The scene of the crime returns to Las Vegas this week for CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

Set in Southern Nevada but based in Southern California, "CSI" visits its hometown periodically, but usually on special occasions -- such as the series' seventh season opener.

Locations for the two-part episode range from the MGM Grand, where Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" provides a backdrop, to downtown's Plaza and its porte cochere.

Stars William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger and George Eads are expected to make the trek, according to producer Louis Milito.

"Ka" entered the picture when Cirque officials approached "CSI" counterparts during a preliminary scout and invited them to "keep Cirque in mind" for a future visit, according to Jessica Berlin, Cirque's assistant public relations manager.

More than 20 "Ka" performers will be involved in the "CSI" shoot; the season opener is scheduled to air Sept. 21.

Hot times: Cable's G4 network goes Vegas in a big way when "Attack of the Show" hits town for four days of live telecasts (at 4 p.m. today through Thursday -- 7 p.m. for East Coast types). A "Best of Vegas" episode rounds out the road trip Friday.

Based at Green Valley Ranch, co-hosts Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn and their on-air teammates will report on a variety of Vegas-centric topics.

Among them: resident gaming expert Jimmy the Geek detailing the inner workings of a sports book and Zach Selwyn performing with Thunder From Down Under.

"Las Vegas is the Shangri-la for our young male audience," comments John Rieber, G4's senior vice president of production. "We're dying to show them how hot it is -- literally and figuratively."

Mob ties: National Geographic Television explores Las Vegas' "Underworld Histories" in a documentary from London-based Wall to Wall Television.

Locations range from the downtown to the desert, according to location manager Nicholas Savalas, with Strip vistas scheduled as well.

The documentary will include dramatic re-enactments in its chronicle of post-war Las Vegas, including "the influence of the mob," Savalas reports.

Great skates: Olympic gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa, part of Wednesday's Champions on Ice lineup at the Orleans Arena, also skates into the TV spotlight for Japan's Asahi network.

Tennis pro-turned-sportscaster Shuzo Matsuoka will interview Arakawa for coverage of her first performances outside Japan as a professional skater, notes producer Takayuki Matsumoto of the New York-based production company BK Nexent.

Carol Cling's Shooting Stars column appears Mondays. Contact her at 383-0272 or e-mail her at ccling@reviewjournal.com.