TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"The 44th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival," 6 p.m., KITV. The three-day hula competition opens tonight with the Miss Aloha Hula Competition and awards ceremony. Competition continues tomorrow in hula kahiko (ancient) and on Saturday in hula 'auana (modern). Awards for the past two evenings of competition will he handed out on Saturday. Broadcast live from the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium in Hilo.

OF NOTE

"My Name is Earl," 7 p.m., NBC. Earl wants to make amends to a reporter he harassed. Meanwhile, Randy is trying to escape his brother's shadow.

"The Last Samurai" (2003), 5 p.m., AMC. Ed Zwick, the director of "Glory" and "Blood Diamond," directed this epic film, with Tom Cruise as a Civil War veteran, taken prison by samurai warriors.

"The Office," 7:30 p.m., NBC. Andy is back after extended anger-management classes. He arrives just as Michael and Dwight work on an extreme version of training safety day.

"30 Rock," 8 p.m., NBC. As last week's episode ended, Jack's special — three hours of New York fireworks — was a disaster. Now the GE boss (Rip Torn) makes it clear that his job is shaky.

"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," 8 p.m., CBS. Hodges is obsessed with the "miniatures murders." While Grissom is in the field, he persuades his lab colleagues that they are supposed to help him.

"Andy Barker, P.I.," 8:30 p.m., NBC. Lew convinces Andy to investigate a crooked doctor.

"ER," 9 p.m., NBC. Annabella Sciorra plays a photographer who is documenting the end of life for a terminally ill patient.

"Shark," 9 p.m., CBS. When the head of a women's shelter shoots a pornographer, many people consider her a hero. Stark, however, prosecutes.

"Human Giant," 10:30 p.m., MTV. Keep an eye on this show, which has short, filmed sketches. Last week's opener had some terrific moments.

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.