Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Tonight's Must-See

"Frasier," 8 p.m., NBC. Bebe Neuwirth returns for a guest spot as Frasier's ex-wife Lilith. One of her friends inadvertently sets up a blind date between her and Frasier.

"Nova," 8 p.m., PBS. Strange things are happening inside the Earth, this hour says. The magnetic field is weakening. Does that mean that in a few thousand years, we'll be like Mars, unable to protect ourselves from solar radiation? Or does it just signal an odd cycle? Scientists don't know, but it's still a fine hour of smart speculation and fancy special effects.

Of Note

"Sister Helen" (2002), 5 p.m., Cinemax. When she was 56, Helen Travis saw her life crumble. One son was killed; the other son and her husband had drug-related deaths. She became a nun and started an independent home for addicts to give those folks Oa second chance," she says. This award-winning documentary portrays a powerful woman at 69.

"24," 8 p.m., Fox. To avoid disaster, the evil Salazar might have to be set free.

"Without a Trace," 8 p.m., and OCSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. When CBS foolishly jettisoned its OReagans" miniseries, it left giant holes in its lineup. Now it tries to fill them with two reruns. The first involves a missing bus full of children, the second a missing tennis star.

"American Experience: The Kennedys" conclusion, 9 p.m., PBS. John Kennedy's White House years plus the successes and tragedies of his brothers.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. This is the show's 100th episode. The show is often horrendously over-the-top in its nastiness. This episode „ with castration, torture, rape and murder „ takes that to an extreme. A talented cast does well despite it all, including Samantha Mathis as a former victim and Jacqueline Bisset as her mom.