Cast members from two popular long-running CBS crime procedurals combine their acting talent in the new USA Network original movie John Sandford’s Certain Prey, which premieres tonight, November 6, at 9pm ET.

The telefilm features NCIS lead Mark Harmon as Deputy Police Chief Lucas Davenport, a hard-living veteran of the Minneapolis police force. When the chief investigates a woman’s murder that led to the shooting of a cop, he stumbles upon a deadly collaboration between clever assassin Clara Rinker (Tatiana Maslany, Being Erica) and her shady lawyer accomplice Carmel Loan (Lola Glaudini, Criminal Minds).

The movie comes from the Prey series of crime novels by Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Roswell Camp, who occasionally writes under the pseudonym John Sandford (hence he gets his name in bright lights in the flick’s official title). I suppose if the presentation performs well enough, viewers can look forward to Certain Prey sequels à la the well-received Jesse Stone flicks on CBS featuring Blue Bloods star Tom Selleck. I wouldn’t mind that at all.

That very special time is upon us once again, meaning the last episode of the current season of AMC original drama Breaking Bad, of course. Called “Face Off,” the Season Four finale premieres at 10pm ET tonight, October 9.

As regular viewers know, the last installment, “End Times,” petered out with an extremely frustrated Walt becoming increasingly agitated over his continued inability to get rid of diabolical drug runner Gus Fring once and for all. The finale finds the master meth cook reunited with his estranged prodigy Jesse Pinkman again as they strive to succeed where they have repeatedly failed in the past.

So, will the season conclude with Gus blowing up in a sudden explosion, serving as a human cushion for a bullet, or suffering some other equally painful and fitting demise? As satisfying as it would be to see the character get what he deserves, I sure would miss having fabulous Giancarlo Esposito around on one of television’s best and most distinctive series.

Sneak a peek at “Face Off” in the following clip. Network AMC renewed Breaking Bad for a final run of 16 episodes on August 14, so the end is near for the show in more ways than one. Darn.

September 22 is a busy night when it comes to new Fall 2011 television shows. Three crime dramas premiere on ABC, CBS, and NBC — at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm ET, respectively — and NBC also adds a new comedy to its popular Thursday-night sitcom block.

The first of the three crime newcomers is Charlie’s Angels on ABC at 8pm. An update of the classic 1976–1981 show, the reimagination stars Minka Kelly (Parenthood), Annie Ilonzeh (General Hospital), and Rachael Taylor (Grey’s Anatomy) as the latest trio of attractive bad guy catchers guided by intermediary Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez, The Wire). My hopes are not up, sadly, since one Charlie’s Angels was enough, and that includes the unnecessary movies starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu.

However, I am very much looking forward to the second new crime drama of the night, Person of Interest on CBS at 9pm. Not only does the series have three fantastic stars in Jim Caviezel (The Prisoner), Michael Emerson (Lost), and Taraji P. Henson (Boston Legal), but the premise isn’t too shabby or derivative, either. Caviezel and Emerson play a pair of uniquely talented men who use their distinct resources to prevent crimes before they occur, and Henson portrays a New York Police Department detective who works the same beat they do.

I’m also excited to check out the last new Thursday crime drama, Prime Suspect on NBC at 10pm. If the Americanized version is even half as good as the Helen Mirren-led British original, it will rock. Maria Bello (ER) tops the cast as tough New York homicide detective Jane Timoney. When she’s not busy hunting down crooks, Jane spends much of her time getting into it with her coworkers, including her boss Lieutenant Kevin Sweeney (Aidan Quinn, Weeds).

The remaining September 22 scripted series premiere is the sitcom Whitney on NBC at 9:30pm. Whitney Cummings (Chelsea Lately) stars as the title character, who spends too much time obsessing about her three-year relationship with Alex (Chris D’Elia, Glory Daze) and not getting married prematurely. My cable TV provider had the pilot episode on demand before the premiere for whatever reason, so I checked it out earlier today. The comedy doesn’t work for me, primarily because the characters, plotlines, and jokes are all too tired, annoying, and uninteresting. Others may feel differently, of course.

Two new series starring popular actresses help their respective network kick off the Fall 2011 season properly tonight, September 20. First up is the Fox sitcom New Girl at 9pm ET, and the CBS crime drama Unforgettable follows at 10pm.

Zooey Deschanel (Tin Man), younger sister of Bones star Emily Deschanel, headlines the comedy as Jess Day. After Jess learns her no-good boyfriend has been stepping out on her, she moves in with three other dudes to get on with her life. Max Greenfield (Raising the Bar), Jake Johnson (FlashForward), and Lamorne Morris (The Middle) play her trio of roommates.

Over on the CBS drama, former Without a Trace star Poppy Montgomery portrays lead character Carrie Wells. The seasoned police detective happens to possess nearly perfect recall of past events, an awesome trait she uses to help solve difficult homicide cases. If only it would help her figure out who murdered her sister, though.

Sneak peeks at the two new shows in the videos below. Based on preliminary information, I think I’ll be watching both this fall.

