WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:
LOST (9PM ABC, “A” in Canada)
So who’s been attacking the survivors? Locke gets a clue as to their identity. Meanwhile, Desmond tries to find the woman who might help that damn island stop hop-scotching through time.
LIE TO ME (9PM FOX, Global in Canada)
Is a female soldier’s charge that she was raped by her sergeant truth or fiction? I’m going with truth, because this show doesn’t really seem deep enough to deal with the consequences of a woman falsely crying rape. But I’ve been wrong before. Once.
LIFE ON MARS (10PM ABC, Global in Canada)
Here’s hoping a post-LOST slot will give this show a much-deserved boost. Tonight, a battle breaks out between two rival cops and Sam is drawn to a pretty young social worker. Dude, don’t you have enough on your plate what with NoNuts and that hippie neighbor and even the occasional awkward moments shared with your hot mom-who-doesn’t-know-you’re-her-son?
DAMAGES (10PM FX)
Ellen and Tom take a road trip which might provide some answers about that mysterious Ultima National Resources. Back home, Patty works to clear Daniel, who may be one of the most uncooperative and mean clients ever!
NEW & NOTABLE:
CBS EVENING NEWS (8PM CBS)
Apparently, the networks are just plain giving up. First, NBC gives the 10 p.m. slot to Jay Leno. Now, CBS dedicates 30-minutes of primetime to Katie Couric’s recapping the days events. You know, like she did a couple hours earlier on, um, the CBS EVENING NEWS. She’d better hope something really good — read: bad — happens. (Not for nothing, but if CBS was going to basically throw away this hour, why not do it against the new episode of LOST airing at 9 p.m. instead of the rerun airing in this slot?)
AMERICAN IDOL (8PM FOX, CTV in Canada)
Jesus, we’re not even to Hollywood week yet? There’s milking the cow and then there’s pulling its udders off and forcing us to chew them in an attempt to suckle some rancid milk out of them.
KNIGHT RIDER (8PM NBC, E! in Canada)
After a group of bank robbers take Mike hostage, he tries to play the hero. But his efforts are hampered by “twists, turns and uncertainty about their true motives.” The show’s words, not mine. The day a show about a talking car manages to produce genuine twists and turns that are unforeseen I’ll stop mocking it.
A VIEW TO A KILL (8PM ION)
Okay, I wish I knew what the heck this network was let alone where it is on the proverbial dial, ’cause they show some halfway decent flicks, like this Bond caper featuring Grace Jones and Christopher Walken. Too bad (for Ion) I’m basically lazy at heart and therefore unwilling to search them out.
TOP CHEF (9PM Bravo)
If you missed last week’s episode, here’s your chance to catch up. The challenge? Two words: Restaurant Wars!
ONE LIFE TO LIVE (9PM SOAPnet)
Okay, yes, Natalie, Jessica unleashed Tess on you to get revenge for your role in Jared’s death. Get over it! Because while everyone else in Llanview seems to think you’re some great heroine, some of us remember that when first you arrived in town, you were trying to destroy Jessica’s life. Oh, and you were sleeping with her boyfriend, which was an even bigger crime (although kinda understandable) because he was played by Brandon Routh (aka Superman). So maybe, just maybe, you need to lighten up a bit.
LAW & ORDER (10PM NBC)
Ugh. How often is this show going to go back to the Russian Mob well? This season has been pretty good so far, but in the past, episodes involving the Russians haven’t been their best.
TOP CHEF (10PM BRAVO)
Past contestants — including Andrew and Spike from last year and, for some reason, season two’s Josie — return as our current players take on superbowl food.
GENERAL HOSPITAL (10PM SOAPNET)
That hospital disaster that we’ve spent weeks being braced for? It finally kicks off tonight when Patrick is unable to stop something very, very bad from happening. Port Charles is in for a very, very long day… literally, as the day which began unfolding a week or two ago will continue playing out for the next several weeks.