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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Tube Notes

By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Jason Lee stars as the title character in the comedy "My Name is Earl," which features two episodes tonight on NBC.

NBC

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TONIGHT'S MUST-SEES

"Grey's Anatomy," 8 p.m., ABC. At its best, "Grey's Anatomy" does it all. It's funny one moment, tragic the next. It's quick and clever, yet deep. Given two hours, this season opener does all of that. Forget the opening moments, which are a bit of a cheat. After that, we see how Seattle Grace does in the hospital ratings. The result resonates comically and, later, seriously. The Derek-Meredith things drag on, but the George-Lexie ones are a delight. And yes, there's a new doctor. Kevin McKidd arrives in a way that's almost identical to the start of "Trapper John, M.D." Strong and understated, he's the perfect counterpoint for the "Anatomy" angst.

"ER," 9 p.m., NBC. As its final season opens, we can hope the show recovers some of its long-ago spark. It will certainly start big. This hour begins after the ambulance explosion.

OF NOTE

"My Name is Earl," 7 and 7:30 p.m., NBC. This oft-hilarious show gets off to a moderately good start. In the first episode, Earl helps a young man make an action movie. Laughs are scarce for a while, but the episode ends well. In the second, Earl is caught up in his parents' long-ago drama.

"Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden," 7 p.m., CBS. The show is back to Africa, presumably in a more pleasant setting. Its first visit there had lots of people looking hot and tired. Now the 18 contestants try a scenic locale.

"Ugly Betty," 7 p.m., ABC. As the season opens, Betty decides between Henry and Gio.

"American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story," 9 p.m., PBS. As modern times arrived, the Warner studio joined the crowd, seeking big-budget hits. It's done it quite well, with the help of Batman, Superman and Harry Potter. This hour provides an entertaining (if rather unquestioning) finale.