FOOD

In vino veritas

THE staggering growth of the wine industry in recent years often leaves the consumer feeling confused, if not overwhelmed. Do all Chardonnays have to taste like oak trees? The Australian wines are cheaper but are they really better? Taking the viewer on a witty yet informative tour of all things grape is oenophile and director/writer John Cleese (“A Fish Called Wanda”). In “Wine for the Confused,” Cleese tells you how to find wines that taste good to you, get the best value for them and how to serve wine at home.

JOHN CLEESE’S WINE FOR THE CONFUSED

Sunday, 10 p.m., Food Network

COMEDY

Staff meeting

IT’S been three years since the cameras stopped rolling on “The Office,” but loyal fans will take heart when the acerbic, award-winning series returns for a one-shot special that finds the present and past paper merchants of Wernham Hogg afflicted by role reversals, petty rivalries and general ill humor. David Brent (Golden Globe-winner Ricky Gervais), the former boss, has been laid off and now sells cleaning products door-to-door (he spent his severance package on recording and releasing a single). Gareth (Mackenzie Crook) has been promoted to Regional Manager and moved into Brent’s office. The “Office Special” catches up with her some of the series’ supporting characters as well.

THE OFFICE SPECIAL

Thursday, 9 p.m. , BBC America

REALITY

Girlie Men

TOOTSIE” meets “Extreme Makeover” in the peculiar new reality series “He’s A Lady.” Here, 11 hetero males are tricked into entering the world of waxing, tweezing and lipliner, shedding their masculine body language as they get embrace their feminine sides. The “challenges” include wearing high heels and bras, appearing as bridesmaids in a wedding and trying to pass as women in their hometowns. The contestants also receive “drag” names such as

Sunshine and Raven Nightshade. The guy who most persuades the panel of judges, including “View” reject Debbie

Matenopoulos and Morgan Fairchild, that he can pass for a gal wins $250,000.

HE’S A LADY

Tuesday, 10 p.m., TBS

DRAMA

Island insomniac

LIFE on the island becomes more perilous this week on “Lost.” Jack (Matthew Fox) hasn’t slept a wink and is nearly delirious, haunted by memories of his past in Australia. Boone (Ian Somerhalder) gets caught in a treacherous riptide and Claire (Emilie de Ravin) has a bad health scare that could endanger her unborn child.

In flashbacks, we see Jack’s mother, played by Veronica Hamel, the veteran of “Hill Street Blues” and many a Lifetime movie.

LOST

Wednesday, 8 p.m., ABC

REALITY

Take it all off

REALITY-TV is the all-purpose life fixer-upper. It can help you find a date, stop smoking, make over everything from your body to your house. Now, there’s a show that can help you lose weight. In “The Biggest Loser,” 12 super-sizers themselves to diets and consultations with personal trainers in order to win $250,000. The nine-episode series shows the plump ones fighting the gargantuan struggle between calisthenics or cupcakes. In the process they transform their lives, without liposuction or stomach stapling. The host is Caroline Rhea.

THE BIGGEST LOSER

Tuesday, 8 p.m., NBC

COMEDY

Family ties

THE premiere of “Center of the Universe,” the new John Goodman sitcom, has finally arrived, nearly a month late. The show about yet another beleaguered family man has an all-star supporting cast, including Jean Smart, who plays Goodman’s wife, and Olympia Dukakis, who plays – what else? – his mother. In our first episode, John (Goodman) and Kate (Smart) plan to renew their wedding vows and they’re throwing a party. Should be a festive occasion, but John loses his temper with some of the family drama that crops up along the way. When the party day rolls around, everyone’s missing.

CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE

Wednesday, 8 p.m., CBS