TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Forrest Gump" (1994), 5, 8 p.m., TNT. A fable can be tricky. Do it wrong and it seems silly. That's what usually happens. Do it right and it can be wonderful. This one is on the wonderful side. Audiences suspend disbelief and give in to the charm. Tom Hanks plays Forrest, who has a low IQ and a big heart. Always meaning well, he becomes a long-distance runner, a ping-pong champ, a hero and more. He also ends up at most of the key events of his generation. Scattered throughout are wonderful supporting roles. Sally Field is his mom, Gary Sinise and Mykelti Williamson are his Army buddies, Robin Wright is the sweet beauty he loves from afar. "Gump" made a fortune at the box office, then won the Academy Award for best picture. Other Oscars went to Hanks, director Robert Zemeckis, screenwriter Eric Roth (adapting Winston Groom's novel), the editors and the people who did the then-amazing visual-effects, plunking Gump into real news footage.

"A Concert for Hurricane Relief," 7 p.m., NBC, MSNBC and CNBC. Here's a hurriedly scheduled special with details still being worked out. It will be from the NBC studios in New York, live on the East Coast and tape-delayed for the West Coast. Matt Lauer will host. Performers include several music stars — Tim McGraw, Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. — from Louisiana, which was hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina.

OF NOTE

"The Real Cancun" (2003), 4 p.m., UPN (KIKU). The "Real World" producers followed attractive young people to spring break in Cancun, Mexico. The idea seemed promising commercially, offering the appeal of reality TV, plus lots of young bodies in and out of swim wear. Actors and directors even fretted that such movies would put them out of work. Then "Real Cancun" died at the box office and was instantly forgotten. Here it is, presumably cleaned up.

"The Faculty" (1998), 5, 10:45 p.m., AMC. Kevin Williamson ("Dawson's Creek") wrote this quirky film about kids whose teachers are being taken over by aliens. Robert Rodriguez ("Spy Kids") directed a photogenic cast, including Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood. Salma Hayek, Usher and even Jon Stewart.

"Hope & Faith," 8 p.m., ABC. Faith (Kelly Ripa) gets a job as the weather person on a morning TV show hosted by Dean Cain.

"Less than Perfect," 8:30 p.m., ABC. Star Jones guests as a doctor.