TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"New Year's Rockin' Eve," 9 p.m., 11:35 p.m., ABC. For one year, Dick Clark wasn't able to attend the telecast he created 33 years ago. Now he's recovered from his stroke and plans to be back, co-hosting with Ryan Seacrest. Clark created the technique others copied: Live coverage cutting to segments taped previously. This year, there's also a live performance — Mariah Carey at Times Square. (NBC counters with Mary J. Blige live). Things cut between Times Square and the party. Hilary Duff hosts the latter and sings "Wake Up," "Come Clean" and "Beat of My Heart." There will be small nods to new country (Sugarland sings "Something More" and "Down in Mississippi") and classic rock (the Bangles do "Eternal Flame" and "Hazy Shade of Winter"). Mostly, though, the emphasis is new, top-40 music. That includes Chris Brown, Sean Paul, 3 Doors Down, 311 and the Pussycat Dolls.

OF NOTE

"A Knight's Tale" (2001), 7 p.m., NBC. The opening moments of this film are wonderful as the crowd at a medieval joust sings "We Will Rock You." After that, "Knight's Tale" is merely OK; Heath Ledger plays a lowly squire who gets a chance to battle knights.

"Snow Dogs" (2002), 7 p.m., ABC. Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a Miami dentist who heads to Alaska for a reading of his mother's will. Soon, he's leading her team in a dog-sled race.

"Bones," 7 p.m., Fox. Two well-made drama series borrow spots tonight. In this rerun, an ambassador's son is found hanging from the tree of a corpse. Investigators aren't sure it's suicide.

"House," 8 p.m., Fox. Cuddy often battles with House but now she need his help. Her handyman has perplexing symptoms.

"Without a Trace," 8 p.m., CBS. In this rerun, a nanny has just disappeared. So has the baby she was watching. The nanny had just been fired and accused of stealing.

"New Year of Music," 10:30 p.m., MTV. The youngest and hippest of the show starts early. It has five VJ's, with music by Kanye West, Shakira, Common, Adam Levine, Paul Wall, Young Jeezy and All-American Rejects.

"New Year's Eve," 10:30 p.m., NBC. Carson Daly hosts live with Wanda Sykes. His sole music guest will be Mary J. Blige, live from New York.

"New Year's Eve Live," 11 p.m., Fox. Regis Philbin jumps networks to host this Fox party. It includes Carrie Underwood, John O'Hurley, Nick Cannon and Tyler Hilton.

TONIGHT ON KHNL NEWS 8

Get your New Year's Eve edition of KHNL News 8 at 6 and 10. Diane Ako, Paul Drewes and Reid Shimizu will have your latest news, sports and weather.