Old Is New

Who says there are no new ideas in Hollywood?

From varying sources such as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety...

CBS is set to make a remake/sequel to the 1960s hit "Hawaii Five-O." The new series would pick up with Steve McGarrett's (Jack Lord) son running the 5-0 unit in our 50th state. No word if this new McGarrett will say "Book him, Dano Jr."

Meanwhile, ABC is developing a TV version of "The Witches of Eastwick," based on the book by John Updike and the movie that starred the likes of Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer. NBC had tried to pull it off in the early 1990s, making an unaired pilot produced by Carlton Cuse ("Lost") and the late Jeffrey Boam ("Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"), the pair that made "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr," one of my all-time favorite shows.

No word when either series will get things going, but they join the likes of the remake of "Cupid" and the next generation of "Beverly Hills, 90210" as shows getting a new life because the networks apparently believe in recycling. And they wonder why they are losing their audiences to cable.

CASTING NEWS: According to the trades, Kim Dickens ("Deadwood") will appear on "Friday Night Lights" this season as the estranged mom of quarterback Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford).

Meanwhile, on "Heroes," the ever-growing cast adds two more with Breckin Meyer and Seth Green. That's in addition to the new cast members being added through the webisodes on NBC.com.

Speaking of "Heroes," you can now see the series' alternate ending for Season 2 - in which the Shanti Virus is unleashed - (albeit without sound) here: http://heroesspoilers-odi.blogspot.com/2008/08/heroes-season-2-alternate-ending-and.html

Without the sound, it's not really worth watching, but they also do show a separate clip in which we see Hiro's dad's (George Takei) power - and it's a pretty cool one. That clip also doesn't have sound, but because the scene is between him and Ando, it's done with subtitles. Both clips and more (presumably with sound) are supposed to be on the "Heroes" DVD set to be released next month.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Olympics, of course (NBC, 8 p.m.), though nothing during the rest of the Games will compare to kicking French butt Sunday night.

The rest of the night is mostly reruns, perhaps most notably "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (Fox, 9 p.m.) as the network tries to catch people up before the series returns. If you missed it the first time around, I recommend it.

"Rescue Me" (FX, 10 p.m.) follows up with another new mini-episode, though I'm not sure they can top last week's, and it's followed by a new "30 Days" at 10:06 p.m.

Finally, "Nova" (PBS, 8 p.m.) discusses the history and significance of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, my personal favorite in terms of scientific theories.

Check Out These Webisodes

It's become chic for TV to start airing mini-episodes of different dramas and sitcoms specifically for the Internet.

Called "webisodes," they usually feature subplots involving some familiar characters, but aren't necessary to catch to enjoy the main series.

"The Office" will launch its first webisode beginning tomorrow at 3 p.m. EST at NBC.com. The webisodes feature regular supporting characters Kevin, Oscar, Stanley and Darryl and center on Kevin's attempts to secure a bank loan to pay off his gambling debts.

Joining "The Office" is "Heroes," which launches its first webisode Monday. Unlike "The Office," "Heroes" is using the webisodes to introduce new characters, but they play like extended commercials for season previews. The first webisode introduces a mailman with a sonic scream as his power.

AFTRA DEAL: The second-largest actors union, AFTRA, voted to ratify a new deal with the studios this week, which likely undermines the position of SAG, the larger of the two guilds which was talking about a strike. With four labor deals now in place, SAG will be hard pressed to commit to a work stoppage.

CASTING UPDATES: Kevin McKidd, late of "Journeyman" and "Rome," is reportedly Sandra Oh's new love interest on "Grey's Anatomy."

Meanwhile, two "Friday Night Lights" regulars, Gaius Charles and Scott Porter (Smash and Jason, respectively) have been dropped down to recurring status. The move makes sense from a dramatic standpoint, since both characters have graduated high school and Smash is now in college. The reduced storylines will allow the writers to narrow their focus a little bit, which should be a good thing.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Tracy Morgan ("30 Rock") hosts the new season of "Scare Tactics" (Sci Fi, 10 p.m.). It follows a new episode of "Ghost Hunters International."

Other than that, the pickings are slim unless you like "So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox, 8 p.m.)

It's Official: FNL Is Back!

NBC delivered the good news Wednesday. One of TV's best dramas, "Friday Night Lights," will be back for a third season next fall.

The network worked out a deal with DirecTV, which will show the episodes on its channel, "The 101," beginning Oct. 1. NBC will then broadcast the series beginning after the Super Bowl in its regular Friday night timeslot.

Of course, for those of us who don't have DirecTV, that means we have to wait until February, and NBC is only making 13 episodes. But for those of us rabid fans of the series, it's well worth the wait, and 13 episodes is certainly a lot better than zero, which seemed to be "FNL's" fate a few months ago.

There's been no official word as to when the series will pick up, but rumors abound that it will be the start of the next football season (senior year for Matt, Landry and Riggins) when it does resume. No word on which cast members are returning, or if new ones will be added.

This new partnership may be the future of TV, since it has become more expensive to produce dramatic programming, and in the age of DVRs, commercial programming is about to undergo a major paradigm overhaul. But if the changing face of TV means keeping the "Lights" on, I'm all for it.

Other returning NBC shows announced Wednesday include: Lipstick Jungle, Medium, Law & Order, L&O: SVU and the 15th and final season of ER.

New shows on the slate include: The Office spinoff, My Own Worst Enemy, Kath & Kim, Knight Rider, Robinson Crusoe, Kings, The Philanthropist, The Listener, Shark Taggers, America's Toughest Jobs and Chopping Block, plus the miniseries The Last Templar and XIII.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Jeff Zucker has often been the object of criticism on this blog, but his guest appearance at the beginning of "My Name Is Earl" (NBC, 8 p.m.) is the highlight of the hour-long episode. While in a coma, Earl imagines his life to be 60s-style sitcom. Paris Hilton also guest-stars in the episode. It's followed by four reruns of "The Office."

"Miss Guided" (ABC, 8 p.m.) wraps up its brief run tonight, and after a "Lost" rerun, "Eli Stone" is new at 10 p.m.

