Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Providence," 7 p.m., NBC. Syd comes down with a cold that suddenly gets much worse. Owen rushes her to the emergency room. Meanwhile, Joanie is too talky on her radio show, saying something she shouldn't. She tracks down the offended party at a concert. As luck would have it, that's when singer Rebecca Lynn Howard is performing the terrific song, "Forgive."

Of Note

"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (1974), 6 p.m., ABC Family. A rerun of a stop-motion animation film with the voices of Mickey Rooney and Shirley Booth.

"Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," 7 p.m., WB. There's nothing like Christmas in Miami. Tonight, Sabrina and her friends go there.

"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971), 7 p.m., ABC Family. Here's one of the great family films, with a witty story and clever songs. Gene Wilder stars as the candy-factory owner.

"Taken," 7, 9 & 11 p.m., Sci Fi Channel. The first half of this two-week miniseries wraps. We've jumped ahead to 1980 with Eric Crawford continuing his dad's work in pursuit of extraterrestrials; he and a scientist seek the half-alien Jacob Clarke and the oft-abducted Jesse Keys. Meanwhile, Jacob must get home to see his mom.

"Ronan Tynan: The Impossible Dream," 7:30 p.m., PBS. The Irish Tenor sings his life story during his first solo concert for television. Part of Hawaii Public Television's December membership drive.

"Olive, the Other Reindeer," 8 p.m., WB. Drew Barrymore provides the lead voice in this fun cartoon about a dog who wants to be Santa's new reindeer.

"John Doe," 8 p.m., FOX. Doe probes a murder while on vacation.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. A teen who attempts suicide says she was raped. Soon, however, police find tangled possibilities.