Fall Premiere
Amy Brenneman ("NYPD Blue") returns to TV as the producer and star of Judging Amy (8 p.m. Sun., CBS), a drama about a corporate lawyer/single mom who goes back to her New England hometown to become a juvenile court judge. Yes, it's "Providence" in robes. Tyne Daly co-stars as Amy's sourpuss mother (who, in a bold departure from "Providence," is not a ghost). The series has a preview in this Sunday time slot, then moves to Tuesdays, opposite "NYPD Blue" (uh-oh).
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Series
Brian Epstein, the Beatles' ill-fated manager, is profiled on a new Biography (8 p.m. EDT/9 PDT, Fri., A&E). The Emmy-winning Chris Rock Show (11:30 p.m. Fri., HBO) kicks off its new season of talk and comedy. Musician D'Angelo is the guest. Saturday Night Live (11:30 p.m. Sat., NBC) reruns the Monica episode,which also features Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ricky Martin. 60 Minutes (7 p.m. Sun., CBS) has its season opener. NBC honors 13-time Emmy winner (oh, alright, four) Helen Hunt with a rebroadcast of the hour-long finale of Mad About You (8 p.m. Sun., NBC). Janeane Garofalo is in it, too, but if you don't want to lose all respect for her, you'll skip it. On Sex and the City (9 p.m. Sun., HBO), Carrie dates an alcoholic. Action (9:30 p.m. Sun., Fox) has a bonus encore of the pilot, in case you missed it. The Practice (10 p.m. Sun., ABC) repeats that dizzy finale from last season, where Lindsay gets stabbed and Helen and the firm face a revolving door of suspects.
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Specials
The Miss America Pageant (8 p.m. Sat., ABC) gets (sort of) a makeover, with new scoring rules and more video profiles. Whatever. Donny and Marie host. In David Cross: The Pride is Back (10 p.m. Sat., HBO), the elfin half of "Mr. Show" duo Bob (Odenkirk) and David does a solo stand-up gig in Seattle. The two-hour documentary It's Only Talk: The Real Story of America's Talk Shows (8 p.m. EDT/9 PDT, Sun., A&E) chronicles the rise of TV talk shows, from the early days of Art Linkletter and Steve Allen to the age of Letterman, Leno and Jerry Springer. William H. Macy wrote and stars in the cable movie A Slight Case of Murder (8 p.m. Sun., TNT), an offbeat adaptation of Donald E. Westlake's mystery about a movie critic (Macy) with a secret. Adam Arkin and James Cromwell play the cop and P.I. on his trail; Felicity Huffman ("Sports Night"), who is married to Macy in real-life, plays one of Macy's many girlfriends. John Stossel wonders Is America #1? (9 p.m. Sun., ABC), an ABC News special comparing the gap between rich and poor in the U.S. and around the world.
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Sports
Baseball:
Expos at Braves (7:35 p.m. Fri., 7:05 p.m. Sat., TBS)
Orioles at Angels (10 p.m. Sat., FX)
Football:
Colts at Patriots, Raiders at Vikings, Chargers at Bengals, Jaguars at Panthers, Steelers at Ravens or Seahawks at Bears (1 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Cardinals at Dolphins, Packers at Lions, Redskins at Giants or Buccaneers at Eagles (1 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Saints at 49ers (4:05 p.m. Sun., Fox)
Browns at Titans (4:15 p.m. Sun., CBS)
Jets at Bills (8:15 p.m. Sun., ESPN)
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Talk
Rosie O'Donnell (syndicated) Jenna Elfman, Esther Williams
Martin Short (syndicated) Kelly Preston
David Letterman (CBS) Heather Locklear, Keyshawn Johnson
Jay Leno (NBC) David Hyde Pierce, Mariska Hargitay
Politically Incorrect (ABC) Drew Carey, Ali Landry
Conan O'Brien (NBC) Jenna Elfman, Jerry Springer
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