Finally, "CSI" (CBS, 9 p.m.) and "Without A Trace" (CBS, 10 p.m.) return with their first new, post-strike episodes.

'All Hell Breaks Loose'

Dear "Lost," how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways:

--You are perhaps the last true watercooler show on TV right now.
--You have TV's best villain in Ben Linus (Michael Emerson).
--You've taken the practical means of storytelling to a new level with the combination of flashbacks (which many screenwriting teachers snicker at as a cop-out technique) and flashforwards.
--When you add to the cast, generally it is an improvement (Ben, Juliet, Mr. Eko, Desmond, and now the boat people)
--When a character sucks (Ana Lucia, Boone, Shannon, Nikki, Paolo) you kill them off in really cool ways.
--In a show about mystery, suspense and action, you tell some of the best love stories around (Jin-Sun, Desmond-Penny, etc.)
--You almost never telegraph your punches, meaning there are genuine surprises every week.

Oh, I could go on and on, but I'm sure there are 10,000 reasons and counting as to the greatness of this show. Tonight is the eighth episode (ABC, 9 p.m.), the last filmed before the strike. When I interviewed Emerson a few months ago, he said No. 8 could serve as a great season finale had the strike not been resolved, and that all hell breaks loose in the final moments of the episode. We'll see. Meanwhile, tonight's Michael-centric story focuses on why he has returned to the island after betraying the castaways two seasons ago and murdering two of them.

The show then airs reruns for the next two or three weeks, to make up for the gap caused by the strike. It's going to be the longest two or three weeks ever.

AROUND THE DIAL: I hope you caught last night's "Late Show With David Letterman," in which the cast of "Battlestar Galactica" came on as their characters to present the Top 10 list. On that note, Sci-Fi made it official and will pick up the "BSG" prequel called "Caprica" after BSG ends. ...

"Friday Night Lights" is very close to being official renewed now. For more on that, check out TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello's report from PaleyFest at http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Friday-Night-Lights/800035828.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: One of the best times of the year for sports fans tips off this afternoon with the NCAA basketball tournament. Of course, the only team worth watching, the Cinderella Georgia Bulldogs, battle Xavier at noon today on CBS. Check local listings for other games in the tournament.

Surrounding "Lost" is more ABC newness, with two episodes of the promising Judy Greer comedy "Miss Guided" at 8 p.m., including one with guest star Ashton Kutcher, and "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m.

"Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) narrows it down to two finalists. If I have to lay odds, I'm guessing Piers Morgan and Carol Alt reach the finals. It's followed by a new "Lipstick Jungle" at 10 p.m.

Hopefully, "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.) can rebound from last week's 42-minute gum commercial. It's followed by a new "Reaper" at 9 p.m.

Some Good TV News (For A Change)

Two good pieces of TV news moved across the internet yesterday.

The first, for those fans of "24" facing the prospect of not seeing the new season until 2009, is that it looks as if the series will return sometime this year - in TV movie form.

Fox will put together a two-hour TV movie, set between the end of last season and the beginning of next year's - the season that was postponed from this year because of the strike.

There have been rumors of a "24" movie for a few years now, and even though it gets away from the show's format - each episode represents an hour of real time - it will probably help the show from a story-telling standpoint. The writers won't be forced to stretch the season-arc over such a long period of time, which should refine the storytelling process.

Meanwhile, things are looking up a third season of "Friday Night Lights." NBC is reportedly close to closing a deal with DirecTV about sharing a new season next year.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Two of TV's most interesting dramas wrap things up Sunday night. The critically acclaimed "The Wire" (HBO, Sun., 9 p.m.) airs its series finale.

In addition, "Breaking Bad" (AMC, Sun., 10 p.m.) wraps up a very strong and interesting freshman season. The only negative about this show is that it may get a whole generation of kids interested in chemistry - for all the wrong reasons.

On Saturday, "Torchwood" is new.

Also, you can check out the state high school basketball playoffs on Georgia Public TV beginning today.

Grab Your Duct Tape

I was never a fan of "MacGyver" growing up. I don't think I've ever seen one complete episode of the Richard Dean Anderson opus.

The series was about an agent who would foil the bad guys by using whatever was handy - duct tape, string, etc. - to build some ingenious device that would save the day.

One of the best Super Bowl commercials in recent years was Visa's, in which Anderson buys a bunch of knick-knacks with his Visa card, and puts them together to escape the bad guys. The commercial was "priceless."

I bring all this up because I want to catch "Mythbusters" (Disc, 9 p.m.) tonight. The show devotes its whole hour to recreating MacGyver's most ingenious devices and seeing how real they are - if he could have actually used what he supposedly built in real life.

I'm a big fan of documentary style shows that build neat things, and I think the premise of this episode is especially clever. It's not the first time "Mythbusters" has influenced the outlook of a TV series, either. "CSI" took a premise from a previous "Mythbusters" episode about a person being decapitated by a broken truck tire.

RETURNING SHOWS UPDATE: TVGuide.com is reporting that word on the street says "Scrubs" might get its final few episodes to wrap up the series in a proper way.

But bad news out of "Friday Night Lights" camp. Taylor Kitsch (Tim Riggins) has been confirmed as Gambit in the new "Wolverine" movie, and the filming looks to coincide to when "FNL" would be shooting its new season, meaning its likely that cast and crew are getting permission to do other projects because the show isn't coming back.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Last night, you voted for the men. Tonight, it's the 12 women finalists for "American Idol." (Fox, 8 p.m.)

"Cashmere Mafia" (ABC, 10 p.m.) airs a new episode opposite a new "Law & Order" on NBC.

It's Official! The Strike Is Over

The WGA voted overwhelmingly to end the strike Tuesday, meaning that writers can officially start banging out scripts on their laptops once more. Huzzah!

It's going to be a short posting today, since I want to savor Roger Clemens getting grilled by Congress.

