TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE

"Painkiller Jane" debut, 7 p.m., Sci Fi. The Sci Fi Channel is becoming one of TV's class acts. Earlier, it turned a bad old series ("Battlestar Galactica") into a great new one. Now it has reworked its own adequate movie, creating a terrific series opener. The original pilot (based on a comic book) was a 2005 movie, with Emmanuelle Vaugier as a beautiful Marine who suddenly had self-healing powers. It was OK. This new version improves things immensely. Kristanna Loken is perfect as Jane Vasco, a tough cop who distrusts everyone except her Drug Enforcement Agency colleague (Alaina Huffman). Suddenly, she's pulled into an agency she's never heard of, fighting a force (the Neuros) she didn't know existed. She learns that she feels pain — extremely — but her body keeps curing itself. That's a tough story that is approached with frequent humor. It's neatly handled by Loken, Rob Stewart (as her ex-soldier boss) and Noah Danby (as a cynical ex-cop).

OF LOCAL NOTE

"The 44th Annual Merrie Monarch Festival," 6 p.m., KITV. The three-day hula event continues tonight with the hula kahiko (ancient dance) competition. Competition ends tomorrow with hula 'auana (modern dance) followed by the festival's awards ceremony. Broadcast live from the Edith Kanaka'ole Tennis Stadium in Hilo.

OF NOTE

"Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate: Atlantis," 5 and 6 p.m., Sci Fi Channel. Each episode resolves a cliffhanger. In the first, the crew faces a dragon; in the second, the crew tries to rescue O'Neill and Woolsey.

"White Chicks" (2004), 7 p.m., Fox. Two black FBI agents decide the only way to go undercover is to pretend to be ditzy white sisters. Keenen Ivory Wayans directed his brothers, Shawn and Marion. When watching this, try to remember that Keenen has done some witty things in the past.

"Ghost Whisperer," 7 p.m., CBS. David Paymer plays a ghost whose body is in the wrong grave. He wants help from Melinda, who resents him because he reminds her of her father's flaws.

"Raines," 8 p.m., NBC. A murder victim has the symbol of the Aryan Nation on her chest. As Raines learns more about her, he finds surprises.

"Shark," 8 p.m., CBS. When a real-estate mogul is killed in this rerun, suspects include his angry son and estranged wife.

"Numb3rs," 9 p.m., CBS. A baseball player has been killed by a steroid overdose. That leads to a math formula that tries to determine steroid use.

"Bad Boys of Comedy," 9 p.m., HBO. The second round of P. Diddy's series has a strong start from Rodney Laney and a good finish from Mike Britt. In between, Lil' Rel and Ty Barnett are OK.