What's on TV
Sunday 1/19
Sounder (ABC, 7-9 p.m.): Powerful (and powerfully sad), this adaptation of William H. Armstrong's Newbery-winning novel follows a sharecropper's son (Daniel Lee Robertson III) who has to grow up quickly after his dad (Carl Lumbly, "Alias") is sentenced to hard labor for stealing a ham. Kevin Hooks, who starred in the 1972 original, directs. Also returning is Paul Winfield, who received an Oscar nomination for his 1972 performance as the dad. TV-PG
Golden Globe Awards (8 p.m.-12 midnight): The anything-goes awards is like a prelude to the Academy Awards - only it's more fun. The Hollywood Foreign Press hands out awards in 24 film and TV categories. Movies nominated for best picture include "About Schmidt," "Gangs of New York," "The Hours," "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," and "The Pianist." Nicole Kidman and Daniel Day-Lewis are in the running for best actress and best actor. Gene Hackman will also receive a lifetime achievement award.
Masterpiece Theater - The Hound of the Baskervilles (PBS, check local listings): Masterpiece Theatre turns Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most popular mystery into a worthy thriller, complete with computer-generated special effects - the hound himself. Since many of us will know how it all ends, the fun is in the shadowy retelling. Richard Roxburgh makes a magnificently inscrutable Holmes, and Ian Hart a thoughtful, sensitive Watson. TV-PG
American Experience (PBS, check local listings): The documentary chronicles the murder of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was kidnapped, beaten, and murdered for whistling at a white woman in 1955 Mississippi. Contains graphic photos. TV-PG
TR: An American Lion (History Channel, 9-11 p.m.): He was the 26th American president, who wrote 26 books and spoke six languages. He was also the first president to win the Nobel prize. Narrated by Richard Dreyfuss, this two-part biopic of Theodore Roosevelt examines the transformation of a nerdy young boy into a strong-willed man who loved both politics and cattle ranching. TV-G
Meet My Folks (NBC, 10-11 p.m.): Mr. and Mrs. Maloney aren't your average parents. They're in charge of picking a perfect mate for their son - on national TV. The unbelievably corny show is back for a second season - as are the lie detector and surveillance equipment.
American Idol (Fox, 8-10 p.m.): The only thing this talent show has going for it is judge, Simon Cowell. Otherwise, it would just be another "Star Search." The hit show returns with two hours of auditions. You can hear Simon snickering already.
