Mike Hughes on TV

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: “Doctor Who”
season-opener, 9-10:10 p.m., BBC America.

Two of the great forces in British
television link for a show that's instantly wonderful.

One is Steven Moffat, the creator of
superb comedy (“Coupling”) and drama (“Jekyll”). The other is
“Doctor Who,” which has been on and off TV since 1963; a
documentary at 8 p.m. offers details.

The Doctor (that's his only name) is a
rogue Time Lord who travels in a phone booth that's much bigger
inside than out. Since he can change bodies, he's been played by 10
actors, the most recent ones ranging from stern (Christopher
Eccleston) to whimsical (David Tennant).

Now the 11^th Doctor (Matt
Smith) is on the side of whimsy, with an “Alice of Wonderland”
sense of illogic. Scottish actress Karen Gillan is a delight as his
bewildered (at first) companion Amy Pond.

Some viewers will revolt at all this
nonsense. Others will consider it the consummate blend of humor,
drama, fantasy, heart and Moffat-esque brilliance.

TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: “Saturday Night
Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC.

If you prefer your humor to be more
conventional (and more American), this show is usually fine.

Ryan Phillippe hosts, just as his
ex-wife Reese Witherspoon has done. The music guest is Ke$ha, whose
“Tik Tok” dominated the Billboard chart last year.

TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: “The Front,”
9 p.m., Lifetime.

Lifetime had planned to run both of its
Patricia Cornwell movies – “At Risk” and “The Front” –
back-to-back. It changed that, which is just as well; the two have
some extreme plot similarities.

Instead, we can focus on “The Front,”
with its mixed blessings: It has a wild plot, smart dialog, handsome
filming and perfect casting.

Daniel Sunjata is a Boston cop,
assigned by an ambitious district attorney (Andie MacDowell) to a
case that has echoes of the old boston strangler. This story also
adds fresh focus on “Stump” (Ashley Williams), a tough,
one-legged cop.

Other choices include:

– “Panic Room” (2002), 7-9 p.m.,
Ion. Kristen Stewart was 12, long before her “Twilight” fame,
when she co-starred with Jodie Foster in this story of a mom and
daughter, trapped by three home invaders.

– “Shrek 2” (2004), 7 and 8:55
p.m., TBS. This animated sequel offers a problem many parents will
sympathize with – that first moment they learn their daughter has
married an ogre.

– “Shark Tale” (2004), 8-10 p.m.,
ABC. The network planned to also show “Shrek 2” tonight, then
switched to a different animated comedy. In the undersea world, an
anchor accidentally kills a mob boss (Robert De Niro); a
bottom-feeder (Will Smith) tries to take credit.

– “NCIS: Los Angeles,” 8 p.m.,
CBS. In this rerun, a vehicle loaded with a Hellfire missile has been
stolen. This is not good news.

– “Strikeforce: Nashville,” 9-11
p.m., CBS. In three matches, tough men hit and tackle each other.

– “Castle,” 10 p.m., ABC. This
rerun is more disconcerting than Goldilocks: When a family returns
home, it finds a dad man in the daughter's bed.

TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: “Jamie Oliver's
Food Revolution,” 9 p.m., ABC.

Still struggling to push healthy food
in Huntington, W. Va., Jamie Oliver must convert his foes.

In last week's episode (rerunning at 8
p.m.), he bet an unbudging disc jockey that he could teach 1,000
people to cook in a week. Now he needs an elementary-school cook to
support him in a funding plea.

It's been a tough sell, Oliver groans.
“I'm not trying to do healthy-hippie stuff, (just) proper cooking.”

TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE II: “Secrets of
the Mountain,” 8-10 p.m., NBC; and/or “Wizards of Waverly Place,”
8:30 p.m., Disney.

Family-friendly Fridays used to be big
on TV. Now there are, at least, a few hints.

NBC offers a movie about a mom (Paige
Turco) learning that someone wants to buy the obscure cabin she
inherited from her uncle (Barry Bostwick). She figures a trip there
will help her bond with her three kids. Alas, the property may not be
as simple – and the uncle may not be as dead – as she had
thought.

