What to Watch: February 8 - 14

The final season of Lost kicks off on Wednesday.

TV.com's pick of the best TV shows on Aussie screens this week.

Australian Story
New season. An inspiring first episode for the year as we meet 18-year-old Samuel Symons, son of Red Symons, who has had a life of brain haemorrhages, recurring cancer and radiation therapy. But Sam's defiant spirit is a strong message in the face of adversity. This is a story the family have kept from the media for years, but by being shared now it will touch many others.

Airs: 8pm Monday on ABC1

The Circle (Australia)
Premiere. Denise Drysdale, Chrissy Swan, Yumi Stynes and Gorgi Coghlan launch TEN's new morning chat show that replaces 9am with David and Kim. As well as the usual mix of guests, banter, entertainment, topical discussions and advertorials, it is promising audience interaction with email, SMS and Skype. The network swears this isn't a local version of The View, but we'll have to wait and see.

Airs: 10am Tuesday on TEN

NCIS
Season return. How do you solve a crime conducted during a city blackout when you don't have any power? A shoot-out at an internet service provider leads to a massive city blackout for days, forcing Gibbs and his team to return to rudimentary methods and basic skills of detection to find a group of killers and figure out what they were after.

Airs: 8:30pm Tuesday on TEN

Poh's Kitchen
Premiere. MasterChef Australia runner-up Poh Ling Yeow has her own series now that The Cook and the Chef is no more -- and the first results are very good indeed. On camera she is bright and cheerful, inviting us into her kitchen to learn a delicious cake recipe. Joined this week by French chef Emmanuel Mollois teaching her about croissants, Poh's warmth exudes through the screen. She's a natural.

Airs: 6:30pm Wednesday on ABC1

So You Think You Can Dance Australia
Now the auditions are over it's time to turn up the heat. In its new weeknight time slot, Dance unleashes its Top 20 onto the dance floor for another season. Can't wait to see who will make a big impression and who will rocket to glory. The live results show is now set for Thursday nights.

Airs: 7:30pm Wednesday on TEN

American Idol
Hurrah! At long last Ellen DeGeneres joins Idol as the new, permanent judge. We're finally in Hollywood with the Top 3000 (well that's what it feels like anyway) and it's time to find out how Simon Cowell adjusts to Ellen and whether they will lock horns or not. Oh and there may be some contestants singing somewhere in the middle of it all too.

Airs: 7:30pm Wednesday on FOX8

Lost
New season. It's finally here! The sixth and final season of television's most diabolical drama kicks off with a two-hour premiere. There is so much to resolve as the mysteries of the island and the destiny of the Oceanic passengers will be wrapped up once and for all. But no spoilers here. Just be ready for the return of some familiar faces, and throw out the scriptwriting rulebook. Preceded by a special at 8:30pm, it will also air later at 11:30pm on Seven (first episode only)

Airs: 9:30pm Wednesday on 7TWO

The White Room
Premiere. Production on this new game show has been so tight we haven't managed to spy an episode yet. But we can tell you this trivia game show all about TV is hosted by Julian Schiller and Tony Moclair and its regular panellists are Dave Thornton, Felicity Ward, George McEncroe and Lawrence Mooney. Seven's answer to Spicks & Specks?

Airs: 7:30pm Thursday on Seven

Cougar Town
Premiere. Courteney Cox is a fox in this comedy created by Scrubs' Bill Lawrence. Raising her son, dealing with her ex and resisting the constant par-tay urges of her work colleagues isn't easy. So she gives into temptation and agrees to join the dating scene of Florida, where the women are hunting for fresh meat. Some good fun to be had here from a very skilled comedic performer.

Airs: 8:30pm Thursday on Seven

Law and Order: SVU
New season. Wentworth Miller guest stars as Detective Nate Kendell, a suit with a short fuse in the eleventh season of SVU. And just like Prison Break he's still whispering all his dialogue! When a woman is raped Benson and Stabler are forced to work with Kendall who has the trust of the victim. The more satisfying plot is actually for Stabler when a former case comes back to impact on his professional record.

Airs: 8:30pm Thursday on TEN

Sleuth 101
Premiere. Lookout Cluedo. Comedian Cal Wilson hosts this whodunit show which is part mystery and part improvisation. Dave O'Neill plays amateur detective in a case where the head of a family (John Wood) is murdered by one of his own. Possibly family members resembling Denise Drysdale and Robyn Butler. It's a little static in format, but with the right sleuth on the case this will be very different to other light entertainment offerings. Will the real murderer please stand up?

Airs: 8pm on Friday on ABC1

Winter Olympics: Opening Ceremony
Apparently there's not much snow in Vancouver this week, but organisers are determined to turn on a super show anyway. The opening ceremony from BC Stadium will be commentated by Eddie McGuire, Leila McKinnon, Ken Sutcliffe, Alisa Camplin and Steven Bradbury. Airing live around the country in all cities and repeated in the evening.

Airs: 12:30pm AEDT Saturday on Nine