What2Watch: Mondays Are Again Full Of Grace

TNT revives its flagship female-led shows.
Holly Hunter stars as Grace Andarko in TNT's "Saving Grace"
Holly Hunter stars as Grace Andarko in TNT's "Saving Grace" - TNT
Charlie Toft

TNT is bringing back both its female-led summer crime series tonight, giving things a nice little push as we approach the midpoint of television's so-called off-season. Saving Grace, which brought Holly Hunter out of mothballs last year, begins its second season tonight (TNT, 10 PM) following The Closer. Hunter has had this sort of performance in her all along, but was on the verge of getting overly domesticated by Hollywood. It's nice to see her raising hell.

The season begins with a moment of triumph for Grace: on what was supposed to be a day off, she winds up capturing someone on the FBI's most wanted list. The bust brings her a measure of local fame and praise at work, but Grace discovers that there is a downside to attention. Look forward to another season where Grace works to uncover the secrets of her past and put down the bad guys of Oklahoma City. And yes men, you can watch it too. Check out those jeans Hunter wears.

Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence (TCM, 8 PM): There are reasons you don't see Bill Murray interviewed all that much: his reputation for not wanting to analyze his own work and his general unpleasantness. Mitchell gets around part of the problem by asking Murray to expound instead on actors he admires. This is probably a safer line of inquiry than others Mitchell could bring up.

Top Gear (BBC America, 8 PM): A new season of having fun in the car (get your minds out of the gutter) and watching celebrities acting like giddy teenagers behind the wheel. We're supposed to be getting a U.S. version at some point, just at the time the very notion of entering a car is beginning to make our wallets ache. Tonight, a review of the Honda Element, and a game of "car soccer." So what happens when you take a dive in car soccer -- you crash into a wall on purpose?

China's Stolen Children (HBO, 9 PM): This is the sort of thing the boys from Beijing will love to see with the Olympics now less than a month away. Director Jezza Neumann and her crew worked completely undercover to document the black market for babies that has been a result of China's one-child policy. Subjects include a detective who hunts stolen children, and a trafficker who once sold his own son. Ben Kingsley narrates.

Jon & Kate Plus 8 (TLC, 9 PM): Jon wants the children to begin appreciating their heritage, so he cooks a traditional Korean meal for the family. However, the kids mostly react as kids tend to do when presented with food that's not from a box or purchased from beneath golden arches. I'm sure they sell candy in Korea. There's a nice loophole for the Gosselins.

Nashville Star (NBC, 9 PM): What is with the long pauses before Billy Ray Cyrus announces who has been eliminated? It's supposed to heighten the drama, but when it drags on for a half-minute, it makes one wonder if his attention is wandering towards hair products and being supported by his daughter in his old age. Losing your train of thought is an occupational hazard for anyone associated with this series, most of all its viewers. Anyhow, we're down to six now, seven if you count the increasingly unglued Laura and Sophie separately. I think their BFF days are rapidly nearing an end.

The Closer (TNT, 9 PM): If someone had told Kyra Sedgwick a decade ago that the role of her career would turn up on an off-brand cable channel, she would have wondered how things could have gone so wrong. But the basic cable series with network-like ratings and pay-cable prestige is back tonight with Sedgwick's Brenda investigating a massive fire near Los Angeles, a case which brings an old nemesis back in the picture. Also, Brenda and Fritz adjust to life in some cramped quarters.

The Mole (ABC, 9 PM and 10 PM): The 9 PM episode is a recap show for those who have missed the first five hours, which would seem to be about 97% of the American people judging by the ratings. I don't think it's a good idea for a network to preempt a show like this as ABC did last week; that won't help the numbers either. The new episode at 10 finds the players working hard for an exemption, which could be especially precious with only six players remaining.

Weeds (Showtime 10 PM): Nancy is turning into a real criminal now. It's sort of frightening to watch, as if we all have such potential buried beneath our placid suburban selves. Something to think about before you make that nasty comment about how lame W2W is. Tonight, Nancy discovers the down side of the new duties Guillermo has given her, Andy tries to get back home in the company of some uncomprehending illegals, and Celia gets a major surprise.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl(Showtime, 10:30 PM): Belle tries to patch things up with Ben, who is hurt to discover she has been keeping secrets. To be fair, it was a pretty big secret. Also tonight, the series goes where the huge majority of its male fans -- present company excepted, of course -- have been hoping it would all along, as Belle has a booking that involves a second woman, an assignment that brings out some competitive feelings.


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