Gannett News Service

Must see

Scrubs season-opener, 9:25 p.m., Channels 5, 2.

Carla and Turk are married now. J.D. and Elliott have split far apart. Just in time, the show adds (temporarily) a ditsy psychiatrist played by Heather Graham.

She seems to be in her own fog. J.D. hasn't even noticed that she is beautiful and available. Elliot, in a funk of loneliness, hasn't noticed that she's a potential friend.

This episode is wildly erratic with some moments of over-the-top silliness. Still, there are spurts of strong humor, giving the season a promising start.

Republican convention, 10 p.m. on Channels 5, 2, 9, 22, 12, 7; 8 p.m. on Channels 48, 16, 54 and cable news channels.

On the second night of the convention, the big networks finally show up. Aiming for mass appeal, Republicans have talks by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Laura Bush.

Father of the Pride, 9 p.m., Channels 5, 2.

There's every reason to want this show to succeed. It has rich animation and a unique setting in the Las Vegas animal compound of Siegfried & Roy. It has moments of bizarre humor, tonight with a sweet panda (Lisa Kudrow) scheming to get a sex life.

What it doesn't have, however, is a consistently good script. There are funny moments, possibly enough to keep viewers mildly entertained.

Worth watching

MTV Video Music Awards, 7:30 p.m., MTV. (Preview show at 6 p.m. and post-show at 10:30 p.m.) Expect lots of flash and fun, plus music in this repeat of Sunday night's awards show. Performers include Usher, Kanye West, Nelly, Alicia Keys, Jessica Simpson and more.

Last Comic Standing, 8 p.m., Channels 5, 2. After Monday's season-opener, here is another episode. Stand-up comedians from the first and second seasons compete.

Amazing Race, 9 p.m., Channels 12, 7. This reality show airs an hour earlier than usual to leave room for the convention. Tonight, the racers reach Calcutta.

Nip/Tuck, 10 p.m., FX. Christian is enamored by a blind woman (Rebecca Gayheart) while Sean rebuffs Julia's attempts at reconciliation.

Terminator (1984), 10 p.m., AMC. At the same time that Schwarzenegger speaks to the Republican convention, he'll be doing his best to kill Linda Hamilton and thwart humans in this excellent James Cameron film.