Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"American Experience: The Kennedys," 9 p.m., PBS; concludes Tuesday. With the 40th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination coming Saturday, TV spends this week glancing through history. PBS, however, goes deeper. It reruns a four-hour, 1992 documentary that viewed two generations. Tonight's film starts with Joe Kennedy. He mastered Wall Street, it says, becoming the world's richest Irish American; he became a film producer in Hollywood and had an affair with Gloria Swanson. Then Franklin Roosevelt appointed him ambassador to the Court of St. James. British people loved Kennedy's big, photogenic family. They fumed, however, at his remarks that democracy was finished in Britain — and possibly in America.

Late Night

"Britney Spears: In the Zone," 12:36 a.m., ABC. Is Britney worth staying up way past fourth quarter for? Spears, who makes more money than a quarterback and weighs about one-third of a nose tackle, has already done a Super Bowl show and a season-opener concert. Now this special from Manhattan precedes (or, in Hawai'i's case, is delayed by) the Steelers-49er game.

Of Note

"JFK: The Day That Changed America," 4, 9 p.m., MSNBC. This hour focuses on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

"Yes, Dear," 7 p.m., CBS. Jimmy learns that Chuck Norris will follow him around work while preparing to play a security guard.

"Everybody Loves Raymond," 8 p.m., CBS. Ray spoils a surprise party for Debra.

"Las Vegas," 8 p.m., NBC. Sheryl Lee Ralph — who played a diva on a recent "Whoopi" — plays another diva here. Maybe she'll do it on every NBC show; is "West Wing" next?