SUNDAY'S MUST-SEE

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas," 5:30 p.m., TBS. Is it really Christmas time already? Apparently, because the Disney Channel also has "The Santa Clause" at 8 p.m. We won't complain because the 1966 "Grinch" is one of the best shows in TV history. Dr. Seuss wrote the clever story; Chuck Jones — the genius behind many of the best Road Runner and Bugs Bunny movies — directed it beautifully.

"Desperate Housewives," 8 p.m., ABC. Last week brought big changes. Lynette learned she's cancer-free; Danielle had her baby. Other tangles linger: Carlos re-hid his money and left Edie, who told Victor about the Carlos-Gabrielle affair. Tonight, Victor confronts Gabrielle; also, Bree tells Susan that Mike might be addicted to drugs.

OF NOTE

"Chicken Run" (2000), 3:45 p.m., and "The Wizard of Oz," 6 p.m. (1939), TBS. Sandwich these around "Grinch" and you have a remarkable stretch of family fun. Alert your VCR.

"Nature: The Cheetah Orphans," 7 p.m., PBS. Simon King has filmed African wildlife for 20 years. When he found two cheetah orphans, he raised them then nudged them into the wild. This isn't one of the better "Nature" films, but it has moments of warmth and heartbreak.

"The Simpsons," 8 p.m., Fox. When Millhouse's parents are lost at sea he decides to mature and be an adult.

"Masterpiece Theatre: The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard," 8 p.m., PBS. In a daring move, the prime minister bans most private-car use on Wednesdays. Meanwhile, family and political crises grow, setting up next week's finale to this miniseries.

"Explorer: Inside the Body Trade," 8 and 11 p.m., National Geographic Channel. An American mortgages his home, raises $110,000 and has a liver transplant in Shanghai. He became part of what Lisa Ling calls "transplant tourism" in this disturbing documentary. We meet one woman in India who was promised $3,500 for her kidney but given $700; a doctor talks of a practice, outlawed this year, in which executed Chinese prisoners became involuntary donors.

"Shark," 9 p.m., CBS. A sniper is shooting cars on the L.A. freeway. The mayor demands a quick arrest.