BEST BETS FOR MARCH 17, 2008

	THE BIG BANG THEORY CBS, 8 p.m. ET It's finally here: The first day of newly produced sitcoms since the end of the writers' strike. Three of the CBS sitcoms tonight are returning with fresh episodes (The New Adventures of Old Christine is new, too, but is part of a reserve backlog). The evening begins with Sheldon and Leonard feuding - which is a good opportunity for me to salute the characters' joint nod to TV producer Sheldon Leonard, who gave us, among other things, I Spy.
	CANTERBURY'S LAW Fox, 8 p.m. ET If you're going to warm up to Julianna Margulies as Elizabeth Canterbury, tonight's the night. The pilot episode last week covered all the exposition, so tonight we're diving headfirst into plot.
	HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER CBS, 8:30 p.m. ET What else can Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) do on St. Patrick's Day, in this nicely timed episode, but suit up in a shamrock-green jacket and ask women if they want to "kiss the Barney stone"? Welcome back, Barney.
	TWO AND A HALF MEN CBS, 9 p.m. ET After tonight's show is over, stay tuned for Chuck Lorre's vanity card at the end. Hit pause, and read what's certain to be a very interesting post-strike mini-essay. It's the first he's written since affixing "United we stand" as the only message following the episodes CBS televised after the writers' strike began.
	IN TREATMENT HBO, 9:30 p.m. ET Paul no longer is seeing Laura as a patient on Mondays, but today he sees her again - under completely different, somewhat surprising circumstances.
	MEDIUM NBC, 10 p.m. ET This episodes continues last week's stories about Allison's daughter's visions, and, as a bonus, the ill health of Joe's mother, played by guest star Kathy Baker. Also, we begin the culmination of the story line involving another recurring guest star, Anjelica Huston - all in one tightly written hour.