Tonight's TV Hot List: Monday, Jan. 3, 2011

The Bachelor
8/7c ABC
In the annals of Bachelor history, no villain has been more hissable than Brad Womack (Booooooooooo!!!), the Austin saloonkeeper who spurned both Jenni and DeAnna in 2007. Brad says that has paid dearly for his sins ("I hit rock bottom"), and that therapy has made him more kissable. He hopes. We'll see, beginning tonight, when he meets the 30 gals he'll be sifting through over the next two months. A dentist, an undertaker and a "manscaper" are among them. But first there's an encounter with Jenni and DeAnna. Then the first gal out of the limousine slaps him. Hard. — Paul Droesch

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Orange Bowl
8:30/7:30c ESPN
The Stanford Cardinal take on the Virginia Tech Hokies in Miami in a battle of teams with similar strengths. Both offenses operate behind physical offensive lines, opening holes for corps of talented running backs. Both also have game-changing quarterbacks, with Stanford led by likely future NFL first-rounder Andrew Luck, and Tech countering with passing-running threat Tyrod Taylor. While Stanford lost only one game this season (to powerhouse Oregon), the white-hot Hokies have rolled off 11 straight wins after dropping their first two games. — Dave Roeder
The Closer
9/8c TNT
A swell belle rings loudly when the prime-crime series closes out its sixth season tonight. (The show will return for a seventh season, but it will be its last.) Georgia belle Brenda Leigh Johnson isn't so peachy when three distinct dramas — the apprehension of a crack addict, a potentially shady rehab facility and a missing young woman — swirl around her newest investigation. Worse, the case soon causes Gabriel to doubt Brenda's judgment and forces Fritz to dig up dark secrets from his past. — Dean Maurer

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American Experience9/8c PBS The sterling documentary series' season premiere offers a profile of the fascinating and flawed Robert E. Lee, the infamous Confederate general who led the rebel Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Accented by excerpts from his letters and the insights of historians, it offers a well-rounded portrait, and also explores why, following his 1870 death, he was essentially deified by many Southerners. — Jeff GemmillGreek9/8c ABC Family Several characters graduated in last year's season finale, so changes abound in the fourth-season opener: Casey and Evan begin law school, while Ashleigh tries to get her career off the ground in New York City. Meanwhile, the undergraduates are also making transitions, as Rebecca becomes president of ZBZ and Calvin of Omega Chi. Rusty would like to assume that role for KT, but in order to do that, he needs to convince eternal student Cappie to step down. — Jennifer Sankowski

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Hawaii Five-010/9c CBS Wo Fat (Mark Dacascos) fears McGarrett is getting too close to discovering the truth about his mother's murder, on the first episode of the new year. As a result, Steve's sister (Taryn Manning) is kidnapped and the tool box containing the evidence surrounding their mom's death is stolen from McGarrett's house. The ensuing investigation begins to unravel the mystery behind the 1992 homicide and its possible connection to the Japanese mafia. — Tim HollandCastle10:01/9:01c ABC Det. Beckett pretends to be annoyed by the ubiquitous presence of Rick Castle, the mystery writer who finds inspiration from both her and her cases. She may not have to fake it, however, when the actress cast as Nikki Heat (Laura Prepon) in Castle's optioned best-seller comes to town to research her character. Things turn awkward during the investigation of a murdered matchmaker when the starlet makes herself over in the exact image of Beckett, but for Castle, it's all good! Melody Thomas Scott and Thomas Calabro also guest star. — Rhoda Charles