TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"American Idol" finale, 7 p.m., Fox. The TV season ends big tonight. Each year, the "American Idol" finale draws a huge audience; tonight, we learn which singer — Taylor Hicks, 29, of Alabama, or Katharine McPhee, 22, of Los Angeles — is the winner. Before that, we can expect lots of frills and foolishness. Chances are the others in the finals — 12 in all — will be back to perform. So will some of the people from previous seasons. There may be sketches and silliness, but it all leads to something solid. Hicks or McPhee will become the fifth Idol, a part of pop-culture history.

"Lost" finale, 8 p.m., ABC. Last week, as the islanders prepared to bury Libby and Ana Lucia, Michael organized a daring mission to take four others to rescue his son, Walt. Those people don't know the dark truth: He has been ordered by the Others to lead those specific four into their camp. Sayid suspects something, but there's a new diversion — a sailboat on the horizon. Stay tuned.

OF NOTE

"Lost: Reckoning," 7 p.m., ABC. Just in case you need a refresher course, this rerun offers a quick summary, showing what's happened so far.

"Dr. Phil: A Primetime Special: Escaping Addiction," 7 p.m., CBS. Dr. Phil McGraw works with a couple whose relationship has been shattered by alcoholism.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" (2002), 8 p.m., ABC Family. This lush epic captures the flavor of Alexandre Dumas' fascinating — but wildly improbable — tale of a prisoner who gets revenge. Jim Caviezel proved he could be an attractive and likable leading man. He went on to star in "The Passion of The Christ."

"Criminal Minds," 8 p.m., CBS. A serial killer may be keeping one of his victims alive; police scramble to find her.

"Law & Order," 8 and 9 p.m., NBC. In the first rerun, the murder victim was a top student, selling test answers to his rich classmates; Kathleen Turner plays the suspect's high-powered lawyer. In the second, a man is killed shortly before he could disconnect his wife's feeding tube.

"American Masters: Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul" (9 p.m.) and "American Masters: Muddy Waters: Can't Be Satisfied" (10 p.m.), PBS. Reruns of films portraying two musical greats.

"CSI: NY," 9 p.m., CBS. A college student apparently died after riding on top of a subway train.

TONIGHT ON KHNL NEWS 8

Do you know how easy it is for your child to buy drugs? KHNL News 8 continues one-on-one with inmates who reveal secrets from their past. It's an eye-opening look at where kids are going and how they pay for a drug habit. Learn from hard lessons in part two of "Young Drugs," Tonight on KHNL News 8 at 10.