Tonight's TV Hot List: Friday, Sept. 25, 2009

Medium
9/8c CBS
The paranormal drama about creepy spirits, dark unknowns and a psychic soccer mom who sees dead people does some strange channeling: Canceled by NBC, the show now rematerializes on CBS, completing a ghostly night on the Eye network. (Ghost Whisperer precedes the show.) In the Season 6 opener, Allison struggles through the aftermath of her brain surgery and its potential lasting impact on her life. This also being a crime drama, there's some bad-guy intrigue: A TV-station owner enlists Devalos and Scanlon to probe the purported stalking of his station's sportscaster — who also happens to be his wife. Natalie Zea and Pruitt Taylor Vince guest star. — Dean Maurer
Brothers
8/7c Fox
Former New York Giants great Michael Strahan leaves the gridiron for sitcom land and, as evidenced by tonight's enjoyable premiere, it's a smooth switch. So as not to have to stretch too far, he plays a former NFL star named Mike Trainor who moves back home with his parents and brother after his financial adviser does an end around and leaves him broke. In the premiere, Mike and a young lady have an overnight playdate at his parents' house, which Mom (CCH Pounder) considers a personal foul. — Ray Stackhouse
Dollhouse
9/8c Fox
The first season of Joss Whedon's twisted retake on The Prisoner opened with a proverbial thud, taking a good six episodes to lurch into gear. By the end, of course, it was a high-octane delight, ably balancing solid story-of-the-weeks with the show's overarching plot of Echo filling in her blank slate. The Season 2 premiere continues in that vein, with Echo engaged on an undercover mission for none other than Ballard that involves a not-so-nice businessman (Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber). Amy Acker, meanwhile, shines as Dr. Saunders, who experiences something of an identity crisis due to rather unique circumstances of her origins. — Jeff Gemmill
The Prisoner
8/7c IFC
The imaginative, mesmerizing — and enigmatic — British cult classic from the late 1960s gets a reprieve on the Independent Film Channel. Series creator Patrick McGoohan stars as a government agent known only as No. 6 (he has no name) who resigns his job and is placed in an apparently serene locale called the Village, where escape is impossible and all identities are mysteries. Although critically acclaimed, the series only ran for 17 episodes. Two more of them will follow the premiere. — Ray Stackhouse
Law & Order
8/7c NBC
Ever timely, the durable crime drama kicks off its 20th season with a question raised in the post-Bush Administration era: Should lawyers who green-lit harsh interrogation tactics in the War on Terror face charges for legitimizing torture? The murder of a veteran puts the issue on trial, with McCoy and Cutter on opposing sides of the debate. If that isn't sensational enough for you, wait until you see the bombshell Lt. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson) drops. — Michael Chant
Ghost Whisperer
8/7c CBS
After seasons of watching people cross over to the other side, fans get to celebrate a birth on the Jennifer Love Hewitt drama series! In the fifth-season opener, Melinda's baby boy is born, and she discovers that her child, Aiden, has her gift. — Bill Ecklund