Posted on: Wednesday, April 6, 2005

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Eyes," 9:02 p.m., ABC. Last week's debut was dazzling, verbally and visually. Tonight's episode cuts back on the visuals but has more superb writing. The setting is a high-tech detective agency owned by Harlan Judd (Tim Daly). He knows there's a mole spying on him and has assigned Jeff (Eric Mabius) to learn who it is. He also knows Jeff is having an affair with a married co-worker, Trish (Natalie Zea). What he doesn't know is that the mole is the trusted Nora (Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon). Jeff figured that out, but she held him at gunpoint and forced him into silence.

All of that swirls in the background as Judd's old college roommate, a doctor, has problems: His young girlfriend has been kidnapped, his wife doesn't know about it, the kidnapper wants $1 million, and he says he has only $20,000. "Eyes" joins "House" as TV's smartest new shows.

Of Note

"Lost," 7 p.m., ABC. Two of the show's best characters get the focus: Claire, who is pregnant, goes into labor; Charlie has to help. Meanwhile, Locke is missing.

"The West Wing," 8 p.m., NBC. The Democratic convention starts, with an overload of candidates. Meanwhile, the president has another problem: The only way to rescue some astronauts might be to use a military shuttle that he's said doesn't exist.

"American Idol," 8 p.m., Fox. The field is trimmed to eight.

"Life On a Stick," 8:30 p.m., Fox. This amiable show plays off its "American Idol" lead-in. Two past contestants — Ruben Studdard (a winner) and Kimberly Caldwell (a finalist) — portray singing workers at a competing fast-food spot.

"Great Performances: The Little Prince," 9 p.m., PBS. The opera version of this children's fantasy has an appealing cast and wonderfully whimsical sets.

"Law & Order," 9 p.m., NBC. This rerun focuses on the murder of a governor's wife. That puts the focus on his affair with a businessman; soon, the gay-marriage issue becomes part of the trial.

"Meet the Barkers," debut, 10 p.m., MTV. This series follows the mismatched relationship of Travis Barker, the tattooed Blink-182 drummer, and Shanna Moakler, his sweet-looking, beauty-queen wife.