Tonight on the Tube: Cold Case, Crossing Jordan, King of the Hill and NBA Basketball

There are a few TV marathons around for you or your kids or you and your kids, if you like, today. For the NBA fan, you can create your own basketball marathon by watching the doubleheader on ABC followed by the game on ESPN and most of the game on NBA TV, if you have it, after that. This works best if you have somebody around to bring you more chips or another beverage and a nice sandwich at some point. If not, at least you will get some exercise running back and forth between the kitchen and the TV during commercial breaks. Another way to kill the day would be watching the Back to the Future trilogy on AMC, complete with commercial interruptions. Those just looking for the bright spots on the networks tonight, look no further than Cold Case, Crossing Jordan, The Simpsons and the season premiere of King of the Hill. On cable they would be The Dresden Files and Battlestar Galactica. What will keep you firmly entrenched on your couch today?

Prime Picks

Cold Case (CBS): New. Two murders happened at the exact same time and the case has haunted Miller since she believes there must be a connection. The cases get reopened.

Desperate Housewives (ABC): Repeat. Gaby and Carlos go all War of the Roses in this replay from earlier in the season while Susan is struggling with her feelings for two men. Runs 61 minutes.

Crossing Jordan (NBC): New. The Boston police shot a young boy 33 times and the case falls to Woody, Lu and Jordan to investigate while there may be a death in the coroner’s office.

Solid Selections

The Simpsons (FOX): New. The family tells stories of revenge to pass the time after their car breaks down.
King of the Hill (FOX): Season Premiere. Peggy makes friends with Carolyn who thinks she is personification of being a woman.

The Valley of Light (CBS): Released 2007. This made for TV movie stars Chris Klein as a WWII veteran who assists a young widow and a mute boy. Runs two hours.

Cable Choices

Emeril Live (Food Network): New. Emeril goes all ragin’ Cajun with the cuisine tonight.

The Dresden Files (Sci Fi): New. Ghost wants justice to be served to her killer and will not go away until it happens. Where is Jennifer Love Hewitt when you need her? Last week’s series premiere episode replays right before this one. This episode also replays again tonight.

Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi): New. Former president Baltar is interrogated aboard the Galactica. This episode replays again later.

Other Options

• 13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (TBS, TNT): New. Actors honor other actors with a Lifetime Achievement Award going to Julie Andrews. Runs two hours.
• Dirt (FX): Repeat. Last Tuesday’s new episode replays tonight.
• Brothers & Sisters (ABC): Repeat. A very funny repeat episode where events conspire to send the whole clan up to the ranch separately believing that nobody else will be there. Not original by any stretch of the imagination but fun to watch none the less.

Sports Notes

• ABC has an NBA doubleheader with the Phoenix Suns at the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first game and then the San Antonio Spurs at the Los Angeles Lakers in the second.
• CBS has final round golf coverage of the Buick Invitational with Tiger Woods lurking just two shots back of the leaders.
• ESPN has Winter X Games coverage with an NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers in the middle.
• ESPN2 has women’s college basketball.
• NBA TV has the Miami Heat at the Chicago Bulls who may be missing Ben Wallace after he was carried of the court with a bad looking knee injury last night.
• NBC has the Dallas Stars at the Anaheim Ducks in NHL action.

TV Marathons

AMC plays the Back to the Future trilogy during the day.
Bravo has its standard eight-episode Sunday marathon of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Comedy Central has 20 episodes of Comedy Central Presents, which has different standup comics performing.
Disney Channel plays another 21 straight episodes of The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.
MTV has six episodes of True Life.
MTV2 has 16 episodes of Pimp My Ride.
Travel Channel has 10 episodes of Living With the Kombai Tribe: The Adventures of Mark and Olly.