Tonight's TV Hot List: Friday, Sept. 18, 2009

Crash
10/9c Starz!
The second season gets underway with a compelling and involving episode that introduces new characters and catches up with some from Season 1. Front and center is the riveting Dennis Hopper as former entertainment mogul Ben Cendars, who's back in L.A. after months in rehab. He's on a driven mission to find out who killed his youngest daughter. Among the new faces, Eric Roberts stands out as visionary tycoon Seth Blanchard, who's bound and determined to bring an NFL franchise to the city. — Ray Stackhouse
Guiding Light
3/2c CBS
It's a bittersweet day for Guiding Light viewers as the longest-running scripted drama bids adieu to its fans today with the final episode of its 72-year run on radio and TV. Over the past few weeks, there's been a parade of past stars as the writers have been tying up loose ends and mending fences that have been broken for decades. But as the Bauers, Coopers, Lewises and Spauldings move on with their lives, this tearjerker will remind viewers what its scribes have been writing about for more than seven decades: the power of family and love. — Sue Tuttle

2009 ALMA Awards
8/7c ABC
Latino Hollywood's top estrellas shine at the National Council of La Raza's annual salute to Hispanic achievement in entertainment and sports. Once again, executive producer Eva Longoria Parker hosts the festivities (joined this year by George Lopez), and if you plan to count the number of times she changes clothes, note that last year's total was 10. Other performers include Shakira, David Archuleta, Nelly Furtado, Sean Kingston and Pitbull. Taped last night in L.A. — Paul Droesch
Eureka
9/8c Syfy
Have you ever had one of those really bad days where your love interest is considering a job on another continent, your daughter is set to go away for college and a supercollider test goes wrong and leaves a magnetic problem hanging over your head? No? Well, the third-season finale provides a handy way for you to vicariously experience the bad day suffered by Sheriff Carter (Colin Ferguson). — Michael Chant
Monk
9/8c USA
Natalie becomes convinced that a critic, who condemns Julie's performance in a play, actually committed a murder that occurred at the same time as the play. Of course, it's no secret that a mother's love knows no bounds. So it's up to Monk to figure out if Natalie is correct in her suspicions, or if it's just her protective instincts kicking in. Dylan Baker guest stars as the critic and the object of Natalie's ire. — Brie Hearn
Dog Whisperer
9/8c National Geographic
Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum joins the ranks of Cesar's celebrity clientele when he seeks help socializing his tenacious 10-month-old French bulldog, Miles, who's not so nice to other dogs. Then the host tackles a more severe case when he tries to rehabilitate a pit bull that worked with sick children as a therapy dog until she got banned from the program for killing another pup. — Karen Andzejewicz