‘The O.C.’ coming back to Fox for third season

“The O.C.” will be back for more soap-opera antics and self-referential jokes in 2005-06.

Fox has ordered a third season of the series, which has given the network a Thursday-night toehold that it hasn’t had for several years.

The show is drawing just under 7 million viewers per week this season. That’s down about 2 million people from its performance last season, when it aired on Wednesdays and had the benefit of an “American Idol” lead-in, but is far better than previous Fox shows in the 8 p.m. Thursday time slot.

The show’s cast and crew recently finished filming an episode in Miami called “The Return of the Nana,” which features Linda Lavin reprising her role as Sandy Cohen’s (Peter Gallagher) mother.

The episode, which is scheduled to air April 28, also features Jaime King (“Pearl Harbor”) and Bret Harrison (“Grounded for Life”).

‘Tru Calling’ returns

Meanwhile, “Tru Calling” will be back in the Fox lineup this Thursday, replacing the low-rated “Point Pleasant.”

Originally scheduled to air at 9 p.m. Thursdays after “The O.C.” this fall, “Tru Calling” was yanked first for “North Shore” and then for “Point Pleasant” this winter.

The drama, which stars Eliza Dushku as a young woman who can relieve days whenever a corpse asks her to, will begin its six-episode final run with a two-hour premiere Thursday at 8 p.m.. It will take its planned 9 p.m. slot the following week.

‘Swap’ husband arrested

A Nashville man being filmed for the TV show “Wife Swap” was charged with striking his 13-year-old daughter in the face after a production crew sought treatment for the girl.

Yanni Panagiotakis, 38, was charged with domestic assault and production on the episode featuring his family was shut down.

After Panagiotakis drove the girl and her 9-year-old brother to a friend’s home last week, members of the TV crew noticed injuries on the girl’s nose and cheek. She allegedly told them her father hit her several times because she was not wearing a coat.