TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Duel" finale, 8 p.m., ABC. The fun-and-games Friday lineup on ABC has barely drawn a shrug from audiences. Still, we might as well catch the "Duel" finale. This is a well conceived game, adding the twist of contestants being able to cover more than one answer — but having a limited number of chips to do it with. Besides, this one wraps up the season with a $500,000 prize.

"Monk," 9 p.m., USA. Adrian Monk is used to being the smartest person in the room, but that's not easy this time. His murder suspect is a chess master, played with cool disdain by David Strathairn ("Good Night, and Good Luck"). There are some funny moments early involving Monk's assistant Natalie and later on involving her teen daughter Julie. Mostly, however, this is hour is slow, smart and serious.

OF NOTE

"Dog Whisperer," 3 and 6 p.m. (following 2 and 5 p.m. reruns), National Geographic Channel. The first two stories are so-so, one of them involving a young woman who claims dogs talk to her. But the third is fun: Kathy Griffin — who beat out this show last fall for an Emmy award — seeks help with her two dogs.

"Ghost Whisperer," 7 p.m., CBS. It's really more convenient when a spirit chooses a live person to inhabit. Tonight, one chooses a corpse; this requires bringing it back to life.

"Coach Carter" (2005), 5 p.m., FX, and/or "Save the Last Dance" (2001), 6 p.m., TBS. Thomas Carter is a brilliant director, a three-time Emmy winner. Now you can choose between two of his movies. "Coach Carter" has Samuel L. Jackson starring as the real-life Ken Carter, the basketball coach in a blue-collar California town. "Save the Last Dance" has a teen ballerina (Julia Stiles) moving to the city, where she discovers hip-hop music and a guy (Sean Patrick Thomas); the story is pat and predictable, but Thomas Carter makes it look and feel joyous.

"Psych," 10 p.m., USA. It's best to not invite Shawn to a class reunion because he'll turn it into a murder investigation. This happens tonight.