Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
Tonight's Must-See
"Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops from the Battlefields of Iraq," 7 p.m., HBO. Beautifully and sparely crafted, this hour is also painful to watch. In homey settings, we see the places where military men and women grew up. Then their loved ones read the final letters and e-mails the soldiers wrote before their deaths. The result brings quiet depths of both humanity and sorrow.
"ER," 9 p.m., NBC. Thursday's back! This weeknight is turning out to be quite the night for good television. From "The O.C." and "The Apprentice," to "CSI," and "Without a Trace" there's something good on for just about everyone. But first let's start with "ER." The man in the waiting room is ignored. He mutters. He sometimes thinks he's at an airport. He's "just another drunk," Dr. Pratt surmises. Then, after he collapses, he consumes everyone's attention. What follows is a wonderful little change of pace, perfectly played. It's also done in real time; the 44 minutes of "ER" (subtracting commercials) represents all the time that has elapsed. Ray Liotta stars as the man and exhibits rich layers and deep pain. Gradually, his story grips doctors, nurses and viewers. A quiet reminder emerges: All lives — even the ones that are easy to ignore — are significant. For a moment, or for 44 minutes, people can care deeply.
Of Local Note
"Switched!" Noon — 2 p.m., ABC Family. An episode featuring Kaua'i surfer and shark-attack survivor Bethany Hamilton is the highlight of this two-hour marathon of the teen-oriented reality series in which two people from completely different backgrounds swap lives for four days. Bethany flies to Los Angeles and steps into the recording studio of Chantilly, an aspiring singer she once attended school with. Chantilly learns to surf "Bethany-style" with only one arm for balance.
Of Note
"The O.C.," 7 p.m., Fox. Last week's excellent season opener got everyone back home. Ryan's former girlfriend lied to him for his own sake, saying she had a miscarriage. He returned to the comfort of the Cohen home and so did his friend, Seth Cohen. Tonight, they learn their former girlfriends have been on the make.
