TODAY'S MUST-SEE

Olympics, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (delayed), 6 to 11 p.m. (delayed), 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. (delayed), NBC. Things should start strong at 7 a.m., with basketball. Yao Ming leads the host China team against a U.S. team that includes LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. NBC's Bob Costas predicts "a Super Bowl atmosphere." There's another U.S.-China match (in men's water polo) at 11 a.m. Tonight's swimming gold medals are for the women's 100-meter butterfly and 400-meter freestyle and the men's 100-meter breaststroke and freestyle relay. Also, women's gymnastics teams start qualifying; the finals are Tuesday.

"Masterpiece Mystery: Inspector Lynley Mysteries: Limbo," 8 p.m., PBS. Don't expect a quiet Foyle-Morse-Lewis kind of mystery tonight. This one is as passionate — and as good — as anything "Mystery" has had in years. Lynley's upper-crust exterior has finally cracked. Six months after his wife was killed, he's lost in alcohol and self-pity. Then an old tragedy resurfaces and things get much worse. There are a few excesses here, but this remains a fiercely emotional story that whipsaws between suspects.

OF NOTE

More Olympics, cable. That includes 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on CNBC, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday on USA, and 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. Monday on MSNBC.

"Mean Girls" (2004), 6 p.m., ABC Family, and "Freaky Friday" (2003), 9 p.m., Disney Channel. Cable keeps obsessing about Lindsay Lohan comedies, so here are two choices. For that matter, "True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet" (4 p.m., Lifetime) sort of asks what would happen if someone like Lohan hid out in Indiana.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," 7 p.m., ABC. In Hawai'i, the Akanas keep helping neighbors. Now their own home is flood-damaged and sinking; the team steps in.

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," 9 p.m., Fox. This show had a long post-strike layoff, so we need to be reminded how good the first episode was. Here it is: John — destined to lead humanity — arrives at a new high school, while forces from the future try to kill or protect him.

"Generation Kill," 9:15 p.m., HBO. The vagaries of war weigh down on the Marines in this real-life story. They face an ambush. Eyeing the bodies afterward, they get a sobering glimpse of their enemy.

"Mad Men," 7, 8 and 10 p.m., AMC. Last week, we got a fresh view of Pete after his dad died in a plane crash. Tonight, Betty must help her husband Don by being an elegant companion at a dinner with clients.