The 13-episode fourth season of gritty AMC original series Breaking Bad begins tonight, July 17, at 10pm ET with the dangerous-sounding premiere “Box Cutter.”

When we last saw clever Walt White and his sneaky right-hand man Jesse Pinkman, the situation was dire indeed. Held hostage by drug dealer Gus’ goons for his impending execution, Walt managed to call Jesse.

The two partners in meth-making had already realized Walt’s only value to Gus was his ability to cook his special meth recipe. Thus, the only way the pair could survive much longer was by murdering Gale, Gus’ preferred drug lab assistant for Walt, before Gale figured out Walt’s exclusive formula and managed to produce his unique meth without Walt.

Yet, apparently not as hardcore as he’d like everyone to believe, Jesse confessed to Walt that he wasn’t up for that kind of task. His attitude changed real fast after Walt’s desperate call, however, leading to a killer cliffhanger in the Season Three finale when Jesse arrived at Gale’s apartment, pointed a gun right at the terrified dude, and pulled the trigger.

Since viewers didn’t actually see Gale go down back then, who knows what really happened next? We’re about to find out during “Box Cutter,” though, and AMC promises Walt and Jesse’s latest escapade will provoke “deadly consequences” this season. Can’t wait to learn what those repercussions are.

Take a peek at Breaking Bad‘s fourth-season premiere in the clip below, which features Skyler upsetting overly suspicious Saul in a major way. The fun is about to begin.

FYI: The July 17 airing of “Box Cutter” will include a special treat for fans of another standout AMC original series, The Walking Dead. During the episode, keep your eyes peeled for a first look at The Walking Dead‘s second season, which kicks off this fall.

Get ready. Rizzoli & Isles — the highest-rated new 2011 series on basic-cable network TNT — kicks off its 13-episode second season on July 11 in its original blessed 10pm ET, post-The Closer time slot.

“We Don’t Need Another Hero,” the first episode of the summer run, gives viewers their first update on Boston-based detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and her patrol cop brother Frankie Jr. (Jordan Bridges), both of whom suffered gunshot wounds during a police station shootout at the end of the first season. While attempting to recover from that gunfight with her typical attitude, sarcasm, and nonstop interference from immediate family and close friends — such as her brash mother Angela (Lorraine Bracco) and her super-smart partner-in-crime, medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) — Jane is tapped to receive recognition for her heroism at a public ceremony.

Sounds swell, until the event literally turns explosive, forcing Jane and Maura to team back up in order to weed out the person responsible for the senseless destruction. An already difficult case then becomes even more urgent as the duo and their colleagues realize the guilty party is more volatile than imaginable.

Thankfully, the show provides Jane and Maura with a few new playthings this season to help reduce the pressure of all that crime fighting. Jane’s first new stressbuster comes in the form of military man Casey Jones (Chris Vance, Dexter), a sergeant major whom Jane knew — and hooked up with — back in high school.

There’s no need to worry about Jane and Maura’s rapport getting sidetracked by men and personal issues, however. Although the two leading ladies continue their quest for romance and happiness while investigating disturbing crimes, the strong friendship and frequent interaction between Jane and Maura remains the strength of Rizzoli & Isles. Their banter is as constant and fun as ever.

A few new faces will also add some spice and complexity to Season Two. They include Jacqueline Bisset (Nip/Tuck) as Maura’s adoptive mother Constance Isles; Colin Egglesfield (All My Children) as the oldest Rizzoli sibling, ex-con Tommy; and Ernie Hudson (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) as the father of Jane’s partner Barry Frost (Lee Thompson Young). Nice casting means nice episodes in store this season.

The beginning of the end starts for another popular TV staple tonight, July 11. The show in question is signature TNT crime drama The Closer, which kicks off its seventh and final season at 9pm ET.

As fans already know, The Closer is ending not due to a lack of inspiration or interesting cases to investigate, but because star Kyra Sedgwick is understandably prepared to move on. The Season Seven opener “Unknown Trouble” gets the ball rolling in the same direction for her character Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson when the ace interrogator learns she is the subject of a lawsuit brought against the Los Angeles Police Department.

If that’s not enough annoying heat on her plate, Brenda also has to deal with the arrival of the new police chief, Tommy Delk (Courtney B. Vance, Law & Order: Criminal Intent), following his promotion to the position over Brenda and other contenders at the end of Season Six. Chief Delk has his own way of doing things, of course, and some of his early changes will have an immediate — and, needless to say, mostly unwanted — impact on Team Brenda, his still-smarting predecessor Will Pope (J.K. Simmons), and prickly internal investigator Captain Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell of Battlestar Galactica, who’s now a series regular). Oh, well — at least Commander Russell Taylor (Robert Gossett) has a reason to be happy, though.

Despite all of the intriguing and occasionally funny office drama, let’s not forget the first case of the new season for the Major Crimes unit. The investigation involves the bloody killing of a hip-hop artist and numerous acquaintances in an affluent California neighborhood. After a surprising discovery in the opulent residence where the multiple murders occur, Brenda’s squad follows a trail that leads to a person who played a major role in the rapper’s career.

