Wednesday TV Overview: SVU, Idol Would go to Hollywood, Revenge Has Returned, and much more

Mariska Hargitay Among the finest reasons for a great episode of NBC's stalwart Law & Order: Special Sufferers Unit is you can rarely tell where it's headed. Is tonight's cameo-heavy hour (10/9c) the most recent condemnation of reality TV's sordid excesses? Sure looks this way in the beginning, once we encounter a particularly slimy Michael McKean (experiencing his repulsiveness) because the predatory producer of the garbage-tastic train wreck entitled Showgirls, featuring youthful hopefuls who'd do "whatever needs doingInch to land the starring role inside a Broadway musical. (No small irony this really is airing a few days from the all-important-to-NBC Smash premiere, where may be could never happen!) Because he liquors up a nervous contestant on her "audition," he leers on her to "seduce the crowd. Inform them you would like this." Does not have a genius to understand where this really is going. Go into the SVU crusaders, who get to time for you to bust the slip throughout his next seduction - of guest star Miranda Lambert, who stays around just lengthy enough to won't press charges, because "if he would go to prison, what goes on towards the show?" (More meta-TV irony, as Lambert is going to be guest-coaching later this year on her behalf husband Blake Shelton's hitThe Voice, where may be could never happen!) We obtain a peek at Robert Klein because the unrepentant McKean's lawyer, however the real star of the episode is youthful Cameron Monaghan (from Showtime's Shameless) as McKean's defiantly loyal boy. His rage over his dad's jail time creates a violent standoff, and also the relaxation from the episode becomes Olivia Benson's desperate make an effort to save this youthful boy's soul - and existence. It's certainly one of Mariska Hargitay's most powerful publish-Stabler workout routines, along with a indication that even 13 years into its run, there's still existence within this franchise. (It is also good to determine Linus Roache return as Bureau Chief Mike Cutler, a carry-over in the final Law & Order team that deserved additional time to shut shop correctly around the still-revered mothership.) Want more TV news and reviews? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now! On the very busy first Wednesday from the Feb sweeps, it was the only real episode of the significant series provided ahead of time. Here are the night's other highlights: Moving Forward: Great news for The American Idol Show: The underwhelming auditions have recently wrapped, neglecting to ignite much buzz on the way while being seriously upstaged now through the electrifying and entertaining "blind auditions" around the Voice. Fortunately, Idol's idol judges and participants are in last moving onto the Hollywood round (8/7c), and Fox is promising high drama, and a minimum of just a little fainting, because the area will get simplified lower within the next couple of days. (Semifinalists are scheduled to become introduced February. 23.) In News Reports: Starting to warm up the timeframe for that return of Survivor in a few days, CBS News revives the legendary interview show Individual to individual (8/7c), with morning host Charlie Rose and rising-star foreign correspondent Lara Logan overtaking in the legendary Edward R. Murrow, talking up George Clooney, Jon Bon Jovi and (from his office instead of his home) Warren Buffett. ... Meanwhile, NBC hopes to scare up a crowd because of its moved Rock Center With John Williams (9/8c) with a few re-written political gossip, spotlighting Meredith Vieira's interview with Mimi Alford, the previous Whitened House intern throughout the JFK administration who's inserting her book Once Upon a Secret: My Affair With Leader John F. Kennedy and it is Aftermath. Not so long ago, this could have converted into an insta-TV movie. Lifetime, what exactly are you awaiting? WELCOME BACK, ABC: Soon after days of irritating (to my visitors, anyway) repeats, ABC's best-in-show comedy selection returns, together with the beginning of a pivotal two-part Revenge (10/9c) leading to next week's ill-fated Fire & Ice engagement party (the bloody incident that began the series in September). First, though, the comedies. On the Valentine-designed The Center (8/7c), Poor Sue finds out her new love is really a bad kisser. ... Boyfriend issues also dog Suburgatory (8:30/7:30c), as papa George becomes progressively nervous about Tessa's relationship with Scott Strauss. Getting a box of XXL condoms does not help - and is not the kind of factor that got Tessa exiled towards the burbs to begin with? ... Greg Kinnear visitors on Modern Family (9/8c) as Phil's start up business partner, who might be making inappropriate progresses Claire - not too Phil would ever notice. Meanwhile, Mitchell and Cam temporarily relocate with Jay and Gloria, and that i imagine Stella will not be the sole one woofing. ... Coming full circle, Happy Being (9:31/8:31c) is really a Valentine's hot mess, specifically for Max, who finds themself chauffering his ex-boyfriend (James Wolk, the hunk from last season's short-resided Lone Star) with whom he split up on last year's Valentine's. Funnel SURFING: Broadway star Sutton Promote, whose ABC Family pilot (from Amy Sherman-Palladino) apparently continues to be acquired to series, seems on USA Network's Royal Pains (10/9c) inside a stage-struck episode in regards to a Hollywood actor (Medium's Mike Weber) who involves the Hamptons to complete Shakespeare, and all's not well that finishes well. ... Guest idol judges on Syfy's addictive Face Off (10/9c) include Being Human star Mike Huntington, helping assess a trauma-makeup challenge where the participants create wounds that might have been produced by a werewolf and Vivica A. Fox, available for that Spotlight Challenge, by which teams must create animal/plant hybrid cars. ... Just whenever you think it is safe to stay both hands in water, Animal Planet's Hillbilly Handfishin' returns with new episodes (10/9c), carrying out a small-marathon that begins at 8/7c. Catfish, you've been cautioned. ... More animal doings on PBS (check local entries), as Character examines man's fight by having an urban scavenger in Raccoon Nation, and Inside Nature's Titans concludes its run by taking apart a lion along with a tiger to determine how different they're inside. Even with no bear involved, that rates an "My Dear!" Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!