Critic's corner

10 p.m., USA
The comedy returns for its third season tonight with a guest appearance by Cybill Shepherd, who'll play Shawn’s mother. Shawn will need to play referee between his mother and his father, played by Corbin Bernsen. This show is only so-so, but the buddy chemistry between James Roday and Dule Hill as Shawn and Gus is giddy and cute.

10 p.m., VH1
Scarier than clowns.

10 p.m., A&E
Another chance to miss the series premiere. Take it.

9 p.m., USA
This show is giving me phobiaphobia.

10 p.m., Channel 4
This new SWAT-team procedural is pretty generic. The unit of cops is a collection of types, and they deal with very familiar crises. That said, it's new TV in the middle of a dry summer, and it features the likable Enrico Colantoni from "Veronica Mars" and "Just Shoot Me" as the team's father figure. Tonight, he tries to talk down an extremely distraught father who's about to do something desperate.

9 p.m., ESPN
Happy 100th, song.

8 p.m., Discovery Channel
Putting out a fire by yelling at it? "I have a headache" is easier.

**1/2 Free Movies
This underdog story works as hard to avoid cliches as its central runt works to make Notre Dame's football team. You're glad it's the "Hoosiers" team pushing the buttons here. The care and detail include a genuflection to working-class plainness and solidity as well as to football-worship. Sean Astin is sympathetic as the Rocky of South Bend, Ned Beatty is good as his steelworker father, and Jason Miller is a convincing coach Ara Parseghian. (PG, runs through July 30)