TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Shark," 8 p.m., CBS. It's been a tough year for this intense drama. "Shark" moved to Sundays, with so-so success; after the writers' strike, CBS left it in limbo, assigned it to 10 p.m. Tuesdays, then made a late move to the 9 p.m. slot.

After all this, we get a smart episode filled with twists and turns. Facing disbarment, Stark (James Woods) struggles to convict two dangerous men.

Woods is great as usual, with fine people in support. Paula Marshall arrives as a lawyer who controls Stark's fate; his daughter (Danielle Panabaker) has some moving moments, including a wonderfully frank scene with her mom.

TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE

"Women's Murder Club," 9:02 p.m., ABC. Here's another underappreciated show, finally back from the strike. ABC is giving it just three weeks to prove itself.

Lindsay (Angie Harmon) bends the rules to catch a killer. She meets her dad (Gerald McRaney), but isn't happy about it. And she actually meets a guy (Joel Gertsch) she likes.

OF NOTE

"NCIS," 7 p.m., CBS. Tony and Jardine head to Iraq for a murder investigation.

"American Idol," 7 p.m., Fox. After a tough Broadway week — with the steeply talented Carly Smithson eliminated - the five survivors tackle Neil Diamond songs.

"Saturday Night Live," 7:30 p.m., NBC. Alec Baldwin has hosted "SNL" 13 times, with sketches that ranged from awful (the scoutmaster and waterboy) to brilliant. This assembles some of them.

"Carrier," 9 p.m., PBS. After expecting to go to Korea, the sailors aboard the USS Nimitz head to Iraq. There, they face 120-degree heat and boredom. Pilots find that they are taking photos, not dropping bombs.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. A sometimes-good show sinks into wretched excess. The villain (Robin Williams, no less) is a grieving widower who goes to extreme steps - so extreme that this seems neither credible nor interesting. Even Williams, a gifted actor, has moments when he goes too far.

"The Riches," 7 p.m., FX. Dahlia (Minnie Driver) battles her demons, while lying to the outside world and to her husband. Meanwhile, he has his own lies to live down, as other scam artists wedge in on his action. It's another strong and sometimes painful hour.