Ear on TV: Week of October 1

It's always fun when a long time favorite band finally reaches the point of playing Saturday Night Live, and that's the case this coming weekend when the band Spoon reaches that pinnacle of music on tv. With Seth Rogan hosting, it's truly must see tv for the Freak and Geek chic. Hey, I bet if given the chance, frontman Brit Daniels could one up Timberlake's "Dick in a Box." "Laser Cats" is in desperate need of a theme song, so sign him up, Samberg!

Back in 2003, when the Brooklyn by-way-of Baltimore quartet Animal Collective came upon the scene, the thought that they'd be playing on network television in the future was unthinkable. Four guys wearing masks, jumping and hollering to 10-minute+ long songs sure didn't seem something even the late night crowd would be ready for. But in the past four years, talk shows like Late Night with Conan O'Brien have been inviting more and more artists that take chances. Meanwhile, AC have honed their craft and can cram their stories of paranoia and boyhood fantasies into shorter and shorter packages, and their onstage antics have been toned down as well. Friday night, both these trends meet as AC makes their network television debut, and for those that haven't witnessed this live act, you're in for a treat -- or a mind explosion.

Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, October 1
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ben Harper
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Juliette & the Licks
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: VHS Or Beta
Tuesday, October 2
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Mark Ronson
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: John Fogerty
SYNDICATION: The Ellen Degeneres Show: Kenna
Wednesday, October 3>
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Nick Lowe
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Willie Nelson
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Ani DiFranco
Thursday, October 4
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Rihanna
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Bloc Party
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: The Kooks, Wynton Marsalis, Muse (REPEAT)
Friday, October 5
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Iron & Wine
IFC: The Henry Rollins Show: The Stooges (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Animal Collective
Saturday, October 6
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Spoon
PBS: Austin City Limits: Norah Jones (Season Premiere)

tags: music, television, soundtrack, talk shows, spoon, snl, animal collective, indie rock, rhapsody