NCIS season-opener, 8 p.m., Channels 12, 7.

The second season opens with a dandy hour. It's taut, smart and wonderfully unpredictable.

A Navy captain (David Keith) gets a faceless, high-tech warning: His wife and blind daughter have been kidnapped; he must tell no one, embezzle $2 million and wire it to the crooks. He slips a note to the NCIS people who have some clever schemes of their own. One of the happy surprises here is the comic byplay between many of the regulars. The flirting-geeks scenes with Pauley Perrette and newcomer Sean Murray are especially good. That happens in the midst of a tense story. Keith is terrific; so is Abigail Breslin (Raising Helen and Signs) as the daughter.

Worth watching

Origins, 8-10 p.m., Channels 48, 16; concludes Wednesday. Here's a history series that goes way back in history. The first hour searches for natural forces that made this place habitable. "Earth became a hospitable planet only after a series of devastating disasters," says astrophysicist Neil Tyson, the host. The second wonders about the moment when life began.

Last Comic Standing, 8 p.m., Channels 5, 2. The bad news is that this entertaining show is being nudged toward an early conclusion; tonight will include the ouster of two comics on each team. The good news is that this episode should be fun with host Jay Mohr being roasted. The season-two team has scheduled its best roasters, Gary Gulman and the brilliant Alonzo Bodden.

My Wife and Kids, 8 p.m., Channels 9, 22. Now that they've become grandparents, Michael and Jay are supposed to take a child care class. Michael is not pleased.

The George Lopez Show, 8:30 p.m., Channels 9, 22. Last season ended with George's daughter - now 15 and quite gorgeous - running away with his boss' son. Tonight, he starts searching. It's a fairly good episode, juggling comedy and drama. The biggest laughs come from two celebrities - comedian Carrot Top and rapper Chingy - as themselves.

Clubhouse, 9 p.m., Channels 12, 7. After its terrific debut Sunday, this show settles into its regular time slot. Pete, a new batboy for a big-league team, frets about his hero's batting slump - and about an extreme measure to stop it. Meanwhile, Pete's rebellious sister is suspended from school.

Veronica Mars, 9 p.m., Channel 25. This is another first-rate show that settles into its regular slot. Veronica (the excellent Kristen Bell) wrestles with her night duties as a detective and with her high school world, as she joins the school newspaper.

Judging Amy season-opener, 10 p.m., Channels 12, 7. Amy faces a demotion at work and several family crises at home.

Nip/Tuck, 10 p.m., FX. Christian gets some bad news related to his sexual exploits and Sean finds himself the target of a serial slasher.