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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, July 7, 2006

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Monk" season-opener, 9 p.m., USA Network. This dandy show starts its fifth season — an hour earlier than usual. It begins with a dandy episode. Adrian Monk finally seems on the road to emotional recovery. He's getting past the death of his beloved wife. He's even ready to trim back to two psychiatric sessions a week. Let's not get too confident, though: There's something new to mess up his mind. A method actor (Stanley Tucci, so good in "The Devil Wears Prada") is preparing to portray Monk in a movie about his life. He follows him, assuming his gestures, his look, even his pain. That's while Monk is probing two killings that may have been related. The story has lots of funny moments, mixed with some solid drama and a crime that makes sense. In short, it's classic "Monk."

OF NOTE

"24," 7 and 8 p.m., Fox. In the first rerun, the CTU — aware that nerve gas is in the hands of terrorists — is glad to have Jack return. In the second, he feels there may be a link to Christopher Henderson (Peter Weller), a businessman who has been his nemesis.

"NCIS," 7 p.m., CBS. To make room for summer reality shows on Tuesdays, CBS has temporarily moved its two military shows to Fridays. Here, a code expert has apparently committed suicide amid a search for a Pentagon mole.

"The Unit," 8 p.m., CBS. Here's the other transplanted military film. The mission is to slip a listening device to someone inside the Iranian embassy.

"Kyle XY," 8 p.m., ABC. This episode aired Monday on ABC Family. Kyle — almost a regular-seeming teen, except he seems to have no roots — is getting used to living with a family. Still, he never sleeps (literally) and people find that creepy.

"Numb3rs," 9 p.m., CBS. A deadly bomb explodes outside an Army recruiting center. Could this be related to the one that exploded there 35 years ago?

"Psych" debut, 10 p.m., USA Network. This show takes over "Monk's" time slot, which airs an hour earlier. It's about half as good as "Monk," which still makes it better than most shows. James Roday plays a young guy who has great observation skills. No one pays attention to him until he claims to get psychic visions. Dragging along his reluctant friend (Dule Hill of "The West Wing"), he's on the case. The result is sometimes overdone but offers a decent mixture of humor and crime-solving.