TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"How I Met Your Mother," 7, 7:30 and 8:31 p.m., CBS. On a day overflowing with family-friendly shows, CBS has an alternative. These reruns are fresh, bright and youthful; several also are strictly for grown-ups. That's especially true of the first episode: Having abstained for weeks (a record for this show), Ted and Victoria burst lustfully into the apartment. Lily and Marshall are so embarrassed that they remain hidden in the bathroom. In the second, Marshall is an intern at Barney's office — and starts to act like his sleazy co-workers. In the third, Robin asks Ted to visit her apartment at 2 a.m.; on the ride there, he debates with friends and with his conscience.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003), 7 p.m., ABC. See Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom as the wide-eyed heroes. And there's Johnny Depp's wonderfully eccentric portrayal of Jack Sparrow, making erratic attempts at being a pirate king.

OF NOTE

"A Christmas Story," all day, to 4 p.m., TBS. The delightful little comedy began at 6 p.m. yesterday, rerunning every two hours.

"The Christmas Secret" (2000, noon), "The Christmas List" (1997, 2 p.m.), "A Holiday to Remember" (1995, 4 p.m.), "Three Days" (2001, 6 p.m.) and "The Polar Express" (2004, 8), all ABC Family. The "25 Days of Christmas" event concludes. "Three Days" is a fairly good film, a serious tale of a guy (Reed Diamond) who has one chance to remake his life.

"Radio" (2003), 7 p.m., Fox. Ed Harris and Cuba Gooding Jr. give excellent performances in an otherwise so-so film.

"CSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. In this rerun, Marisol witnesses a robbery putting her life in danger.