What to Watch: This Weekend

Not sure what to do this weekend? Then sit down and get ready for a ten year space voyage on Virtuality, then Ellen stops by with her Bigger Longer Wilder Show on Saturday, and Sunday brings  another awesome blood sucking evening of True Blood. Friday, June 26 8:00 pm Virtuality, FOX (2 hrs) PREMIERE From Battlestar Galactica producer Ron Moore comes this thrilling TV movie (originally intended as a pilot), which follows the crew of Earth’s first starship, the Phaeton, as they embark on a ten-year mission to explore a nearby star system? I don’t think newly wed gay couple, Manny and Val, had this in mind for a honeymoon. 10:00 pm Real Time with Bill Maher, HBO (1 hr) NEW This no-holds barred news show is broadcast live, so you never know what to expect. Bill regularly discusses LGBT issues and features gay panelists and commentators, so check it out! 11:00 pmJeffery and Cole Casserole, Logo (1hr) NEW YouTube sensations Jeffery Self and Cole Escola bring their hilarious web videos from the small screen to the slightly bigger screen. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Saturday, June 27 9:00 pm Groomer Has It, Animal Planet(1 hr) SEASON FINALE The season finale is intense as gay contestant Huber goes head to head with Lisa. After enduring dog show boot camp, the winner is crowned after a final groom off using difficult-to-groom dog breeds. Watch as Queer Eye’s Jai Rodriguez hosts this campy fave. 11:00pm Ellen’s Bigger Longer and Wilder Show, TBS (1 hr) NEWEllen DeGeneres’ third variety special is guaranteed to blow you away! With performances by Kanye West and magic by David Blaine, who wouldn’t want to tune in? Plus the evening’s host will shock and amaze you with a little surprise planned for the Cubs seventh-inning stretch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sunday, June 28 8:00 pm Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ABC (1 hrs) REPEAT The dream team works to rebuild a safer home for Stephen and Jean whose adopted son struggles with a brittle bone disease. The show features openly gay designer Michael Moloney. 9:00 pm True Blood, HBO (1 hr) NEW Things were looking rough for gay chef Lafayette last week. Will he emerge this week as a newly created vampire? Plus, Sam struggles to regain his footing with Maryann’s relocation to Bon Temps and Tara begins to see things a little more clearly. 9:00 pm The Next Food Network Star, Food Network (1 hr) NEW Coming off last week’s win, I’m sure gay chef Michael Proietti will have no problem with either hamburger challenge or homecoming party for returning US soldiers tonight. 10:00 pm Brooke Knows Best, VH1 (30 min) NEW Despite her mother’s relationship with a much younger man, Brooke takes the high road and tries to rebuild their relationship. Fortunately she has gay BFF Glenn there to help. 10:00 pmHow Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?BBC America (1 hr) NEW The seven remaining contestants compete for the lead in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s West End production of The Sound of Music. One of the judges is openly gay actor/singer John Barrowman, with host Graham Norton.