NBC's November Sweeps (2005)

NBC's November is brimming over with a month of event programs, including series featuring a live debate episode of "The West Wing," a special "3-D' episode of "Medium" and a two-hour "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and an offbeat "retro" hour -- circa 1962 -- of "Las Vegas,"

Thursday, November 3, 2005

"ER"
"Dream House"

Dr. Clemente (John Leguizamo), Abby (Maura Tierney) and Neela (Parminder Nagra) secretly care for a VIP patient while Dubenko (Leland Orser) tortures the staff via a robotic television camera from home. Meanwhile, Sam (Linda Cardellini) is coerced into a management role and is given a dreadful task and Pratt is visited by his half-brother, prompting emotions from the past that remind him of his father's (guest star Danny Glover, "Lethal Weapon") abandonment. Goran Visnjic, Shane West and Kristen Johnston also star.

Sunday, November 6, 2005

"THE WEST WING"
"'Live' Debate Episode"

In a first for "The West Wing," the Emmy Award-winning series will broadcast a live episode featuring a debate between presidential candidates Congressman Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits) and Senator Arnold Vinick (Alan Alda). Two live versions will be telecast, one for the East Coast and another for the West Coast.

"LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT"
"In the Wee Small Hours Part I & II"

In a two-hour movie featuring both sets of the series' detectives for the first time -- a visiting Iowa teen disappears during her New York City school trip, prompting a massive media frenzy that engulfs Detectives Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio), Eames (Kathryn Erbe), Logan (Chris Noth) and Barek (Annabella Sciorra) when their prime suspect (guest star Matt O'Leary) is a powerful judge's son.

The case widens when it appears the accuser's philandering father (guest star Colm Meaney) is a co-conspirator who acted to protect his son -- and might be a murder suspect himself -- but he is not afraid to punch back hard against the investigators. Jamey Sheridan, Courtney B. Vance and Fred Dalton Thompson ("Law & Order") also star.

Monday, November 7, 2005

"SURFACE"
Episode #107

Dr. Lee (Ian Anthony Dale) gives an account of someone's unexpected death to his superiors -- concluding that it was a necessity in the long run -- before revealing a new and unfolding clue in the investigation. Laura (Lake Bell) and Rich (Jay R. Ferguson) enlist the help of Jackson (Austin Nichols) when her home is mysteriously ransacked by strangers, sending the trio under the radar as they travel up the coast.

Meanwhile, Nimrod's uncontrollable behavior forces Miles (Carter Jenkins) and Phil (Eddie Hassell) to steal a pizza delivery car and lead the police on a chase to the beach where Miles lets Nim go in the ocean. Leighton Meester also stars.

"LAS VEGAS"
"Everything Old Is You Again"

When Danny (Josh Duhamel) wonders what it would be like to work at a casino in the vintage 1960s, he becomes the focus of a flashback to the Jubilee Hotel and Casino circa 1962 where he is the director of entertainment. In the look back, the new president of the Jubilee Ed (James Caan) designates Mike (James Lesure) as the head of security and Mary (Nikki Cox) to take over the hotel restaurant while he convinces Delinda (Molly Sims) to open a dress shop -- despite her wish to become a showgirl.

Elsewhere, Sam (Vanessa Marcil), now a call girl, is almost banned from the casino but escapes punishment by promising to bring all of her high-roller clients to the Jubilee. Chubby Checker guest-stars as himself.

"MEDIUM"
"Judge, Jury & Executioner"

Conflict arises when Joe (Jake Weber) serves on a jury that is deciding the fate of a man who keeps showing up in Allison's (Patricia Arquette) dreams. Miguel Sandoval, David Cubitt, Sofia Vassilieva and Maria Lark also star.

Tuesday, November 9, 2005

"LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT"
"Name"

When construction workers pour the sand into a new playground and discover the remains of a young boy, Detective Stabler (Chris Meloni) teams up with CSU tech Millie Vizcarrondo (guest star Paula Garces) and they resurrect a cold case where four boys disappeared 30 years earlier.

As the investigation unfolds, new forensic evidence surfaces until Anna (guest-star Lisa Emery) surfaces, claiming her stepfather (guest-star Richard Bright) was the killer. Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Diane Neal, Dann Florek, Ice-T, Tamara Tunie and B.D. Wong also star.