Critic's corner

9 p.m.
Will this be cringe comedy? Will "Saturday Night Live" be able to turn around a better skit by Saturday than it did last week on the first presidential debate? PBS's Gwen Ifill moderates tonight's face-off between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. The live event from St. Louis will be airing on all the major networks and cable channels. (Don't worry, "Supernatural" fans; the CW is a debate-free zone.)

11 p.m., Bravo
He helps you help yourself. He's that guy.

8 p.m., Channel 25
We don't need no education.

11:35 p.m., Channel 4
A little honey from Lucinda Williams. It goes a long way.

9:10 p.m., Sundance Channel
This was scheduled to re-air before Paul Newman's death, but of course now it has extra poignancy. Robert Redford interviews Newman - they call each other "Redford" and "Newman" - about acting, charity, and personal quirks. "I am painfully punctual," Newman says, "one of the things, I might add, that separate me and Redford."

8 p.m., Flix
Eyebrows: The Early Years.

8 p.m., Channel 44
This old green house.

1/2 Comcast, New Releases
Ellen Page is sensational as the title character, a pregnant 16-year-old planning to give her kid to yuppies Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman to adopt. The hyper-literate and very funny script by newcomer Diablo Cody and direction by Jason Reitman ("Thank You for Smoking") turn Juno's journey into an arch human comedy about a teenager who knows everything except maturity. With Allison Janney, Michael Cera, and J.K. Simmons. (PG-13; runs through Oct. 25) - Ty Burr