Weekend TV : ‘Murder,’ ‘Friends,’ ‘Jesse,’ ‘Hope,’ ‘Frasier’: Old Favorites Are Back

Several old favorites and new series make their season bows this weekend.

The Dick Van Dyke series “Diagnosis Murder” returns to CBS for its seventh season tonight at 8. The opener features such comics as Steve Allen, Ruth Buzzi and Norm Crosby.

Over on NBC at 8 tonight, “Friends” kicks off its sixth season, followed at 8:30 by “Jesse” and at 9 by “Frasier.”

Mandy Pantinkin returns as the overbearing Dr. Jeffrey Geiger as “Chicago Hope” moves to a new night and time for its sixth season, tonight at 9 on CBS. Lauren Holly, Barbara Hershey and Carla Gugino also join the cast. Several cast members, including Christine Lahti and Peter Berg, have left.

The handling of the mentally ill is the topic of an hourlong “Life & Times Tonight,” Friday at 7 p.m. on KCET-TV.

NBC’s sleeper hit, “Providence,” kicks off its second season Friday at 8 p.m., while ABC’s sophomore comedy “The Hughleys” becomes part of the TGIF lineup at the same time.

The new ABC comedy “Odd Man Out” kicks off Friday at 9:30 p.m. Eric von Detten plays a teenager who lives in a household surrounded by women.

Don Johnson’s lighthearted cop series, “Nash Bridges,” returns for its fifth season Friday at 10 p.m. on CBS.

Glenn Gordon Caron, the creator of “Moonlighting,” returns to network TV with “Now and Again,” an offbeat CBS drama about a middle-aged man who is put into a perfectly engineered body, Friday at 9 p.m. Eric Close stars.

Jamie Luner joins the cast on the premiere of the fourth season of NBC’s “Profiler” at 10 p.m. Saturday.

Fox’s late-night comedy series, “Mad TV,” is back for its fifth season Saturday at 11 p.m.

Lindsay Crouse plays a state senator facing a moral dilemma on the sixth-season opener of CBS’ popular “Touched by an Angel” at 8 p.m. Sunday.

WB’s “Felicity” enters her sophomore year on the network on a new day and time, Sunday at 8 p.m.

Wildlife photographer Marty Stouffer begins his 16th season of chronicling the lives of animals on “Wild America,” Sunday at 8 p.m. on KCAL.

Fox’s “The Simpsons,” the longest-running sitcom on the air, opens its 11th season with guest voice Mel Gibson Sunday at 8 p.m. Following at 8:30 p.m. is the second-season premiere of the animated “Futurama.”

Gina Gershon and Paula Marshall play slick L.A. private eyes in David E. Kelley’s latest series, “Snoops,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on ABC. Following at 10 p.m. is the season premiere of his two-time Emmy-winning legal series, “The Practice.” Henry Winkler guests as a dentist accused of murder.

Specials

The latest edition of “Live From Lincoln Center,” tonight at 8 on KCET-TV and KVCR-TV, features cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and the New York Philharmonic performing Dvorak’s Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.

“Cirque du Soleil: Dralion,” Saturday at 8 p.m. on KCOP, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the troupe’s latest show.

Bill Moyers visits the 1998 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival on “Fooling With Words,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on KCET and KVCR.

NBC celebrates the 25th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” with a 2 1/2-hour special featuring clips and former guest hosts, Sunday at 9 p.m.

Sports

Welterweight Shane Mosley meets Wilfredo Rivera in a scheduled 10-round bout Saturday at 6:45 p.m. on HBO.