KEY POINTS:
TODAY'S PICKS
9:30PM, PRIME
THE LOST ROOM
After his memorable portrayal of Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under, Peter Krause returns to television playing another conflicted character in this noirish sci-fi thriller. Krause is Detective Joe Miller, who works homicide in Pittsburgh and comes into possession of a
key to the titular room: No. 10 at the Sunshine Motel on Route 66. The room doesn't exist but is behind every door that he puts the key into. Some strange event in the '60s has given the room and its contents mysterious powers - such as the watch that can boil eggs, the comb that can stop time or the glasses that can halt combustion.
To possess an object is to possess its power, so over the decades religious zealots and the plain greedy have been fighting to control the indestructible objects. Miller stumbles on this shadowy and cut-throat world when he loses his daughter, Anna, (Elle Fanning, sister of Dakota) in the room. As he desperately tries to find her, he realises that the key has made him a target but he can't give it up and forsake his daughter.
Joining Krause is a collection of excellent character actors playing victims, beneficiaries or seekers of objects. These include Peter Jacobson, Kevin Pollak, Roger Bart, Chris Bauer and Dennis Christopher, while Julianna Margulies plays the love interest and the leader of a group of object collectors. And just like the popular sci-fi drama Lost, much remains unexplained - but don't let that weigh on your mind as you enjoy some fine acting in this visually stunning mini-series.
8:30PM, TV ONE
CRIMINAL MINDS
Season two of Criminal Minds sees the return of Special Agent Jason Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) and his criminal profiling team at the FBI's behavioural analysis unit in Quantico.
Fans of the show will be rather disappointed to hear that Patinkin won't be back next season. However, he has been replaced by the equally watchable Joe Mantegna (who was recently seen in The Starter Wife).
Picking up from the end of season, the investigators continue to search for a psychopath and try to solve the mystery of a missing girl.
8.30PM, TV2
MCLEOD'S DAUGHTERS
Stevie's insistence on giving a stranger a ride has dire consequences for Alex's secret plan to propose, which could mean that the hitch-hiker is a) a psycho killer or b) looks like Brad Pitt.
8.30PM, TV3
TRANSFORMING KEEGAN
Part one of a two-part documentary about 5-year-old Keegan Maley, who was born with a cone-shaped head after his skull plates fused prematurely in the womb.
9.30PM, C4
THE MIGHTY BOOSH
Zoology has never been more fun. Vince describes himself as a Mowgli in flares with fabulous hair; Howard thinks he is the brains, a brooding maverick destined for better things.
9.30PM, TV ONE
THE F WORD
Return of Gordon Ramsay's fury-filled foodie show. Gordon's amateur kitchen brigade serve 50 diners including comedian Kathy Burke. MOVIES
MOVIES
8.30PM, SKY MOVIES
GLORY ROAD
Herald Rating: * * * *
Inspired by the true story of Texas basketball coach Don Haskins (Josh Lucas), who led the first all-black team to the 1966 NCAA National Basketball Championship title. (2006)
8.30PM, SKY MOVIES GREATS
AMERICAN BEAUTY
Herald Rating: * * * * *
Directed by Sam Mendes, it's about suburban husband and father Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), who is in the middle of a mid-life crisis and sees his salvation in the form of his teenage daughter's beautiful friend Angela (Mena Suvari). (1999)
8.30PM, MGM SKY DIGITAL
STAY HUNGRY
Herald Rating: * * *
Property developers move in and buy every house in a district except a small gym, where Mr Austria (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is preparing for a bodybuilding championship. Sally Field and Jeff Bridges also star. (1976)