Original recipe CSI is now in its tenth season, which in TV terms means it should be within sight of the morgue itself. It has been bypassed by NCIS and (so far) by the new NCIS: Los Angeles as the top procedurals in the CBS lineup, with Criminal Minds coming up on the outside. And the numerous cast changes of late are the sorts of things you typically see when actors start worrying about a show's future. But while fans still seem a bit slow to accept Laurence Fishburne as the new lead, there is still good work being done here, and at least it's not a complete circus a la the major competition, Grey's Anatomy.

This week (CBS, Thursday 9 p.m.) features a guest star very familiar with the Thursday at 9 timeslot: Seinfeld nemesis Wayne Knight. The plot concerns a couple of humble office drones who work up a plan to rob a casino. It seems far-fetched, and since the caper ends with the CSIs on the scene looking into a murder, it just goes to show that in this economy, you should just be grateful for the job that you have. In the meantime, while we all miss the CSI insects, this is a show that still stands a good chance of reinventing itself and coming back strong.

Also this week:

Monday: Gossip Girl (CW, 9 p.m.): Two big guest stars this week, and it's not even sweeps! Hilary Duff plays an actress seeking the normal life at college, but seeing she's roomies with Vanessa, good luck with that. Also, Tyra Banks makes it work as an acting colleague of Duff's character, and Jenny celebrates the beginning of the prep school year, as she ascends to leadership of her clique.

Tuesday: The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8 p.m.): With the kitchen shut down, the contestants are urged to figure out how to order at restaurants in a healthy way. I usually just scan the menu for the words "deep fried" and go with that. Also, one of the contestants deals with a medical issue, and an endurance challenge brings many close to their breaking point.

Wednesday: Top Chef: Las Vegas (Bravo, 10 p.m.): The cheftestants prepare dinner for a "culinary council," which sounds very Harry Potter-ish. Also, a slot machine gives instructions for the Quickfire Challenge. This is a weird season so far, because it's already so obvious that Kevin, Jennifer, and the Voltaggio brothers will be the final four that everything else seems like filler.

Friday: Smallville (CW, 8 p.m.): There's a zombie plague in Smallville, and the antidote involves the blood of someone from Krypton. Too bad the only one of those hanging around town has a secret identity he doesn't want to expose. I love zombies so I regard this as a great development, especially since almost everyone I used to know on this series has flown the coop.

Saturday: Saturday Night Live (NBC, 11:30 p.m.): When Megan Fox hosted, Jennifer's Body had already failed so completely that she didn't even bother to plug it. Let's hope Whip It director Drew Barrymore has better luck when she helms the show. Barrymore will be joined by musical guest Regina Spektor, aka the one who's sort of like Feist, except she's not.

Sunday: The Girls Next Door (E!, 10:30 p.m.): For the sixth season, a new trio of girls is on hand to pretend that they're still sharing a bed with Playboy founder/mummy Hugh Hefner. Twins Kristina and Karissa Shannon go to Las Vegas to mark their appearance as Playmates. The other new member of the cast is Crystal Harris, and if you guessed she's blonde, you're highly observant.

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