A second "Save 'Friday Night Lights' " site has popped up here: http://www.savefridaynightlights.tv/

Finally, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello has a Q-and-A with "Lost" producer Carlton Cuse. Cuse reports that there will be only five more episodes after the initial eight this season, but he hasn't given up hope of getting those three episodes back at some point over the final two seasons. Also, there will be a four-week gap between the eight in the can and the five left to shoot. You can check it out at http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) begins the cut to get to 12 men and 12 women semifinalists.

"Cashmere Mafia" (ABC, 10 p.m.) is new; hopefully Can't-Wait-For-Lipstick-Jungle, who posted here last week, will give this show a chance as well. It's opposite a new "Law & Order" on NBC.

Finally, PBS continues to celebrate Black History Month with "African American Lives" at 9 p.m.

Writers Return To Work!

Though the new contract has yet to be voted on by membership, the deal between the studios and the Writers Guild of America was approved by the head honchos of both the East and West branches, making Tuesday's official vote to end the strike a mere formality. Showrunners on pretty much all TV series have already returned to work to begin writing and rehiring crews.

So, after nearly four months of labor strife, was it all worth it? The industry suffered over $1 billion in losses during the strike. Not only the writers went unpaid, but so did the below-the-line talent (the grips, the cameramen, the technicians, the costume designers, etc.) Companies that depend on Hollywood's business - car rental companies, restaurants and so forth - also lost a tremendous amount.

Without hearing details of the contract, it's hard to tell how successful the strike was. Several writers interviewed after the big WGA meetings over the weekend said the guild got most, but not all, of what it was seeking, but did have to make several concessions. The WGA had to give up its demands it was seeking on animation deals and writers for reality shows, for example.

So, who won? Well, no one, really. Any side claiming victory can only claim, at best, a pyrrhic victoy. While the writers got most of what they wanted, they lost a lot of money in the process and many writer/producers lost their studio deals when the producers declared a force majeure to cancel their contracts.

The studios lost viewership. And the viewers lost chunks out of their TV series, as nearly all of the shows on the air will have to reduce the number of episodes they were originally supposed to air. Instead, we've been subjected to so-called reality TV.

And that might be the single biggest negative impact of the strike, long-term damage the WGA really couldn't account for. Networks were able to flood the airwaves with shows like "American Gladiators" or ramp up the number of "Deal or No Deal" episodes they would show in a week and found that viewership didn't change all that much.

For a quality, but ratings challenged show like "Friday Night Lights," that's not good news at all. The network suits are discovering they'd rather save the money and order more "American Gladiators" than commit to something like "FNL" because it makes more sense financially. Most networks have already cut the money to develop pilots for next season.

The strike may be over, but the impact will be felt for years to come.

"FNL" UPDATE: Speaking of "FNL," though the season is likely over, the series may not be. Word has been spreading that it may be shopped to another network if NBC decides not to pick it up. Or, NBC may pick it up and run it on one of its cable networks, like USA, such as it does with "Law & Order: CI."

I don't carry high hopes with either scenario. NBC head Ben Silverman has shown little love for the series, and very rarely do shows jump networks successfully. The last one I can think of that did so successfully was "JAG," which switched from NBC to CBS over a decade ago and had a long run on the latter network.

Fans' best bet is to let NBC know that you want "FNL" back. Here's a good way to do so: http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/02/08/lights-on-send-light-bulbs-to-nbc-to-save-friday-night-lights.

Fan campaigns have had varying success over the years. "Jericho" returns to CBS this week thanks in large part to fans sending in packets of nuts to the network. But a campaign a couple of years ago in which thousands of "Angel" fans organized blood drives (still one of the cleverest ideas I can think of) fell upon deaf ears at the WB. But it never hurts to try.

R.I.P. ROY SCHEIDER: The actor, who died from an undisclosed illness, was 75. Scheider was an actor I always enjoyed and who always did great work. The "bigger boat" line from "Jaws" is still one of the greatest movie quotes of all time.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: The gang goes over the wall (or rather, under it) during its breakout on "Prison Break" (Fox, 8 p.m.), while Brian Austin Green guest stars on "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" at 9 p.m. It's so hard to stop myself making a "90210" joke right now.

What better way to pump up ratings than linking yourself to "High School Musical?" That's what they are doing on "Dance War" (ABC, 8 p.m.) as the cast of "HSM" performs. It's followed by "Notes From the Underbelly" and "October Road."

CBS has new episodes of "Welcome to the Captain" and "Old Christine" at 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., but please do yourself a favor and only watch the latter.

On cable, "Kyle XY" (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) is new, followed by a new "Wildfire" at 9 p.m.

Finally, if you missed "Jericho" last season and want to catch up a bit, Sci Fi is showing four episodes, beginning with the pilot, tonight beginning at 7 p.m.

'Lights' Out?

As much as it pains me to type this out, tonight's broadcast of "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) may be the last original episode — ever.

Even if the writers' strike ends tomorrow (and it very might, literally), NBC has no plans to produce any more episodes this season beyond the 15 it has already made, and recent comments by NBC president Ben Silverman indicate that the show won't be back next year. (When someone asked Silverman about "FNL" at a recent party, all Silverman would answer was to say watch "30 Rock.")

It's a shame, because "FNL" is one of the few quality shows out there built for the whole family. Though some people thought it was a show about football, in reality, the sport was the one thread that tied the town together, and often served as a metaphor for what the players and fans of the Dillon Panthers were going through.

Rarely does a show tackle such subjects as teen sex, alcoholism, divorce and racism with such dignity without devolving into preachiness, but "FNL" managed to walk that fine line more often than now.

And while I have praised the performances of lead actors Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton multiple times on this blog (they were the two biggest snubs by the Emmys, IMHO), it's the wonderful supporting cast that really makes this show special. And it's not just the high school kids the show revolves around; it's the older actors like Brad Leland (Buddy Garrity) and Liz Mikel (Corinna Williams, Smash's mom) that often steal the scenes they are in. All of the actors have created characters we care about.

I'm the first to admit that "FNL" has been a bit uneven this season, with things like the rapist storyline and turning Julie Taylor from the girl next door into a total whiny brat. But all of the top shows on the air - "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy," "Heroes," etc. - have had plotlines and characters in their runs that fans didn't like. "FNL" is no different. Like those other shows, the good on "FNL" far outweighs the bad.

