TV tonight: 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas'

Over the next two nights, ABC will rerun two of TV's all-time greatest shows. It's "Grinch" tonight, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" on Tuesday; humor and sentiment merge with splendid craftsmanship.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas"

"Grinch" starts with Dr. Seuss' wonderful book, rippling with dark humor and sweet spirit. Chuck Jones, the genius behind some of the best "Bugs Bunny" and "Road Runner" cartoons, animated it beautifully and hired Boris Karloff to narrate. June Foray is Cindy Lou Who and Thurl Ravenscroft sings; they're better known as the voices of Rocky J. Squirrel and Tony the Tiger.
New show looks at adoption stories
TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE: "Find My Family," 9 p.m., ABC.
After a fairly good half-hour sampler last week, this show settles into its one-hour, two-story form.

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Ashley Arend knew she was adopted, but at 10 she accidentally learned she has a biological brother. Now, 14 years later, she's a grad student and after-school aide; the show searches for him.
Jaime DeHaven is a mother of three, still looking for her own mom. "I don't have a family tree. ... I just want a happy ending," she says.
In the style of "Extreme Makeover" (from the same producers), this show shovels in emotions. Still, there's solidity to hosts Tim Green (an author and former Atlanta Falcon who's in the College Football Hall of Fame) and Lisa Joyner; both are adoptees who, as adults, found their birth parents.
Other choices
• "House," 8 p.m., Fox. Here's a rare episode that focuses on Wilson, played with subtle skill by Robert Sean Leonard. His friend (played by Joshua Malina, Will Bailey in "The West Wing") is the patient; Wilson insists House's grim diagnosis must be wrong.
• "How I Met Your Mother," 8 p.m., CBS. In a funny rerun, Robin seems impressed by guys fighting, Naturally, Ted and Barney take it too far.
• "Christmas Vacation" (1989), 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., AMC. To get its holiday mood started, AMC will run this movie at the same times for five straight days. It's a pretty good one - Chevy Chase satirizing Christmas excess - but not THAT good.
• "Shrek the Halls," 8:30 p.m., ABC. Shrek knows nothing about Christmas, but he figures he has to create a celebration for his family.
• "Two and a Half Men," 9 p.m., CBS. Charlie has never been much of a care-giver. In this enjoyable rerun, Chelsea is sick and he has to step up.
• "Lie to Me," 9:01 p.m., Fox. How do you read the minds of professional poker players? Lightman tries after one of the competitors disappears.
• "The Big Bang Theory," 9:30 p.m., CBS. Here's a rerun of the delightful season-opener. When Sheldon learns the guys tampered with his experiment, he flees home to Texas. His friends reluctantly follow - even though Leonard will miss his chance for sex with Penny.
• "Castle," 10:01 p.m., ABC. In this rerun, Castle tries to patch up his wobbly relationship with Beckett - while finishing the novel that has a hot cop patterned after her. Then a body is found in a tree, launching a new case. Two real-life mystery novelists, Michael Connelly and Stephen Cannell (the former TV producer), appear as themselves.