Critic's corner

10 p.m., Channel 7
L'Chaim! After an extra-long break due to the writers' strike, this detective series returns for season 2 with a more light-hearted tone. Damian Lewis is all off-beat Zen attitude as the cop who was wrongfully imprisoned for 12 years, and Sarah Shahi is really refreshing as his partner. The tacit chemistry between the two is perfect. Pictured (from left): Lewis, Brent Sexton, and Shahi.

9 p.m., TLC
Glad Kate isn't named Kirteen.

9 p.m., Channel 7
Good gets mad at Evil. Evil gets even.

8 p.m., Channel 56
Meet the new queen, same as the old queen, but with blond highlights.

8 p.m., Channel 7
The Nerd Herd returns. The show that revolves around a big-box store called Buy More is back. Tonight, unlikely spy Chuck asks out his handler, Sarah, on a real first date. Also, Michael Clarke Duncan guest stars as the new bad guy with whom Chuck will do battle.

8 p.m., Channel 5
Cloris: The Bunion Lady rocks it.

10 p.m., Channel 4
Gas prices fuel a crime wave. Because Humvee drivers go berserk?

Comcast New Releases
A movie with Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise and Robert Redford that makes the eyelids droop? But that's what this gassy position paper on the war does. Directed by Redford and written by Matthew Michael Carnahan ("The Kingdom"), the story is divided into three sections shuffled into a movie. The least aggravating is between Cruise as a hawkish senator and Streep as the cable-news reporter interviewing him. Several of Redford's films have their chalkboard moments. Intellectually speaking, this is the first to come with a set of fingernails. (R; runs through Oct. 8) - Wesley Morris