Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE
"As You Like It," 6 p.m., HBO. Kenneth Branagh directs his fifth Shakespearean film, this time not acting in it. He has a splendid cast, led by Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron's daughter) and Kevin Kline. Branagh sets it in Japan, a fact that matters only in the early and final minutes. He also needs some leeway. When the radiant Howard pretends to be a guy, she changes nothing but her clothes. No one — including the man who loves her — recognizes her. If we can play along with such quirks, we can enjoy a richly crafted movie.
OF NOTE
"Eureka," 6 p.m., Sci Fi. Fargo's grandfather wakes, after being frozen for 50 years. He has no idea what happened.
"The Bill Engvall Show," 6 p.m., TBS. Bill's wife used to date rock star Chris Isaak, this episode says. Now Isaak is back in town, and Bill is jealous.
"America's Got Talent" finale, 7 p.m., NBC. Last week, the show trimmed to its final four and let them perform twice. The votes are already in, but they'll perform again, before the winner is announced. Terry Fator is an amazing ventriloquist whose dummies seem to sing in any style. Julienne Irwin, now 14, has a pretty good voice and a wonderful smile. Cas Haley is a singer whose numbers only showed off the great stage band. Butterscotch mixes a good singing voice with some zesty beat-boxing.
"On the Lot" finale, 7 p.m., Fox. Here's another show that has reached the end. There are three filmmakers left. Tonight, one gets a million-dollar deal.
"House," 8 p.m., Fox. In a rerun, a 14-year-old desperately needs a marrow transplant from his brother. He has no immunity left, however, and the transfusion can't happen while the brother is infected. House's team rushes to identify and cure the infection.
"The Unit," 9 p.m., CBS. While studying desert techniques, Grey falls for an Israeli soldier, in this rerun. They're soon trapped in a battle.
"P.O.V.: Arctic Son," 10 p.m., PBS. Stanley Njootli Jr. grew up in Washington state, where he has sometimes been jobless, homeless and/or addicted to alcohol or drugs. For the first time in 25 years, he's visiting his father in Old Crow, a Yukon village of 250 people, north of the Arctic Circle. There, he'll try the ways of his Gwitchin ancestors. The resulting film has few words. In its own understated way, however, it gets viewers thinking about life choices.