TelePhillyist

Nova (Tue; 8PM-9PM; PBS) - This week the venerable television institution covers the DARPA Grand Challenge, a race of unmanned robotic vehicles that's taken place the last couple of years in the Mojave desert. The show covers the 2004 event (in which there were no winners, as no vehicle got anywhere near the finish line in the time allowed), as well as the prep work for the 2005 event. We hope it also covers the actual 2005 race, as a couple of vehicles actually finished that time, but it doesn't look like it from TV Guide's description. (Official site)

Thief (Tue; 10PM-11PM; FX) - A new hour-long drama about a gang of professional thieves led by the great Andre Braugher, whom you probably don't remember from his amazing performance on the fantastic, critically-acclaimed, but little-watched show Homicide: Life on the Street. In this show, not only do he and his fellow thieves have to grapple with the risks and questionable morals of their chosen profession, he also has to deal with a stepdaughter that doesn't like him. This actually sounds vaguely promising. (Official site)

America's Next Top Model (Wed; 8PM-9PM; UPN) - In this episode, cleverly entitled "The Girl Who Kissed a Male Model," one of the girls kisses a male model. Much controversy ensues. Oh, Phillyist is all a-twitter already. (Official site)