Dumont Network: Harsh Words (crime drama). The hit Dumont drama that pairs a by-the-book cop with a cold but beautiful forensic etymologist. Tonight: When Dr. Skeat is called in to investigate a serial killer who leaves taunting notes in Yinzer dialect, she is forced to confront her own repressed memories of her third-grade English teacher.

Wolf Broadcasting Corporation: Optimized (crime drama). A new fall drama that pairs a by-the-book cop with a business-school graduate hired to reorganize the department. Tonight: Buddy wants to stop a serial killer terrorizing Uptown, but Staines insists that writing parking tickets is more cost-effective.

Northern Broadcasting System: Giggles and Sins (crime drama). The hit drama that pairs a by-the-book cop with an architectural-historian clown, now revived on NBS. Tonight: When two billionaire executives are found drowned in their cornflakes within hours of each other, Bozar suspects a cereal killer may be on the loose.

Red Network: Blue and Gray (crime drama). The new Red Network drama that pairs a by-the-book cop with a serial killer. Tonight: When Krantz runs out of leads, Gray goes after the city’s biggest jaywalking syndicate his own way.

Metromedia: Midtown Beat (crime drama). The hit Metromedia drama that pairs a by-the-book cop with a public-relations expert. Tonight: When several popular soap-opera stars are murdered, Lucas struggles to come up with a catchy nickname for the killer.