Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Nova: Flying Casanovas," 8 p.m., PBS. Human males, we realize, work terribly hard to attract females. They strut, they primp. If desperate, they offer shiny objects. All of that is mild compared to what some birds will do. They range from elaborate dances to creating colorful assemblages. Sir David Attenborough has displayed that in previous specials and recaps it here.

OF NOTE

Basketball, 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., NBC. Nothing says Christmas quite like dribbles and dunks. The first game has the Toronto Raptors visiting the New York Knicks; the second has the Philadelphia 76ers at the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Miracle on 34th Street" (1994), 5 p.m., ABC Family. Wrapping up its "25 Days of Christmas," the cable channel has the 1994, color version of this classic with Lord Richard Attenborough. Meanwhile, the 1947 original (black-and-white with Edmund Gwenn) runs throughout the day on AMC.

"That '70s Show," 7 p.m., FOX. This rerun has Eric and Donna planning a hot weekend at the hotel. Then alcohol gets in the way.

"JAG," 7 p.m., CBS. Here is a rerun of an ambitious effort. As Mac prepares for her lecture about a 19th-century court-martial, the story flashes back to the case.

"Scrooged" (1988), 8 p.m., TNT. Here is a modern twist on "Christmas Carol." Bill Murray plays a TV executive with few real-life experiences.

"The Simpsons," 7:30 p.m., FOX. This transplanted rerun has Lisa asking a lot of questions at Christmastime. Richard Gere even shows up with Buddhist philosophy.

"Smallville," 7 p.m., WB. In a rerun, a teen keeps warm by extracting the heat from others.

"NYPD Blue," 9 p.m., ABC. Here is a rerun of the excellent episode that introduced Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Andy's partner-to-be, the son of Andy's enemy.