'Rescue Me' Returns -- Sort Of

I'm the first to admit that FX's "Rescue Me" isn't coming off its strongest season. Last year was kind of all over the place in terms of consistency.

On the other hand, "Rescue Me" at 60-70 percent quality is usually better than the bulk of the shows out there at 100 percent, so everything is relative.

The writers' strike pushed the upcoming season of "Rescue Me" back to 2009, but the good news for fans of the series is that we won't have to wait that long to see Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) and the crew back in action.

FX is launching five-minute "mini-sodes" tonight beginning at 10 p.m., which will run over the next several weeks. Each one features a short scene with regular cast members that will refresh viewers' memories from last year and bridge the gap to the new season. There will be 10 in total, and FX is likely to edit them into one episode at the end of the run.

If you miss them when they air on FX, you can still catch them on crackle.com.

AROUND THE DIAL: Disney's "Camp Rock" didn't quite the hit the ratings stratosphere of "High School Musical," but the 16.2 million combined viewers for all the airings this weekend has ensured a "Camp Rock 2," according to The Hollywood Reporter. ... Good for NBC naming Tom Brokaw as interim host for Tim Russert on "Meet The Press." Brokaw is the logical choice and will host the show at least through the election. It will also make the transition much easier for whomever the network taps as the show's new permanent host.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: With the "Rescue Me" mini-sodes airing, "30 Days" (FX, 10:06 p.m.) will be trimmed slightly and air after "Rescue Me" does.

More game-show funness, courtesy of the networks. NBC airs "Celebrity Family Feud," (NBC, 8 p.m.), which sounds slightly excruciating, before airing a new "America's Got Talent," which IS excruciating.

On the flip side, watching the average American getting the snot knocked out of him or her has some humor value to it, which is why you may want to check out the tandem of "Wipeout" (ABC, 8 p.m.) and "I Survived A Japanese Game Show" (ABC, 9 p.m.)

Two episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" air consecutively on Fox from 8-10 p.m.

Finally, not to overstate this or anything, but the most important game in the history of college baseball takes place tonight as Georgia looks to clinch the College World Series title against Fresno State (ESPN, 7 p.m.)