By CLAIRE BICKLEY --

Michael Hayes (previews tonight at 10 on CBS, tomorrow night at 9 on ONTV, airs regularly Tuesday night at 9 on both channels): David Caruso brings all of his unique emotional gravitas back to crime drama and the producers are playing it to the max.

A woman tells Hayes, the federal prosecutor heading New York's public-corruption unit, that her crooked husband is so afraid of him that he's sexually disabled by the mere mention of his name. Hayes rattles a mob hitman just by looking at him.

Wow, who is this guy? we're supposed to ask.

Although it's laid on a little thick, the show has already shown a promising eagerness to improve. The original, too-predictable pilot -- which will air next week -- was pushed to second slot after executive producer Paul Haggis (ex of Due South and EZ Streets) was brought in to rewrite and run the show. Thanks to his intervention, tonight's prequel better builds up Hayes' backstory and makes his motivations more believable even if some of his judicial brinksmanship is hard to buy. Traders' David Cubitt has a recurring role as Hayes' ex-con brother.

Haggis trademarks on hand: Murky black-and-white flashbacks and great music (Portishead tonight).


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