We haven't seen that one, but we've
seen parts of “Wizards,” which seems promising. Jeff Garlin plays
a relative with wayward magic; he keeps turning into Shakira, the
Latina pop star. Yes, Shakira guests and dances and sings a duet with
series star Selena Gomez.

TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: “Spartacus:
Blood and Sand” season-finale, 10 p.m., Starz.

Now for the exact opposite of
family-friendly: This must be the most brutal hour in TV history.

Triumphant in the ring and broken in
spirit, Spartacus wants to revolt against his Roman owners. That
requires a link with his enemy, Crixus. Approach this warily; even
violence-lovers may consider it too much of a good thing.

Other choices include:

– “Ghost Whisperer,” 8 p.m., CBS.
It seems like overkill for a morgue to be haunted. That happens
tonight, in a rerun centering on the death of a surgeon.

– “Rocky” (1976), 8 p.m., WGN, or
“Gladiator” (2000), 9 p.m., TNT. Consider these movies to be
kinder, gentler alternatives. Like the “Spartacus” series, they
have brawny men fighting fiercely. Still, they keep most limbs intact
and focus on character. Each won an Academy Award for best picture.

– “Medium,” 9 p.m., CBS. Allison
has troubles with two daughters tonight. One embarrasses a man by
posting Internet videos; another dates a guy who may be a killer.
This is a rerun, directed by David Arquette, the brother of star
Patricia Arquette.

– “Stargate: Universe,” 9 p.m.,
Syfy. There must be a catch here: An uncharted star has a lone planet
with an abundance of food and water.

– “Miami Medical,” 10 p.m., CBS.
Sarah Drew – who has been so good as Hannah in “Everwood” and
Dr. April Kepner in “Grey's Anatomy” – plays a bride with bad
wedding-day luck. The tent collapses, sending guests to the emergency
room.

– “Merlin,” 10 p.m., Syfy. This
reworking of the Camelot legend has a king who bans magic. Young
Merlin must keep his powers hidden; now Morgana fears she has powers.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: “Saturday Night
Live in the 2000s,” 9-11 p.m., NBC.

When Tina Fey reached “Saturday Night
Live” in 1997, big changes were coming.

One was obvious: “Our quarterbacks …
have all been hip, amazing women,” current cast member Bill Hader
says here, “from Tina to Amy (Poehler) to now Kristin Wiig.”

Fey became the “Weekend Update”
co-anchor in 2000. Four years later, when Jimmy Fallon left, she made
a last-minute switch, talking Poehler into joining her for the first
all-female anchor team.

A bigger change was less obvious: The
1990s were about actors doing characters; the next decade – with
Fey, Seth Meyers, Steve Higgins and others in charge – became about
writers crafting sketches.

This documentary isn't as good as the
three previous ones, but it still covers a fascinating span – from
the Sept. 11 attacks to the digital shorts – with a flurry of funny
clips.

TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: “CSI: Crime
Scene Investigation,” 9 p.m., CBS.

Occasionally, this show shifts the
focus to its lab people. It does that tonight, in an episode written
by Wallace Langham and Liz Vassey.

They play Hodges and Wendy, who are in
charge of some teen CSI Explorer Scouts. Soon, they are exaggerating
their own role … then leading a field expedition to solve a case.

TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: “Project
Runway,” 10 p.m., Lifetime.

Last week's fun episode (rerunning at 9
p.m.) had circus-inspired designs and then a semi-decision:

Emilio Sosa, 43, and Seth Henderson,
37, are in; for the two-part finale that starts tonight, they'll
design a collection and show it during Fashion Week. Anthony
Williams, 28, is out; judges fumed after he chose polyester from a
room full of fabric.

The others are in a mid-zone: Jay
Sario, 30, and Mila Hermanovski, 40, will each design a collection;
tonight, we'll see only one advance to Fashion Week.

