Tonight's TV Hot List: Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The Middle
8:30/7:30c ABC
In the midst of a full-fledged career resurgence at age 88, Betty White follows up her wildly successful appearance on Saturday Night Live with a guest-star turn in the Season 1 finale as a school librarian holding a grudge against Brick for 31 unreturned books. Her actions just may keep Brick from moving on to the third grade next school year. In other academic news, an aptitude test shows Axl to be gifted, and Frankie works to get Sue recognized in her classes. — Fred Mitchell
American Idol
9/8c Fox
Three's a crowd, as confirmed by tonight's episode. After performing two songs each last night — one a judges' choice and the other a choice of their own — Crystal Bowersox, Lee DeWyze and Casey James await this results installment with nerves fraying and knuckles whitening. Sadly, this golden-voiced trio will be trimmed to two, with the final duo then soaring on to next week's last performance showcase. "Idol" chatter has it that Justin Bieber will be on hand to perform "Baby" and "U Smile." Newcomer Travis Garland also performs. — Dean Maurer
The Good Guys
8/7c Fox
In the celebrated history of fictitious crime-solving duos, we have such luminaries as Sherlock Holmes and Watson, Batman and Robin, and Cagney and Lacey. Can we add these Good Guys to the pantheon? Probably not. In the debut, Colin Hanks plays a young detective with a knack for alienating higher-ups who is saddled with Dan (Bradley Whitford), a has-been cop whose mustache is big enough to need its own agent. Their first assignment: track a stolen humidifier. — Michael Chant

I Get That a Lot
8/7c CBS
Unsuspecting people get a third chance to do a double take when celebrities masquerade as look-alikes of themselves in CBS' popular practical-joke special. This time around Martha Stewart, Wynonna Judd and Tim Gunn get in on the fun as a craft-store employee, a tire sales clerk and a fast-food restaurant worker. Wayne Brady, Nick Jonas and Jay Mohr also play along. — Rhoda Charles
Modern Family
9/8c ABC
Getting the Pritchetts all on the same page is like herding cats, but that doesn't stop Captain Clipboard Claire from playing feline tamer when she organizes a family picture in the finale of this series' outstanding first season. Speaking of cats, one would sure come in handy when Mitchell is terrorized by a pigeon while he's home alone with Lily. But the fur really flies after Phil tries to rebound from an awkward situation with Gloria at a Lakers game with Manny and Alex. — Joe Friedrich
CSI: NY
10/9c CBS
The series takes a page from Hitchcock with a Rear Window-like episode in which Mac is forced to recuperate at home to nurse an injury. While there, he witnesses suspicious activity through his window that leads to murder. Complicating matters is the return of his former love Peyton Driscoll (Claire Forlani). She unexpectedly shows up when one of her colleagues becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation. Of course, Mac is now in a relationship with Aubrey Hunter (Mädchen Amick), but he has a passionate past with Peyton. Whom will he choose? — Tim Holland
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
10/9c NBC
Detectives Benson and Stabler wrap up their 11th season of crime fighting with a kidnapping case involving an 8-year-old boy. They soon learn that the child has feuding parents, and the investigation culminates in a dangerous standoff. When ADA Marlowe (Sharon Stone) becomes involved in the case, she makes some surprising revelations about her personal history. — Jennnifer Sankowski