Tonight it is mostly about the Academy Awards and who will get the Oscar statuettes. But, for those who are looking for something else tonight, there is a new Grease and Crossing Jordan on NBC and a new Amazing Race on CBS. On cable both The Dresden Files and Battlestar Galactica on Sci Fi Channel are new. Also, you might find a TV show marathon of interest today. The two of note are Dirty Jobs and Law & Order: SVU. Will you be watching the Academy Awards, TV marathon, nothing at all or something that’s been sitting on your TiVo ? What will you be watching tonight?

Prime Pick

The 79th Annual Academy Awards (ABC): New. Ellen DeGeneres host the festivities as awards are handed out for the best achievement in film for last year. The broadcast is scheduled to run three hours. Here in Seattle the awards ceremony is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. with two and a half hours of pregame show leading up to it.

Solid Selections

The Simpsons (FOX): Repeat. The “Kill Gil Vol. 1 & 2” episode replays.
The Simpsons (FOX): Repeat. The “Treehouse of Horror XVII” replays.

Crossing Jordan (NBC): Repeat. There is a copycat killer of the female persuasion killing people in Boston and Jordan and Woody seek help from the original to try and catch her.

Crossing Jordan (NBC): New. Ron Silver (The West Wing) guest stars as an attorney who is shot and presumed dead but really isn’t. That should make for one wild autopsy.

Cable Choices

Emeril Live (Food Network): New. Emeril gets all hot and spicy, Asian style.

The Dresden File (Sci Fi): New. Looks like there is some bad blood in tonight episode. Plays again later.

Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi): New. The labor leader is pushing for a strike and that puts Chief Tyrol on opposite sides with Adama. Plays again later.

Other Options

• The ½ Hour News Hour (FOX News): New. I haven’t watched this yet but it is supposed to be, I guess, a The Daily Show knockoff with a conservative bent. Have you seen it?
• Dirt (FX): Repeat. Last Tuesday’s “Things Under Your Bed” episode replays. Runs 65 minutes.
• Iron Chef America (Food Network): New. The challenger is chef Lynn Crawford and she takes on Iron Chef Bobby Flay.
• You Spoof Discovery (Discovery Channel): New. Viewers have sent in there comic takes on their favorite Discovery Channel shows. Plays twice tonight and could be funny, especially if you watch Discovery a lot.

Sports Notes

• ABC has an NBA doubleheader with the Chicago Bulls at the Detroit Pistons followed by the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Miami Heat.
• CBS has a college basketball tripleheader with Duke at St. John’s in the second game.
• ESPN has women’s college basketball with North Carolina at Duke and then later the Sacramento Kings at the Indiana Pacers in NBA action.
• FOX has NASCAR racing with the Nextel Cup: Auto Club 500.
• NBC has the final round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship.

Late Night

• Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC): New. Jimmy has Dr. Phil as a guest and Gwen Stefani performs in his After the Academy Awards special episode.

TV Marathons

A&E has 10 episodes of Criss Angel Mindfreak followed by 14 episodes of Dog the Bounty Hunter.
Discovery Channel has eight episodes of Dirty Jobs and then three more after a special called You Spoof Discovery.
Discovery Times has seven episodes of City Cops early.
FOX Reality has five episodes of For Love or Money.
MTV2 has 11 episodes of Wild ‘n Out.
Spike has five episodes of Pros vs. Joes.
TLC has five episodes of Flip That House.
USA has 16 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.