"Everybody Loves Raymond," 7:30 p.m., CBS. In its final season, "Raymond" offered wonderfully witty moments built around the quirks of its characters. Here's a prime example. Ray is watching a basketball game and Amy decides it's the ideal time for a conversation. She continues for an hour. Naturally, Ray tells Robert (his brother, Amy's husband) about it. Robert tells Amy; she ignites.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" finale, 10 p.m., PBS. In the first two weeks of this well-made series, we followed scientist Jared Diamond's study of an enigma: Why did some civilizations find economic prosperity, while others were rooted in the past? The key, he decided, was that some land worked much better for agriculture and for the few animals that can be useful on farms. Now comes an epic finale that captures all the extremes of colonization. The Dutch had settled easily along Africa's Cape. But when they tried to move inland, they were slain by the massive Zulu nation. More Dutch went inland, this time with a strategy for using their rifles and (soon) machine guns. In one wretched day, more than 3,000 Zulu soldiers were slain, compared with only three newcomers; the Europeans would stay. Then came the turnabout: Their farming failed, their animals died and their people were wracked by local strains of disease. It was a final reminder of their complexities of forging into other worlds.

OF NOTE

"Cyberchase," 4:30 p.m., PBS. This animated show offers a four-day miniseries that peaks Thursday with skateboard star Tony Hawk playing Coop, the long-lost father of a cyber-teen named Slider. The CyberSquad must save Slider from the clutches of the evil Hacker (Christopher Lloyd).

"The Dive From Clausen's Pier," 6 p.m., Lifetime. This new movie, based on Ann Packer's novel, has a small-town guy paralyzed after a dive. His fiancee heads to New York City hoping for a new life.

"Stranded — with Cash Peters" debut, 6, 6:30, 9 and 9:30 p.m., Travel Channel. Cash Peters, a British travel writer, will be dumped in a different place each episode. Without any money, Cash must charm his way into room and board.