Tonight's TV Hot List: Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010

Psych
10/9c USA
Nestor Carbonell (Lost) starts a multi-episode arc in tonight's episode as a criminal profiler with serious talent. Naturally, Shawn can't stand him, and tries to expose the man as a fraud, but he may have met his match. New rival aside, Shawn also has a tough case on his hands as he searches for a killer who's linked to potential liver donors on a transplant list. Tears for Fears singer Curt Smith also guest stars as himself and covers the show's opening theme. — Brie Hearn
Top Chef
10/9c Bravo
Season 7 begins slipping into its last course. (Part 1 of the two-part finale, based in Singapore, is on the menu next week.) As an appetizer, tonight we have a space odyssey that finds the remaining meal masters blasting off to new culinary heights. Star wars are waged when the group must produce tasty space-food creations, and the winning dish will be served in space. Far out! There's some Buzz surrounding the episode, as Apollo 11 rocket man Buzz Aldrin makes an appearance. Culinary magazine editor Dana Cowin and famed foodie Anthony Bourdain are guest judges. — Dean Maurer
CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock
8/7c ABC
This four-day celebration of country music is all about the stars giving back to the fans. As usual, some big names are here, including Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw, who's also the host. There are also artists some would consider a skosh outside of mainstream country, like Kid Rock, Uncle Kracker, Darius Rucker and the Zac Brown Band. There are singers who came to this event by way of TV, like American idols Kellie Pickler and Carrie Underwood. But they're all here for the fans. — Fred Mitchell
America's Got Talent
9/8c NBC
Wending its way with a deliberate pace through Season 5, the extreme variety show-slash-talent contest hits its stride, with the semifinal round now in full force and the finale, which airs Sept. 15, looming large. Twelve acts were slated to take the stage last night, yet for a majority of them, long-held hopes to win a position in the Top 10 (and score that $1 million prize) will be dashed in tonight's results show. Only five victorious acts will advance to the terrific 10, which already consists of a kiddie ballroom-dance tandem and four singing acts. — Dean Maurer

Basketball
12/11c ESPN
Team USA may have a 12-1 edge in NBA players over today's FIBA World Championship preliminary early-round opponent, Iran, but don't expect Mike Krzyzewski to allow a letdown in effort as his squad prepares for the upcoming elimination round in Turkey. Coach K, after all, is credited with pointing the way to 2008 Olympic gold for Kobe Bryant and Co., and restoring America's international domination after embarrassing failures in three straight competitions. Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose headline a youthful U.S. lineup that lists Spain and complacency as its two biggest hurdles to the title (and its accompanying automatic berth in the 2012 London Olympics).  — Roger Leister
Plain Jane
9/8c CW
The makeover reality series concludes its brief freshman season with fashion expert Louise Roe assisting a woman who recently lost 100 pounds. The newly trim lady is eager to impress a coworker she secretly adores, but she needs help dressing for her new figure. — Tim Holland
A Surprise in Texas: The Thirteenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition
9:30/8:30c PBS
Held every four years in Fort Worth, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition is, in many ways, the Olympics for young pianists, with six finalists guaranteed three years of concert tours that will earn them each more than a million dollars. This documentary delves backstage at the 2009 event, charting the ups and downs of the 29 contestants as they strive for the gold (or at least place), including blind 20-year-old Nobuyuki Tsujii of Japan. — Jeff Gemmill