Listen Up debut, 8:30 p.m., Channels 12, 7.

In real life, Tony Kornheiser is a former sports writer who wrote columns about his family. Now that's tweaked into a situation comedy.

Jason Alexander stars as Tony Kleinman, with Wendy Makkena as his wife and Malcolm-Jamal Warner as his partner on a sports talk show.

Tony has little luck with his teenagers - a clueless son (Will Rothhaar) and intense daughter (Daniella Monet). Some of tonight's scenes with Monet are wonderful.

Over all, Listen Up is barely above average. In a weak comedy year, however, it's the best new sitcom this side of Joey.

Worth watching

The Benefactor, 8 p.m. Channels 9, 22. In last week's opener, Mark Cuban arbitrarily ousted three of the 16 people. Now he splits the rest into three groups with the same task: Draw up his schedule, but don't waste his time.

7th Heaven, 8 p.m., Channels 64, 26. Last week, the parents raced to sort of ambush Simon and his new girlfriend. They planned to invite themselves to the young couple's table at an elegant restaurant. Tonight, we'll see how it goes.

One on One season-opener, 8 p.m., Channel 20. The kids are in New York with high hopes and no money. Flex scrambles to find a way to lure them home.

Half & Half season-opener, 8:30 p.m., Channel 20. Out of jealousy, Mona buys a horse. It's an ill-advised scheme.

Football, 9 p.m. Channels 9, 22. The Minnesota Vikings are at the Philadelphia Eagles.

Las Vegas, 9 p.m., Channels 5, 2. Jon Lovitz's character, a sad sack last season, is back. Also, the hotel adds an area for topless sunbathing.

Everwood, 9 p.m., Channels 64, 26. Last week, we finally learned why Ephram was pouting; he had done poorly during his summer at Juilliard and might not be a piano prodigy after all. Now he tries to smooth out his relationship with Amy. Meanwhile, the new doctor (Scott Wolf) makes the other docs nervous.

Girlfriends season-opener, 9 p.m., Channel 20. Omarosa Stallworth, the fierce Apprentice contestant, plays someone stalking Joan. Meanwhile, Joan's also unhappy that William's ex-girlfriend is here.

Second Time Around debut, 9:30 p.m., Channel 20. Don't expect huge laughs from this comedy, but do expect two attractive and likable characters. Nicole Parker and Boris Kodjoe, who are engaged to each other in real life, play people who married, divorced and then married again.

Two and a Half Men season-opener, 9:30 p.m., Channels 12, 7. This neatly offbeat comedy comes up with a great notion tonight: Charlie, the macho guy, is in a secret support group with Sean Penn, Elvis Costello and Harry Dean Stanton. The overall plot is so-so, but there are some hilarious moment with those three playing themselves.

LAX, 10 p.m., Channels 5, 2. This show didn't exhaust all the possible crises last week, after all. Tonight, among other things, a living person emerges from a coffin that came from overseas.