Critic's corner
ON THE SPECTRUM
Autism: The Musical
8 p.m., HBOThis documentary profiles Elaine Hall, the mother of an autistic child, as she helps five autistic kids create their own musical. The stage production took Hall six months to pull together. One of the children in the film, which is directed by Tricia Regan, is the son of rocker Stephen Stills.
American Idol
8 p.m., Channel 25I'll miss Amanda. She was so . . . so. . . dichromatic.
Bush's war on . . .on. . . bad things.
The Real Housewives of New York City
10 p.m., BravoThey're not classy, they're . . . they're . . . ritzy.
RICH IN DRAMA
The Riches
10 p.m., FXMost dramas haven't returned from strike hiatus. "Grey's Anatomy," "House," "Gossip Girl," and others won't be back until next month, in time for May sweeps. But in the meantime, "The Riches," about a family of grifters faking their way through suburban life (with Minnie Driver), is a good way to feed your hunger for new drama. It's not hard to jump into the series - the second season began last week. The stakes are higher than ever as the family narrowly escapes exposure.
Jericho
10 p.m., Channel 4I bet this doom series is doomed.
Dancing With the Stars
9 p.m., Channel 5Tonight, the teams will do the bye-bye doble.
ON DEMAND
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tim Burton brings the 1979 Stephen Sondheim musical to the screen with dark wit, a slimmer songbook, and gallons of blood. Johnny Depp plays the vengeful Victorian barber and Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Burton) is his meat-pie-grinding accomplice; one sings, the other shouldn't. It's good Sondheim and better Burton, but the playwright's dark message of "man devouring man" gets lost in the gore. (R; runs through March 31) - Ty Burr
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