Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Too Young to Be a Dad," 9 p.m., Lifetime. If nothing else, let's credit this gentle film with avoiding easy answers and loud plot twists. The focal point is Matt (Paul Franklin Dano), a teen with great grades, a good heart and an awful haircut. A sweet classmate (Katie Stuart) convinces him it couldn't hurt to have sex once. Soon, he's preparing to be a 15-year-old father. He's surrounded by a troubled family — a harping mom (Kathy Baker), an uninvolved dad (Bruce Davison) and a shiftless, angry sister. During the next two hours some characters will evolve and some ideas will change.

Of Note

Hockey, 2 p.m., ABC. Here's the fourth game of the best-of-seven showdown with the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes.

"The Simpsons," 7 p.m., FOX. The network's night of comedy reruns starts with an "Indecent Proposal" takeoff. Marge's long-ago prom date offers $1 million for a nonsexual weekend with her.

"Blue's Clues," 8 p.m., Nickelodeon. This show — a giant hit with the pre-school crowd — celebrates its 100th episode. It offers clips and even a visit by the show's original host (Steve Burns).

"American Standoff," 5 p.m., HBO. Here's the premiere of a documentary tracing a deadlock between the striking Teamsters Union and Overnite Transportation.

"Masterpiece Theatre: Oliver Twist," 9 p.m., PBS. Over the next three Mondays, "Masterpiece" reruns its richly crafted version of the Charles Dickens classic. This starts much earlier than most so we can meet Oliver's troubled mother.

"History vs. Hollywood," 8 p.m., History Channel. Nicolas Cage's "Windtalkers" opens Friday, looking at the Navajo code-talkers during World War II. But first, this documentary takes a look at the real-life Navajos whose obscure language confounded the Axis.