Here are a few programs to look out for in the upcoming week ...
WEDNESDAY 8 P.M. Unsolved History, Discovery. "Trojan Horse." Bent on vengeance for the abduction of the beautiful Helen by the Trojan prince Paris, the Greeks lay siege to Troy for 10 years. Unable to win by force, the Greeks resort to trickery, building a giant horse, which the Trojans bring into their own city. After the unsuspecting Trojans fall asleep, the Greeks spring into action. The story was first conveyed 3,000 years ago by the Greek poet Homer in The Iliad and The Odyssey. But is Homer's epic a great legend or is there historical truth behind the story? This two-hour special edition of Unsolved History sets off in search of the Trojan Horse, separating myth from reality, to discover the truth behind the epic adventure story. The spirit of those brave warriors lives on in the wallets of young men world-wide.
You saw that coming, didn't you?
WEDNESDAY 10 P.M. 50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs ... Ever, VH-1. With the help of Maxim-Blender magazine, the arguably 50 worst songs ever released are logged. There were criteria, as they explain that much of the '70s just had to be ignored because there was so much to choose from. The related magazine article has some pretty funny mini-essays about each track, so the TV version should have some yuks and yucks, of course.
THURSDAY 10 P.M. 10 Poker Kings, A&E. Go inside poker's exotic subculture and follow the yearlong journey of the world's best and most eccentric players who vie for the ultimate prize — the World Series of Poker. Meet players who must exude confidence when everything rides on a single pot or an outrageous bluff, and struggle to weave their personal lives around their obsession with the game. It's a story of agony and ecstasy, of triumph and defeat, set against the colorful backdrop of Las Vegas.
MONDAY 7:30 P.M. Made, Comedy Central. Swingers it might not be, but this film stars Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Famke Janssen. Two misfits take a stab at becoming "muscle" for a local mob boss. They've got the suits and the attitude, but before they can become "made" men they must travel to New York to secure a major deal.
TUESDAY NOON. True Crime, The History Channel. "Casino." America loves casinos, and America loves mafia stories. During the 1970s, numerous Mafia bosses from the Midwest ran Las Vegas. Mobster Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal was a prominent figure in the casino business, and one of his fellow Chicago natives, Tony Spilotro, became the most feared hit man in Nevada. Their rise and eventual fall was captured in the book and movie, Casino. Author Nicholas Pileggi guides viewers through Rosenthal's life and tribulations. Repeats at 6 p.m.
NEWS & NOTES: Showtime's Queer as Folk series, which launched its fourth season last month, has been picked up by the network for a fifth. ... Former Vice President Al Gore and a group of investors have completed the purchase of INdTV, a news channel that will target young adults, according to Zap2it.com
