TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"American Experience: Eugene O'Neill," 9 p.m., PBS. Eugene O'Neill seemed convinced nothing would come of his life. He drank heavily, left Princeton after a year, drank even more. He abandoned a wife and son, went to sea, returned, and attempted suicide. Then he righted himself, married twice more, won three Pulitzer Prizes, saw his health decline as he neared 50. He wrote a comedy ("Ah, Wilderness") about the sweet childhood he never had. He then planned and abandoned a 10-play cycle. Then, remarkably, he did his best work. "The Iceman Cometh" was considered a dark masterpiece; "Long Day's Journey Into Night" — premiering after his death — won his fourth Pulitzer. It's an amazing story, beautifully told by Ric Burns. It has top experts — Tony Kushner, Sidney Lumet, Lloyd Richards, John Guare — plus passionate readings by Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, Zoe Caldwell, Liam Neeson, and more. This shimmers with theater at its highest and personal pain at its lowest. It's a powerful film.

OF NOTE

"Everwood" return, 7 and 8 p.m., WB. After a long wait, this show returns with lives in limbo. Jake has admitted his addiction and left Nina. Ephram and Amy haven't discussed the night when they fell back into love and into sex. Delia is turning into a teenager and that leaves her dad frustrated. All of that is faced tonight with the usual "Everwood" traits. It's sometimes funny, intelligent and emotional. It's sometimes contrived and always interesting.

"Prison Break," 7 p.m., Fox. As this hour begins, it's almost time for Lincoln to be executed. Meanwhile, others scramble for a last-second way to save him. On the outside, Veronica has new efforts to show she was framed. Inside the prison, Michael scrambles for an alternative escape route.