"Monk," season opener, 10 p.m., USA Network. In a wonderfully odd hour, the precise Monk (Tony Shalhoub) meets his opposite. Both men are detectives, but this guy (Jason Alexander) is slovenly and scattered. Usually incompetent, he suddenly knows it all. "He's cheating," Monk grumbles. This is in the best "Monk" tradition — funny, human, with an OK mystery. It will be great to have new "Monks" this summer.

"Into the West," 5 and 7 p.m., TNT. The previous episode finally brought relief for Jacob Wheeler, who narrates the series. He found his Lakota wife, and they finished their lives in peace. Now we follow the next generation. A daughter is married to a photographer; one son is a cavalry scout, another works for the transcontinental railroad. Meanwhile, Jacob's nephew starts businesses along the railroad. A cousin — a dreamy fashion designer, before her parents were killed — wanders in, needing help. Beautifully filmed, this chapter (the fourth of six) is also relentlessly dark and solemn.

OF NOTE

"Rock Star," (2001), 4 p.m., UPN (KIKU). Mark Wahlberg plays an ordinary chap in one of those "tribute bands"; suddenly, he gets to step into the band he's been copying. Jennifer Aniston plays his girlfriend and manager.

"Legally Blonde," (2001), 6 p.m., TBS. Reese Witherspoon plays a sorority girl whose pink and perky facade causes people to assume she's a ditz. She's a good soul, though, and when she decides to enter Harvard Law School, everyone changes. The result is fairly one-note, but still fun.

"Joy Ride," (2001), 7 p.m., Fox. A prank goes bad and soon three young people — Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski and Steve Zahn — are being stalked by a vengeful trucker.

"Numb3rs," 9 p.m., CBS. Don (Rob Morrow) learns that an artist is being held hostage to help counterfeiters. If they can't find her soon he feels, she'll be killed. Complications build when his former girlfriend is assigned to the case.

"Law & Order: Trial by Jury," 9 p.m., NBC. A gay prisoner has been killed, and federal officials demand the officers responsible be arrested and convicted. That isn't easy; Detective Ravell (Scott Cohen) finds police resistance and creates new problems.