It's time for some skepticism, fellow TV viewers.
The new ABC sitcom "Soul Man" (7:30 p.m., Ch. 4) was not screened for critics, so it can't be reviewed.And, once again, that's almost invariably a bad sign. It means one of two things:
First, that the production was so rushed or in so much need of last-minute editing that it was physically impossible to send critics tapes. And rushed projects almost never turn out well. (And this is actually the better of the two alternatives.)
Or, second, that the show stinks so bad that ABC doesn't want critics to be able to review it.
At any rate, all we know is that it's a spinoff of "Home Improvement" (from the same producers) and that Dan Aykroyd stars as an unconventional minister - a widower and father of five.
We know he'll be acquiring a love interest who is a cynical newspaper reporter. So at least we know we should have some compassion for the character.
But other than that . . . we'll have to wait until tonight to find out.
"BLUE" IS BACK: "NYPD Blue" returns (9 p.m., Ch. 4): after a six-week hiatus, and fans of the series won't be disappointed.
The show proves once again that it's the best police drama on the air right now with an episode that's by no means out of the ordinary for the series.
In other words, fans will be getting exactly what they expect.
Of course, those who object to the content of the show will object to this episode. There's no nudity, but there are the requisite naughty words that the producers feel obligated to throw in.
They aren't really necessary, of course, but they're there.
And there's one other thing that jumps out from this episode of "NYPD Blue" - when the show concentrates on the police work, it's great. When it delves into the personal lives of the characters, it's not so great.
The cases tonight are engrossing. Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) handle a gang-related murder that steps out of the ordinary because their collar depends on the assistance of the shooter's friend - an aspiring cop who, nonetheless, feels guilt over giving up his buddy.
Martinez (Nicholas Turturro) and Medavoy (Gordon Clapp) take a rather cut-and-dried killing, but the interplay between the two characters - the roles they adopt - are fascinating.
And Russell's (Kim Delaney) case involves a baby who dies after being shaken - but that, too, doesn't turn out predictably.
On the other hand, when the show delves into the detective personal lives, it's (yawn!) pretty ho-hum stuff. Even what's supposed to be a "major development" for Simone and Russell.
But fans can just be glad the show is back.