by Sandi Berg

JOHN SANDFORD’S CERTAIN PREY – Original movie, USA Network – Sunday November 6 at 9 p.m.

Based on the tenth novel in a series of books by John Sandford, this film marks the first original movie USA Network has produced in quite a few years. Mark Harmon co-produces and stars as Minneapolis Deputy Police Chief Lucas Davenport, a man who has made so much money by designing a computer simulation, he could have retired from the force, but hasn’t, because he loves his job. He also loves nice clothes, fast cars and beautiful women, and in this story, he is hot on the trail of a hit-woman as well as a murderous female attorney. Since USA’s motto is “characters welcome,” this one sounds a bit deeper than most police thrillers, and with Harmon bringing his usual charm and likability to the role, it promises to be have both a taut plot and well-developed character.

THE LAST PLAY AT SHEA – Documentary, Showtime – Friday November 11 at 9:30 p.m. (repeats throughout the month, also On Demand)

In 2008, singer/songwriter Billy Joel was the last artist to perform at New York’s Shea Stadium before it was demolished. This documentary not only records that historic performance, but interweaves the waning days of the landmark stadium through a tapestry of performance, historical documentary and personal journey. Set against the backdrop of New York City from the early 1960s to the present day, the film features interviews with New York Mets and Jets players, performers and exclusive concert footage, featuring Tony Bennett, Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler, Garth Brooks and John Mayer.

MY LIFE AS A TURKEY - Nature Series, PBS - Wednesday November 16 at 8 p.m.

After watching this film, you will never think of turkeys in the same way. This documentary tells the true story of an amazing experiment in which naturalist Joe Hutto incubated and raised two dozen wild turkeys in Florida. What started as an informal science experiment became a very personal and emotional journey that ended up changing his life in ways he could never have imagined. Hutto raised, bonded with and eventually had to let go of his feathered children. The film shows the emotional as well as the physical impact this experience provided. You have never seen a story like this, and PBS made a wise decision to air it just in time for Thanksgiving.

WOODY ALLEN: A DOCUMENTARY – New documentary, PBS – November 20 and 21 at 9 p.m.

In this two-part documentary, filmmaker Robert Weide was given unprecedented access to the notoriously private Woody Allen for over a year. Allowed on the set of Woody’s film, “You Will Meet A Tall, Dark Stranger,” Weide captures Allen at work as well as chronicling his career from his early television days and stand-up comedy years, right up through his recent films. This insightful documentary is both a biography and rare look inside the creative process of one of the world’s greatest filmmakers. The film is punctuated with new interviews that provide insight and back-story from a virtual Who’s Who of Hollywood including Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Penelope Cruz, John Cusack, Larry David, Mariel Hemingway, Scarlett Johansson, Julie Kavner, Diane Keaton, Martin Landau, Louise Lasser, Sean Penn, Tony Roberts, Chris Rock, Mira Sorvino, Naomi Watts, Dianne Wiest, and Owen Wilson. Others who share their thoughts and feelings on Allen include his writing collaborators Marshall Brickman, Mickey Rose and Doug McGrath, cinematographers Gordon Willis and Vilmos Zsigmond, his sister, Letty Aronson, longtime manager Jack Rollins, casting director Juliet Taylor, and longtime friends Dick Cavett and Martin Scorsese.

HOLIDAY ENGAGEMENT - Original movie, Hallmark Channel – Premieres Sunday November 27 at 8 p.m.

One of the things Hallmark Channel does best is holiday films with a romantic angle, and this season they have not disappointed. In this year’s holiday offering, it is Thanksgiving and we find a young woman, played by Bonnie Somerville, jilted by her fiancé and not able to face her mother, portrayed by Shelley Long, for the holidays. Her solution is to hire an attractive man, played by Jordan Bridges, to be her faux fiancé for the holiday visit. While this is a rather predictable offering in terms of what will happen and how the couple will end up, the likable characters and cast will put you in the holiday mood. The film also stars Haylie Duff and Sam MacMurray.