PopWatch PSA: 'Better Off Ted' is new tonight

We know it seems like this week’s TV is a wasteland of repeats, holiday specials, and Hoarders/Intervention marathons — but rejoice! Khandi Alexander guest-stars as Lem (Malcolm Barrett, right)’s intimidating mother on a new episode of ABC’s Better Off Ted tonight at 9:30 ET. I’m hoping Khandi wears the enormous designer shades of CSI: Miami‘s Dr. Alexx (pictured) and speaks with the sass of NewsRadio‘s Catherine Duke.

Before BOT, Scrubs is new, too. This is just like yesterday, when I posted that The Nutcracker was on PBS, except at least five more people will care. That’s not enough: Better Off Ted and Scrubs are currently sinking ratings-wise, pulling in millions fewer viewers than they did during their last seasons. Even worse: ABC could burn through both series by the end of January by sandwiching Scrubs between two Teds on Friday, Jan. 1 and airing two episodes of each show on Tuesdays Jan. 5 and 12. That is so not cool, ABC! As Ken Tucker and some commenters suggested earlier this month: Why not give Better Off Ted and Scrubs a fighting shot by moving them to Wednesday night’s comedy bloc along with the much better-performing Modern Family?

Gotta go, P-Dubs. “If I had more time, I’d bat you around like a cat toy” like Better Off Ted‘s Veronica (Portia de Rossi), but as it is, I must devote the rest of the afternoon to my Great Internal Debate of 2009: Should I buy myself a Slanket for Christmas?