Tonight's TV Hot List for Thursday, April 23, 2009

Trouble the Water
8:30 pm/ET HBO
If you think you've seen it all about Hurricane Katrina in 2005, give this 2008 Oscar-nominated documentary a look. Amateur videographer Kimberly Roberts and her husband shot footage before, during and after the storm from New Orleans' Ninth Ward, then, coincidentally, hooked up with filmmakers Tia Lessin and Carl Deal (whose credits include several Michael Moore films). Their collaboration reveals a story seldom seen by TV cameras, and the Roberts' optimism in the face of so much loss is a tribute to the human spirit. —Joe Friedrich
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
9 pm/ET CBS
Henry Thomas guest stars in this top-notch puzzler as convicted murderer Jeremy Kent, who wins the right to a new trial in the bludgeoning death of a 91-year-old man in 1991. Kent claims he was misled by his court-appointed lawyer and that his conviction is based strictly on circumstantial evidence, false testimony and errors made by Catherine, who was working her first solo case. As Catherine reinvestigates the crime, her case begins to fall apart and she fears Kent may be telling the truth. —Tim Holland
Grey's Anatomy
9 pm/ET ABC
Izzie's surgery. Cristina and Owen's tumultuous breakup. And all the effort that Derek put into proposing to Meredith. No wonder the hot docs needed a month off. But they're back tonight, and in full wedding-preparation mode. That includes Izzie, who isn't going to let a silly thing like cancer stop her from being a wedding belle. Her illness does affect Alex, though, and it'll show in his work. Meanwhile, Callie's dad (Hector Elizondo) is back for a visit. Think he'll be pleased about Arizona? —Paul Droesch
The Beast
10 pm/ET A&E
The network's original crime drama closes its first season with an uncertain future and its lead actor, Patrick Swayze, continuing his fight against pancreatic cancer. In the season ender, Barker (Swayze) gets a break in a case he's followed his entire career, but never put to rest, when he receives a list of six people involved in the crime. —Bill Ecklund
Southland
10 pm/ET NBC
He's young, handsome and from a privileged background, so why would Ben Sherman decide to become a cop? The answer becomes clear tonight when Ben's motivations are revealed in a frank discussion with his partner and the department therapist. C. Thomas Howell and Tom Sizemore guest star in the episode as a celeb-adoring cop and an irresponsible star, respectively, whose paths cross. Considering Sizemore's checkered past, he won't have to do much acting. —Rhoda Charles