Patti Smith, a.k.a., Godmother of Punk, has made her mark in the worlds of music, poetry and the visual arts, and now she's tackling acting.

According to TVGuide.com Smith will make her acting debut in Sunday night's episode of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent.'

In true 'L&O' fashion the plot is ripped straight from the headlines: Detectives Goren and Eames investigate a Broadway musical, 'Icarus,' after an actor dies while performing a stunt.

The case is based on the many injuries stemming from Bono and the Edge's new Broadway musical 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.' Smith plays Columbia University mythology professor Cleo Alexander, an old friend of Goren's, who helps the detectives figure out the meaning behind 'Icarus.'

The Dick and Jane Killer is back. Bill Irwin will be reprising the Nate Haskell role on the final two episodes of 'CSI' this season. In the storyline to come, Irwin's character knows the identity of Dr. Jekyll, and the team, specifically Langston (Laurence Fishburne), work with him to get information. [Ausiello Files]

Debra Winger, star of 'An Officer and a Gentleman,' is reportedly close to signing a deal to appear as a regular on HBO's third season of 'In Treatment.' The role Winger may play has been described as a former star who is battling insecurity and fear about her career. Winger's last role as a series regular was on the Lynda Carter-driven 'Wonder Woman.' [Deadline Hollywood]

More casting news after the jump.

Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times Eastern).

Starting at 8:00

• ABC has the results edition of 'Dancing With the Stars,' followed by new episodes of 'Lost' and 'V.'
• CBS has a new 'NCIS' as well as new episodes of 'NCIS: Los Angeles' and 'The Good Wife.'
• The CW has new episodes of '90210' and 'Melrose Place.'
• It's two hours of 'American Idol' on FOX.
• NBC provides a new, two-hour 'The Biggest Loser' followed by 'Parenthood.'
• PBS' 'NOVA' takes a look at the Milky Way's secrets.
• Another new 'Storm Stories' airs on The Weather Channel.
• Connecticut and Stanford square off in the NCAA Women's Basketball final on ESPN (starts at 8:30).

Starting at 9:00

• TLC has a new episode of '19 Kids and Counting,' followed by a repeat, then two new episodes of 'The Little Chocolatiers.'
• BBC America has a new episode of 'Survivors.'

Starting at 10:00

• USA has a new episode of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent.'
• BET has a new episode of 'The Michael Vick Project.'
• FX offers up a new episode of 'Justified.'
• TNT provides a new episode of 'Southland.'
• A new episode of 'Millionaire Matchmaker' airs on Bravo.
• Food Network airs the season premiere of 'Chopped.'

Check your local TV listings for more information.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

It's pilot time again and this season the networks have decided to turn back the clock, specifically on old cop and crime shows, to save their sinking ratings.

For instance, NBC is bringing back the mystery series 'The Rockford Files' with Dermot Mulroney in the role that James Garner turned into a classic TV crime fighter. CBS has also ordered a remake of the procedural cop classic 'Hawaii Five-O' with Scott Caan and Jean Smart.

Normally, my gut reacts to a TV remake the same way a person who just washed his car reacts to a line of dark clouds (a lot of cursing and shaking of fists at God or some other celestial being). However, if done right, anything has the chance to be good... unless it's one of the following cop serials, which should never be touched by a TV producer ever again.

Lorraine Bracco ('The Sopranos') has reportedly booked a guest spot on 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent.' In the episode airing this summer, the Oscar and Emmy nominee will play a "woman who cares for foster children." Last night, 'Criminal Intent' had its ninth-season premiere on USA. [TV Guide]

More casting news after the jump.

I started watching Law & Order during the Briscoe and Green days, so I don't know a whole lot about Detective Rey Curtis, Briscoe's former partner from '94-'99. What I do know is that Benjamin Bratt is pulling a Chris Noth and returning to the show that gave him his big break.

Bratt, whose A&E series, The Cleaner, was just canceled, is reprising his role as Detective Rey Curtis on the original Law & Order. However, it doesn't look like the current crime-fighting duo of Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Bernard (Anthony Anderson) have anything to worry about: Bratt is only signed up for one episode.

TBS pulls the plug on 'The Bill Engvall Show,' Vincent D'Onofrio departs 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent,' Heidi Montag books 'The View' and more of today's top TV headlines.

USA may bring back 'Law & Order: CI' for a ninth season, Bob Saget is returning to 'America's Funniest Videos,' Oprah books 'Mad Men''s Jon Hamm and January Jones and more of today's top TV headlines.

-- Looking back on her career, Farrah Fawcett was a lot tougher than people think [Newsweek]

-- One critic wonders: Is 'The Philanthropist' the worst show ever? We take it he never saw 'Kath & Kim' [Miami Herald]

-- More bad news for Kate Gosselin: She's just one of Lemondrop's 12 Biggest Lady Douchebags [Lemondrop]

(more fun finds after the jump)

Let's just forget that drab fall TV season ever happened and prepare for the stellar lineup ahead.

Follow our midseason guide to find out what happened -- and what's going to happen -- on '24,' 'Battlestar,' 'Scrubs' and all your returning favorites.

I was reading AOL TV's "TV's 50 Hottest Hunks - Ever," and I was struck by two thoughts: "Ugh, can people really use the term, 'hunk' without shuddering?" and, "David Boreanaz? Seriously?"

I get it. Television is populated with pretty people and there are just some guys who are objectively hot (hellooooo, Jon Hamm). Generally speaking though, I'm not drawn to the Luke Perrys and Mario Lopezes of the world. I like quirky guys, and so while most of the dudes on this list aren't going to make it into the People magazine "Sexiest Man Alive" issue, they keep me tuning in every week (heh, that sounded totally dirty).

Follow me after the jump for the undercover hotties: ten guys on TV I secretly love.

Okay, I'm not a doctor (surprising, I know), so maybe if you are a doctor, and your most recent medical experience is tsunami relief in Indonesia, maybe moving to County General doesn't seem so bad. Sure, it gets blown up occasionally, gunfire breaks out often, and maybe you may get taken hostage and/or stabbed by a crazy patient or two. But here's my question: Would you tell your spouse to work there too?

Apparently Angela Bassett would. Bassett, who is joining the cast of ER as a "troubled" new attending, is bringing her husband along with her. Courtney B. Vance, who spent five seasons on NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent as ADA Ron Carver, is also joining the cast. Vance will be playing another attending physician an the on-screen husband of his real-life wife on a recurring basis. While I'm sure that the set of ER is a perfectly safe place for Vance, I'm highly worried about the fate of his character.

Jesse Spano is coming back to TV. After guest appearances on CSI: Miami and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Elizabeth Berkley is ditching the procedurals and heading over to Showtime. The former Saved by the Bell star will be joining Jennifer Beals, her costar in the 2002 film Roger Dodger, on Showtime's The L-Word for a multi-episode arc.

Word is, Berkley's L-Word character has a history with Jennifer Beals' Bette. The two went to college together and Berkley was the straight girl who got away. Perhaps Bette will have better luck the second time around.

My only hope for this pairing is that they can somehow manage to fit a Flashdance: What a Feeling / I'm So Excited dance-off into the plot of the show, thus bringing together the high points of both of these women's careers and officially making this the best casting decision ever.