TONIGHT'S MUST SEES

“TOP CHEF: LAS VEGAS” DEBUT, 9-10:15 P.M., BRAVO

The setting is Vegas, but the contestants are from all over. One is originally from Puerto Rico, one from France; one survived a 27-day ocean trip to escape Haiti.
Now three each work in San Francisco, Atlanta and the Baltimore-Washington area; two each are in Seattle and Philadelphia. There's one each from New York, Pasadena, Florida and Ann Arbor, Mich.
There are brothers: Bryan Voltaggio, 33, works in Maryland; Michael Voltaggio, 30, near Los Angeles.
Tonight, each must make a dish representing a personal vice. Alcohol shows up a lot; there are also nods to smoking, hot temper and more. This is sometimes hard to follow – especially with 17 contestants – but remains slick and entertaining.

“PRIDE & PREJUDICE” (2005, OXYGEN) OR “LONESOME DOVE” (1989, AMC), BOTH 5 P.M.

These classics are opposites in everything but quality.
“Pride,” which repeats at 8 p.m., has indoor elegance, via Jane Austen's novel. Director Joe Wright and star Keira Knightley showed that great visuals (and an expressive face) can project more than words.
“Dove” has outdoor grittiness, via Larry McMurtry's novel. Director Simon Wincer got understated perfection from Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones and more. Moving as slowly a prairie ride, it will rerun from 8 p.m. to midnight today and Thursday.