“Law & Order: Criminal Intent”
Thursday 10pm, USA
NBC’s new season is suspiciously light in its “Law & Order” shows, as the once-flourishing procedural fran-chise has been reduced to only one series (“Special Victims Unit”) currently on the air. Original recipe “L&O” is set to return midseason, but this third spin-off has been quietly shuffled off to cable cousin USA for original episodes. It can only be seen as a demotion for the show, which is too bad because it’s still hitting all the right notes in my book. New to the cast this year is Alicia Witt (“Cybill”), who pairs up with Chris Noth’s Mike Logan character.
Legally Blonde: The Musical
Saturday 1pm, MTV
Just when I’m about to completely write off MTV, it pulls me back in. The once-great cable net’s schedule is nothing but garbage (countless navel-gazing teen “reality” programs, and this week sees the premiere of the first bisexual dating show). But sensing the merging of two of teendom’s biggest trends—saccharine musicals and entitled blonde girls—MTV will televise a performance of the Broadway adaptation of the fluffy Reese Witherspoon flick. I whole-heartedly approve. Anything that democratizes Broadway is a good step in my book, and “Blonde” has a good message for young girls behind its brainless charms.
“The Price is Right”
Monday 11am, CBS
TV’s longest-running game show returns for season 36 with a new set and the debut of new host Drew Carey. When I first heard about the makeover I became immediately suspicious—part of what makes “Price” great is those tacky ‘70s-inspired designs, and woe be to the man who screws with the Plinko board. But never fear, the designers have stayed true to the show’s groovy beginnings and many of its signature flourishes—bright green, deep purple, those funky flowers—are still there. As for host Carey, I guess he’s the closest CBS could get to Rosie O’Donnell after she passed on the gig. But the real question: How does he feel about spaying or neutering our pet population?
