BEST BETS FOR TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2009

	MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL COVERAGE Almost everywhere, 1 p.m. or earlier ET Turn on the TV this morning, and it’s likely to be there: the countdown to Michael Jackson’s memorial tribute at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. CNN and MTV start at noon ET, MSNBC at 11 a.m, the network shows even earlier, and live coverage of the 1 p.m. ET event also is provided by E!, TV Guide Network and others. For details, and a reaction, see today’s BIANCULLI’S BLOG.
	MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTES CBS, NBC, ABC, 9 and/or 10 p.m. ET In prime time, ABC may be the most interesting place to turn for broadcast network tributes to Jackson on the day of his public memorial service. That’s because neither Diane Sawyer nor Barbara Walters would let go of this media megastory, so they’re co-hosting tonight’s special edition of 20/20 at 9 p.m. ET. CBS and NBC have their own specials an hour later. For details, see today’s BIANCULLI’S BLOG.
	GHOST TOWN More Max, 9 p.m. ET Ricky Gervais, in this 2008 comedy, plays a man who sees dead people. Today, that would be Michael Jackson – but if you need a diversion from all that coverage, here’s a good refuge.
	P.O.V.: "LIFE. SUPPORT. MUSIC" PBS, 10 p.m. ET (Check local listings) Watch just the opening setup to this compelling documentary profile, and you’ll stay tuned for the rest. Jason Crigler is a gifted guitarist who suffered a massive brain hemorrhage five years ago, and was give little chance of recovery from a vegetative state. But this story, filmed by one of Crigler’s close friends, is a lot more complicated, and uplifting, than that.
	WAREHOUSE 19 Syfy, 9 p.m. ET SERIES PREMIERE: This new series, basically, puts a sci-fi spin on Friday the 13th: The Series, which had its protagonists reclaiming and collecting cursed artifacts with unusual powers. The pilot isn’t overwhelming, or even that involving, but Saul Rubinek and CCH Pounder give it some casual heft. Most notable, in any event, is that today is the day that Sci Fi changes its corporate identity to the same-sounding, different-spelling SyFy. Which, if you ask me, is Ydyotyc.
	RESCUE ME FX, 10 p.m. ET Another twisted hour from Denis Leary and friends. Last week, Tommy seemed to get an unusual, and much-needed, bit of peace by spending time at a hospital ward with some, as he calls them, “cancer kids.” In this episodes, some of those kids get to climb on a fire truck – but it’s a dream scenario that quickly turns closer to nightmarish.