Sunday Lauren Ambrose, right, breaks out of her "Six Feet Under" funk in "Loving Leah" (8 p.m., WCCO, Ch. 4), a new Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation in which her character struggles with the death of her rabbi husband, a college registration attempt and the fact that her mother is played by "Curb Your Enthusiasm" loudmouth Susie Essman. Ambrose's quiet fortitude makes this an above-average TV movie.
Monday David Strathairn, best known for his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow, takes on a very different American figure in "The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer" (8 p.m., KTCA, Ch. 2), a docudrama about the man who led the team that built the atomic bomb, only to face charges of treason later. The David Grubin film reminds us how quickly a national hero can be reinterpreted as a traitor, and how massive intelligence can be a curse.
Tuesday "Scrubs" (8 p.m., KSTP, Ch. 5) has had its fair share of big-name guest stars, from Michael J. Fox to Heather Locklear, but it's hard to top the anticipation behind appearances from Oscar the Grouch, Elmo and Grover, above, who stop by the hospital.
Wednesday The only relief we can find in this extra-chilly winter is that two Hollywood legends once shivered right along with us. 1993's "Grumpy Old Men"
(7 p.m., TCM) reminds us that Walter Matthau, above, and Jack Lemmon spent some time in our midst filming this delightful comedy, and that great talent shines, even in the bitterest conditions.
Thursday "The Trials of Ted Haggard" (7 p.m., HBO) is a remarkably personal documentary about how Pastor Ted, once one of the most powerful figures in evangelical churchdom, has dealt with disgrace after he admitted to doing drugs with a male prostitute. Haggard's past deceptions make him a shaky character witness, but director Alexandra Pelosi (daughter of the speaker of the House) gives you plenty of reason to want to root for him and his family. Whether that's a testimony to our ability to forgive or an example of just how slick this man can be is up for you to decide.
NEAL JUSTIN
