Posted on: Monday, June 13, 2005

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"The Closer" debut, 6 and 9 p.m., TNT. Think of all the best scenes of "Homicide," the ones with a master interrogator at work. That's what this show has each week. Kyra Sedgwick plays Brenda Johnson, a newcomer to the Los Angeles police department. She's from Atlanta and can offer all the soft Southern charm a situation needs. She also can turn tough and taut. Each week, we'll see her investigating. But the best moments come when she's in the interrogation room trying to close the case. Tonight, she's perplexed. The victim's fingerprints are nowhere in his house, yet his companion's fingerprints are everywhere. It's a tough case, but Johnson is a master of this and Sedgwick is fantastic. In the tradition of Andre Braugher in "Homicide," a gifted actor tackles a terrific role.

Of Note

"Six Feet Under," 6 p.m., HBO. The opening death scene is one of this show's briefest, but it sets up some introspection for Nate. Beyond that, the show continues last week's deeply morose tone. In particular, Ruth and Brenda see their lives crumbling.

"The Scholar," 7 p.m., ABC. Last week, this show's appealing young contestants merely had to take a quiz and solve puzzles. In the second episode, they also must show school spirit.

"Everybody Loves Raymond," 8 p.m., CBS. This delightful rerun starts with Robert in a rare state of celebration. His parents have moved to a retirement community in New Jersey and have sold their home to him cheap. Now comes the catch, in a delightful episode.

"Great Performances: Operatunity," 9 p.m., PBS. "American Idol" and "Nashville Star" have already shown there's great, undiscovered talent out there. Now we see the English National Opera search for someone with no operatic experience. They hear splendid voices from a builder, a lawyer, a pig farmer and a blind mother of three. This documentary spends too much time saying how difficult it will be to train the winner in "only" a year. Beyond that, it's well made.

"Medium," 9 p.m., NBC. Allison reconnects with the psychic she met in the first episode. Alas, she soon starts to feel her husband is having an affair.