'Sex, Love & Secrets' When: 9 p.m. Tuesday, WNPA. Starring: Denise Richards. 'Boston Legal' When: 10 p.m. Tuesday, WTAE. Starring: William Shatner. 'Veronica Mars' When: 9 p.m. Wednesday, WNPA. Starring: Kristen Bell.

You heard the rave reviews about UPN's "Veronica Mars" (9 p.m. Wednesday, WNPA) last season, but you also knew it had a continuing story line and figured by the time you heard the buzz it was too late to tune in and get caught up.

You were probably right, but the show wrapped up its first-season mystery in May and an all-new one kicks off this week. Now is the time to journey to "Mars."

Though this year's mystery is new, character arcs from last year continue, including the revelation of which of our teen detective's unseen beaus was at her door at the end of the May season finale. Was Veronica (Kristen Bell) greeting psychologically damaged Logan (Jason Dohring) or her ex-boyfriend, Duncan (Teddy Dunn)?

The season premiere takes a few twists before settling on which guy she's squiring around Neptune, Calif., now. What's established early is that Veronica is now viewed as one of the "09ers" (rich kids) rather than the outcast she was last year. Her father, Keith (Enrico Colantoni), has written a book he's now pimping on "The Julie Chen Show" (when you're a low-rated, critically adored series like "Veronica," it doesn't hurt to suck up to UPN overseer Leslie Moonves, Chen's husband).

New characters arrive, including a mayoral candidate (Steve Guttenberg) and the hot-to-trot stepmom (Charisma Carpenter, "Angel") of two of Veronica's fellow students.

By the end of the hour, which is a little too slow-paced, there's a tragedy that will set up the new mystery. No doubt, Veronica will be on the case.

'Boston Legal'

Last season ABC's legal drama got supplanted by the more successful "Grey's Anatomy" in its Sunday night time slot and the network held back five episodes, including this week's season premiere (10 p.m. Tuesday) guest starring Heather Locklear as a black widow on trial for killing her elderly husband. Alan Shore (James Spader) and Denny Crane (William Shatner) represent Locklear's Kelly Nolan, a fairly thankless ice queen role.

With new cast members for the new season, creator David E. Kelley carved up the leftover episodes, inserting scenes with the new characters, including soon-to-be divorced senior associate Denise Bauer (Julie Bowen) and junior associates Garrett Wells (Justin Mentell), who's attracted to Denise, and Sara Holt (Ryan Michelle Bathe), who pretty much just gapes at Garrett and Denise.

Tara Wilson (Rhona Mitra) remains on the show for the time being, sparring with a former lover-lawyer (Rupert Everett) in and out of court, but she'll soon be gone.

Kelley fans will be happy to see the return of Anthony Heald as Judge Harvey "Mass-a-chu-setts" Cooper, a role he originated on "The Practice" that led Kelley to cast him as the vice principal on "Boston Public."

Also take note of Southern-fried TV news commentator Gracie Jane, an obvious stand-in for CNN's Nancy Grace, and the continuing story of murderer Bernard (Leslie Jordan), who's now spending time with Alan's secretary (Betty White).

In the first season, it took time for "Boston Legal" to find its footing, typical for many new series. That process continues in year two, but a killer ending for the Oct. 4 episode suggests "Legal" is ready to stand tall.

'Sex, Love & Secrets'

There's a reason the word "Sex" comes first in this show's title. It's the primary motivator for Charlie (Eric Balfour), a hairdresser who idolizes Warren Beatty in "Shampoo." Charlie is just one of the many characters in UPN's "Sex, Love & Secrets" (9 p.m. Tuesday, WNPA), a new soap that's juicy, a little sleazy and a heck of a lot of guilty pleasure fun.

Charlie is unknowingly sleeping with the girlfriend of his buddy, Coop (Omar Benson Miller), an infidelity known to good-girl Nina (the lovely Tamara Taylor), who takes in a new boarder (Lucas Bryant) with secrets.

Rose (Lauren German) is also keeping a secret from boyfriend Hank (James Stevenson), lead singer in a bar band.

But what any good soap needs -- and this one is easily above average -- is a viper, and "Sex" gets its bad girl in the form of public relations executive Jolene (Denise Richards, channeling her inner Heather Locklear).

Add in some comedic bits and arresting visual and aural cues -- Rose thinks she sees other characters singing pop songs to her, a narrator comments on the action in clinical terms -- and "Sex" proves to be a series with loads of appeal for viewers still mourning the cancellation of "Melrose Place."