TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: “Law &
Order: Criminal Intent,” 8-11 p.m., NBC.
If you missed this show's cable season,
you can catch up via NBC reruns.
Tonight's first two hours bring huge
changes to Capt. Ross and his detectives, Goren and Eames. They also
introduce Serena Stevens (Saffron Burrows) as Nichols' new police
partner for Nichols.
Throughout the changes, this remains
solid and intelligent. The first two hours have a complex story
involving gun-running and power-seeking in Africa; the third has a
medical-clinic murder.
TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE II: David
Hasselhoff roast, 10 p.m., Comedy Central.
No one seems better suited for a comedy
roast than Hasselhoff. His shows went from talking cars to beach
babes to “America's Got Talent” – which he inexplicably quit;
that, Lisa Lampanelli says, was “the worst career move since Mel
Gibson bought his girlfriend that tape recorder.”
He also sank into alcoholism. Seth
McFarlane says he went “from 'Baywatch' to death watch.”
We've only seen clips, which suggest
that this will (as usual) range from hilarious to crude and
dim-witted. Other roasters include Greg Giraldo, George Hamilton and
Jerry Springer. Hulk Hogan is also there because, Pamela Anderson
explains, “every roast needs a dumb blonde with big (breasts).”
Other choices include:
– “The Simpsons,” 7:30 and 8
p.m., Fox. In the first rerun, Homer wins a fortune in the lottery.
In the second, he gets in touch with nature, building a wind turbine
and helping Lisa try to save a whale.
– “Dora's Big Adventure,” 8 p.m.,
Nickelodeon. For 10 years, “Dora the Explorer” has delighted
pre-schoolers who root for an adventurous Latina. Still, it's
strictly for kids; even this elaborate birthday story won't hold
adults. Let the kids watch; then enjoy the breezy mini-documentary
that follows at 9.
– “Sex on TV,” 8 and 9 p.m., TV
Guide. Sure, there are a few fun moments, as we see TV leap from
forbidden navels to nudity. Still, this is written with cheap words
(“skintastic!”) and leeringly inane attitude. On “Desperate
Housewives,” Brenda Strong reads witty narration; this gives her
the opposite.
– Scoundrels” season-finale, 9
p.m., ABC. Logan finds evidence that his dad (David James Elliott)
was wrongly convicted. That works fine … until the dad finds his
wife with someone else.
– “The Next Food Network Channel
Star” finale and “The Great Food Truck Race” opener, 9 and 10
p.m., Food Channel. First, “Star” names its winner; then we meet
a fun show pitting chefs who happen to work out of little, curbside
trucks. Here, they try to instantly find customers in new towns.
– “The Gates,” 10 p.m., ABC. Nick
tries to settle a familiar problem these days – a turf war between
vampires and werewolves. Also, Lukas' dad is attacked and left for
dead.
– “Mad Men,” 10 p.m., AMC. Pete
finds himself at a turning point, after getting orders from his boss.
– “Hung,” 10 p.m., HBO. There are
some fairly good moments tonight, when Ray is trapped between views
of a neighbor from Israel and a customer from the Arab world.
TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: Ovation and/or
Smithsonian channels.
Interesting things pop up in odd
corners of the satellite or digital-cable universe.
Ovation, an arts channel, starts its
“Ovation vacation” week tonight, with the amiable “Scenic
Route” at 8 p.m. and “Artland” from 9-11. Also at 8,
Smithsonian's “Inside the Music” views the electric guitar.
Some of this is on the inventors' side:
Lloyd Loar created an electric guitar in 1923, but his company
(Gibson) wasn't interested. In 1932, a Hawaiian-based “frying pan”
design appeared; a decade later, Les Paul and others found ways to
beat the feedback problems.
And some of this views performance. In
1939, Charlie Christian became “the first guitar hero”; later,
rockers worked a Stratocaster in ways that would shock its inventor,
country fan Leo Fender.