Critic's corner

0 Comments | USA TODAY, October, 2007 | by Robert Bianco

*The Idol folks launch their latest with a two-hour audition edition of The Next Great American Band (Fox, tonight, 8 ET/PT). By now, you know the drill for these opening shows: Terrible acts will be lined up like pioatas for the judges to club. Watch if you like, or wait for the search to get serious. (Band mates, 11E)

*Masterpiece Theatre presents the British political satire The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard (PBS, Sunday, 9 ET/PT, times may vary). Jan Horrocks stars in this miniseries as a supermarket manager who becomes prime minister.

*One of the odd things about ABC's incandescent if inconsistent Brothers & Sisters (Sunday, 10 ET/PT) is that it works better from a distance than it does close up. The series as a whole is good enough to overcome its worst...