HBO offers promising fare Sunday

HBO is still the place to be on Sundays.

On “Six Feet Under,” at 9, we have to hope that Nate’s (Peter Krause) psychic connection to the late Lisa will meet an early end. Hope, but not expect.

Despite his outward cynicism, Nate has spent much of the series trying to fill his inner emptiness with sex, drugs, marriage, child, whatever. So it isn’t really a surprise that a couple of hits on a joint in a graveyard would be all it would take to make him believe some creepy fortune teller.

Still, there’s plenty to look forward to tonight, from Keith’s continued work guarding an epically bratty pop star to David’s encounter with a hitchhiker and Claire’s temptation toward a little art school rendezvous of a different kind.

Then, at 10, it’s the premiere of “Entourage,” a series about a handsome young guy from the streets of Queens, N.Y., who becomes a Hollywood star, and what happens to his three buds when he takes them along for the ride.

It’s a comedy, but it ought to be plenty realistic. One of the executive producers is Mark Wahlberg, a tough kid from Boston’s Southie who has the Hollywood thing down.

Adrian Grenier is Vince, the star-to-be. Kevin Dillon, Kevin Connolly and Jerry Ferrara are his three buds. Jeremy Piven will no doubt be drinking some extra espressos to play Vince’s high-powered agent, and Debi Mazar plays his publicist. Inside dope should abound.

Finally, at 10:30, it’s the season premiere of “Da Ali G. Show,” with Sacha Baron Cohen as the hilariously out-of-sync hip-hop journalist Ali G. and a variety of other characters. Some of us — ahem — find a little of this goes a long way, but some find it piercingly funny.

Highlights

“End of Days” (1999), NBC tonight at 8: The Governator, aka Arnold Schwarzenegger, stars with Robin Tunney and Gabriel Byrne in a thriller that pits an ex-cop against the anti-Christ.

“Big Brother 5,” CBS tonight at 9: More Orwellian soap opera.

“Crime & Punishment,” NBC tonight at 10: Case of a teenager charged with abducting and molesting a young child.

“Saturday Night Live,” NBC tonight at 11:30: Starry if not brainy repeat, with hosts Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey and rap from G-Unit and 50 Cent.

“60 Minutes,” CBS Sunday at 7.

“King of the Hill,” Fox Sunday at 7: Peggy takes over the cheerleading team. Repeat.

U.S. Olympic Trials,” NBC Sunday at 7: Track and field events from Sacramento, Calif.

“Malcolm in the Middle,” Fox Sunday at 7:30: Malcolm and Dewey meet Reggie Jackson. Repeat.

“The Simpsons,” Fox Sunday at 8: The one where Bart accidentally moons the flag and the Simpsons become — even more than usual — the town pariahs. Funny repeat.

“Cold Case,” CBS Sunday at 8: A woman wants Lily to look into the murder of the first wife of the man she’s about to marry. Repeat.

“Arrested Development,” Fox Sunday at 8:30: Lindsay’s in a charity bachelorette auction. Repeat.

“Dodson’s Journey,” CBS Sunday at 9: A man about to divorce his wife takes their daughter on a camping trip. From 2001. With David James Elliott of “JAG” and Alicia Morton.

Wednesday repeats, Fox Sunday at 9: “Simple Life 2” and “Quintuplets.”

“Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” NBC Sunday at 9: A murder in horse country. Repeat.

“Mystery!” KSPS Sunday at 8: “Foyle’s War II: 50 Ships,” with Michael Kitchen as the World War II home-front sleuth.

“The Days,” ABC Sunday at 10: Premiere. “Quirky comedic drama” about a suburban Philadelphia family as seen through the eyes of 15-year-old Cooper (Evan Peters) and his online journal.

Today, Dad quits his job, a decision that proves ill-timed. (The rest of ABC’s schedule tonight consists of reruns of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” Watch at your own risk.)

“Crossing Jordan,” NBC Sunday at 10: Was a fatal fall down stairs really an accident? Repeat.

Family Fare

“Freaky Friday” (2003), Starz Sunday at 9: Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan are the mother and daughter who trade bodies in this surprise comedy hit.

Cable Cast

“S.W.A.T.” (2003), HBO tonight at 8: Over-the-top action and not much else in this flick with Samuel L. Jackson and Colin Farrell.

Rockin’ movies, Bravo tonight at 8: “La Bamba” (1987) followed by Oliver Stone’s “The Doors” (1991).

Baseball, ESPN Sunday at 3: Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Inside the Actors Studio,” Bravo Sunday at 7: Repeat of the Barbra Streisand installment, coming just as she starts work as Ben Stiller’s mother in “Meet the Fockers.”

“The Buried Secret of M. Night Shyamalan,” Sci Fi Sunday at 8: Premiere special. A whopping three hours devoted to the suspense director, coincidentally just before his new “The Village” premieres.

“2004 Espy Awards,” ESPN Sunday at 6 and 9: Jocks and celebs come together for a glittery awards show celebrating achievement in sport. Taped July 14 in Los Angeles.

“Songwriters Hall of Fame,” Bravo Sunday at 9: The 35th annual ceremony, taped on June 10 and honoring Al Green, Don McLean and Motown greats Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield, among others.