TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Celebrity Cooking Showdown" debut, 8 p.m., NBC; continues daily through Friday, at 7 p.m. Here's a quick, smart way to run a reality competition. It's one week only. On each of the first three nights, three celebrities — well, semi-celebrities — will compete in a cooking competition. Each celeb is paired with a well-known chef. The winners from those three nights will then compete in the finals on Thursday. That night will combine votes from viewers at home along with in-studio tasters. Tonight's opener has Tom Arnold, Big Kenny Alphin (half the Big and Rich country music duo) and Chelsea Cooley, the Miss USA 2005. Remember, we said "semi-celebrities." They'll get to work with Wolfgang Puck, Cat Cora and Govind Armstrong.

OF NOTE

"Prison Break," 7 p.m., Fox. Haywire has to stay off his medication so he can fill in the parts of Michael's tattoo (secretly, a prison plan) that were accidentally burned off.

"How I Met Your Mother," 7:30 p.m., CBS. In a rerun, Victoria (Ashley Williams) goes with Ted to his weekly game night.

"24," 8 p.m., Fox. Where do you go once you know the president was behind a murder scheme? Tonight, Jack tries to get to the attorney general. Henderson tries to stop him.

"Two and a Half Men," 8 p.m., CBS. This rerun has Charley adjusting to something unfamiliar — a relationship not based on sex.

"American Experience: The Great San Francisco Earthquake," 9 p.m., PBS. Tuesday marks the 100th anniversary of the earthquake that seemingly left San Francisco in ruins. With that in mind, PBS reruns this 1998 documentary about the quake and the city's quick recovery.

"CSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. Here's more weather trouble, albeit fictional. This rerun has a tsunami blasting toward Miami. Meanwhile, crooks figure that's the perfect time for a bank heist.

"What About Brian," 9 p.m., ABC. Sunday's premiere offered an appealing mixture of drama, comedy and great visuals. All of that was while introducing us to Brian (Barry Watson), a single guy surrounded by couples. Tonight, he tries to set aside the fact that he secretly loves his best friend's fiancee. Instead his friends try to hook him up with two dates on one day.