Weekly Best Bets

Thursday

7:30 p.m. on NBC

The Office: Just because the show is called "The Office" doesn't mean every scene has to take place there. In the new episode "Traveling Salesmen," Andy (guest star Ed Helms) suggests that Michael (Steve Carell) send the staff out on sales calls, with some interesting results. Angela (Angela Kinsey) misses a big deadline, but Dwight's (Rainn Wilson) got her back ... sort of.

9 p.m. on USA

Nashville Star: The country cousin to "American Idol," this singing competition - now starting season five - lacks some of the elements that make "Idol" a pain and a chore. There's no upper age limit, it airs once a week - with repeats in case you miss it - and the guest judges get to perform. It does, however, have its own "Simon Cowell": recording executive Anastasia Brown. There's a new host this year: singer Jewel, aided by returning co-host Cowboy Troy.

Friday

8 p.m. on CBS Close to Home: Some folks take that club membership thing way too seriously. In the new episode "Getting In," Annabeth (Jennifer Finnigan) prosecutes an anesthesiologist for the death of a patient during a routine operation. The victim's husband insists the death was no accident, that the doctor blamed the patient for her failure to get into an exclusive country club. Good grief, that's no reason to kill someone; just spread some ugly gossip about her instead.

8 p.m. on NBC

Las Vegas: A little jealous there, Ed? Or just protective of an old friend? In the new episode "Fleeting Cheating Meeting," a favorite former employee of the Montecito (Kate Levering) comes for a stay, new husband (Judd Nelson) in tow. But Ed (James Caan) has a funny feeling about hubby and orders Mike and Danny (James Lesure, Josh Duhamel) to watch him closely. The band OK Go also

makes a guest appearance.

Saturday

7 p.m. on ABC The Terminal: There is no parking in the red

zone! An Eastern European man (Tom Hanks)

lands in New York to the news that a civil war has broken out in his country. With his homeland no longer recognized by the United

States government, he can't get into the country - or back to his own - so he's stuck in the airport terminal until things are resolved. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, Chi McBride and Zoe Saldana also star in this

2004 comedy-drama.

Sunday

7 p.m. on FOX

24: It's another day, another horror for anti-terrorism operative Jack Bauer. And he's got company. Rick Schroder ("NYPD Blue") joins the cast as another Counter Terrorism Unit agent who works with Jack in the field. Also new to the show are Peter MacNicol, Chad Lowe, Marisol Nichols, Regina King and Powers Boothe. The action starts unfolding tonight with a two-hour season premiere and continues with two more hours tomorrow.

Monday

7 p.m. on NBC

The 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards: Helen Mirren is a triple dipper! The British actress is up for three best actress Globes: for the theatrical film "The Queen," and "Elizabeth I" and "Prime Suspect" on television. Leonardo DiCaprio has two nominations for his work in "Blood Diamond" and "The Departed." Fans of TV's "Ugly Betty" will be pleased to know the show and its star, America Ferrera, are both nominated. New this year: a category for best animated film.

Tuesday

7 p.m. on FOX

American Idol: And here we go again! Television's hottest competition starts as it always does, with footage from the early audition rounds, where judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson try to find the truly talented among the William Hung wannabes and the genuinely clueless. Despite the glitz and glamour of the competition's later stages, this one remains the best source of drama, not to mention chuckle-and-snark material. Enjoy it while you can.

8 p.m. on NBC

Law & Order: Criminal Intent: All the Major Case Squad's cases are messy, but on a 1-to-10 messiness scale, this one's a 20. A firefighter is found stabbed to death after stopping a hate crime, and as Logan and Wheeler (Chris Noth, Julianne Nicholson) question family and colleagues, it appears he may have been the victim of a hate crime. The investigation raises a lot of hackles in the fire department in "Maltese Cross."

Wednesday

8 p.m. on CBS

Criminal Minds: He's clever; gotta give him that. In "Aftermath," the profilers try to track down a serial rapist who thinks he's thrown everyone off his scent. First, he took six weeks off. Then when he started raping again, he went after women who were very different from his original victims. Elle (Lola Glaudini) makes a decision that could let the rapist slip through their fingers ... and send her career slipping through hers.

9 p.m. on NBC

Medium: This new episode gives new meaning to the term "kindred spirits," as Allison (Patricia Arquette) encounters two ghosts who share an unusual friendship. One of them is a murder victim, but for some reason, he doesn't want her to catch his killer. Jake Weber, David Cubitt and Sofia Vassilieva also star in "Better Off Dead."