Justice comes to television

Supreme Court Justices, real and fictional, dominate tonight's network choices. On "Dateline" (8 p.m., NBC) Katie Couric interviews Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman justice to serve on the High Court. O'Connor has just written a book with her brother, Alan Day, titled, "Lazy B: Growing Up on a Cattle Ranch in the American Southwest" (Random House, 2002). In addition to anecdotes about her Arizona youth, O'Connor discusses the travails of making her way as a female attorney during the 1950s as well as the challenges of serving on the formerly all-male Supreme Court.

President Ronald Reagan's 1981 decision to appoint O'Connor to the Court coincided with the release of the movie "First Monday in October," an adaptation of a Jerome Lawrence-Robert E. Lee play about the marital squabbles between a liberal Supreme Court justice (Walter Matthau) and his conservative wife (Jill Clayburgh), who happens to be the first and only woman on the Court. O'Connor's real life story overshadowed the movie, which never found a large audience.

That can't be said of CBS's new series "First Monday" (8 p.m., CBS). It scored impressive ratings for its debut, despite a near unanimous drubbing from critics who deplored its obvious dialogue and cliche characters. Even National Public Radio's veteran Supreme Court correspondent Nina Tottenberg went on record trashing "Monday" for its unrealistic portrayal of court procedures. Tonight's episode features a cameo appearance from notorious lawyer Johnnie Cochran, who spars in court with author Vincent Bugliosi. Both men play themselves.

The History Channel will repeat the documentary "The World Trade Center" (9 p.m.), a look at the planning, building and maintenance of the twin skyscrapers. The film was completed just prior to the attacks on Sept. 11. Rather than alter the film to reflect the buildings' destruction, the History Channel aired it intact last Oct. 17, as a historical record. The film provoked a tremendous emotional reaction from viewers. The cable channel found itself deluged by calls and e-mails requesting a repeat airing.

"We've never had a response like it," network Vice President Abbe Raven said in a telephone interview. "It remains our most-watched program, ever."

Tonight's other highlights

� Syd has misgivings about her malpractice lawyer on "Providence" (7 p.m., NBC).

� Sandra Bullock stars in the 1995 computer conspiracy drama "The Net" (7 p.m., UPN).

� A corporate big-shot (Tom Hanks) has nothing but time on his hands on a deserted island in the 2000 drama "Cast Away" (7 p.m., HBO).

� Molly falls in with the cool crowd on "Maybe it's Me" (8:30 p.m., WB).

� Scheduled on "48 Hours" (9 p.m., CBS): Identical twins face murder charges and receive opposite verdicts.

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