'American Idol' pits styles of opposites in final round

onight's Must-See: "American Idol," 7 p.m., Fox.

Here's the final face-off, in a battle of opposites.



Jordin Sparks is 17, with a gorgeous voice, a warm personality and the ability to project rich layers of emotion.

Blake Lewis is 25. He has an average voice, but makes up for it with energy, originality and a knack for "beat-box" sounds.

They'll do several songs tonight and then the viewers will vote. On Wednesday, one becomes the sixth champion.

The Alternative: "Jesse Stone: Sea Change," 8 p.m., CBS.

Here's a logical counterpunch to the "Idol" flash. In its slow, deliberate way, "Sea Change" is well made.

This is the fourth film with Tom Selleck as a former Los Angeles cop, now a New England police chief. His ex-wife wants him to quit phoning, so he's more morose than ever.

The cases (a long-ago shooting, a current rape charge) are adequate. The film's strength is in its layered portrait of a decent, troubled guy.

Other choices include:

"Veronica Mars," 7 and 8 p.m., CW. This well-made series never caught on in the ratings; here are its final new episodes. In the first, Veronica helps Weevil, who is charged with debit-card fraud; also, a sexy tape of her and Piz surfaces. In the second, she investigates the tape, while keeping it secret from her dad.

"NCIS," 7 p.m., CBS. Agents are being asked to take lie-detector tests. Meanwhile, Tony and Jeanne are held captive.

"The Bachelor: After the Final Rose," 7 p.m., ABC. On Monday, viewers saw Dr. Andy Baldwin make his choice. This hour interviews the couple; it also lets some other women ask why he didn't choose them.

"The Secret Lives of Women," 7 p.m., WE. First are reruns, dealing with "Munchausen moms" (deliberately making their children ill) and with polygamous marriages. Then is a new hour, with fairly interesting profiles of two women accused of killing their husbands. The first involves a Las Vegas millionaire, the second a small-town preacher; the latter was also turned into a 1993 TV movie with Elizabeth Montgomery.

"Dancing With the Stars," 8 p.m., ABC. Who knew that athletes would be the winning dancers? This fall, football star Emmit Smith won; tonight's finale has boxer Laila Ali and speed-skater Apolo Oho, plus Joe Fatone of 'N Sync.