TONIGHT'S MUST-SEES

"Frontline: The Choice," 9-11 p.m., PBS. At a Senate committee hearing one day, Joe Biden talked on and on. Barack Obama handed an aide a note that said, in full: "Shoot me now." Such stories become fascinating as the election nears. The "Frontline" people, usually hard to please, probed both presidential candidates and came up with positive views. Before shifting to get the Republican nomination, the film says, John McCain really was a maverick. "He fought the administration's tax cuts. He pushed campaign reform, held hearings on climate change." And Obama has spent his life in the middle, biographer David Mendell said. "He's always been very adept at walking this fine line between two dramatically different worlds."

"Eli Stone" season premiere, 9:01 p.m., ABC. Last season, a surgery ended Eli's hallucinations. Where can the show go from here? It has great twists tonight, including the role of a lifetime for Sigourney Weaver.

OF NOTE

"House," 7 p.m., Fox. Dr. House has had a distant relationship with his father (R. Lee Ermey). Now he reluctantly goes to his funeral, while diagnosing a case long-distance.

"90210," 7 p.m., CW, Oceanic digital channel 93. Here's the first half of the season opener. It got things off to a good start with redeeming humor, before the second hour turned too sudsy.

"Privileged," 8 p.m., CW. Here's a rerun of the good opening hour. Joanna Garcia is terrific as a jobless Yale grad, tutoring two rich teens.

"The Mentalist," 8 p.m., CBS. Back in his youth, Simon Baker was an Australian surfer. Now his character probes surfers in a murder case.

"The Cleaner," 8 p.m., A&E. The series wraps up its first season with the team disguised as Child Protective Services to snatch a teen from her alcoholic parents.

"Iditarod" debut, 7 p.m., Discovery Channel. Short on words, long on striking pictures, this series puts us inside the 1,150-mile Alaskan race. It ranges from two rookies to two four-time champions. It also features DeeDee Jonrowe, in her 27th race. A breast cancer survivor, she covers herself and her dogs in pink.