Tuning In

Nick’s Olympic fare

Nickelodeon plans to air four new Olympic-themed episodes centered around several of its biggest hits. The episodes will air ahead of the 2008 Games, which begin Aug. 8 in Beijing.

The shows — “The Fairly OddParents,” “The Backyardigans,” “Dora the Explorer” and “Ni Hao, Kai-lan” — will roll out Olympic-themed episodes starting Aug. 1, MediaWeek.com reports.

Billed as “odder and more awesome than the Olympics,” “The Fairly OddParents’” special will feature Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton as his “toon” self announcing a momentous event and also appearing in a live-action sequence. It’s set to premiere Aug. 1 at 8 p.m.

Also planned:

Aug. 4 — The “Match on Mt. Web Olympus” episode of “The Backyardigans” ( 9 a.m.) has meteorologist Tyrone and sportscaster Pablo operate out of a classic TV station in ancient Greece. Tyrone forecasts a sunny day, and Pablo wants to play basketball until, suddenly, it starts to rain. In this new episode, the duo travel to MountAP sted Mt. Olympus to try to persuade the god of weather to make it stop raining.

Aug. 5 — “Dora the Explorer” gets into the Olympic spirit with its “We’re a Team” episode (9 a.m.). Dora and her friends Boots, Benny, Tico and Isa are at the Super Adventure Race. To win the race and get to the finish line, they have to make it across the Grumpy Old Troll’s tricky bridge, past a volcano filled with gooey balls and over a giant wall. To win medals, Dora and her team will need help from the viewers at home.

Aug. 6 — “Ni Hao, Kai-lan” will introduce its “Sports Day” episode (9 a.m.) in which Kai-lan and her friends are excited to play such dinosaur-themed games in the back yard as the T-Rex footprint jump and the dino race. When Rintoo wins every game, he starts to brag about how great he is, making Tolee, Hoho and Kai-lan feel bad and ultimately causing Tolee and Hoho to quit the Dinosaur Games. It’s up to Kai-lan and the viewers to help Rintoo see how his actions are affecting his friends.

Aug. 7 — “Dora the Explorer” returns at 9 a.m. with “Dora’s World Adventure,” in which everyone is celebrating Friendship Day all over the world. However, when Swiper mistakenly swipes the special glowing friendship bracelets from France, Tanzania, Russia and China, Dora teams up with him on a global excursion to return them to her international friends.

HC sets movie slate

Hallmark Channel is ramping up its original movie plans and says it has 30 films in the pipeline.

According to Variety, the cable network has picked up rights to the next two installments in the “Love Comes Softly” franchise, based on Janette Oke’s series of eight novels dealing with relationships in the Old West. An adaptation of the seventh title, “Love Takes Wing,” is in production and will air in the first quarter of 2009; Cloris Leachman and Haylie Duff star. An adaptation of the final title, “Love Finds a Home,” is still in the script stage and has not been cast.

Four holiday films also are on the way, including “The Christmas Choir,” which is set to air Dec. 6. Hallmark drew strong ratings in 2006 with “The Christmas Card,” starring Edward Asner, who was nominated for an Emmy.

Among the other upcoming films: “Accidental Friendship,” with Chandra Wilson of “Grey’s Anatomy” and Tony Award winner Ben Vereen (Nov. 15); “An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving,” with Jacqueline Bisset (Nov. 22); and “Expecting a Miracle,” with Jason Priestley and Teri Polo (Jan. 3).

Weekend highlights

Friday

Baldwin Hills (10 and 10:30 p.m., BET). The reality series, which explores life from the viewpoint of upper-middle-class black teens, returns with new back-to-back episodes.

Saturday

Eastern Promises (10 p.m., Cinemax). Oscar nominees Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts star in this violent mystery about a Russian teenager living in London who dies during childbirth and leaves clues to a midwife (Miss Watts) in her journal that could tie her child to a rape involving a Russian mob family. Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl co-star. Directed by David Cronenberg. Be forewarned: The often grisly scenes are not for the faint of heart.

Sunday

Army Wives (10 p.m., Lifetime). Betty (Patricia French) learns that her cancer is advancing and decides to fulfill her lifelong dream of driving across the country in her new Mustang. Increasingly nervous about fatherhood, Roland (Sterling K. Brown) spends the day at the hospital’s baby ward getting advice from Denise (Catherine Bell). Meanwhile, rumors swirl about Denise’s friendship with Getti (Seamus Dever) when another nurse sees them together off base.

Compiled by Robyn-Denise Yourse from Web and wire reports