Sunday's TV highlights

TV3, 7.30PM
THE PERFECT AGE
A behavioural analyst continues to determine the optimum age to be alive. Unless it's somewhere down the later end of the spectrum, expect to feel depressed that you've passed it. We've already worked out the best age is four anyway - you're cute, you don't have to go to school and people buy you lollies.

TV2, 8.30PM
ER
ER has had an incredible run considering it took 20 years to get from creator Michael Crichton's (Jurassic Park) pen to the screen and was first shot in an abandoned hospital because there was no time or money to build a set.

When the pilot was shot in 1994, Julianna Margulies' character, nurse Carol Hathaway, was supposed to die after a suicide attempt but test audiences loved her, so she survived and continued as a cast member for six seasons.

Margulies is one of a parade of stars the show has spawned over the years, the most notable being George Clooney.

Despite the emergency room of County General seeming to have a revolving door policy, with the original cast and subsequent replacements departing, its popularity has been enduring.

The likes of Gloria Reuben, Eriq La Salle, Anthony Edwards, Alex Kingston and Paul McCrane have hung up their stethoscopes, and Noah Wyle, the only remaining original cast member, left in last season's finale, although he will be returning in a guest role.

A two-hour premiere kicks off the 12th season on Sunday before the series settles into an 8.30pm Monday slot.

Tonight, Sam (Linda Cardellini) and Luka (Goran Visnjic) set off together to find her diabetic son who has run away to find his father. And Abby (Maura Tierney), Neela (Parminder Nagra) and Ray (Shane West) are undergoing evaluation as they manage patients and direct interns.

PRIME, 8.40PM
BEAUTIFUL MINDS
Part two of the three-part doco series guaranteed to make you feel dumb. Tonight, the savants who can multiply five-digit numbers in their heads, memorise up to 12,000 books or play a melody on the piano after hearing it once. Many are autistic; others develop these skills after receiving a brain injury. Alison Mau presents.

TV ONE, 9.30PM
ROME
Caesar arrives in Alexandria and meets the boy King Ptolemy XIII, who offers him a surprise gift. Vorenus and Pullo free Ptolemy's incarcerated sister, Cleopatra. Caesar seeks payment from Egypt for past debts, and forges a strategic union to ensure his legacy.


MOVIES
[rated out of 5]

10.25PM, TV2
STIGMATA
Herald rating: * *
Gabriel Byrne plays a priest who researches miracles on behalf of the Vatican. He investigates claims that hairdresser Frankie Paige (Patricia Arquette) has been exhibiting symptoms of the stigmata - the physical wounds Christ received from his crucifixion. (1999)

10.55PM, TV3
PSYCHO
Herald rating: * *
Director Gus Van Sant's scene-for-scene, blow-by-blow remake of the Hitchcock classic adds nothing to the original. Stars Vince Vaughn as stormin' Norman Bates. (1998)

6PM, SKY MOVIES 2, 8.30PM, SKY MOVIES 1
THE LONGEST YARD
Herald rating: * * *
Adam Sandler plays a former football star convicted and sent to prison after a drink-driving incident. The warden orders him to form a football team to challenge the prison guards. A remake of the 1974 film starring Burt Reynolds, who co-stars in this alongside Chris Rock and Nelly. Light-hearted prison fun, if there is such a thing. (2005)


SPORT

NRL: BRONCOS V STORM
4.30PM, SKY SPORT 3 LIVE
This should be the game of the round as the Storm, looking assured of the minor premiership, travel to Brisbane. The Broncos will try to smash the confidence out of them but they are struggling for rhythm.