I had the pleasure of meeting some of the cast and crew of "FNL" at the Austin Film Festival, and they're a genuine bunch of good people who really seem to care about the product they are making.

I carry a small measure of hope that the massive critical appeal of the show combined with decent ratings in the coveted 18-30 age group might keep the possibility of hope for another season alive - the recurring theme of Panthers football. Certainly, e-mailing NBC and letting them know your feelings can't hurt.

STRIKE WATCH: Multiple reports out of Hollywood indicate that the WGA may end its strike this weekend and people could be returning to work on Monday as a deal between the guild and the producers is finalized.

If you want to know the fate of your favorite show and whether it will be back this season, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello has a strike chart on his blog here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Wga-Strike-Favorite/800032698.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: So, based on yesterday's posting, did anyone watch "Lipstick Jungle" last night, and if so, what did people think?

Following "FNL" tonight is a new episode of "Las Vegas" (NBC, 10 p.m.)

Speaking of shows wrapping up, "Flash Gordon" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) finishes its first season tonight. I'm not sure if it will be back next year, but it looks as if producers are wrapping things up anyway.

"Monk" is taking a week off, but "Psych" (USA, 10 p.m.) is all-new.

On Saturday, HBO is airing the TV movie "Bernard and Doris" (HBO, Sat., 8 p.m.), with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon as famed heiress Doris Duke and Ralph Fiennes as her butler, Bernard Lafferty.

"Torchwood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) finds the gang encountering people from World War I as two time zones get mixed together. Speaking of "Torchwood," Sci Fi announced this week that it would begin airing Season 4 of "Doctor Who" in April along with the first season of the series' other spinoff, "The Sarah Jane Adventures," in April.

On Sunday, the 50th edition of the Grammys air (CBS, Sun., 8 p.m.) while "Masterpiece" reruns the 1995 classic "Pride and Prejudice" (PBS, 9 p.m.).

Doubleshot of James Marsters

For all of the James Marsters ("Buffy," "Angel") fans out there, this week should be twice as nice.

On Saturday, Marsters shows up as Capt. Jack Harkness' former partner (in more ways than one) on the season premiere of "Torchwood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) Then, on Thursday, Marsters reprises his role as Brainiac as "Smallville" returns with new episodes on The CW.

"Torchwood," BBC America's highest-rated show, returns for its second season as Jack (John Barrowman) returns after a mysterious absence. Where was he? Well, if you watched Season 3 of "Doctor Who" on Sci-Fi, you know the answer. If you didn't, now's your chance to catch up as BBC America will start showing the most recent season beginning at 7 p.m.

MORE DEALS REACHED: Some companies aren't sitting around waiting for the WGA and the AMTMP to reach an agreement. Lionsgate and Marvel Studios became the latest production companies to reach a deal with the WGA, allowing films in production such as "Thor" and TV series such as "Mad Men" to get back to work.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Smash has to deal with all sorts of fallout after his dustup with a group of white kids on "Friday Night Lights," (NBC, 9 p.m.) while Tammy takes over the women's volleyball program. For those Jason Street fans (Scott Porter) who have missed the former QB, he's found a new calling. It's followed by a new "Las Vegas" at 10 p.m.

Sci-Fi begins the two-part season finale of "Flash Gordon" at 8 p.m., followed by a new "Stargate: Atlantis" at 9 p.m. On sister network USA, "Monk" and "Psych" are all-new, beginning at 9 p.m.

As for the rest of the weekend, the best bet is the phenomenal new series "Breaking Bad" (AMC, Sun., 10 p.m.) While some people have compared the show to a darker version of "Weeds," I think this truly might end up being the successor in spirit to "The Sopranos."

COMING NEXT WEEK: "Lost" fans, I've got a special interview for you guys that will run just before Thursday's season premiere.

Gladiators Ready!

This weekend sees the revival of one of the guilty pleasures of my youth - the return of "American Gladiators" (NBC, Sun., 9 p.m.) to the airwaves.

Yes, I was a fan of the original "AG." And why not? If shows like "Jeopardy" can test the minds of the average American, why not have a show that tests them physically? Besides, seeing the average American get pummelled by 250-pound guys named Laser and Nitro is a helluva lot of fun.

I remember one episode of the old series in which they had international contestants and there was this 275-pound Olympic weightlifter from Sweden or Norway who absolutely flattened the gladiators. Ah, memories.

I worry that the new version, with hosts Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali, will be too glitzy because it's now on network TV rather than syndication, and with the Hulkster on board, the gladiators might become wrestling-like caricatures where half the show is people yelling into the camera.

I hope not. It would cut down on the pummeling time.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: There may be a writers' strike going on, but some of TV's most talked-about shows are starting the weekend with new episodes.

"Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) is new tonight and next week, as the Dillon Panthers get some unwanted guests as a rival team's school is destroyed by a tornado and the teams must share facilities. Needless to say, that doesn't go over well. Meanwhile, Landry continues to try to define his relationship with Tyra, and Tim Riggins moves in with the Taylors, leading to a lot of fun moments. And, next week, Smash and his family continue to be overwhelmed by college recruiters. It's followed by a new "Las Vegas" at 10 p.m.

"Women's Murder Club" (ABC, 9 p.m.) is brand-new tonight.

Also new tonight is the return of "Flash Gordon" (Sci-Fi, 8 p.m.) and "Stargate: Atlantis" (Sci-Fi, 10 p.m.) Meanwhile, Lifetime reveals its all-new reality lineup with "Look Good Naked" (Life, 9 p.m.), followed by "Matched in Manhattan" at 9:30 and two episodes of "Top This Party."

As for the weekend, one of TV's most acclaimed dramas is back as "The Wire" (HBO, 9 p.m.) kicks off its final season.

While I believe its the only new episode left in the can, "Desperate Housewives" (ABC, 9 p.m.) answers who lived and who didn't in the aftermath of the tornado cliffhanger (what is it with tornado subplots? Do the housewives also move in with the Dillon Panthers?)

