Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See:

"Taking Back Our Town," 9 p.m., Lifetime. In two small Louisiana towns, this movie tells us, companies had their way.

Officials kept rubber-stamping approval of plants that spit dangerous chemicals into the air. Others referred to one area as "cancer alley." Its people — low-income, mostly — didn't know what was going on. Then came a remarkable coalition of the two towns. The mostly white town was led by a schoolteacher (Laura Innes). The mostly black town by a fervent civil-rights veteran (Ruby Dee). They battled big money, big government and their own neighbors to clean up the pollution. This film, based on a true, recent story, is superbly written, acted and directed.

Of note:

"Boston Public," 7 p.m., Fox. At Christmastime, the principal's daughter tries to get her parents reconciled. Meanwhile, there's a school pageant, a kid who may be suicidal and more.

"Biography," 7 p.m., A&E. Some short biographies followed by the biography of the year. All of the nominees for biography of the year have been prominent in the aftershocks of Sept. 11. They include George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Osama Bin Laden, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and a collective look at its heroes that day.

"The Ellen Show," 7:30 p.m., CBS. This above-average series rarely gets notices on Fridays. Here, borrowing a Monday spot, it has the school counselor (Ellen DeGeneres) trying to help a student who has anger problems.

"As Told to Ginger," 8:30 p.m., Nickelodeon. After learning she's one-quarter Jewish, Ginger tries to celebrate all the holidays.

"Everybody Loves Raymond," 8 p.m., CBS. Ray's dad gets a historic ball at a football game. Now he plans to sell it.