SUNDAY'S MUST-SEE

"80th Annual Academy Awards," 6:30 p.m., ABC. With the writers' strike settled, this ceremony can return to full speed. Jon Stewart, a clever guy on his own, has people writing for him. There will be stars and songs (three from "Enchanted") and more. This isn't one of those "Titanic" years when the results are obvious. Only the best-actor winner (Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will be Blood") seems like a sure thing. His movie faces four strong contenders — "Atonement," "Juno," "Michael Clayton" and "No Country for Old Men." The actress field of Julie Christie, Ellen Page, Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney and Marion Cotillard is extremely impressive.

OF NOTE

"Masterpiece," 8 p.m., PBS. It's the final night of the splendid, three-part "Pride and Prejudice." Beneath his firm exterior, suspects Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle), Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) might be OK.

Academy preview, 9 a.m., E. It's all Oscar, all day.

Red-carpet special, 3 p.m., E. Ryan Seacrest leads E; TV Guide has Lisa Rinna and Joey Fatone.

"Barbara Walters Oscar Special," 9:30 p.m., ABC. The only Oscar connection is an interview with Ellen Page, nominated for best actress in "Juno." Also interviewed are Miley Cyrus, plus Harrison Ford and Vanessa Williams.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" marathon, 6 p.m., NBC. This series started the season on the USA Network, but has had heavy NBC use because of the now-settled strike. Here are two stories with each team — Goren and Eames (Vincent D'Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe), and Logan and Falacci (Chris Noth and Alicia Witt). The first hour is a good one, reflecting the long-ago slaying of Eames' husband.

More red-carpet, 6 p.m., ABC. Now ABC gets its half-hour of pre-Oscar glitz.

"The Wire," 7 and 9 p.m., HBO. McNulty's scheme — creating a fake serial killer — has gone terribly wrong. Now real cases are losing their manpower to the pretend one. Meanwhile, a newspaper editor begins to probe a dishonest reporter.

"Dexter," 9 p.m., CBS. Dexter, the serial killer who slays other serial killers, continues to be contacted indirectly by the "Ice Truck Killer." Meanwhile, he probes a drunken driver; it's a well-filmed, but grimly one-note hour.

"Breaking Bad," 8 p.m., AMC. In a misstep, the show suddenly gives Walt an alternative way to pay for his cancer treatments; that saps much of the empathy for him, as he works his meth lab. There's also a good step, though: A long scene of a suburban "intervention" (complete with hors d'oeuvres) is brilliantly done.