Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: "PBS Hollywood Presents: The Old Settler," 8 p.m., PBS. John Henry Redwood's brilliant, but upsetting, play is set in Harlem of the 1940s. There, we meet two sisters who grew up in the rural South, where Quilly (Debbie Allen) stole and married the boyfriend of Bess (Phylicia Rashad). Now Quilly has divorced and moved into Bess' apartment. Also arriving is a roomer, a naive young man (Bumper Robinson) from their hometown. Rashad offers a stunning performance.

"The American Comedy Awards," 8:30 p.m. Comedy Central. In sheer quantity of laughs, this might be a great night on Comedy Central. The awards start at 8 p.m., and this is the one time you really want to hear the presenters and winners.

"Contact" (1997), 7 p.m., CBS. Based on a novel by the late Carl Sagan, this stars Jodie Foster as an astronomer who detects signals from space.

"My Wife and Kids," 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., ABC. First is a rerun of the above-average pilot. Then a new episode in which his daughter has a crush.

"The West Wing," 8 p.m., NBC. Oliver Platt has a guest spot here, playing an adviser.