Also on Sunday, Fox gives us a new "Simpsons," "King of the Hill" and "American Dad," but not a new "Family Guy." CBS is brand-new with "The Amazing Race," "Cold Case" and "Shark." VCR ALERT: With the NFL playoffs, expect all of these shows to not start on time.

Holiday Specials

One of the good things about cable programming is that new episodes of various series seem to pop up all the time when you least expect it.

Of course, from a ratings standpoint, it may not be the best thing for networks to suddenly unleash a Christmas episode when the show in question has been off for a few months and isn't scheduled to return for a few months hence.

So consider yourselves alerted to two all-new, Christmas-themed episodes of "Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) and "Psych" (USA, 10 p.m.) And coming next week are a holiday-themed special from "The Closer" and four new episodes of the summer hit "Saving Grace," both on TNT.

On "Monk," a department store Santa is murdered. (By the way, that must be the worst job in the world considering how many TV series have Christmas-themed episodes about investigating the murder of a department store Santa), while on "Psych," a visit to Gus' (Dule Hill) parents leads to his dad (Ernie Hudson) being the prime suspect in a murder.

Meanwhile, TV viewers starved for new episodes may be getting some good news as recent talks between the Writers Guild and the studios have led to some progress. If a settlement is reached soon, most production schedules wouldn't be too terribly affected, so we could see new episodes of returning series by mid- to late-January. (That's assuming a contract does get signed. Positive talks and a signed deal are two very different things).

The networks themselves are in decent shape for new dramatic stuff, ironically because networks these days are so impatient with new shows finding footing that they keep a lot of shows on the shelf on standby when they yank the new show. So, CBS has things like "New Adventures of Old Christine" and NBC has "Medium" and so forth all ready to go. In addition, the networks have also delayed a lot of new series for winter launches anyway, so a lot of series will make their debuts over the next month or so, regardless of the strike.

And the strike is good news for quality shows that are still trying to find an audience, like NBC's "Life" and "Chuck," for example, both of which were renewed for full season orders despite middling ratings. Not only will those shows stick around for this year, but have a good chance for renewal because production orders for new pilots have been delayed by the strike. So it's easier for the networks to renew a show that already has a cast, crew and sets in place.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Landry confesses his crime to the cops on "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) Frankly, I'm not sure how the writers will keep Landry out of jail, which is a shame, because I like Jesse Plemons' character and would rather seem him in high school than in prison. It's followed by a new "Las Vegas" at 10 p.m.

"Men In Trees" (ABC, 8 p.m.) and "Women's Murder Club" (ABC, 9 p.m.) are also new.

The negative aspect to the strike is the addition of more reality shows to the schedule, including TV specials like tonight's "Movies Rock," (CBS, 9 p.m.), where top musicians perform famous movie songs. God, I hope this came about as filler material because of the strike and wasn't meant as an original special, because that would mean the networks really are running out of good ideas.

If you missed "Torchwood" the first time around, you can catch the rerunning of the series on Saturday at 8 p.m on BBC America.

If you missed the miniseries "Tin Man" the first time around, Sci-Fi is running all three parts in a marathon beginning Sunday at 9 p.m.

Also new on Sunday is CBS' lineup of "The Amazing Race," "Cold Case" and "Shark."

Oprah Winfrey and Mitch Albom present a TV-movie version of Albom's book, "One More Day" (ABC, Sun., 9 p.m.), about a suicidal ex-ballplayer (Michael Imperioli) who looks back at his life with the ghost of his late mother (Ellen Burstyn).

Finally, "Dexter" (Showtime, Sun., 9 p.m.) airs its penultimate second-season episode.

TV's Greatest Icons

Though coincidental, it's entirely appropriate for we Middle Georgians that TVLand is airing the two-hour special, "The 50 Greatest TV Icons" tonight at 8 p.m.

After all, one of the arrived in town yesterday when Oprah Winfrey landed at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport. (I know this because Oprah has unwittingly controlled my life all week.)

I haven't seen the entire list yet, but I'm fairly certain that Oprah, the queen of daytime TV, is on there.

Numero Uno on the list is Johnny Carson, a hard choice to dispute, since he was the king of late night TV for so many years. I know fellow late-night hosts David Letterman and Conan O'Brien also made it, but Jay Leno didn't.

What is a TV icon anyway? There's no real surefire definition, but I'd say it's when a name or face is so recognizeable that anyone knows who the icon is, no matter if you watch the show or not.

Someone like Andy Griffith would be an icon as Sheriff Andy Taylor (as would Don Knotts for Barney Fife), but Griffith wouldn't be for Matlock, for example. Andy Taylor is a character that will be remembered well into the next century, even by Gen Y'ers.

Same thing with Lucy, the Fonz and Mr. Spock.

It's probably easy to pick most of the icons from TV's golden era for this list, as well as modern icons like Oprah or Letterman. But which characters from now might make it the next time someone does a list, in 50 years or so?

A 'CSI'-er perhaps? One of the "Heroes," or the "Lost"? "Ugly Betty?"

With the advent of DVDs and the internet, modern characters are much more likely to become part of the American culture than their counterparts from bygone eras.

Who is your favorite TV icon?

THURSDAY RECAP: It was great seeing Mercedes McNab playing a different type of vampire last night on "Supernatural," way different than her character of Harmony on "Buffy" and "Angel."

R.I.P. JOE NUXHALL: The Cincinnati Reds broadcaster, who has the distinction of being the youngest player ever to appear in a Major League Baseball game, died Thursday night from cancer. He was 79.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Some "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) fans have complained about the under-use of Smash Williams (Gaius Charles) this season. (Clearly, the producers don't favor the run-oriented offense that the former Panthers coach did). But be happy - recruiting season has begun and the Smash begins to look to his collegiate future. It's followed by a new "Las Vegas" at 10 p.m.

Fans will get their second dose of a new "Women's Murder Club" (ABC, 9 p.m.) tonight, following a new "Men In Trees."

CBS is all-new with "Ghost Whisperer," "Moonlight" and "Numb3rs."

