Entertainment Picks

This new comedy hit a high note with its sneak peek in May, and now it’s back for a chorus of original episodes. Watch as the members of the McKinley High School Glee Club―including diva-in-training Mercedes (Amber Riley) and quarterback Finn (Cory Monteith, far right)―defy expectations when they perform in front of the entire school for the first time. (Premieres September 9 at 9 p.m. EDT.)

So you wanna be a rock star? Join the Fab Four onstage―virtually―at real concerts and settings from the past, such as the Ed Sullivan Show, and jam out to 45 songs like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “Here Comes the Sun.” Hard-core Beatlemaniacs can even purchase replicas of the band’s instruments (like John Lennon’s Rickenbacker 325) to use with the game. Bonus: If you’re playing on an Xbox, download “All You Need Is Love” for 160 points and the proceeds benefit Doctors Without Borders.

To buy: $60, amazon.com.

It sucks to be the new kid in school―especially for Stefan (Paul Wesley, far left), a bona fide vampire. In this new series based on the books by L.J. Smith, the quiet, leather jacket–wearing teen tries to fit in at Mystic Falls High School. The only thing in his way? His older, grudge-holding brother (Ian Somerhalder, near right), who’s out for blood. (Premieres September 10 at 8 p.m. EDT.)

Celebrated author E.L. Doctorow (Ragtime) imagines the lives of New York’s reclusive hoarder brothers Homer and Langley Collyer (who both died in 1947, leaving more than 100 tons of garbage in their home). Among their fantastical experiences: tea dances in their living room and the abduction of their Japanese housekeepers during World War II.

To buy: $26, amazon.com.

On December 23, 2008, General Motors closed its Moraine, Ohio, plant, eliminating almost 3,000 jobs. Filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert follow the factory’s close-knit group of employees as they shut the doors of the plant in this all-too-relevant, emotional documentary. (September 7 at 9 p.m. EDT.)

If “The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round” is making your head spin, pop in this collection of upbeat songs from around the world, like “Ice Cream,” by Trinidad’s Asheba. Then check out the liner notes and whip up one of the kid-friendly recipes, such as Rainbow Fruit Sticks.

To buy: $15, putumayo.com.

Get the last laugh: Watch the final episodes of the sharply written fan-favorite comedy starring Christina Applegate as a nasty businesswoman who gets a second chance after suffering from amnesia. Bonus features include a tour of the set with Applegate and the always-satisfying blooper reel.

To buy: $40, amazon.com.

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