Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: (network TV): "Mysterious Ways," 7 p.m., NBC. One of the year's best new shows has spent most of the season in the semi-obscurity of the Pax network. "Mysterious Ways" has Adrian Pasdar and Rae Dawn Chong investigating events that seem miraculous. The result varies widely from week to week, but some hours are brilliantly written and filmed. NBC, a partial owner of Pax, launched the show last summer. Now another summer run begins, with this episode about a fireman who seems fireproof. If you like this show — that you probably will — you should tune in to watch episodes at 8 p.m. Tuesdays on Pax.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE (cable): "Lexx," 7 p.m., Sci Fi Channel. From the first moments of this season-opener some viewers will be delighted. "Lexx" crackles with a wit that is dark, sharp and sometimes hilarious. Brian Downey plays a former security guard, now captaining a hungry ship. Helping him are Xev (Xenia Seeberg), a pouty-lipped beauty ... Kai (Michael McManus), a handsome chap who happens to be a re-animated corpse ... and a robot whose principal goal seems to be to kill Xev. Previously, they've visited — and inadvertently destroyed — other planets. Now they reach Earth. The result is sometimes hilarious, especially in the opening scenes between a dim U.S. president and his manipulative aide.

"WW3," 7 p.m., FOX. Timothy Hutton stars. Terrorists attack the United States with a fierce virus.

"Popstars" 7 p.m., WB (seen on KFVE). The made-for-TV group Eden's Crush performs songs from its first album.

"Nash Bridges," 9 p.m., CBS. When one person is killed and another is barely wounded, Nash gets suspicious.

"Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. Someone is raped amid the opening festivities at a fancy hotel.