Other choices include:

– “The Office,” 8 and 8:30 p.m.,
NBC. The first rerun has the office planning a haunted house for
neighbor kids. The second has Michael feeling out of the gossip loop.

– “Survivor,” 8 p.m., CBS. The
balance has shifted, with two “villain” guys – Rob Mariano and
“Coach” Wade – leaving. That trims the villains' lead to 6-5
and brings an offbeat strategy tonight: The “heroes” try to lure
Russell Hantz – the only remaining male villain – to their side.

– “FlashForward,” 8 p.m., ABC.
This knowing-the-future thing is clamping down on Demetri (John Cho):
He's supposed to be killed in three days; could he and Zoey
(Gabrielle Union) change destiny?

– “Grey's Anatomy” (9 p.m.) and
“Private Practice” (10:01), ABC. The first rerun has two
difficult encounters – Izzie and Alex, Derek and the Chief. The
second has Maya announcing a change.

– “The Mentalist,” 10 p.m., CBS.
In a rerun, a rich jeweler has been robbed and killed at a
fund-raiser.

– “Tudors,” Showtime, or “Treme,”
HBO; both 10 p.m. If you missed the season-openers Sunday, catch up
now. “Tudors” is glossier, as King Henry marries the giggly
Katherine Howard, 17. “Treme” is tougher to navigate through a
maze of accents, slang and unexplained characters. After the first 10
minutes, however, you'll savor a rich variety of characters, bringing
post-flood life to New Orleans.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: “Ugly Betty”
finale, 10:01 p.m., ABC.

For four seasons, “Ugly Betty” has
been fresh and unique.

The plots (taken from a telenovela)
have been shrill and silly, but the visuals and the casting have been
a delight. ABC canceled the show, but gave it enough warning to play
this finale.

Last week was big: Hilda (Betty's
sister) married Bobby; Justin (Hilda's son) came out as gay. Betty
agreed to take a great job in London. And a drunken Tyler stormed in,
ready to shoot his mother Claire; instead, he accidentally shot
Wilhelmina.

Now we get the aftershocks. In
addition, Betty has trouble telling Daniel she's leaving.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE II: “Accidentally
on Purpose,” 8:30 p.m., CBS.

Here's the start of the two-parter that
wraps up the season and lets Billie finally have her baby.

Tonight, she fakes going into labor,
hoping to get Zack out of a traffic ticket. Soon, she won't be
faking.

TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: “In Plain
Sight,” 10 p.m., USA.

After a long coma, an undercover cop
recovers. He's ready to testify against the shooter – but might not
be ready to deal with the changes to the people he knew.

It's a strong episode, with key
developments for Mary and her fiance Raphael. There are good
supporting roles for Rita Moreno (as his aunt) and Allison Janney (as
a tough official).

Other choices include:

– “Human Target,” 8 p.m., Fox. In
a terrific previous episode, we met Baptiste (Lennie James), who was
the brilliant and evil mentor, when Chance was hit man. Now he's
back; flashbacks show how Chance converted to a hero and why he's
with Winston and Guerrero.

– “Modern Family,” 8 and 9 p.m.,
ABC. First is a rerun, in which Mitchell finally stands up to his
boss. Then is a new episode dealing with the aftermath; the
unemployed Mitchell meets a potential boss, but is soon overshadowed
by Cameron's big personality. Meanwhile, Phil and his father-in-law
struggle for control of a boys' basketball team.

– Movies, 8 p.m., cable. It's a
strong film night. “The Sure Thing” (1985, WGN) is a splendid
youth comedy, nimbly directed by Rob Reiner. “Gran Torino” (2008,
HBO) has a so-so start and a great finish, directed and starring
Clint Eastwood. “The Notebook” (2004, ABC Family) is a deeply
moving romance. “Mission Impossible” (1996, AMC) combines great
action and an absurd plot.

– “The Middle,” 8:30 p.m., ABC.
Mike isn't back to work yet, so the family struggles to save money.
One idea – eliminating cable-TV – is greeted with outrage by the
kids … and confusion by the parents.

