Your weekly guide to TV’s best and worst one-hour shows
So much for out with the old – there are plenty of familiar (guest star) faces popping up in the new year:
“The Mentalist” (Sunday, 10 p.m., CBS)
“Lost” alum Henry Ian Cusick was superbly sadistic when he appeared earlier this year as the ruthlessly rich Tommy Volker, who could end up being Lisbon’s (Robin Tunney) own Red John, taunting her with his multiple murders back in November. He returns this week as the agent ramps up her investigation, and Mama can only hope that this bad guy will get away with another crime so he can continue to wreak havoc for the CBI team.
“Castle” (Monday, 10 p.m., ABC)
If there’s only one nice thing you can say about Nathan Fillion, it’s that this guy isn’t ashamed of his roots. Earlier this season we were treated to a sci-fi convention case (Fillion rose to fame through his short-lived, but beloved “Firefly”), and this week he welcomes soap stars Jack Wagner and Nancy Lee Grahn (Fillion got his start on the now-defunct daytime drama “One Life to Live”). Darby Stanchfield — who now has a full-time gig over on “Scandal” — returns as Castle’s ex-wife to stir up trouble for his burgeoning relationship with Beckett (Stana Katic).
“The Good Wife” (Sunday, 9 p.m., CBS)
With a new show on rival network NBC, Michael J. Fox’s wonderfully wily Louis Canning may not be making a return trip to Chicago to battle Julianna Margulies’ Alicia after this round. But Mama will enjoy what little time she has left to see her favorite sparring partners this series has produced.
“Switched at Birth” (Monday, 8 p.m., ABC Family)
The kids are back from their holiday break to ensure teenage angst is alive and well in 2013. The last we saw Bay (Vanessa Marano) and Daphne (Katie Leclerc), they had just learned that sudden daddy Angelo (Gilles Marini) improbably received millions due to the hospital mistakenly switching the girls as babies. If you’re confused, there’s a marathon starting at 11 a.m. to help you catch up. Regular guest star Marlee Matlin will be around to provide a little guidance to these teens who jumped the rails a bit in the second half of last season. “Switched” is followed by the return of the best drama this network has produced, “Bunheads.”
“Nashville” (Wednesday, 10 p.m., ABC)
Wyclef Jean is back again to force Avery (Jonathan Jackson) to choose between his loyal band and the chance at fame and fortune. What will he choose? Hint: He lost longtime girlfriend — who also paid the rent — Scarlett (Clare Bowen) when he cheated on her to snag an agent.