Around the remote: TV picks for Jan. 2-8.

Byline: Chuck Barney

DON'T MISS:

THE ORANGE BOWL: The persistent cries for a legitimate college football playoff system continue to fall on deaf ears. And so we come to this _ a stupendously hyped game between No. 1-ranked USC and No. 2 Oklahoma that was determined by some bizarre and arcane conglomeration of computer data, sports writers' votes, coaches' biases and voodoo chants. (OK, I made up that last one.) Of course, the Trojans and the Sooners, both 12-0, have legitimate claims to their lofty status, but try telling that to Auburn, Utah and Boise State, which all were also undefeated in the regular season. Despite the controversy, the game figures to be a doozy. Each squad has a quarterback who has won the Heisman Trophy (Matt Leinart of USC and OU's Jason White, the 2003 winner), and a running back who easily could have (USC's Reggie Bush and OU's Adrian Peterson). And like it or not, one of these teams will be hugging a national championship trophy at the end of the night. 8 p.m. Tuesday, ABC.

OTHER BETS:

SUNDAY: "American Dreams" finally returns with a fresh episode that finds JJ (Will Estes) still haunted by his experiences in Vietnam. When Beth tries to help him cope, they rekindle their relationship and wind up setting a wedding date. On the music front, the group 112 appears as the Four Tops. 8 p.m., NBC.

SUNDAY: ABC has breathed new life into the prime-time soap via this season's biggest hit, "Desperate Housewives." Tonight, with the ladies of Wisteria Lane off on a holiday break, the network revisits one of its earlier sudsy successes in "Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure." It's a "satirical but poignant" movie featuring Alice Krige as Joan Collins, Bart John as John Forsythe and Melora Hardin as Linda Evans. 9 p.m., ABC.

MONDAY: The midseason onslaught of new shows begins with "Medium." It's an intriguing drama series starring Patricia Arquette as a woman who sees _ and hears _ dead people. Naturally, she winds up using her special "gift" to help solve murder cases. We're told that the series is based on a true story. 10 p.m., NBC.