Family Night!

It's Friday, the grab bag day of the TV week. Back in the days of DVD renting, one might go to a Blockbuster - that was a popular rental place - and bring home a shiny disc to watch in a machine in one's living room. Crazy, we know. But with video-on-demand and family-friendly programming like Wife Swap, just pick up the remote and save the trip. If only you could order 500 pounds of pancakes with that remote. That would be like Brave New World, only awesome!

Wife Swap [8 PM, ABC]

A wealthy, status-obsessed mom switches households with a mom living in a log cabin who doesn't use electricity. Sparks will fly (or not, unless the new mom gets ComEd to come out to the cabin) but, as we have observed this season, lessons will be learned by only one family, probably the status-obsessed family as they pack the most hubris. The off-the-grid group will probably go back to listening to creaking boards by candlelight.

Extreme Pig Outs [8 PM, Travel]

People say that banking reform will get us out of this recession, but we'd like to think that economic problems can be solved the same way emotional problems usually are: overconsumption of bad food. The Travel Channel spotlights America's best places to overindulge as you sit on the couch and either plan a road trip or get really depressed.

SpongeBob Squarepants [8 PM, Nickelodeon]

Johnny Depp guest-voices as Jack Kahuna Laguna, a surf guru who advises SpongeBob and his friends on which wave to ride back to Bikini Bottom. Ever since the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Depp has has massive tween appeal, so it only makes sense that he is going for the pre-tweens, as well. We'll keep you posted on any Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! appearances for the former Officer Tom Hanson.

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno [11:35 PM, NBC]

Charles Barkley, Leslie Mann, TV on the Radio. Barkley's had his issues and TV on the Radio is really popular with people who live in Brooklyn, but we're hoping Leslie Mann addresses the issue of her remarkable screen chemistry with Zac Efron.

Head Case [10 PM, Starz]

In In Treatment is a little too fictional for your tastes, then this Hollywood satire/para-cringecom might help you through your issues. Dr. Elizabeth Goode (Alexandra Wentworth) tries to work through her four-hour marriage before helping guest-star Geri Halliwell (as herself) get through an identity crisis.