Tonight's TV Hot List: Sunday, April 18, 2010

Academy of Country Music Awards
8/7c CBS
Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift are the hottest acts in country music, and both should walk away from tonight's 45th annual Las Vegas shindig, hosted by Reba McEntire, with some serious hardware. Lady A leads all artists with seven nominations, including top vocal group and album of the year. Swift is up for five trophies and is a strong contender for Entertainer of the Year, an award voted on by fans. The stellar lineup includes Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, and Brooks and Dunn, who will be taking the stage for the last time at an awards show as a performing duo. — Tim Holland
Desperate Housewives
9/8c ABC
Welcome back to Wisteria Lane. We've been away for a month, so let's catch up. Remember those young newcomers Irina (Helena Mattsson) and Sam (Sam Page)? Look for Lynette to finally find something out about Preston's "Eurotrash" fiancée, while Bree will take a harder look at her squeaky-clean stepson. (Or is he?) Meanwhile, Danny Bolen meets his biological father, Angie's murderous ex-boyfriend, Patrick (John Barrowman). And speaking of murder, look for a Fairview Strangler development. — Paul Droesch
The Pacific
9/8c HBO
The battle for the island of Peleliu may not have the cachet of Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima or Okinawa, but this episode, the second of three covering that late-1944 campaign, shows just how horrific the conditions in the Pacific theater could be. The 115-degree September heat and lack of drinking water were unbearable, but not enough to keep Leckie, Sledge and the 1st Marines from trying to capture an airfield, a near-suicidal assault under constant fire from a heavily fortified enemy. — Joe Friedrich
Celebrity Apprentice
9/8c NBC
It's a little bit country when our remaining celebrity business moguls must do an image intervention. They get to business when they craft image makeovers for rising country artists Emily West and Luke Bryan for a magazine interview, a photo shoot and a concert. Drama heats up on the women's team when some feel excluded, the men put their faith squarely on one teammate, and one contestant will ultimately be fired in the boardroom. This episode also boasts an apt guest star: country star and Season 7 contestant Trace Adkins. — Dean Maurer
Beauty & the Briefcase
8/7c ABC Family
Hilary Duff portrays a journalist writing about work and romance in this 2010 made-for-cable movie. She pitches an idea on "Switching Careers to Find Love," and her editor loves it. Part of her research requires that she get a corporate job and date her new coworkers, and she finds several tempting prospects (Michael McMillian and Matt Dallas). However, a problem arises when stronger temptation strikes upon meeting a music producer (Chris Carmack) who works outside of her office. — Jennifer Sankowski