– “American Idol,” 9 p.m., Fox.
After last week's save by the judges, two people will be ousted
tonight.

– “Worse that War,” 9-11 p.m.,
PBS (check local listings). The information in this documentary is
compelling. Daniel Goldhagen shows genocides within the past century
– in Rwanda, Guademala, Bosnia, the Ukraine, Turkey, Germany and
more – that could have been stopped much sooner. The filmmaking is
so-so, with endless shots of Goldhagen looking pensive in cars, bus,
elevator and more; the stories being told, however, are powerful and
important.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: “Glee” return,
9:28-10:30 p.m., Fox.

Just before this show went on break,
its young singers were in full triumph, winning the sectionals. Alas,
now they must prepare for the regionals and the champion Vocal
Adrenaline.

That lets “Glee” add two Broadway
stars: Idina Menzel, a Tony-winner from “Wicked,” plays the
Adrenaline coach; Jonathan Groff plays her star. He has an instant
romance with Rachel – played by Lea Michele, who starred with Groff
in the Tony-winning “Spring Awakening.”

Romances form and crumble quickly, amid
the usual Glee-ful mixture of snarky humor and joyous songs. Tonight,
every song includes the word “hello” … or, at least, most of
the word.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE II: “Frontline,”
9 p.m., PBS (check local listings).

As Barack Obama pushed for health-care
reform, the hurdles were huge. There was the shattered economy, the
death of Ted Kennedy, the brimstone from opponents who spoke about
everything from abortion to killing grandma. There was a Republican
Party without a single vote in favor of it.

Then how did it pass?. This hour talks
to both sides, outlining opposite approaches – the politics of
hope, blended with the deal-making of Chicago.

TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE:“Justified,”
10 p.m., FX; rerunning at 11:02.

Ever since Raylan was transferred to
the U.S. marshal office in his home state of Kentucky, people have
asked him about his hard-case father. Mostly, he's tried to duck the
subject.

Now he can't, as the dad wields a
baseball bat in violent rampages. There are some odd twists here,
plus an unrelated case; there's also a glimpse at the days when this
tough marshal was a scared kid.

Other choices include:

– “American Idol,” 8-9:28 p.m.,
Fox. This season has plenty of good performers, but few great ones.
It almost lost a great last week, when Michael Lynche finished last
in viewers' votes; judges invoked the “save” they can use only
once a season. Now the show still has nine contestants, but two will
depart Wednesday. Tonight's mentor is another great – last season's
runner-up, Adam Lambert.

– “NCIS” (8 p.m.) and “NCIS:
Los Angeles” (9 p.m.), CBS. The first rerun has the team proving a
think-tank murder and protecting a 12-year-old. The second leads to a
teen in Sam's life.

– “Nova,” 8 p.m., PBS (check
local listings). Last week, in the superb start of a two-parter, we
saw how 400 years of telescope advances helped man learn about the
universe. Now this show looks at modern equipment and what it's
finding as it probes deeper into the universe.

– “Dancing With the Stars,” 8
p.m., ABC. It's time to trim the field from nine to eight.

– “Lost,” 9 p.m., ABC. Hurley
(also known as Hugo) isn't sure about the group's plans. Also, in the
alternate story, we see him as a lottery millionaire, looking for
love.

– “Parenthood,” 10 p.m., NBC.
When Haddie chooses to shadow her aunt, the corporate lawyer, for
career day, the grown-ups re-consider life choices. Also, two
romances near decision points. “Parenthood” is beautifully
written and directed, but often seems inclined to make the darkest
choices.

– “9 by Design” debut, 11 p.m.,
Bravo. If you thought your life was chaotic, spend an hour with this
husband and wife. They renovate houses, live in them for a while with
their six kids – then move. Tonight, they face a deadline for
finding a new place. They race to pack, clean, remodel and do their
regular work – all with the seventh child arriving at any moment.