On Saturday, most people will get to see Georgia's critical game with Kentucky (WGXA, 12:30 p.m.) Me, I'll be at the City Auditorium for Oprah's show, and I don't even have a ticket. Why? Because I want to keep my job!

At least I should be able to see some good viewing Saturday night, with an all-new "Torchwood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) as well as the HBO original movie, "PU-239," (HBO, 8 p.m.), a thriller about black market nuclear materials from Russia, produced by George Clooney, Steven Soderbergh and Peter Berg.

Everything is also new on Sunday, including Fox's animated lineup, CBS' crime-oriented lineup of "Cold Case" and "Shark," and Showtime's one-two punch of "Dexter" and "Brotherhood."

And The Agony Continues...

I'm not, by nature, an optimist.

So almost every Georgia-Florida weekend since I started at UGA way back in 1990 has been something of pure torture for me, as I'm sure it's been for the rest of Bulldawg Nation.

I carry little hopes that this year's Cocktail Party (CBS, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.) is going to be much better. Georgia got whipped by Tennessee two games ago and barely beat Vandy before this past weekend's bye week.

My lone ember of hope is that this season, there are about five upsets every weekend, everything from Appalachian State winning at Michigan to USC losing at home despite being a 41-point favorite. Will the Dogs get swept up in upset mania and change what has been a constant fate for most of the past two decades?

I don't know, but winning this game more than once a decade would be nice.

THURSDAY RECAP: Maybe it was having Jason Reitman on board as director, or maybe it was the return to the half-hour format, but last night's "The Office" was definitely the strongest effort of the season, from Dwight and Andy's different reactions to the initial "D" to Michael's commercial, a classic Michael Scott joint if I ever saw one. Hopefully, NBC will finally learn the lesson that you can have too much of a good thing.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Well, I dissed "Moonlight" (CBS, 9 p.m.) with my initial review, and four episodes in, I still don't think it's very good, but it continues to pull together a steady following. One of the few things I liked about the show was Jason Dohring's character of Josef, but he has hardly had anything to do thus far and wasn't even in last week's installment. And I still prefer the wide variety of demons and supernatural creatures that the gang on "Angel" fought to the vampire-of-the-week or really-bad-human-of-the-week that "Moonlight" is seemingly stuck with. A new "Ghost Whisperer" precedes it, while the night wraps up with "Numb3rs."

"Women's Murder Club" (ABC, 9 p.m.) is carving out its own niche on Fridays. It's a solid show, certainly not appointment television, but fairly entertaining if you are home on a Friday. It's followed by the cult hit, "Men In Trees."

Unfortunately, with both "Moonlight" and "Club" doing well, it takes away potential viewership from the night's best show, "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) Much like the cast and crew of the show, I'm resigning myself to the fact that this is never going to get even fair ratings despite superior acting and writing. If this is the last year, I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride. It's followed by "Las Vegas," in which former Tom Selleck's former "Magnum, PI" buddies Larry Manetti and Roger Mosley show up for a mini-reunion.

"Torchwood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) is all-new and coming off its most ingenious episode yet last week.

On Sunday, new episodes of "Cold Case" (CBS, 9 p.m.) and "Shark" (CBS, 10 p.m.) compete with Game 4 of the World Series (Fox, 8 p.m.), as do ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers and Sisters," from 9-11 p.m.

As always, the pick for Sundays is the ingenious "Dexter," (Showtime, 9 p.m.), which is followed by a new "Brotherhood" at 10 p.m.

'Band' Together

Fox is hoping to capture the next wave of reality phenomenon tonight with the debut of "The Next Great American Band" at 8 p.m.

My question is, what took them so long?

You'd think this project would have occurred to the network that brings us "American Idol" two or three times a week. Instead of trying to find the next great American singer, finding the next great musical group would seem like a logical progression.

Sure, there's a battle-of-the-bands kind of feel to it, but I think this is actually more challenging than "AI," since everyone in the band has to be on their game and they have to be able to play instraments in addition to singing, plus have the charisma of an actual band.

I'm also wondering why Fox would put this on Fridays, when most of the target audience will likely be out listening to real bands in clubs across the country, because in theory, most of the "AI" audience should be checking "Band" out, at least initially.

AROUND THE DIAL: What is it about "Big Bang Theory" that you people like? Seriously. Someone please explain to me why this show is popular. It's not plausible, and it's not funny.

But the ratings are very good and CBS awarded the show with a full-season pickup on Friday. In addition, CBS is also picking up "The Unit."

Meanwhile, despite it being something of a disappointment both creatively and in the ratings, "Private Practice" will also get a full season's worth of episodes, probably not much of a surprise. ...

Sci-Fi announced Friday that it will produce the backdoor pilot, "Revolution," which begins production in January. The concept is of a space colony named New America that has a lot of the same problems we contemporary Americans do. The new colony considers seceding from good, old planet Earth.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: I mentioned "Women's Murder Club" (ABC, 9 p.m.) last week as something that is slightly amusing, but apparently people thought even more of it than I did as it pulled in strong ratings for a Friday. Having seen Episode 2, the show settles more into what will be its presumed format each week. It's based on the crime novels of James Patterson, about four women who band together through their jobs to solve crimes. It's followed by the premiere of "Men In Trees."

CBS is all-new, with "Ghost Whisperer" (CBS, 8 p.m.) kicking things off, followed by the continuing-to-disappoint "Moonlight." At 10 p.m., "Numb3rs" takes on a Da Vinci Code-like plot.

Please, please, please tune into "Friday Night Lights," (NBC, 9 p.m.) which delivers a pivotal episode that will advance the Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) storyline as the Panthers become divided over the team's new coach (Chris Mulkey). (Fans of the series will especially enjoy the scene between Tim Riggins and Buddy Garrity). It's followed by a new "Las Vegas."

On Saturday, pretty much the only new thing of note is "Torchwood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.).

Sunday brings a plethora of new things, but the best bet is Showtime, which delivers new installments of "Dexter" at 9 p.m. and "Brotherhood" at 10 p.m.

Austin, Part 3: Friday Night Lights

Here are a few things you should know about one of TV's top series, "Friday Night Lights."

