TODAY'S MUST-SEE OR TAPE

"Fringe," 8 p.m., Fox, and "True Blood," 6 p.m., HBO. Here's a genre TV has mastered. These are smart thrillers — shows that are weird and visceral, yet also have deeply textured characters. "Fringe" reruns Tuesday's debut. Investigating a mass death, an FBI agent (Anna Torv) links with a semi-crazed scientist and his skeptical son. "True Blood" says synthetic blood allows a vampire to live openly. A wide-eyed waitress (Anna Paquin) was delighted when one moved into her little Louisiana town. In the opener, she rescued him from two nasties. As the hour ended, they were savagely beating her in revenge. There's more ferocity tonight, alongside some wonderfully tender moments.

SUNDAY'S MIGHT-SEE

"Desperate Housewives," 8 p.m., ABC. The new season starts in two weeks. First, here's a rerun of the season finale. It ends bizarrely, leaping five years ahead to set up the new season.

OF NOTE

"Secrets of the Dinosaur Mummy," 3 p.m., Discovery Channel. In 2000, this fascinating documentary says, a freelance paleontologist in the Badlands found the best-preserved dinosaur ever. Apparently buried by a sandbar, it fossilized quickly. For years, it was the pride of Malta, a Montana town of 2,120. Then — in circumstances brushed over quickly — it was taken by federal officials. Now scientists search 77 million years in the past.

"Mad Men," 7 p.m., AMC. Earlier, Peggy gave sermon-writing advice to a young priest. Now he wants help with another project.

"Entourage," 7 p.m., HBO. In last week's season-opener, Vince finally realized how thoroughly his career had been damaged by one awful film. Now he's not sure the damage can be contained.

"Privileged," 8 p.m., CW (Oceanic Digital Channel 93). Here's a rerun of another good show that debuted Tuesday. Joanna Garcia gives a warm and funny portrait of a Yale graduate who tutors two rich teen girls.

"Cold Case," 8 p.m., CBS. A woman brings fresh indications that her grandmother's death, 46 years ago, was murder.