Like a shoot poking up from the ground during a March thaw, the first little signs of what will be the 2008-09 television season are starting to make themselves felt. NBC had a wonderful promotional platform during the Olympics, but without much new to promote, the peacock spent most of its energy trying to re-interest viewers in its existing, and flagging, prime-time lineup (I saw more ads for Heroes than for anything else). We'll see if it pays off when the numbers come in for tonight's Deal or No Deal (8 PM).

The game show has held up reasonably well over the last three seasons, despite what would seem to be some real drawbacks: its host is Howie Mandel, it takes no real skill, and it holds out the promise of an ultimate cash prize that no one has ever been able to win. However, there is going to be a $1 million winner this season, as the ads have been telling us incessantly. They didn't actually come out and say it would happen tonight, but if people draw that inference, I'm sure NBC won't mind the misunderstanding one bit. Mondays were a complete disaster for the network this summer, so any change will be welcome.

Democratic National Convention: The donkeys meet in Denver for the next four days. CNN begins its coverage at 6 PM, as does C-Span, which will take its minimalist no-pundits approach. As has been the case for the last few election cycles, the big three networks will join the fray at 10 for the night's key speech, by Michelle Obama.

America's Toughest Jobs NBC, 9 PM): This was inevitable, I suppose: the macho reality trend gets its own game show. Thom Beers, the producer of most of those blue collar shows, puts thirteen contestants to tests such as ice road trucking, drilling for oil, and logging, with the players judged week to week by their new coworkers. The eventual grand prize is the combined annual salary of all the jobs that are performed.

I Want to Work For Diddy (VH1, 9 PM): Diddy challenges the teams to create a viral video about him that will be judged by visitors to his website. Isn't the whole point of a viral video that you can't intentionally create one -- it has to bubble up from the masses? No one is going to get spontaneously excited by Diddy in 2008.

The Apprentice UK (CNBC, 9 PM): Yes, CNBC makes a rare appearance in What2Watch. This is for you, Maria Bartiromo! The network is airing the first season of the British version of the series, which features Sir Alan Sugar in the part of Donald Trump.

The Black List: Volume One (HBO, 9 PM): The HBO summer documentary series ends tonight, and I really hope the network makes it an annual tradition, even though the series lost steam towards the end. A number of prominent African-Americans ranging from Chris Rock to Richard Parsons to Toni Morrison to the dirty book writer "Zane" discuss the current state of black America. Elvis Mitchell conducts the interviews, and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders directs.

The Closer (TNT, 9 PM): Kevin Bacon slides into the director's chair on his wife's series for an episode that features the squad reacting to the shooting of Sanchez's brother. The investigation becomes complicated by leaks and by Sanchez's own understandable anger.

Saving Grace (TNT, 10 PM): Grace looks into the beating death of a young Mexican woman in a case that develops racial overtones; Ham continues to have difficulty coping. This series goes on break after tonight (the new Raising the Bar takes over the time slot next week).

The Hills (MTV, 10 PM): Would it be giving away too much to say that all the girls are preoccupied with boys this week? Lauren gets back together with an old Laguna Beach acquaintance, Whitney is enamored of a model, and Audrina is juggling a pair of real winners.

The Middleman (ABC Family, 10 PM): Wendy and the Middleman are forced to take action when Ida, herself a robot, is infected with nanobots that turn her evil. Ida is scary enough in her non-nano version.

Weeds (Showtime, 10 PM): Silas's new business is doing better than expected, forcing him to seek out Nancy for help; the initial passion is dying for Doug and Maria; Nancy's issues with Guillermo intensify; Celia proves to be as big a pain in the ass in rehab as she is anywhere else.

Exiled (MTV, 10:30 PM): This sounds like wish fulfillment for MTV's adult viewership: spoiled brats previously seen on the repellent My Super Sweet 16 are dragged out of the mall and into places like Kenya, which we see in tonight's premiere. I'll bet there's a luxury hotel off camera, Bear Grylls-style.

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