Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Hapa-Haole Days — Swing Time in Hawaii," 9:30 p.m., Fox. This show looks back on a period in Hawai'i's history when swing tunes and artists were affected by Hawaiian music. Guest stars include Gabe Baltazar, Jimmy Borges, Abe Weinstein, Auntie Genoa Keawe, Noel Okimoto, Byron Yasui and Mihana Souza.
"Rescue Me," debut, 10 and 11 p.m., FX. Denis Leary is back to the world he knows best. It's filled with macho guys, dry wit, crumbling marriages and — buried below hardened layers — crumbling souls. Leary inhabited that world perfectly as a cop in ABC's "The Job." Now he's Tommy Gavin, a senior firefighter, haunted by the Sept. 11 tragedies that killed four of his men, including a cousin who was his best friend. That's more than just a plot device. In real life, Leary lost a firefighter cousin in a 1999 fire; he set up a foundation that went on to help the Sept. 11 victims.
Added to that reality are rich layers of Leary-style fiction. Gavin sees visions of his late cousin and others. Gavin also spies on his estranged wife and her new boyfriend.
"Rescue Me" is filled with extremes. It's tragic and funny, cynical and emotional, profane and warm. It reflects the strange excesses of Leary's genius.
"1421: The Year China Discovered America?" 9 p.m., PBS. As the 15th century began, this documentary says, a new Chinese ruler decided to expand his empire. An armada of 300 ships, some of them five times the size of Columbus' — sailed the world, with 28,000 men.
Some of this has been established by historians, while other details have been speculated by historian Gavin Menzies, who feels the ships circumnavigated the globe before Magellan and discovered America 71 years before Columbus. There are no sure answers here, but this richly filmed documentary offers a gorgeous journey.
Of Note
"Songwriters Hall of Fame," 6 p.m., Bravo. Performers include Stevie Wonder, Macy Gray, Jonny Lang and Dionne Warwick.
"Next Action Star," 7 p.m., NBC. Tough guys face problems, including John's fear of heights and Jared's romantic complications.
"TV Land's Top 10: The Andy Griffith Show," 7 p.m., TV Land. This special counts down the show's 10 best episodes. It interviews Griffith and co-star Don Knotts along with various actors who were fans of the show.
