Julia Louis Dreyfus

Series The New Adventures of Old Christine:: Richard (Clark Gregg) tries to get Christine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) to give him back his mother's wedding ring, so he can give it to New Christine (Emily Rutherfurd). (8 p.m., WJZ-Channel 13) American Idol: : The second set of 12 semifinalists performs. (8 p.m., WBFF-Channel 45) Criminal Minds: : Rossi (Joe Mantegna) and the team search for a female serial killer, who poses as a high-class call girl to lure and kill powerful executives. (9 p.m., WJZ-Channel 13)

LOS ANGELES -- "Seinfeld" will return for an eighth season next fall, NBC entertainment president Warren Littlefield said yesterday.The announcement came as somewhat of surprise since Jerry Seinfeld and other members of the cast were reportedly considering calling it quits after seven years in the Nielsen Top 10.As Littlefield spoke, Seinfeld walked on stage to field questions in a surprise press conference."

Handbag lovers now have a reason to carry on.The bags of the moment are smaller, hand-held styles, reminiscent of ones carried in the '40s and '50s, such as Chanel's quilted bag and Hermes' structured Kelly bag, named for the late actress Grace Kelly.Today's hand-held versions range from a tiny canister-shaped evening bag -- big enough for lipstick, mirror and a $20 bill -- to a soft, casual tote that holds keys, a billfold and cell phone. They come in leathers, knits, straws and a variety of linens and silks, in a bonanza of shapes and colors.

For the second week in a row, Baltimore got some prime-time, Sunday-night love on high-end cable TV. Two weeks ago, Lutherville got a mention on "Mad Men. " Granted, it was a throwaway line, but a mention is a mention in self-conscious Baltimore -- and its north county cousins. This Sunday, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice got the shoutout on HBO's "VEEP," which is made in Maryland. The mention came when Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)

"Jamesy Boy," an independent film directed and co-written by Maryland native Trevor White and starring Mary-Louise Parker, Ving Rhames and James Woods, will begin filming in Baltimore March 5, the Maryland Film Office announced today. The film, which will be shot over five weeks, tells the story of James (newcomer Spencer Lofranco), a street-tough gang member who ends up in a maximum security prison. There, he befriends a convicted murderer who becomes his mentor and helps turn his life around.

It's the start of March Madness, a k a the NCAA basketball championships, which some people avoid and other people dive into -- dive as in pool. My easy tip, for people who want to enter the office pool but don't know a double dribble from a dribble glass: When choosing which of two teams will beat the other, always go with the one that comes first in the alphabet. This year, for example, that puts Alabama vs. Arizona in the finals.* "NCAA basketball championships" (noon-5 p.m., 7:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Channel 13)

NBC's the place tonight, thanks mostly to original episodes of "Mad About You" and "Seinfeld."* "Mad About You" (8 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Channel 11) -- The alumni of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" are making the TV rounds these says. Gates McFadden snapped up a co-starring role on the new UPN series "Marker," Jonathan Frakes appeared earlier this week on "Cybill" (complete with a closing-credits "beam-up"), and tonight, Brent Spiner, free from his Data whiteface makeup, guests on "Mad About You" as a show-biz agent who takes on the Buckman's pooch as a client.

Tonight on TV, one of the best dramas of recent years serves up its final episode. Yes, it's the conclusion of "Prime Suspect 3" on "Mystery!" -- and, elsewhere on TV, "L.A. Law" presents its finale, too. Other noteworthy offerings include season-ending doses of "The Simpsons," "Seinfeld" and "Frasier."* "Mad About You." (8-9 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- Paul (Paul Reiser) loses his wedding ring just before his second anniversary -- a fitting topic to close the second season. Helen Hunt co-stars.

Events, past and future, color many of the repeats offered by TV tonight.* "Mad About You" (8-8:30 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- A minor TV mystery solved: When this clever "virtual reality" episode of "Mad About You" ran in February, it was somewhat puzzling why guest star Christie Brinkley so enthusiastically threw herself into the role of Paul's fantasy female. Now we know her marriage to Billy Joel was, by that time, several months in the unmaking, and her prime-time guest shot can be seen in retrospect as a high-profile return to (and display of)

Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke briefly gets a national platform to talk about drug policy, and CBS tries a schedule change to rouse new interest in "Northern Exposure."* "Notes For My Daughter" (4 p.m.-5 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- Kate Burton (daughter of actor Richard Burton) stars in this "Afterschool Special" as a mother whose diagnosis of breast cancer deeply affects her 13-year-old daughter (Grace Johnston). ABC.* "Northern Exposure" (8 p.m.-9 p.m., WJZ, Channel 13) -- Sigh. Don't you miss all those fiery moments between O'Connell and Fleischman (Janine Turner and the departed Rob Morrow)