ShareThisBy TERRY MORROW
Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt star as FBI agents who try to separate their romance from their work in the drama "Standoff" (debuting 9 p.m., EDT/PDT, Tuesday, Fox).
Livingston plays Matt Flannery, and DeWitt is Emily Lehman, top-ranked negotiators in the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU). They're experts at knowing what makes other people tick.
Matt is carefree and works on gut instinct while Emily is more practical and analyzes every move she makes.
But they are also secretly involved, at least until Matt accidentally lets the bean spill during a hostage standoff. Now their superiors wonder if such an entanglement can work _ on the job and off, too.
"The first year is sort of going to be the first year of a relationship," says executive producer Craig Silverstein. "We are watching a fledgling relationship. ... They weren't really ready to come public with it when they did. Now that they're in the spotlight, it's going to take some growing pains."
Livingston, best known to many as Carrie's ex, Burger, on "Sex and the City," says playing a romance has a rhythm all its own.
"It's a little bit like dancing," he says. "Sure the guy's leading, but he's leading to where he knows that she's going to go really well and takes a lot of cues off her."
Other highlights for the week of Sept. 3-9 (all times Eastern; check local listings; subject to change):
SUNDAY, Sept. 3
_ "Lucky Louie" (9 p.m. HBO). A marathon recaps the first season of the HBO's twisted version of "The Honeymooners."
MONDAY, Sept. 4
_ "The Unauthorized Story of Diff'rent Strokes" (8 p.m. NBC). Just what are you talkin' about, Willis?
_ "Dane Cook: Vicious Circle" (9 p.m. HBO). The comedian is in the round.
TUESDAY, Sept. 5
_ "CBS Evening News" (6:30 p.m. CBS). Tonight's big headline ... Katie Couric delivers the news.
_ "House" (8 p.m. Fox). As a new season begins, the not-so-good doctor notices a change of behavior in himself after treating two people with head injuries.
_ "The Nominees" (9 p.m. Sundance). Five folks nominated for "Australian of the Year" have their lives documented in this mockumentary.
_ "Nip/Tuck" (10 p.m. FX). A new season of slicing and dicing begins!
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 6
_ "Offstage with Loriane Crook" (8 p.m. GAC). Trace Adkins talks about how his last hit embarrassed him. He can only imagine how we felt when we heard it.
THURSDAY, Sept. 7
_ "Where Did It Come From?" (8 p.m. History Channel). Experts reveal how modern achievements are actually ancient history (like high rise buildings and weapons of mass destruction).
SATURDAY, Sept. 9
_ "Hot Docs" (9 p.m. BBC America). The British take tabloid-making headlines and try to put a hard-news approach to it. First up: My husband is gay!