The seventh season of The Closer includes a first-ever 21 episodes. Ten will air this summer, and the remaining installments are set to premiere next winter, concluding with the series finale in 2012. The Major Crimes saga will not end with the show that started it all, however. As TNT announced in May, McDonnell and Captain Raydor already have top billing in the Closer spinoff appropriately titled Major Crimes, which debuts with a 10-episode first season after The Closer retires.

If viewers are lucky, the new show might even treat us to a visit or two from the woman capable of closing almost any case (remember, she has only failed to outsmart and nab one culprit thus far — Billy Burke‘s shady defense lawyer character Phillip Stroh from the Season 4 episode “Power of Attorney”). Fingers crossed.

Geesh, the eight episodes in the tenth and final season of USA Network crime procedural Law & Order: Criminal Intent went by fast, and now it’s time for fans of the best L&O ever to say goodbye during the June 26 series finale “To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap.”

The last case on the roster for New York detectives Alex Eames (Kathryn Erbe) and Robert Goren (Vincent D’Onofrio) revolves around two murdered people who worked at an Internet business embroiled in a major legal dispute. Dawson’s Creek alum James Van Der Beek guest stars.

Although the series finale is a low point of the summer season, at least fans can interact with stars Erbe and D’Onofrio on Twitter during the premiere of “To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap” to give them a fitting goodbye. Just log into your Twitter account and head over to @USA_LawOrderCI to tweet with Erbe at 9pm ET and D’Onofrio at 12am ET (which is 9pm in Pacific time, when the episode debuts on the West Coast). I will definitely miss them both.

The summer is finally here, and so is the exciting fourth-season of hit TNT crime dramedy Leverage on June 26 at 9pm ET.

Titled “The Long Way Down Job,” the summer premiere features guest star Eric Stoltz (of the recently departed Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica) as a missing millionaire. Our favorite team of clever cons head to the frigid and treacherous mountains of Alaska to track him down when they learn of his predicament.

Of course, once on-site of his last known whereabouts, they quickly realize there’s much more to his disappearance than they initially thought. The episode features the familiar banter and teamwork between the group of regulars, as well as an unexpected turn of events that mark a first for the series. Fans will not want to miss the latest adventure in the Leverage files, and newcomers will have no problems enjoying the action and fast-paced plot.

Take a behind-the scenes peek at the summer opener below before tuning in to the real thing.

TNT dramas HawthoRNe and Memphis Beat don’t seem to generate as much “buzz” as the network’s higher profile series — such as its bread and butter The Closer and the upcoming sci-fi saga Falling Skies, for example — but I, for one, am very happy that both shows begin new seasons tonight, June 14.

Paired once again, just like during their last respective runs, HawthoRNe and Memphis Beat open their third and second season, respectively. The medical drama starring Jada Pinkett Smith as brash nurse Christina Hawthorne ends the night at 10pm ET with the extremely dramatic premiere “For Better or Worse.”

Writers are not supposed to reveal spoilery details, which leaves me reluctant to disclose anything at all given the far-reaching nature of the episode’s main plot. However, viewers who are familiar with the series will instantly recognize — and once again appreciate — HawthoRNe‘s tendency to stir drama by following lighthearted, emotionally uplifting segments with events designed to evoke the opposite reaction.

Viewers will also notice the absence or reduced screen time of key characters from previous seasons and the arrival of new faces to make up for the loss. The latter includes Marc Anthony (Man on Fire) returning as Detective Nick Renata, a romantic interest of Christina introduced near the end of Season Two, and Derek Luke (Trauma) and Lauren Vélez (Dexter) as doctors. Anthony appears throughout the season, providing the third point in a simmering love triangle involving Christina and surgeon Tom Wakefield (Michael Vartan, Alias), and, of course, the tension is on full display already during the third-season premiere.

Things are slightly less tense at 9pm during “At the River,” the Season Two premiere of charismatic crime series Memphis Beat, although the central investigation revolves around a murdered, well-liked cop. The death hits close to home for Jason Lee‘s character Dwight Hendricks, whose own police office father was murdered years ago.

The episode features Beau Garrett, a star of CBS’ quickly canceled Criminal Minds spinoff Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, making her first appearance as Internal Affairs staffer Claire Ryan. She teams up with Dwight while his regular partner Whitehead (Sam Hennings, CSI) is otherwise disposed and demonstrates some nice chemistry with the star of the show. Alfre Woodard fans will also enjoy spending more time with the boss Lieutenant Tanya Rice as she takes an active role in the case at hand.

Review what happened during the last season of both shows in the following video recaps, before they start new runs this summer. When TNT first presented the series together, I initially thought they weren’t well-matched thematically. Yet, watching them back-to-back gives me an entertaining “down home” night of TV with realistic and engaging characters, so I’m definitely looking forward to what unfolds next.