The departure of ''7th Heaven'''s Jessica Biel tops TV sweeps

There’s definitely something about Mary in this Monday’s episode of ”7th Heaven” (8 p.m., the WB). On the network’s top rated show, Jessica Biel — the 18 year old actress who had a racy spread in Gear magazine last March — plays the wayward Mary Camden, a minister’s daughter who has run wild this season. When the vandalizin’, marijuana stashin’, beer swillin’, job quittin’ Mary is implicated in a piggy bank heist (no kidding), her parents banish her to Buffalo to live with her grandparents. In real life, Biel is attending college in Boston, which will reduce her starring role on the WB’s highest rated series to an occasional appearance. ”People will be happy that the Camdens have problems of their own,” says Brenda Hampton, the show’s creator and executive producer.

Now that Biel won’t be stirring things up in every episode, the producers are reintroducing Robbie, Mary’s troublemaking ex boyfriend into the Camden clan. (He’s played by Biel’s real life beau Adam Levornia.) Says Hampton, ”It’s a great way to bring a ‘bad kid’ into the family. He can be bad since he’s not a real Camden.” Beverley Mitchell, who plays Mary’s 17 year old sister Lucy, is also going to have a beefier role, including a ”big surprise” for the show’s 100th episode that will air in January. ”Now she’s the one the family looks to as the big sister,” says Mitchell. ”Plus, I finally get a serious boyfriend, thank God.”

There’s serious money up for grabs this week on a ”Who Wants to be a Millionaire — Celebrity Edition” (ABC, Sunday Nov. 12 through Sun. Nov. 19) Regis will demand final answers from Alec Baldwin, Tyra Banks, Joy Behar, Drew Carey, Sean ”Puffy” Combs, Vivica A. Fox, Jon Lovitz, Norm Macdonald, Charlie Sheen, and Jon Stewart. The famous smarties — and others — will all be playing for their favorite charities. Now, before the clock runs out, here’s EW.com’s roundup of the best sweeps events for the coming week

?FRIDAY, Nov. 10

”Two Guys and a Girl” (8 p.m., ABC)
This may be prime time’s first completely dialogue free, almost entirely silent show. That’s right — the ensemble of actors will rely solely on physical comedy (and sound effects) to further the plot. What else could they do? The talkie scripts haven’t been funny since, well, the show’s debut.

”Nash Bridges” (10 p.m., CBS)
”Survivor” mania continues on CBS. Castaways Jenna Lewis, Gervase Peterson, Joel Klug, and Sean Kenniff guest star as the neighbors of show regular Harvey Leek (Jeff Perry). Sparks could fly if they catch onto Don Johnson’s striking resemblance to the immunity idol.

?SATURDAY, Nov. 11

Clash of the Cyborgs Double Feature (7 p.m., Sci Fi Channel)
”Robocop 3” and ”The Terminator” battle it out for the title of best cyborg flick. No offense to fans of the übercop, but this is like comparing the clunky robot from ”Short Circuit” to ”Star Wars”’ C3PO.

”That’s Life” (8 p.m., CBS)
Dan Cortese (formerly of “Veronica’s Closet”) takes a daring turn as a Shakespeare professor who excites Lydia (Heather Paige Kent). Hey, if Cortese can pull off playing a Bard scholar, it’s Emmy time.

”Behind the Music” (8 -11p.m., VH1)
Gearing up for their weeklong salute to hard rock, the once kinder, gentler music channel pumps up the volume with the following trinity of biographies: Poison, Bon Jovi, and Motley Crue. Be there with big hair.

?SUNDAY, Nov. 12

”The Miracle Worker” (7 p.m., ABC)
Watch the syrupy sweet Pepsi moppet play Helen Keller opposite Alison Elliott (”The Spitfire Grill”) as teacher Annie Sullivan in this biopic remake. You might do better by renting the original: the Emmy winning 1962 classic starring Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft.

”The Simpsons” (8 p.m., Fox)
Krusty the Clown discovers he has a young daughter (guest voiced by Drew Barrymore), but then loses her in a poker game to Fat Tony (Joe Mantegna). Cameos from literary stars Stephen King, Amy Tan, and John Updike prove once again that anyone who’s everyone eventually appears in Springfield.

Miniseries Mania
”American Tragedy” (9 p.m., CBS) The O.J. story comes to CBS starring a telemovie dream team: Ving Rhames (Johnnie Cochran); Ron Silver (Robert Shapiro); Bruno Kirby (Barry Scheck); and Christopher Plummer (F. Lee Bailey). With a script written by none other than Norman Mailer, this mini is sure to provide Rhames with another award to give away. (concludes Wednesday at 9 p.m.) Or try ”In the Beginning” (9 p.m., NBC) Sister swapping! Brothers fighting! It’s not ”Titans”; it’s another biblical epic. This montage of Old Testament tales starts with Abraham (Martin Landau) telling the creation story and ends with a fine looking Moses (”Once and Again”’s Billy Campbell) parting the Red Sea. (concludes Monday at 8 p.m.) Stay tuned for EW.com’s weekday sweeps guide, coming Monday.