-Jesse Plemons (Landry) is the spitting image of Matt Damon, albeit with red hair. In fact, he played the younger version of Damon' character in "All The Pretty Horses." He also bears an uncanny resemblance to Glenn Morshower, who was cast as his father on "FNL." "He kind of looks like me more than my real father does," Plemons said with a chuckle.

-Minka Kelly (Lyla) is even more beautiful in person than on TV, which is saying something. She's a combination of a runway model and the girl next door. She wasn't bothered by the negative fan mail she got last season after Lyla had an affair with Tim Riggins. "It's the most rewarding," she said. "Knowing I had that affect on people. It's not frustrating at all. If your pissing someone off, you are doing something right. We're doing OK."

The show is filmed in Austin, and the cast and crew love the location filming, especially trying to capture that small-town feel of the show. Producer Jeffrey Reiner said both the book "Friday Night Lights" and the movie (directed by series producer Peter Berg) influence the series in trying to capture that feel.

The cast and crew say there is a lot more ad-libbing than most TV shows. Actors are given scripts only a few days before shooting (Plemons joked scripts are protected like drugs on the set) and that there is no blocking or marks on the set. The crew uses hand-held cameras to capture the action.

As for the controversial plot twist this season, when Landry and Tyra killed a man then dumped the body, the cast and crew have heard the complaints.

"The storyline is really powerful, really intense," Plemons said. "As an actor, you always want something that will make you uncomfortable. ... I really like the fact that people are upset. It means they really do care. What I've said is to give it a couple of episodes to let it play out, then make up your mind."

By the way, the scenes at the Dairy Queen between Matt and Smash are Reiner's favorites. "We get all this free ice cream," he said.

As for the show's low ratings despite critical acclaim, the cast and crew are taking it in stride, just trying to put out the best product possible. Reiner said NBC has been pretty good about staying hands off with the show, though the first season's promos that focused on the football aspect of the show probably hurt it.

And if this is the last season for "FNL"?

"I'm so proud (of the stories we tell)," Kelly said, "the growth you go through with these characters. If (the show) was done today, I'm so fulfilled and so grateful. I'm probably never going to do work like this again."

AROUND THE DIAL: Serialized shows keep adding names - "Rescue Me's" Andrea Roth will join the cast of "Lost" in a recurring role, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello reports.

And, completing the crew of the USS Enterprise, Aint-It-Cool News is reporting that Karl Urban will be Dr. Leonard McCoy in the new Star Trek movie.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Hopefully, Middle Georgians will be taking one night off to catch "Randy and the Mob" at the Cox Capitol Theatre, but if not, there are some great options on Wednesdays.

First and foremost is "Pushing Daisies," (ABC, 8 p.m.) TV's best new show, which will feature the return of Chuck's (Anna Friel) loopy aunts (Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene). It's followed by "Private Practice," which most "Grey's Anatomy" fans haven't fallen in love with, and the inventive "Dirty Sexy Money."

Maybe if they retooled "Bionic Woman" (NBC, 9 p.m.) around the Sarah character instead of Jamie, it'd be a better show. It's followed by "Life" at 10 p.m.

I've pretty much given up on "Back To You" (Fox, 8 p.m.) despite its pedigree. It's followed by "Til Death" at 8:30 p.m. and "Kitchen Nightmares" at 9 p.m.

CBS is all-new with "Criminal Minds" (CBS, 9 p.m.) and "CSI:NY" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

Finally, the first full-season pick-up among the networks went to "Gossip Girl" (CW, 9 p.m.) which has done very well among the youth market.

A Club Worth Joining?

Sorry for the late update, but hey, this is my vacation.

When I first got the pilot for "Women's Murder Club," (ABC, 9 p.m.), I can't say I was too excited. Based upon a series of popular mysteries by James Patterson, the series centers around four women - a cop, a coroner, a D.A., and a reporter - who work together to solve crimes and their own social problems.

For me, it looked like it was going to be "CSI" meets "Desperate Housewives."

But you know what? The show isn't half-bad. I was more entertained than I thought I would be. Is this appointment viewing every week? No. But it's not a waste of an hour either, and could find a place for itself on Fridays.

MORE TREK CASTING: Simon Pegg will play engineer Montgomery Scott in the new Star Trek film, while John Cho will reportedly play Sulu, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Pegg is a terrific actor who should be a good addition to the cast. As for Cho, it's an OK choice, but I think JJ Abrams missed an obvious opportunity - James Kyson Lee, who plays Ando on "Heroes" alongside original Sulu George Takei.

FRIDAY'S BEST BETS: If you were disappointed by "The O.C." turn that "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) took last week, I can only tell you the series returns to its strong dramatic roots over the next two episodes. And while the dumping of the body by Tyra and Landry was a ridiculous plot point, it does lead to some great moments between the two characters. And Mrs. Coach (Connie Britton) has some great scenes of post-partum depression that reminds us why Britton is the most underrated actress on TV.

I'd say "Moonlight" (CBS, 9 p.m.) is one of the biggest disappointments of the season, but then, my expectations weren't very high to begin with. It's followed by a brand-new "Numb3rs" at 10 p.m.

I don't have access to a TV schedule right now, so you guys on your own for the rest of the weekend.

'FNL' On Fridays - Marketing Genius!

Tonight marks the return of one of TV's best shows as "Friday Night Lights" (NBC, 9 p.m.) is back. At least with the show's timeslot being the same now as the title, maybe a few more viewers will find it this season.

People who didn't want to watch "FNL" often complained they didn't want to devote their time to a show about high school football. "FNL" has about as much to do with high school football as "Grey's Anatomy" has to do with sharp medical writing.

"FNL" is a wonderful and realistic slice of Americana, how these characters try to keep their hopes and dreams alive in a stifling, dead-end town in Texas. Football is what binds the community together, but it's only a small part of what is going on.

Having seen the first three episodes of "FNL" this season, the series shows little signs of dropping off, despite a major blunder (IMHO) in the first episode.

