Television critic Mike Hughes recommend's tuning into ABC this evening.

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEES

"GREY'S ANATOMY," 9 P.M., ABC

The subject tonight is family and the feelings are intense.

For Izzie — once a model, now a doctor — there's a visit from her mom. Wonderfully played by Sharon Lawrence, she's a flirty, social sort who can't deal with the fact that her daughter has serious, late-stage cancer.

For Meredith and Lexie, there's the arrival of their dad, fresh from an alcohol-rehab program. One sister is quick to forgive; one isn't.

Meanwhile, Callie is stung by her dad's disapproval of her lesbian romance. And patients bring new family issues — a domestic shooting and a woman (Kellie Martin) torn by her sister's injury during an eco-protest.

Those trigger responses from the doctors. It's a terrific episode, rich in emotional depth.

"UGLY BETTY" RETURN, 8 P.M., ABC

The network has bailed out quickly on two comedies, "In the Motherhood" and "Samantha Who?" It replaced them with a "Grey's" rerun last week and now brings "Betty" back a week early.

Right now, "Ugly Betty" is in an upside-down state. Betty is usually a modest-income person in a big-money world. Now the magazine-company is going broke while she's dating the son of a mega-mogul.

There are lame moments here, involving Betty's inability to tell people what they don't want to hear. Still, the show has enough charm and visual flair to compensate; it also has a fairly good sub-plot, as Wilhelmina has doubts about her surrogate-born baby.