Tuning In

Back on the block

Delayed by the months-long Writers Guild of America strike, NBC’s Thursday-night comedy block is back with all-new episodes.

“My Name Is Earl” returned last week. But now with the arrival of “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “Scrubs,” the Peacock’s beloved comedy block is finally complete, notes Scripps Howard News Service.

What viewers can expect from tonight’s lineup:

• My Name Is Earl(8 p.m.): Earl (Jason Lee) remains in a coma, dreaming his life is a sitcom. He also awaits the birth of his son in this week’s “dream” episode. Meanwhile, Randy (Ethan Suplee) wants to fix Earl’s “broken” karma by making things right with the family from “American Chopper.”

• 30 Rock (8:30 p.m.): Jack (Alec Baldwin) is excited over his idea for a new reality show about hot mothers living on an island — but his ego is bruised by a gossip-column item.

• The Office (9 p.m.): Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his girlfriend, Jan (Melora Hardin), host a dinner party that Jim and Pam (John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer) must endure. Matters get worse when obnoxious couple Andy and Angela (Ed Helms and Angela Kinsey) are also invited.

• Scrubs (9:30 p.m.): J.D. (Zach Braff) befriends a burn patient, while Turk (Donald Faison) learns the benefits of being bilingual; Dr. Cox (John McGinley) and Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins) use breakfast as an excuse to continue their war.

The Winfrey of Oz

Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions is developing a talk show featuring Dr. Mehmet Oz for an expected fall-2009 launch, Broadcastingcable.com reported yesterday.

According to the Web site, Miss Winfrey and her team met with potential distributors last month in Chicago, following the same thorough development process Harpo underwent when launching “The Oprah Winfrey Show” spinoff “Dr. Phil” in 2002. Miss Winfrey’s show, “Dr. Phil” and “Rachael Ray,” Miss Oprah’s second spinoff, are all distributed by CBS Television Distribution. In 2000, CBS acquired King World Productions, the original distributor of all three programs, although CBS didn’t absorb King World until 2006.

Miss Winfrey is prepping Dr. Oz much like she did Dr. Phil McGraw, with Dr. Oz appearing frequently on her top-rated daily talk show. Last month, in fact, the telegenic physician hosted an episode of “Oprah” almost by himself, with Miss Winfrey posing questions from the audience. Besides his frequent contributions on “Oprah,” he also appears on Miss Winfrey’s “Oprah and Friends” radio channel on XM Satellite Radio.

Dr. Oz, 47, is vice chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University and also directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital. His best-selling books include “You: The Owners’ Manual,” “You: On a Diet” and “You: Staying Young.” He’s also one of Discovery Communications’ chief medical consultants, appearing on and hosting several Discovery programs, including “Second Opinion With Dr. Oz.”

’HSM 4’ planned

Even before “High School Musical 3” hits movie theaters in the fall, the Disney Channel is starting work on “High School Musical 4,” the Hollywood Reporter says.

The news comes as the stars of the two smash-hit TV movies are preparing for production on the third installment of the series, which will begin filming in Utah in two weeks. There’s no word on whether the cast and behind-the-scenes talent will gather again for “HSM4,” although some characters introduced in the third go-round likely will star in the fourth.

“HSM” is big business. The second TV movie shattered cable TV records last summer with a premiere watched by 18.6 million viewers, and it has been a hit internationally as well. It boosted Disney Channel to the No. 1 position among cable networks in prime time in 2007, THR notes.

Short takes

• Sue Naegle has been named president of HBO Entertainment, overseeing all series programming and specials, network officials announced yesterday. Miss Naegle was most recently a partner and co-head of the television department at United Talent Agency, where she has worked for 16 years. She will begin her new position later this month in Los Angeles. While at UTA, she was responsible for packaging TV series such as HBO’s “Six Feet Under,” ABC’s “Men in Trees,” Fox’s “The Bernie Mac Show,” the CW’s “Aliens in America” and the upcoming HBO series “True Blood.”

• Mike Myers, star of the “Wayne’s World,” “Austin Powers” and “Shrek” films, will host the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, Associated Press reports. The 17th annual show will air live from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, Calif. on June 1. Nominees will be announced in May. Mr. Myers, who next stars in the upcoming film “The Love Guru,” previously hosted the show in 1997.

• Cable’s TV One will be filming three new episodes of the popular comedy competition series, “Bill Bellamy’s Who’s Got Jokes” Saturday at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U. St. NW) The filming — at 6, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. — is open to the public.

Compiled by Robyn-Denise Yourse from staff, Web and wire reports