TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"House," 7 p.m., Fox. Wracked with pain, Dr. House often wallows in self-pity. Now he treats someone in worse shape. The patient has chronic pain — sometimes fierce amounts of it — throughout his body. He wants to commit suicide; the team hustles to find an answer before he succeeds..

OF NOTE

"The Electric Company" revival, 3 p.m., PBS Hawaii. Back in 1971, this up-tempo show provided a next step for "Sesame Street" grads, offering fun with words. This new version has more special effects and occasional hints of a hip-hop beat, but the mood remains the same. The show has a two-hour debut today, In the first episode, the evil Francine steals Keith's special power; also, there's lots of fun with the stealth letter, the silent "e."

"America's Future: A History, " 3 p.m., BBC America. British historian Simon Schama looks at U.S. history, emphasizing optimism and the wars that derailed it.

"Boycott" (2001), 5 p.m., BET. The story of the bus boycott led by Martin Luther King; no one would have guessed that a black man would become president, 53 years later.

"The Powerpuff Girls Rule," 6 p.m., Cartoon Network; preceded by a rerun marathon, starting at 4 a.m. "Powerpuff" has witty scripts and catchy visuals, as three big-eyed kids keep sneaking off to save the world. Now the 10th anniversary is celebrated in clever episode. It turns out that there's one key to the world; whoever holds it has ultimate power. That's sought by all the villains in Townsville; even the Powerpuffs are tempted. Wanting it the most, however, is Mojo Jojo; he even sings (twice) about his lust for power.

"Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future," 8 p.m., Disney Channel. On the eve of her husband's historic inauguration as president, Michelle Obama hosts this concert. It is expected to include Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, Bow Wow, Billy Ray Cyrus, Keke Palmer and Usher.

"24," 8 p.m., Fox. Last week's four-hour opener was gripping, even when it strained credibility. Now four former colleagues (from the disbanded Counter Terrorism Unit) are trying to stop a terrorist plot. Jack and Tony are undercover, while Chloe and Buchanan work the computers. Tonight, the president realizes she needs Jack's help; meanwhile, her husband pursues his feeling that their son's death was murder, not suicide.

"CSI: Miami," 9 p.m., CBS. A murder at a race track has a personal connection for Ryan (Jonathan Togo).

"The Story of India," conclusion, 9 p.m., PBS. Now it's time for another nation's historical extremes. The first hour views the rise of Islam in India and the glory years, peaking around 1600; it ranges from ancient fortresses to a theory about the design of the Taj Mahal. The second hour views civil war, British colonialism, Mohandas Gandhi's fight for independence and India's recent return to power.