TONIGHT'S MUST-SEES

"House," 7 p.m., Fox. Dr. House is in Cutter's office, searching for secrets. Then a weary man arrives. He has a gun and hostages; he has everyone frightened, except the acerbic House. What follows is strong drama, a throwback to TV's golden age. Great characters are thrown together, stirring rage and humor and more. Katie Jacobs directed beautifully with fine work by Zeljko Ivanek and Hugh Laurie, as the gunman and House. One rages, one shrugs; drama grows.

"The Shield," 8 p.m., FX. One of the great cable shows concludes with lives in crisis. For seven seasons, Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis) has tried to have it all. He's a tough cop who catches a lot of crooks and sometimes turns crooked. As his team clings to its cover-up, there has been murder and narrow escapes. Here's the 90-minute finale, written by series creator Shawn Ryan.

OF NOTE

"Addiction," 4:30 p.m. Olelo Community Television Channel 49. Part one of the 14-segment HBO documentary, which will be broadcast on Hawai'i's public access station Tuesdays-Fridays through Dec. 5. After today, all other segments will start at 5 p.m. The documentary puts human face on drug addiction, demystifying the disease and the treatment process.

"Nova: Ocean Animal Emergency," 8 p.m., PBS. We meet likable San Francisco animal-rescuers, including a 4-foot-7 woman who is smaller than many of the sea lions she helps.

"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving," 7 p.m., ABC. Here's the pleasant 1973 cartoon. Filling out the hour is the Mayflower portion of a 1988 animated miniseries.

"Dancing With the Stars," 8 p.m., ABC. The finale will name a winner — Warren Sapp, Lance Bass or Brooke Burke; also, Miley Cyrus will sing.

"Frontline: The Hugo Chavez Show," 9 p.m., PBS. This follows the Venezuelan president who gives rambling TV talks each Sunday.

"The Real Housewives of Orange County," 8 and 10 p.m., Bravo. While others cut back, these California women (filmed last summer) spend wildly. Vicki Gunvalson wants a million-dollar yacht; Tamra Barney treats her mom to a face-lift. Newcomer Gretchen Rossi sports a 4-carat ring from a fiance 23 years her senior. Like most others, Rossi has blonde hair and large breasts; unlike the others, she insists the breasts are real.