Today on TV

Published: Thursday, May 5 2005 12:00 a.m. MDT

NBA playoffs: Celtics at Pacers (5 p.m., TNT); Mavericks at Rockets (7:30 p.m., TNT)

Survivor: Palau (7 p.m., Ch. 2): It's the toughest challenge yet — and another contestant is voted off.

Sweet Home Alabama (7 p.m., Ch. 4): Reese Witherspoon stars in this 2002 theatrical comedy.

Joey (7 p.m., Ch. 5): In the episode postponed from last week because of the presidential news conference, Carmen Electra guest stars as Joey's dream girl.

The O.C. (7 and 8 p.m., Ch. 13): First it's the episode postponed from last week — the guys go visit Nana (Linda Lavin) in Florida; then it's a second new episode, which finds Sandy questioning Kirsten about her drinking.

Blue Collar TV (7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m., Ch. 30): A new episode, followed by three repeats.

Will & Grace (7:30 p.m., Ch. 5): In the episode postponed from last week, Grace attends her father's (Alan Arkin) birthday party. And NBC, which has had even less success with sitcoms than with the rest of its fading schedule, has renewed this show for an eighth season — even though "Will & Grace" has been in a downward spiral creatively since, oh, about Season No. 2.

CSI (8 p.m., Ch. 2): Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) gets involved with a man (Helgenberger's real-life husband, Alan Rosenberg) who is a murder suspect.

The Apprentice (8 p.m., Ch. 5): One candidate gets fired early in the episode, and Donald Trump sends the final two on their last mission.

Without a Trace (9 p.m., Ch. 2): Danny's brother is missing.

PrimeTime Live (9 p.m., Ch. 4): Fran Drescher is interviewed.

ER (9 p.m., Ch. 5): Well, they're going to go ahead and make Morris (Scott Grimes) the new chief resident. And, not surprisingly, things don't go smoothly.