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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 12:08 p.m., Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tube Notes: 'American Idol,' 'Dancing with the Stars' and 'The Biggest Loser'

By Mike Hughes
mikehughestv.com

The must-sees are reality shows, according to TV critic Mike Hughes, but you might want to watch "NCIS" instead.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEES

"American Idol" (Fox), "Dancing With the Stars" (ABC) or "The Biggest Loser" (NBC), all 7 p.m.

This is when reality shows reach overload. That includes three of the four big networks; it also includes the two shows that top the Nielsen ratings.

One is "Idol," now into its routine. With Jasmine Murray and Jorge Nunez eliminated last week, there are 11 singers left. This is the week some have dreaded, with a country-music theme; Randy Travis is the mentor.

The other ratings champ is "Stars." At 7 p.m., it recaps the performances from Monday's two-hour show; at 8, the results show dumps one couple.

Then there's "Biggest Loser." It sends it's contestants home for a week, then tells them to prepare to run a 13-plus-mile "half-marathon." There's also a cookie temptation; when the contestants return to the ranch, they face a weigh-in and someone is dropped.

TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE

"NCIS," 7 p.m., CBS.

While the other networks overload on reality, CBS has a relatively key episode of "NCIS."

Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll), the NCIS director, has the unit work on a personal matter. It investigates the death of a boxer who was his friend.

That's outside the protocol. Gibbs (Mark Harmon) starts to dig into Vance's past.