers to the group of young actors who starred in several teen-oriented films in the 1980s, and members of the Brat Pack who appear in Sixteen Candles include Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling, and John Cusack. Although it's easy to make fun of Brat Pack movies like Sixteen Candles, it's surprising how relatable they remain, despite having been filmed when most Columbia undergraduates thought Sesame Street was high-quality entertainment.