Series
Backstreet Boys wannabes from around the country audition to become the next boy band thing in Making the Band (9 p.m. Fri., ABC), a new series from the creators of "The Real World" that could turn into the (extremely) guilty pleasure of the season. Chris Carter's sci-fi series Harsh Realm (9 p.m. Fri., FX), which aired for only a couple of weeks on Fox, moves to FX, which will run the remaining never-aired episodes. Scott Bairstow stars as a soldier caught in a virtual reality war game. Academy Award nominee Michael Caine is interviewed on Dateline NBC (9 p.m. Fri., NBC). In case you missed it last week, the first episode of The Beat (9 p.m. Sun., UPN), a cop show from Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson of "Homicide" fame, has another showing. It's no "Homicide," but the two leads (Mark Ruffalo and Derek Cecil) grow on you. On The Sopranos (9 p.m. Sun., HBO), Uncle Junior has a new girlfriend (uh-oh) and Tony goes legit until the heat dies down. Bill Maher hosts a post-Oscars Politically Incorrect After Party (check local listings, Sun., ABC), with guests Chris Isaak, Arsenio Hall and Mr. Movie Fone, among others.
Specials
And speaking of the Oscars, there's more coverage than anybody needs this year, beginning with E!'s all-day Countdown to the Academy Awards (noon, Sun., E!). The E! Pre-Show (6 p.m. Sun., E!) features Joan and Melissa Rivers' annual catty-fest. Mike Myers, Ricky Martin and those tiresome lovebirds Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones grace the Oscars night Barbara Walters Special (7 p.m. ET/after the Oscars on the West Coast, Sun., ABC), while Walters' "View"-mate Meredith Vieira interviews arriving celebs on the Academy Awards Preview Show (8 p.m. ET/ 5 PT, Sun., ABC). Then Billy Crystal is back as host of the 72nd Annual Academy Awards (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 PT, Sun., ABC). For some viewers, the highlight may be Robin Williams singing the potty-mouthed lyrics to best song nominee "Blame Canada," from "South Park -- Bigger, Longer and Uncut." The rest of us will be cheering on eternal underdog Aimee Mann as she sings her "Magnolia" nominee, "Save Me."
Sports
College basketball:
NCAA men's tournament (7:30 p.m. Fri.; 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Sat.; 2:30 p.m. Sun., CBS)
NCAA women's tournament (11:30 a.m., 2:30, 4:30 and 10:30 p.m., Sat., ESPN2; noon, 2, 8 and 10 p.m. Sat., ESPN)
NBA basketball:
76ers at Pacers (12:30 p.m. Sun., NBC)
Lakers at Kings (6:30 p.m. Sun., NBC)
Hockey:
Avalanche at Stars, or regional action (1 p.m. Sun., ABC)
Coyotes at Mighty Ducks (8 p.m. Sun., ESPN)
Talk
Rosie O'Donnell (syndicated) Barbara Walters, Toni Collette
David Letterman (CBS) Denzel Washington, Joe Torre
Jay Leno (NBC) The Rock, Roger Ebert, Fiona Apple
Politically Incorrect (ABC) Jerry O'Connell, Bijou Phillips
Conan O'Brien (NBC) Colin Hanks, Jim Fowler, Keely Smith
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