TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"American Idol," 7 p.m., Fox. Recent Tuesdays have been leisurely, with two-hour stretches to cover 12 and 11 singers. There's been plenty of time for chit-chat and shots of a little girl weeping. Tonight, things get tighter, packing 10 singers and mentor Gwen Stefani into 67 minutes, with a general, pop-music theme. It's a strong field. Last week, Stephanie Edwards, a talented singer who failed to project personal warmth, was ousted.

"Work Out," 7 p.m., Bravo. Last week's season opener viewed the volatile relationship between Jackie Warner and her girlfriend Mimi. Tonight is a pivotal hour for Warner. We see her head to the lesbian bars, where she's greeted like a rock star. She brings along Rebecca Cardon, the flirty heterosexual, who seems fascinated by this world. Cardon is further intrigued at work when former Playmate Victoria Fuller tells her about a four-month lesbian romance. There's more, including a new venture for Warner's gym and some sniping among the guys.

OF NOTE

"Dancing With the Stars," 7 and 8 p.m., ABC. First is a recap of this season's first four hours. The two-hour opener March 19 was noncompetitive, but the two-hour session March 26 was followed by viewer votes. During the second hour, we'll see who is out.

"NCIS," 7 p.m., CBS. A Marine colonel has been killed at a military country club in this rerun. Terrorists are suspected.

"Dirt," 7 p.m., FX. The season finale offers a reunion of two "Friends" stars. Jennifer Aniston plays a rival of Lucy (Courteney Cox).

"The Unit," 8 p.m., CBS. Bob and his translator survive a helicopter crash in Siberia in this rerun. They face fierce conditions. That triggers some flashbacks to Bob's basic training.

"Great American Dream Vote," 9 p.m., ABC. Apparently worried about too few reality shows tonight, ABC launches another. Eight people tell what their dream would be. Viewers then choose a winner.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. Tim Daly plays a respected preacher entwined in a murder case.

"Frontline/World: News War: Stories from a Small Planet," 9 p.m., PBS. The first three "News War" chapters aired in February and viewed journalism in the U.S. This one takes a global view. It starts by viewing Al Jazeera and its effect on Arab nations and on Muslim communities in Europe.

"Independent Lens: Race to Execution," 10 p.m., PBS. Two stories focus on the effect of race on the judicial process. One was in Chicago; the film says it included police brutality, falsified evidence and an incompetent defense counsel. The other was in Alabama, where the prosecutor maneuvered to have 11 whites on his 12-person jury.