Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Line of Fire," 9 p.m., ABC. Last week's opener bounced between the cops and crooks. Making the toughest bounce was Roy Ravelle, played with simmering power by Anson Mount. Fresh from prison, Ravelle joined local gangsters and killed two people in broad daylight. Only later did we learn that he's an undercover cop. The killings were faked. The prison time was real to establish his alibi. Now he's solid with mob boss Jonah Malloy — who wants him to kill someone else tonight. Malloy has other problems. His wife fumes when he holds a 10-year-old boy as collateral; the FBI is obsessed with beating him to some drug money. This is a tangled and fascinating story written with intelligence and acted with taut power.

Of Note

"The Wright Challenge," 7, 11 p.m., the History Channel. On Dec. 17, the world will mark the 100th anniversary of airplanes. This documentary follows four efforts to recreate the Wright Brothers' plane and flight. They range from a Utah State University team to a retired maintenance worker.

"Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?," 5, 8 p.m., Style. This channel launches a 13-week series. It traces high-power wedding planners in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas.

"Battlestar Galactica," 7 p.m., Sci Fi. If you missed Monday's opener of this terrific mini-series, here's a second chance. Then stay for the 9 p.m. finale.

"I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown," 7 p.m., ABC. Here's a new cartoon from the "Peanuts" people. Snoopy's brother, Spike, and Linus' little brother form a dog-boy bond.

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," 7 p.m., CBS. Lots of people love this animated special, partly because it arrived (in 1964) before the rest. Others grumble about its primitive animation and its absurdly prolonged plot.

"Whoopi," 7:30 p.m., NBC. Ralphie May, the "Last Comic Standing" finalist, plays an overweight guest who sues the hotel when his bed collapses.