Tonight's TV Hot List: Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011

The Good Wife
10/9c CBS
Jane Alexander guest stars as a judge with a soft spot for defendants in a murder case involving a prisoner who, under duress, confesses to killing a fellow inmate. The man is represented by Alicia and, although he confesses, Cary challenges the man's motives and seeks to uncover an unlikely connection between the two inmates. As for Peter, rival Wendy Scott-Carr threatens to expose a Florrick family issue in hopes of forcing Peter to drop out of the state's attorney race. — Tim Holland

Are you watching The Good Wife tonight? Tell us

Pioneers of Television
8/7c PBS Remarks from Mike Connors (Mannix), Bill Cosby and Robert Culp (I Spy), Angie Dickinson (Police Woman) and James Garner (Rockford Files) accent this delightful, more than "just the facts, ma'am" look back at yesteryear's groundbreaking crime dramas (Dragnet included). Connors, for example, remembers how the pace of his innovative PI program was patterned after commercials; and Culp recalls standing up for acting newcomer Cosby, who the producer wanted to dump after the first I Spy episode, by insisting that if Cos went, he would follow. — Jeff GemmillBiggest Loser: Couples8/7c NBC The contestants who've been working with the unknown trainers face elimination for the first time tonight when they join the players at the ranch. But those who opted to stick it out with Bob and Jillian receive an interesting challenge: collectively lose more than 48 pounds to remain safe from elimination. True to Biggest Loser-style, another twist is added to the mix when both groups learn they'll only get to work with their trainers once during the week. Brie Hearn

What are you watching tonight? Tell us here
Seriously Funny Kids
9/8c Lifetime
In the longstanding tradition of TV programming, kids and their unpredictable bon mots are once again put on center stage. This time Heidi Klum, fashion icon, reality show star and mother of four, hosts and produces this delightful entry. With her usual charm, Klum chats it up with children, whose insights are often quite astute and generally grin-inducing. — Rhoda Charles
V
9/8c ABC
You're the leader of an alien race that's set to do something sinister to the puny humans on Earth, and their religious groups are waging protests against your species: What do you do? If you're Anna, you schedule an appointment with the Vatican to change attitudes from the top down. Meanwhile, Erica pursues an ex-Mossad agent who runs a violent faction of the Fifth Column. — Michael Chant

Is V appointment viewing in your home? Tell us

College Basketball
7/6c ESPN
Sports fans in cheesehead country are pretty psyched about more than just one matchup with a blue-collar-themed foe this week. Before the Packers-Steelers hysteria comes to a boil, Bo Ryan's Wisconsin Badgers welcome the Boilermakers of Purdue to the Kohl Center, a hoops answer to Lambeau Field where UW has won 14 games in a row to improve to a lusty 147-11 under Ryan. Purdue may prove as difficult to take down as Ben Roethlisberger, however, with the senior tandem of JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore leading the way on a current 5-1 run against the Big Ten-rival Badgers. — Roger Leister
Southland
10/9c TNT
Southland has masterfully crafted the character of John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) throughout the series' run, subtly revealing bits and pieces of this private man's private life. Another layer is uncovered tonight as John prepares to testify at his father's parole hearing and finds himself bonding with an abandoned teenager. And as complicated characters go, Adams is no slouch. Now settled in with her newest partner, she helps investigate a rape case on the Westside. — Rhoda Charles