It's the end of summer in Dillon, Texas, and school is about to begin. Former Panthers coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) is now beginning his duties as a college coach while his wife (Connie Britton; how she never even got an Emmy nomination is one of the great mysteries of life) is VERY pregnant. Daughter Julie is ignoring current beau, Panthers QB Matt Saracen, in favor of a good-looking, older lifeguard at the pool where they work.

Team fullback Tim Riggins has fallen off the wagon - again - while his former best friend Jason Street is adjusting to life as an assistant coach. Street's former girlfriend, Lyla, has found God. Her father, team booster Buddy Garrity, is being shut out of Panthers practices by the team's new no-nonsense head coach (Chris Mulkey). Finally, Matt's geeky best friend, Landry, is trying out for the team in hopes of impressing would-be girlfriend Tyra.

The Landry-Tyra stuff is mostly great, especially when Landry maps out a gameplan for wooing her with Matt. The scenes with Buddy, who has lost both his family and Panthers football, are also top-notch.

There is a major plot point in tonight's episode that was a mis-step by the writers, though. Two of the show's characters are stuck in a bad situation, and how they deal with it was too over-the-top, in my opinion. Unfortunately, the action will drive certain plot points at least over the next two episodes and possibly over much of the season. i won't spoil what happens here, but you will be able to recognize what I am talking about when you see it.

In spite of the mis-step, "FNL" doesn't show any signs of surrendering its claim as one of TV's most riveting dramas. Hey, even the Panthers didn't have a perfect season last year, and they still won the state title.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Normally, I don't plug reruns, but if you missed the debut of TV's best new show Wednesday, ABC is re-airing the pilot (or, rather, "Pie-lette") of "Pushing Daisies" at 8 p.m.

"Numb3rs" (CBS, 10 p.m.) is all-new, as Don & Co. investigate a Hollywood murder involving an actor. Just want to point out, the script I sent the producers over the summer was about a Hollywood murder involving a writer, but no, I'm not bitter or anything. It follows new installments of "Ghost Whisperer" at 8 p.m. and "Moonlight" at 9 p.m. Incidentally, tonight's "Moonlight" was written by former "Angel" writer David Greenwalt, so it may be worth checking out.

"Las Vegas," (NBC, 10 p.m.) featuring new lead Tom Selleck, airs after "FNL."

"Doctor Who" (Sci-Fi, 8 p.m.) wraps up Season 3 (or Season 29, depending on how you count) as Martha Jones must save a devastated Earth from The Master (guest star John Simm, "Life On Mars"). My only complaint about the season finales of this series is why must I wait so long between seasons, and how will they top this finale next year? It's followed by "Flash Gordon" at 9 p.m., featuring a guest appearance by 1980 Flash Sam J. Jones. Why they go to the trouble of getting Jones but not using the Queen theme song is beyond me. A new "Stargate: Atlantis" is at 10 p.m.

Speaking of Sci-Fi, if you can't wait for "Battlestar Galactica: Razor," set to air next month, there will be a two-minute preview during tonight's "Flash Gordon."

"Torchwood," (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) is all-new Saturday.

Hey, you know what else is new Saturday? "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 11:30 p.m.), featuring Seth Rogen, with musical guest Spoon.

On Sunday, Fox is all-new with its animaton block, starting with "The Simpsons" and followed by "King of the Hill," "Family Guy" and "American Dad." CBS counters with a 90-minute "60 Minutes" at 7:30 p.m., followed by "Cold Case" and "Shark."

ABC's prime time soaps are also new, with "Desperate Housewives," featuring new cast additions Dana Delany and Nathan Fillion (almost enough to make me check it out again, but not quite) and "Brothers & Sisters."

"The Inspector Lynley Mysteries" (PBS, 9 p.m.) return after a brief hiatus, while The CW debuts a new family drama, "Life Is Wild" (CW, 8 p.m.) Based on a BBC series, it's about a New York veternarian who uproots his family to live in South Africa for a year.

Finally, the pick of the night is "Dexter" (Showtime, 9 p.m.), which was brilliant in its debut last week and should only get better with the addition of "Hustle's" Jaime Murray to the cast as a woman Dexter finally opens up to. It's followed by a new episode of "Brotherhood" at 10 p.m.

Get To The Whacking, Already

Mob shows, like the men they portray, ought to go out with a bang and not a whimper.

Yet as we hit the midpoint of the final season of "The Sopranos" (HBO, Sunday, 9 p.m.), the show seems to be trotting to the finish line rather than sprinting.

After starting off the season with a very underrated and strong episode focusing on Bobby selling his soul to Tony, the rest of the season has been pretty uneven. I enjoyed the Junior-centric episode about life in a mental hospital and how fall Junior had fallen, but did we need an episode devoted to Vito Jr.'s Goth phase?

There are only 10 episodes for the show's final season, and half have been squandered to an extent by centering on A.J.'s failed romance with a divorced woman and his subsequent moping. There was some potential last week between Paulie and Christopher and the feud that has been brewing between them, but I'm guessing that came to end when Chris chose another target to take out his frustrations upon (why does Hollywood always have nasty fates for screenwriters?)

Hopefully the show gets back on track this weekend with the promise of some conflict between Tony and Phil Leotardo. It's time for some whacking.

'LIGHT' IT UP!: This week's Woo-Hoo! award goes to NBC, which will give the critically acclaimed "Friday Night Lights" a full order renewal for next season, multiple sources reported Friday.

"Lights" is arguably TV's best new drama this season, and despite mediocre ratings, NBC elected to do the right thing and opt for quality, something it owed the public after foisting "Real Life Wedding Crashers" upon us.

Now, we just have to wait to see if Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton get the Emmy nominations they so richly deserve.

GRACE ON 'THE VIEW'?: Rumors from The New York Daily News have Maconite Nancy Grace replacing Rosie O'Donnell on "The View." More on this as it develops.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: CBS winds down its season with new episodes of "Ghost Whisperer," "Close To Home" and "Numb3rs." On NBC, it's another two-hour "Dateline," followed by "Law & Order" at 10 p.m.

Yet another pitch for "Robin Hood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.), a ripping good yarn about the old legend, and new Fox animation episodes on Sunday.