Mix it up with 'American Gladiators'

"American Gladiators" ramps up the action for season two (8 p.m. EDT Monday, NBC)."It's bigger. It's better. They have bigger contestants, new games," says "Gladiators" co-host Laila Ali.For season two, "Gladiator" will boast a flying basketball game called Rocketball and the up-in-the-air footrace called Vertigo.Also, two new gladiators are joining the fray. They are season-one winners Evan Dollard, now going by the name "Rocket," and the raven-haired Monica Carlson, who's calling herself "Jet."The season premiere is supersized to two hours. The winners at the end of the season will earn $100,000 -- and a lot of bruises.Other aspects of "Gladiators" haven't changed. Hulk Hogan is still hosting.Each episode will feature two male and two female contenders competing against each other for points. Standing in their way are the show's Spandex-wearing gladiators."It's nice to stand on the sidelines and watch other people take the beating," says Ali, a pro boxer who's expecting in September.Interviewing contestants will be as close as Ali wants to come now to participation in the show."I'm still physical," she says. "I still box, but I am taking a little break right now."Other highlights for the week of May 11-17 (listings subject to change; check local listings):SUNDAY-- "Survivor" (8 p.m., CBS). It comes down to the wire for the four remaining contestants.-- "Desperate Housewives" (9 p.m., ABC). Susan's water breaks.MONDAY-- "How I Met Your Mother" (8:30 p.m., CBS). It's Britney (again), witch.-- "House" (9 p.m., Fox). House wakes up after a bus wreck, covered in blood and wondering what happened.-- "CSI Miami" (10 p.m., CBS). Cue Tom Sizemore to come in and systemically screw up everything.TUESDAY-- "NCIS" (8 p.m., CBS). A new assistant director is in the house, and we all know what that means. Uh, what does that mean?-- "Shark" (10 p.m., CBS). Don't adjust your sets. That's not a corpse on "CSI." It's Hugh Hefner making a cameo.-- "Secret Lives of Women" (10 p.m., WE). What's life really like for Mrs. Tony Soprano?THURSDAY-- "Ugly Betty" (8 p.m., ABC). Amanda decides to do a reality show with her long-lost father, Gene Simmons of KISS. Some girls have all the luck.-- "Smallville" (8 p.m., CW). In the season finale, Lex finds himself compromised, and Lana finally gets out of bed.-- "The Office" (9 p.m., NBC). How bad is an office when the human-resources director is a victim of hazing?-- "True Life" (10 p.m., MTV). "I Have Embarrassing Parents." Yeah, whatever.-- "Lost" (10 p.m., ABC). The showdown between the islanders and the ship people begins in part one of a three-part episode.FRIDAY-- "Moonlight" (9 p.m., CBS). Claudia Black turns up as The Cleaner! She's a menace, and, yet, tidy.(E-mail Terry Morrow of The Knoxville News-Sentinel in Tennessee at morrow2(at)knews.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)