TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Ocean of Fear: Worst Shark Attack Ever," 6 p.m., Discovery Channel. On a July night in 1945 two torpedoes struck the USS Indianapolis in the Philippine Sea. Of the 1,200 men, 300 died onboard. The others were plunged into the water where the true horror began. This is the crisis made famous by a monologue in "Jaws." Narrator Richard Dreyfuss (the "Jaws" star) refers to it as the worst shark disaster ever. There's a flip side, though. Two-thirds of the men in the water died, but few were actually killed by sharks. The men spent four-plus days in the sea without food or water. Many broke down, drank salt water and were crazed. Most were already dead before the sharks got them. "Ocean of Fear" becomes less a story of sharks and more one of basic human nature. There was panic and violence. There were heroics. To tell the story, Discovery includes two survivors, crisply recalling details from 62 years ago. It also has the testimony during the military investigations, told and illustrated through elaborate re-enactments. It's a strong and scary story, sharply told.

"Desperate Housewives," 8 p.m., ABC. Now for a different kind of violence — the fictional and kinda-fun sort. Carolyn Bigsby (Laurie Metcalf) has learned of the misdeeds of her husband. Soon, she's at his grocery store holding everyone at gunpoint. It's one of the best of a so-so season for "Housewives."

OF NOTE

"Paradise for Predators: Shark Bay Palau," 6 a.m., Discovery Channel. Here's the start of the 20th annual Shark Week. It will encompass seven days and 130 hours, most of them reruns. There will be a new hour each day at 9 p.m., however, starting with "Ocean of Fear."

"The Godfather" (1972), 1 p.m., and "The Godfather, Part II" (1974), 5 p.m., AMC. Two great, Oscar-winning films run back-to-back.

"Side Order of Life," 5 p.m., Lifetime. Earlier, Jenny broke off her engagement with Ian. Now she's afraid to tell her friends that they're still being intimate.

"The Kill Point," 6 p.m., Spike TV; reruns at 10. Last week's powerful opener set up the situation: Inside the bank, a man who calls himself Mr. Wolf (John Leguizamo) is leading a band of military veterans whose robbery went bad. Outside, Horst Cali (Donnie Wahlberg) is the chief negotiator, trying to keep the hostages safe. Tonight, Cali faces interference from an FBI agent and from the wealthy father of one of the hostages who launches his own plan.

"The Parent Trap" (1998), 6 and 9 p.m., ABC Family. Lindsay Lohan, long before she got into trouble with the law, plays long-separated twins, suddenly conniving. They want to get their parents (Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson) back together.

"Army Wives," 7 p.m., Lifetime. Joan comes home from reassignment early trying patch up her relationship with her husband.

"Mystery: Miss Marple: At Bertram's Hotel," 8 p.m., PBS. Marple (Geraldine McEwan) is at a posh hotel where people are gathered for the reading of a will. Then two staffers are killed.