Tonight's prime-time lineup is so filled with soap, you could wash all the dishes in China -- and all the china, too. In addition to "Melrose Place" and "Models Inc.," there's the sudsy conclusion to "Texas Justice."
* "The Nanny." (8-8:30 p.m., WJZ, Channel 13) -- Just a fast warning, if you usually watch this show with your preschoolers: Tonight's episode, with guest star Shari Lewis, concerns the possibility that the family dog may have accidentally made a meal of Lamb Chop. (If this should occur, Ms. Lewis would probably seek litigation, a courtroom maneuver known as Chop Suey.) CBS.
* "Melrose Place." (8-9 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45) -- This series got paid an amazingly high and prominent compliment last week, when the "Seinfeld" characters -- even Jerry -- eventually admitted their enthusiasms for the fast-paced, outrageous shenanigans of "Melrose Place." Not to get too excited, though, the "Melrose" producers should recall that the same episode also made a big deal out of Tupperware. Fox.
* "A Whole New Ballgame." (8:30-9 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- George Foreman is a guest star, which proves that even a heavyweight champion isn't necessarily always that good at picking and pacing his shots. ABC.
* "Texas Justice." (9-11 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- Second of two parts. Peter Strauss glides almost effortlessly through this miniseries docudrama about a Texas tycoon accused of several murders, but the real star is Heather Locklear -- more precisely, Locklear's wardrobe, which dominates both the promos and the miniseries itself. The end result of "Texas Justice" is that there's no satisfying ending at all, and it's impossible to watch this "Texas Justice" without thinking about California justice in general, and the O. J. Simpson case in particular. All of this means you can, expect high ratings -- but not high drama. ABC.
* "Models Inc." (9-10 p.m., WBFF, Channel 45) -- A call-girl ring subplot? Why not? It worked for "Melrose Place" last season. Fox.
Cable
* "ESPN Awards." (9-11:30 p.m., ESPN) -- John Goodman, who once played Babe Ruth, hosts this year's annual ESPN presentation honoring sports excellence. (Why? Because real baseball players are too busy? I don't think so.)