TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas!," 7:30 p.m., ABC. One of TV's greatest half-hours returns. Dr. Seuss wrote a wonderful story and Chuck Jones animated it brilliantly. Boris Karloff narrated.

OF NOTE

"Christmas in Rockefeller Center," 7 p.m., NBC. If you subtract Celine Dion and Al Roker, here's an extreme youth emphasis. Alongside the tree-lighting, there's music by Josh Groban, 26; Carrie Underwood, 24; Ashley Tisdale, 22; and Taylor Swift, 17.

"Shrek the Halls," 7 p.m., ABC. Ogres, we learn, don't celebrate Christmas. Now that Shrek has a wife and triplets, he tries hard — too hard, at first. Here's a new, computer-animated special that kids and grown-ups can enjoy. There are big visual gags, small moments of warmth and one scene — Santa, from the perspective of a gingerbread cookie — that's kind of scary. This is a big-time project, including the key movie voices — Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz.

" 'Til Death," 7 p.m., Fox. When Jeff is promoted to principal, his neighbor Eddie can't take him seriously.

"Pushing Daisies," 8 p.m., ABC. Nudged back an hour by the specials, this offers a crisis for Ned's pie shop. Molly Shannon plays a taffy-shop owner who tries to stop him.

"Bionic Woman," 8 p.m., NBC. Jaime plans to take a break at a spa with her sister. She soon has a life-and-death confrontation with another guest.

"Life," 9 p.m., NBC. Probing the murder of a runaway girl, Crews also looks into a long-ago kidnapping. Meanwhile, the new murder investigation is tightening on him.

"Dirty Sexy Money," 9:02 p.m., ABC. Through flashbacks, we start to learn about Letitia's affair with Nick's late father.

"Great Performances: Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival Chicago," 2 a.m. Thursday, PBS. Can't stay up this late? You'll want to tape it for posterity. In a two-hour burst are some of the world's great blues guitarists. The classic blues men are here. They include B.B. King, now 82; Herbert Sumlin, 76, and Buddy Guy, 71. So are the British masters who learned from them — Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Jeff Beck and more. Other generations are here, too, including Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow and Los Lobos. When this was taped, John Mayer wasn't yet 30. Passionately and powerfully, great music wails.