Shear Genius doesn't get as much attention as Bravo competition siblings Project Runway and Top Chef, probably because the designers don't seem as outrageous. There are plenty of flamboyant people in the hair biz -- it seems to be practically a requirement for men who cut hair -- and several of the contenders this year have had the requisite look and vocabularies (though we haven't reached Top Chef levels of bleeping). But the overall drama level is generally kept low. Maybe it's just that we don't have characters as memorable as Tabatha and Dr. Boogie this time around, or at least it seems so to me.

This week's penultimate episode (10 PM) finds the final four in a tricky challenge that involves identical twins. Afterwards, the cutters have to come up with something novel for a photo shoot. The man who Jaclyn Smith is sure to introduce as her personal stylist, Jose Eber, is the guest judge this week. So who is the favorite? I have to root for Charlie, but the Charlie Curse is probably too much to overcome. Look for Dee to come on strong these next two weeks.

Olympics Highlights: The primetime show (NBC, 8 PM) will be highlighted by live coverage of the women's beach volleyball final, with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the U.S. That match will start at 11 PM. Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who might not be entirely human, will try to add a 200M gold medal in the evening's track highlight. There is also the gymnastics exhibition featuring medalists, basically an excuse for NBC to run them just one more night. The midnight show on CNBC will cover the women's 20K walk, the practical joke that became a sport.

Greatest American Dog (CBS, 8 PM): We're getting near the end of the line here, and I still think Travis and Presley are the favorites, although the show's efforts to give Travis love interests seem more than a little forced. I have no idea what last week's painting challenge was supposed to prove. If they had judged the animals based on how much of the paint they ate, that would at least have had something to do with normal dog behavior.

Architecture School (Sundance, 9 PM): This six-part series covers architecture students at Tulane University as they design a home in New Orleans to replace one destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I lived with some future architects when I was in college, and I sure hope the kids in this series are more likable.

Ghost Hunters International (SciFi, 9 PM): Season finale: the hunters visit a pair of castles in Romania, including Poienari Castle, where Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula, made his happy home. There are loads of famous serial killers, but only one known as "the impaler." That's really quite an honor, when you think about it.

Monster Quest (History, 9 PM): I guess it was inevitable that the rural part of the eastern U.S. would want to get in on Bigfoot hysteria eventually. The "Monster of Whitehall" has been talked about since the 1970s: he's a huge creature in upstate New York that has a voice like a screaming woman.

Project Runway (Bravo, 9 PM): RuPaul is the guest judge as the designers are tasked with creating flamboyant outfits for drag queens. Eh, whatever. They got rid of Kelli last week, and I'm going to need some time to deal. C'mon, it was just one bad day, and that orange-skinned weirdo is still there!

Criss Angel Mindfreak (A&E, 10 PM and 10:30 PM): Angel goes to New Orleans, one of the few places in America where he can blend right in. He performs little tricks for tourists, including one inside a voodoo shop, and then tries to escape from a pair of straitjackets as he is hung above Bourbon Street.

Dinner Impossible (Food Network, 10 PM): Michael Symon, winner of last year's Iron Chef competition, takes over as host of this show. Tonight's task: dinner for 125 on Alcatraz Island, where Symon has a limited amount of time for prep. I don't even want to know what happens to Symon if the meal isn't up to snuff.

Family Foreman (TV Land, 10 PM): Season finale: the Foreman kids plan a benefit in honor of their grandmother, while George and Joan try to keep the fires burning after spending too much time apart. This is a nice family. But is nice good enough for a second season?

Run's House (MTV, 10 PM): Justine considers getting a beauty mark permanently applied; Diggy and Russy look forward to the day when they can get their braces removed. Boys, the small amount of pain now will be worth it later. I never got braces and as a result, I haven't smiled since 1987.

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