Fox relaunches its Sunday lineup

Now that baseball is over, Fox finally gets around to putting new episodes of actual TV series on its Sunday lineup. And three of the five shows — one-and-a-half of the three hours — were worth waiting for.

Oddly enough, Henry Winkler — the former Fonzie — shows up in two of them. He plays himself, in animated form, on "King of the Hill" (as a clueless Hollywood celebrity "slumming" in Montana). And he returns as the clueless family lawyer on the Emmy-winning "Arrested Development."

King of the Hill (7 p.m., Ch. 13) remains one of the most reliable shows on television — it's not "The Simpsons," but it's relatively funny every week.

In the ninth-season premiere, the Hills travel to Montana, where Peggy has to deal with her mother's constant disapproval and save the family ranch. It's pretty funny stuff.

Malcolm in the Middle (6:30 p.m., Ch. 13) used to be one of the best sitcoms on TV — a slightly off-kilter look at a slightly off-kilter family. But it has become more and more "out there," and less and less believable and entertaining.

In the sixth-season premiere, Reese (having joined the Army despite the fact that he's too young) parachutes into Afghanistan, poses as a woman, marries a guy and gets rescued by his mommy. "Malcolm" is not what it used to be.

The Simpsons (7 p.m., Ch. 13): Stop me if you've heard this before — "The Simpsons" remains one of the funniest, most original shows on TV. And the annual "Treehouse of Horrors" episode remains a total treat.

Writing for animated characters gives you a lot of latitude every week. The "Treehouse" episode removes whatever restrictions there are. as writers just go for funny.

This year's gem opens with a Kang and Kodos sitcom; followed by Ned Flanders gaining psychic powers; Lisa as a Sherlock Holmes-esque detective; and a "Fantastic Voyage" inside the body of Mr. Burns. Just make sure you tape the episode so you can play it back and catch all the sight gags you're going to miss the first time around.

Arrested Development (7:30 p.m., Ch. 13) opens up just where it left off last spring — with Michael and his son on their way out of town, leaving the wacko family to its own devices. But, not surprisingly, Michael is drawn back into the middle of this melee.