TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," 8 p.m., Fox. Yesterday's debut had a slick look and lots of high-energy action. Still, it lacked a strong human core; that's the flaw that hurt NBC's new "Bionic Woman." Now, settling into its regular slot, the show seems to have solved some of that. There's occasional humor and confusion as all three characters try to adjust. John Connor has jumped ahead almost a decade. He's basically still a 15-year-old, suddenly in a different school, identity and millennium. Sarah, his mom, is still trying to protect him and prepare him for his destiny as leader of the anti-android rebels; she also worries about her own health crisis. Then there's his android bodyguard, neatly disguised as a cute teenager (Summer Glau). Her first instinct — basically, to kill anyone who annoys her.

"American Experience" season-opener, "Oswald's Ghost," 9 p.m., PBS. On one level, this well-made documentary looks to the doubts that have clung to the John Kennedy assassination. We re-meet authors Mark Lane and Edward Epstein, still making a strong case that the Warren Commission clouded things by rushing to judgment. On another, it profiles the key people involved. Lee Harvey Oswald was far from the simple-minded patsy that people sometimes describe, it says; he was a complex man who had talked earlier of assassinations. There are details here that support conspiracy theorists; Kennedy, for instance, was obsessing on a mob chief's girlfriends. And there are ones that dispute them; Jack Ruby hardly behaved like a man who had planned to shoot Oswald. There are no answers, but a fascinating story is skillfully retold.

OF NOTE

"The Backyardigans: Tale of the Mighty Knights," 5 p.m., Nickelodeon. This charming, animated series (9 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays) has kids concocting grand adventures in their backyard. Now it expands to an hour for this OK musical; Adam Pascal ("Rent") sings and provides the voice of the dragon.

"Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann," 7 p.m., ABC. In last week's debut, 14 talented dancer-singers were chosen. Tonight, they split into two teams and perform.

"Prison Break," 7 p.m., Fox. After a break, this intense show returns. Michael is in solitary confinement; also, a mysterious woman has come to see him.

"Val Lewton: Man in the Shadows," 3 and 7 p.m., Turner Classic Movies. From the obscurity of a production job at RKO, Val Lewton was told to make horror movies that were short and low-budget. He crafted psychological thrillers, known for their moody looks and the dreamlike movements of their characters. Martin Scorsese produced and narrated this excellent documentary.

"CSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. Elizabeth Berkley plays Horatio's former lover, suddenly showing up to retrieve the troubled Kyle.