TV this weekend: 'The Wanda Sykes Show' or 'Saturday Night Live'

Mike Hughes | TV America

Sykes - with a sharp, acerbic wit - gets her own hour. She'll aim for humor and interesting guests.

The opener includes Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24"), Phil Keoghan ("The Amazing Race") and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, who revived his acting career after an accident left him paralyzed below the waist.

Still, some people will switch to "Saturday Night Live," which is back to new episodes after a couple reruns. Taylor Swift, a star singer-songwriter at 19, is both host and musical guest.

'Family Guy' duo goes 'Almost Live'

WEEKEND'S MIGHT-SEE: "Seth and Alex's Almost Live Comedy Special," 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Fox.

One of the highlights of the departed "MadTV" was the five seasons of Alex Borstein. In particular, the tiny (5-foot) actress became the hilariously unbudging Ms. Swan.

Now she's the voice of Lois Griffin on "Family Guy." Here, she teams with that show's creator and star, Seth MacFarlane, for a half-hour of comedy bits. We haven't seen it, but it seems worth sampling. In a "Simpsons"-free night (sadly), it's sandwiched by four MacFarlane shows.

Both nights

• "Legend of the Seeker," 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. today, WGN America; then 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday, WHTV (Channel 18 over the air).

First, is a rerun of last season's finale; then comes the season-opener, celebrating the death of the evil Darken Ruhl. The joy ends abruptly, of course, and new evil emerges.

On one hand, "Legend" - produced by Michigan State University alumni Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi - is a youthful adventure; it has epic battle scenes, grand New Zealand settings, good-vs.-evil. On the other, it gets pretty adult; the opener has lots of violence, plus a fierce fight between guest star Charisma Carpenter and a naked (but carefully filmed) Tabrett Bethell.

Also tonight

• "Too Late to Say Goodbye," 8-10 p.m., Lifetime Movie Network (via satellite or digital cable). A woman apparently commits suicide after getting divorce papers from her husband (Rob Lowe), a smooth and handsome dentist. The story, based on true events, has fascinating twists.

Also Sunday

• "Brothers," 7 p.m., Fox. Pulled from the Friday schedule for November, this so-so comedy has new episodes here. Tonight, Michael (former football star Michael Strahan) may return to football.

• "Nature: Black Mamba," 8 p.m., PBS. After charming us last week with baby animals, "Nature" goes the other way this time, with deadly black mamba snakes in Swaziland.

• "Masterpiece Contemporary: Place of Execution," 9 p.m., PBS. In the opener of this powerful story, an overwhelmed reporter (Juliet Stevenson) was dragging her teen daughter along, trying to finish a film about an unsolved case. This conclusion requires too much coincidence, but it's superbly played.

• "Desperate Housewives," 9 p.m., ABC. Susan is convinced that her daughter's attacker was Katherine; Lynette has other theories. Meanwhile, Angie (Drea de Matteo) tries to get her husband's secret; she also invites a reluctant Bree and Orson for dinner.

• "Brothers & Sisters," 10:01 p.m., ABC. Unhappy about the side-effects of her chemotherapy, Kitty (Calista Flockhart) goes to a wig party.