The New York Times-20080129-What-s On Tonight

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What's On Tonight

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8:30 P.M. (HBO) BAGHDAD HOSPITAL: INSIDE THE RED ZONE Al Yarmouk hospital, above, in the most dangerous part of Baghdad, is a place of both hope and despair for thousands of wounded civilians and their families. Staff members like Dr. Omer Salih Mahdi are at the center of the chaos. In this new documentary, Dr. Mahdi ventures into the hospital's emergency room with a hand-held camera to expose the horrific injuries suffered by Iraqis as well as the dangerous and substandard conditions the hospital's staff endures each day. The filming of the documentary was considered so dangerous that Dr. Mahdi originally hid his identity; his voice was recorded by an actor. Dr. Ali Abdul Wahed, a surgeon and one of the few staff members to allow his image to be used in the film, said: Whoever is on duty, if they don't have to deal with an explosion or a shooting, we say that they're not really living the real Al Yarmouk. Dr. Mahdi is currently studying journalism on a Fulbright scholarship at Ball State University in Indiana.

8 P.M. (NBC) THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES This week's temptation: soda on tap. Meanwhile an escalator challenge changes the game for everyone.

8 P.M. (Fox) AMERICAN IDOL You know the routine by now. Week 3 of the auditions begins, punctuated by more eye rolls and exasperated sighs from the judges, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson.

8 P.M. (13, 49) SECRETS OF THE PARTHENON Erected by the ancient Greeks as a temple to Athena, the Parthenon has been used as a church, a fortress, an ammunition dump and as the model for institutional building around the world. It has also endured more than its share of abuse at the hands of both friend and foe. But until now little has been known about how the Parthenon was built. This Nova episode looks at the Greek government's $89 million restoration and tries to answer a few burning questions -- among them, how the ancient Athenians built the temple with such precision in a mere eight years and, perhaps more impressive, without a blueprint.

9 P.M. (Fox) HOUSE Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie, right) suspects that a paralyzed woman (Janel Moloney) may be withholding information. Meanwhile House puts his own imprint (bah! humbug!) on the hospital's Secret Santa gift exchange.

10 P.M. (FX) NIP/TUCK Christian (Julian McMahon) tries to deal with a death. Colleen (Sharon Gless) tries to get a grip when another talent agency shows an interest in Sean's (Dylan Walsh) acting career.

10 P.M. (National Geographic) I CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD Stories of people who called it quits -- and then lived to tell the tale. Among them: a snowmobiler whose heart stopped after he was plunged into an icy lake; a car-crash victim who survived after her life support was terminated; and a patient who can recall in detail a procedure in which surgeons clinically induced her death. KATHRYN SHATTUCK

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