TV critic's choice: This week

Prep for the latest big-screen adventures of Manfred the Mammoth and Scrat the Squirrel by watching 2002's "Ice Age" (6 p.m., FX) and 2006's "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (8 p.m., FX), two animated efforts that aren't nearly as entertaining as Pixar's instant classics, but still provide enough laughs and special effects to cool your sweaty children.

Stories of Jeff Goldblum's death have been greatly exaggerated. Not only did the actor "survive" a fall in New Zealand (a false rumor that Goldblum set up last week on "The Colbert Report"), but he's busy pounding the pavement on a new episode of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (8 p.m., KARE, Ch. 11), doing his best to prove that the show can handle more than one quirky actor.

"10 Things I Hate About You" (7 p.m., ABC Family) is not just a retread of the movie that made Heath Ledger famous. It's a replica of all the other shows that depict almost every student as the kind of conniving schemer who used to populate "Dynasty." Everyone looks and snarls great, but I'm getting tired of seeing every TV high school portrayed as a cesspool. I can only guess the writers for all these programs were stuffed into a lot of lockers and prime time is the best form of revenge.

Photos speak a thousand words, and no one knows that better than those who survived the Khmer Rouge reign of terror in Cambodia. "The Conscience of Nhem En" (7 p.m., HBO2) examines the thoughts of the title character, who shot photos of nearly 6,000 prisoners just before they were killed. The testimonials from living Cambodians are moving, but what really resonates are Nhem En's pictures -- and his almost blank-faced reaction to his role in the tragedy.

"Big Brother" (7 p.m., WCCO, Ch. 4) kicks off its 11th season, a mind-boggling number considering the mind-numbing nature of the show. Any pretense that this would be a show to learn about social interaction was dashed at the very first drunken pool party. I'm not saying CBS can't have some fun, but this constantly tawdry, hurtful exercise should be beneath anyone, even a network executive. Host Julie Chen, a professional journalist, has covered enough stories about hapless victims over the years. She should know better -- and do better.

NEAL JUSTIN