SFist contributor and virtual TV pundit Rain Jokinen offers her Bay-area-centric TV picks of the week

SFist does not deny that a lot of head-burying has occurred this week. Post-election blues lead to a lot of TV watching, much of it pure escapism. Nothing dulls the pain like a good episode of The Surreal Life. And if Flavor Flav and Brigitte Nielsen can find love with each other, perhaps there is hope for the country!

Naaahhh. Just bring on more escapism. And nothing screams escapism like a good disaster movie. This Sunday CBS is bringing out their sweeps week big gun in the form of the mini-series Category 6: Day of Destruction. We thought this movie was dumb the first time we saw it, when it was called The Day After Tomorrow. And we thought it was hilarious the second time we saw it, when it was called 10.5. We're not sure what this third viewing has in store for us, but we do know that nothing calms a troubled nation better than a made-for-TV movie about the rapid destruction of most of the United States thanks to assorted tornados, hurricanes, and blackouts!

If you prefer your escapism a bit more...subdued, then look no further than Harold and Maude. The exceedingly quirky love story between a suicidal young man (Bud Cort) and a 79-year-old free spirit (Ruth Gordan) is loaded with local scenery including the Colma graveyards, Sutro baths, and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. The movie also features a soundtrack by terror watchlist victim Cat Stevens! Catch it early Wednesday at 4:00 a.m. on Bravo.

Dirty Harry would have little tolerance for the namby pambsy likes of Harold and Maude (although Maude would probably have no trouble throwing a few punches before that .44 was drawn). Magnum Force, the first "Dirty Harry" sequel, finds Eastwood's angry cop fighting an even angrier cop at such picturesque City spots as the Marin headlands, City Hall, and 1501 Leavenworth (Harry's apartment.) He doesn't ask anyone to make his day in this one, but he does get propositioned by a downstairs neighbor. Make her day indeed! Watch it Saturday at 8:00 p.m. on AMC.

And don't worry. After another week of solid TV watching, you should be almost numb enough to face the next four years.