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This week on TV: 'Mo'Nique' is back, Jim and Pam tie the knot and a 'Drop Dead' surprise ...

MONDAY, OCT. 5
'The Mo'Nique Show' (11PM, BET) series premiere
It's Mo'Nique's world these days, as the comedienne and sitcom star launches her nightly talk show just as buzz ramps up about a possible Oscar nomination for her role in the indie drama 'Precious.' As for the talk show, it'll be a familiar mix of celeb guests, musical performances and an in-house DJ. Her first guest tonight: Fellow comedian Steve Harvey, while Chris Rock pops in on Thursday.

'Sherri' – 'The View' co-host Sherri Shepherd stars in this sitcom based on her real-life divorce (7PM, Lifetime) series premiere
'Let's Make a Deal' – Wayne Brady hosts this daytime remake of the Monty Hall game show classic (Check listings, CBS)
'Rita Rocks' – 2nd season premiere (7:30PM, Lifetime)
'Gossip Girl' – Hilary Duff and Tyra Banks guest star (9PM, The CW)
'How I Met Your Mother' – Barney asks Ted to teach him how to date Robin (8PM, CBS)

This week on TV: Dancing the pounds away, the kids are back to school in 'Degrassi' and -- boom! -- fireworks galore.

MONDAY, JUNE 29
'Dance Your Ass Off' (10PM, Oxygen) series premiere
What they hope to lose: pounds. What they hope to gain: the $100,000 grand prize that will go to the one contestant out of 12 who drops the most weight by shaking their moneymakers. The 'Biggest Loser'-meets-'So You Think You Can Dance' concept, hosted by Marissa Jaret Winokur, has attracted an eclectic bunch of contestants, including a former model whose career ended when she gained 55 pounds and several diabetics whose weight loss could save their lives. With the help of a doctor, nutritionist, trainer and two hours of dance practice a day, who will leave the show thinner ... and richer?

'The Bachelorette' – Jillian visits the finalists' hometowns (8PM, ABC)
'My Life on the D-List' – Kathy asks her mom to create a Facebook page for her (10PM, Bravo)
'Weeds' – Celia camps out in Nancy's garage (10PM, Showtime)
'New York Goes to Work' – 1st season finale (10PM, VH1)
'Nurse Jackie' – Zoey loses her first patient (10:30PM, Showtime)

'Friday Night Lights'
(9PM, NBC)
Two Dillon residents, and 'FNL' fan favorites, finally get some news, as pals Jason Street and Tim Riggins sell their house.

And that kicks off what might be life-changing streaks of good luck for the BFFs, as Tim's brother Billy decides to make it his mission to get his little bro a football scholarship.

Meanwhile, a chance meeting with a former Panther who's NFL-bound gives Jason an idea for a new career: professional sports agent. Not to ruin anything for viewers who've carefully avoided spoilers from the show's DirecTV airings, but Mr. Street is about to embark on a new adventure that will reunite him with family, even if it means leaving other loved ones behind.

'A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE'
(8PM, MTV)
The topic of U.S. troops in Iraq is a polarizing one, but we can all agree the brave men and women serving there deserve a welcoming return home.

Unfortunately, the soldiers often return to face issues with unemployment, health care and homelessness, and MTV hopes to raise awareness of their plight via performances by 50 Cent, Ludacris, Kanye West, Kid Rock and Taylor Swift.

The network is also co-sponsoring the Bill of Rights for American Veterans (BRAVE), a petition for legislative changes that will alleviate the problems vets often face after serving their country. So we'll forgive MTV for not playing music videos anymore when their primetime hours are devoted to such a noble cause.

'The Starter Wife'
(9PM, USA) series premiere
Will's been replaced by Rodney as her gay best friend and her boozy pal Joan has some Karen-like moments, but Debra Messing's definitely not in 'Will & Grace' land anymore with this new dramedy, which continues from last year's USA miniseries.

When we catch up with Messing's Molly Kagan, whose life was turned upside down when her Hollywood exec hubby Kenny announced he wanted a divorce, she's using entries from her personal diary for a writing workshop assignment, in hopes of getting her own post-divorce Hollywood career on track.

And if the spark between her and her hot writing instructor happens to turn into her own love sequel, so be it ...

Beverly Hills, 90210 ... 21 Jump Street ... The Facts of Life ... see where they rank on our list.

The bad news? Summer's almost over and it's nearly time for school again.

The good news? We've got just the thing to ease you into back-to-school mode: Our countdown of TV's 21 best school shows ever.

So sharpen your No. 2 pencil and dive in to see which series just make the grade and which ones are at the top of the class.

'Gone Country 2' and 'Outsider's Inn'
(8PM & 9PM, CMT) premieres
Lorenzo Lamas or Jermaine Jackson, boot scootin' boogiers? The soap star and the Jackson 5 singer are among the seven new B-listers trying to break into the country music scene in 'Gone Country's' second season.

The rest of the wannabe line-up includes 'N Sync-er Chris Kirkpatrick, 'Fame' singer Irene Cara, Skid Row hair band star Sebastian Bach, 'American Idol' cast-off Mikalah Gordon and actress Sean Young, whose penchant for tabloid behavior should provide some reality fireworks.

Meanwhile, Maureen 'Marcia Brady' McCormick has roped fellow season one alums Bobby Brown and Carnie Wilson into helping her run a B&B in rural Tennessee on 'Outsider's Inn.' But unlike Tori and Dean before them, Bobby and Carnie don't seem to be 'inn love' with the idea.

Can you make the grade?

The beginning of fall will always mean one thing -- back-to-school season.

And in honor of this special time of year, we present you with a pop quiz all about TV schools.

Where did Felicity go to college? Was a baby ever born at Bayside High? Please keep your eyes on your own paper. Pencils out ... you may begin.

'XXIX Summer Olympics: Opening Ceremonies'
(8PM, NBC)
NBC is planning more than 3,000 hours of coverage of the XXIX Summer Olympics on the tube and Internet, and it all begins with tonight's opening ceremonies -- featuring more than 10,000 performers -- at the National Stadium in Beijing.

Everything, in fact, is souped up for these international games, from the amount of coverage and the quality of the technology NBC will use to capture it (mini HD cams will be strapped to athletes for up close and personal shots, for example) to new events (BMX racing and the women's steeplechase among them) and the line-up of superstars competing, including LeBron James and Dwyane Wade on the U.S. men's basketball team; U.S. swimmer Dara Torres, who's already won nine medals as she heads into her fifth Olympics; and American swimmer Michael Phelps, who earned six gold medals at the 2004 Games in Athens.

All in all, this is one stretch of reality programming worthy of your coach potato hours this summer.

'The Hills' ... 'The Price Is Right' ... 'One Tree Hill' ... find out where they rank on our list.

In the privacy of our homes, we're doing something that would shock our friends and horrify our relatives.

We're watching ... 'Moonlight.' And 'Hannah Montana.' And sometimes, even 'I Love New York.'

Yep, we admit it. It's time to 'fess up and reveal our top 20 guilty pleasures on TV right now. You'll watch and love them (in secret) too.