"Terry Jones' Medieval Lives," 5 p.m., History Channel. In his Monty Python days, Terry Jones mocked the medieval age. Now he revisits them, with eight half-hours over four Saturdays. These documentaries have lots of genuine history, including portions filmed in classic castles. They're also spiced with humor and myth busting. Tonight's first half-hour focuses on knights. In truth, Jones says, most were simply killing people for fame and profit. The second deals with monks and St. Benedict. He left the decadence of Rome to start a small community of prayer that became a powerful moneymaker.

"The Mask of Zorro" (1998), 7:30 p.m., CBS. A grand legend was revived in this sweeping adventure film. The story gets too busy, but showcases a superb cast. Anthony Hopkins is the old Zorro, with Antonio Banderas as his reluctant replacement and Catherine Zeta-Jones as the love interest. They're so good that we can barely grumble about a Hispanic story in which two-thirds of the stars are from Wales.

Of Note

College football, 7 a.m., ESPN. The bowl barrage continues. This time, it's Georgia Tech and Tulsa in the Humanitarian Bowl.

NFL Football, 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., ABC. The pro playoffs begin with this double-header. The first game has the Tennessee Titans at the Baltimore Ravens. The second has the Dallas Cowboys at the Carolina Panthers.

"The Ring," 6 p.m., HBO. The story of a videotape that kills its viewers.