Tuning in: On TV this week.
Sunday Sept. 19
Death On The Nile (A&E, 8-10 p.m.): Linnett Doyle is rich, beautiful, and utterly without scruples when she steals her best friend's fiancé, marries him, and cruises the Nile with him on their honeymoon. Then she's murdered - but who is the culprit? From his artfully pointed moustache to his impeccably stuffed-shirt front, Agatha Christie's detective Poirot (David Suchet) is the man to ferret out the answer. Elegant '30s costumes and a glamorous Egyptian backdrop make this a mystery buff's delight.
Rodney (ABC, 9:30-10 p.m.): This surprisingly amusing new sitcom gets all its gas from the star, stand-up comedian Rodney Carrington. In the first episode he quits his job to follow his dream to become a comedian. But can he persuade his wife to accept the uncertain world of show business - especially in Tulsa, Okla.?
NYPD Blue (ABC, 10-11 p.m.): The twelfth and final season opens tonight with plenty of turmoil in the office. The new commanding officer, Thomas Bale (Currie Graham), misreads every one of the cops' motives and style of investigation, alienating the entire squad - especially Andy Sipowicz (Dennis Franz). Meanwhile, the attractive new detective flirts too much to suit her partner, Rita Ortiz.
Without a Trace (CBS, 10-11 p.m.): Back for its third season, this excellent FBI procedural drama opens with a powerful, carefully crafted episode. Last season left us with several members of the team facing life-altering changes such as divorce, advancement, new love. But when two young women, one of whom is blind, are kidnapped, all personal sorrows vanish in the smoke of high-gear teamwork.
