TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"CMA Music Festival," 8 p.m., ABC. Last year's special was terrific. Vibrantly filmed and performed, it offered some of the top talent in Nashville. If you don't like country music, just settle back and catch some of the former "American Idol" people. That includes Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler and (in a duet with Reba McEntire) Kelly Clarkson. And if you do like country, here are some of the best: Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Brooks and Dunn, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Josh Turner, Sugarland, Sara Evans and more.

"Saving Grace" debut, 7 p.m., TNT. Grace Hanadarko (Holly Hunter) has a life in disarray. She drinks too much, sleeps too little, has loveless sex with a married man. She's good at police work, bad at life. Then she meets Earl (Leon Rippy). We won't spoil any surprises, except to say this isn't your usual cop-show character. "Saving Grace" is a worthy show to follow the excellent "Closer" on TNT. Its characters are richly written, beautifully acted and (at times) deeply flawed. The basic police story is fairly good; the character portraits and the Oklahoma backdrop are terrific. There's also an extra emotional kick at the end; stick with this one.

OF NOTE

"Heartland," 5 p.m., TNT. This show has been nudged down from its previous slot, to make room for "Saving Grace." Tonight, three married couples are involved in some complex organ transplants.

"The Closer," 6 p.m., TNT. The murder victim, a fitness trainer, had been wooing a woman who has an angry husband. Brenda's problem is that the only witness is shaky.

"Big Love," 6 p.m., HBO. Bonnie Bedelia plays the visiting mom of Margene, who is the youngest of the three wives.

"How I Met Your Mother," 7 and 8:31 p.m., CBS. In the first episode, Barney has a rare stroke of generosity and lets Lily stay at his apartment; he promptly gets her involved in a scheme. In the second, Marshall (temporarily split from Lily) is dating someone whom his friends distrust.

"The New Adventures of Old Christine," 7:30 p.m., CBS. Here's the rerun of an episode involving the brother Richard envies. It closes with a neat set of verbal twists, as everyone gets a different story.