You can smell the end of this ratings period – not just because it’s Week 26, but also because of some of the stinkers making their way onto the schedule and some of the good stuff finishing up.

But some things are only just starting: like The Block. Channel 9’s big gamble will surely pay off as people get to meet and connect with the couples as we push through the elimination process this week taking it from 8 couples to 4. It’s harsh, it’s quick, and you may not agree with the result (I didn’t at least twice). It’s also the end of this season of BIG, Come Fly With Me & House.

CAN’T MISS

  • Dancing With The Stars – Sun 6:30pm, Ch7
  • 60 Minutes – Sun 7:30pm, Ch9
  • MasterChef Australia – Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri 7:30pm, Ch10
  • Downton Abbey – Sun 8:30pm, Ch7
  • The Mentalist – Sun 8:30pm, Ch9
  • The Block – Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri 7pm, Ch9
  • Mythbusters – Mon 7:30pm, SBS one
  • The Amazing Race Australia – Mon 8:30pm, Ch7
  • House (season finale) – Mon 9:30pm, Ch10
  • Flight Of The Conchords (rpt) – Mon 10pm, SBS one
  • Bondi Vet – Tue 8pm, Ch10
  • Go Back To Where You Came From – Tue/Wed/Thu 8:30pm, SBS one
  • The Office (US) – Tue 8:30pm, Eleven
  • Californication (rpt) – Tue 10:05pm, Eleven
  • Spicks and Specks – Wed 8:30pm, ABC1
  • Angry Boys – Wed 9pm, ABC1
  • Lawrence Leung’s Unbelievable – Wed 9:30pm, ABC1
  • Sons Of Anarchy – Wed 9:30pm, Eleven
  • Swamp People – Thu 7:30pm, 7mate
  • On Trial – Thu 8:30pm, ABC1
  • MOVIE: Zoolander – Thu 9:30pm, GO!
  • March Of The Dinosaurs – Sat 7:30pm, Ch9
  • The Great Food Truck Race – Sat 7:30pm, ABC2
  • MOVIE: Transformers – Sat 8:30pm, GO!
  • RocKwiz – Sat 9:20pm, SBS one

BURIED TREASURE

  • Compass – Sun 10pm, ABC1
  • Truckers – Mon 7:30pm, GO!
  • Deadwood (rpt) – Mon 9:30pm, ABC2
  • Eastbound and Down – Tue 10pm, 7mate
  • Arrested Development – Thu 8:30pm, ABC2

SECRET TV PLEASURES

  • 6:30PM with George Negus – Weeknights 6:30pm, Ch10
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Weekdays 7:10pm, ABC3
  • The 7pm Project – Weeknights 7pm, Ch10
  • An Idiot Abroad – Mon 8:30pm, Eleven
  • Media Watch – Mon 9:15pm, ABC1
  • Q & A – Mon 9:35pm, ABC1
  • Good Game – Tue 8:30pm, ABC2
  • Embarrassing Bodies – Wed 9:30pm, Ch9
  • The NRL Game Plan – Thu 8:30pm, One
  • NRL – Fri 7:30pm/9:30pm, Ch9

AT YOUR OWN RISK

  • Marie Clare: Under the Cover – Sun 6:30pm, 7Two
  • Hawaii Five-O – Sun 9pm, Ch10
  • Come Fly With Me (final) – Mon 8:30pm, Ch9
  • Everyday Gourmet – Weekdays 4pm, Ch10
  • Rescue Special Ops – Mon 9pm, Ch9
  • Offspring – Mon & Wed 8:30pm, Ch10
  • CSI: Miami – Mon 10:30pm, Ch9
  • Australia’s Got Talent – Tue 7:30pm, Ch7
  • Winners & Losers – Tue 9pm, Ch7
  • Sea Patrol: Damage Control – Tue 8:30pm, Ch9
  • BIG: Extreme Makeover (season finale) – Wed 9:30pm, Ch9
  • MOVIE: Ghostbusters II – Mon 7:30pm, GO!

LAST CHANCE(S)

  • No Ordinary Family – Mon 7:30pm, Ch7
  • The Defenders – Wed 9:30pm, Ch10
  • Jamie’s Food Revolution – Fri 9pm, Ch10

DO. NOT. BOTHER.

  • Octomom: Me & My 14 Kids – Tue 8:30pm, GEM
  • Cougar Town – Tue 11pm, Ch7
  • Grey’s Anatomy – Thu 8:30pm, Ch7
  • Desperate Housewives – Thu 9:30pm, Ch7
  • NRL Footy Show – Thu 9:30pm, Ch9
  • 30 Rock – Thu 11:30pm, Ch7

Lawrence Leung’s Unbelievable is back for a second outing, and based on the strength of last week’s first episode it should a fun series. Lawrence brings a self-deprication and humorous insight rarely seen on TV, as well as kick-arse magic skills. It’s going to be a fun ride and worth tuning it for (also repeated at a marginally better hour on ABC2 Thursday nights). Do yourself a favour.

The Block is back, bitches! Brilliant! Boo yah! Other “B” words! I really enjoyed seeing all the first 5 episodes in preparation of the week ahead. Scott Cam is much more comfortable and it’s a lot of fun. And then there’s the houses…

A bold experiment from SBS one this week in Go back To Where You Came From – following six Aussies all with differing opinions on the asylum seeker debate undergoing trips in the reverse of what actual refugees undergo in trying to get to Australia. Must watch television.