Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Providence" finale, 7 p.m., NBC. When this series premiered in January 1999, it bucked trends. TV had almost quit doing shows with families. "Providence," by comparison, had Dr. Sydney Hansen (Melina Kanakaredes) returning home to be with her father, brother and sister, plus (via imagined conversations) her late mom. Soon, her siblings added another generation. In addition, the show was built from the ordinary dramas of real lives. TV rarely does that.

Since then, "Providence" has had erratic moments. It spun into dark melodrama last year, then reversed instantly with the season opener. Problems vanished; Owen (George Newbern) proposed to Syd. Ratings stayed limp so NBC said this would be the final episode. Then it paused, saying the show might be revived in some form. For now, there's a new crisis: Syd can't get to her wedding because a man who wants her to treat his son is holding her hostage.

Of Note

"Twice Upon a Christmas" (2001), 7 p.m., Pax TV. In "Once Upon a Christmas," Kathy Ireland played Kristin Klaus, one of Santa's daughters. She fell in love with a gentle widower. In this sequel, they're engaged and all memory of her old life has been erased. The whole thing sounds silly, but the movie is surprisingly well made. It has a rich look and a sharp script; that includes some clever satire with Santa's other daughter scheming to sell pieces of the North Pole via infomercials.

"A Home For the Holidays," 7 p.m., CBS. Here's the annual special that promotes adoption. Alongside profiles of real families there's music by Faith Hill, Creed, Melissa Etheridge, Steven Curtis Chapman and Vanessa Carlton.

"CSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. This transplanted rerun involves a 5-year-old girl who was killed in an indoor amusement park.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. In this rerun, cops study a computer game to figure out what happened to a young girl.