Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: "American Classics" premiere, 7 p.m., the History Channel. There are chunks of our culture that seem universal. "In Eastern Europe, everybody can tell you who Elvis is," says Karal Anne Marling, a University of Minnesota historian. "Everybody can tell you what a Coke is." These are things that have become cultural icons, and not just for Americans either. In the next four days, this series will look at people and things in our culture that have become classics. "It takes people like Elvis Presley, George Washington, cowboys and (then) shows how, over time, they've been mythologized," says Steve Gillon, a former Yale and Oxford historian. Starting tonight this series begins chronological with Washington and cowboys, plus Uncle Sam and Quaker Oats. You'll learn about a lot of everyday items.

"JAG," 7 p.m., CBS. Harm must defend the lieutenant who bombed an American plane so the Chinese wouldn't have it.

"Undeclared," 7:30 p.m., FOX. With his dad out of work, Steven has to work in the college cafeteria.

"Frasier," 8:05 p.m., NBC. Cynthia Stevenson ("Hope and Gloria") guest stars as an agent caught up in Frasier's struggle with another radio psychiatrist.

"Judging Amy," 9 p.m., CBS. A tragedy fills Amy with self-doubt.

"100 Center Street," 8 p.m., A&E. Complex issues are debated in this intelligent (if wordy) script by filmmaker Sidney Lumet. A Jewish judge (Alan Arkin) and a black judge (LaTanya Richardson) try separate cases after an explosion between blacks and Hasidic Jews; at the same time, Richardson's character makes a decision about running for mayor.

Tonight on News 8

Get the latest news at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. from Howard Dashefsky and Jodi Leong, plus up-to-the-minute weather from Sharie Shima.

• At 10: Linda Hosek brings you the inspiring story of a former prison inmate starting over in "Life on the Outside."

Advertiser staff contributed to this listing.