Because he led the U.S. effort in the wholesale annihilation of the Navajo nation and its 300-mile death march known as "Long Walk," Kit Carson is remembered by some as everything bad about the country's Westward expansion.

But Carson, who had nothing to do with the myths created about him in cheap novels, was a former trapper well versed in tribal ways who was accepted by many chieftains and married an Arapaho woman. The complexities of Carson, who helped track what became the Oregon Trail, is the subject of a new "American Experience" (CPTV, 9 p.m.).

Remote Patrol
The three-hour "Inside the Vietnam War" (National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.) seems sometimes as long as the conflict itself. Nonetheless, it finds a number of its soldiers, now quite old, talking about its various battles. Among them is Philip Caputo of Norwalk, author of "A Rumor of War."

The winner of the initial "The Pussycat Dolls Present: Search for the Next Doll" chose not to join the recording group after all. So things have been altered for the follow-up "The Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious" (The CW, 9 p.m.). This time, young women sing and dance and wear slutty clothing to get in the running for a new trio with the predetermined name. It's rather like "Making the Band 4" (MTV, 10 p.m.), except that instead of Diddy, there's the returning judges panel of Robin Antin, Ron Fair and Lil' Kim. Hosted by Mark McGrath, whose "Fly" is a tryout song, the drama once more is all about living together and those unplanned trips in an ambulance.

On another new reality series, "My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad" (NBC, 9 p.m.), kids and their fathers compete to prove the old schoolyard taunt and eventually win money. Among the challenges: Human Dart Board, Spinning Discs, Snake Bobbing, Uphill Battle, Target Practice, Quiz Round, Scorpion King and something called Paper Boy Shoot-Out. Dan Cortese hosts. What good can come of this? Well, at least it has delayed the start of "The Baby Borrowers."

The two-hour season finale of "Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann" (ABC, 8 p.m.) pits Bruno Tonioli's quartet against Carrie Ann Inaba's quintet for a recording contract. The most important thing about the show, though, may be the announcement of the participants for the next season of the pair's better-known show, "Dancing with the Stars," which returns next month.

It's also the winter finale for "Prison Break" (Fox, 8 p.m.) before an episode of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (Fox, 9 p.m.) that flashes "back" to 2027