Here are a few programs to look out for in the upcoming week ...

THURSDAY 9 P.M. Times Square: America's Town Square, Travel Channel. At the bustling heart of New York City, our nation has celebrated its greatest victories and mourned its deepest losses. Find out how this sometime-seedy, vibrant square became one of the most important pieces of real estate in the world. Bore your friends at the New Year's Eve party with all sorts of trivia.

THURSDAY 10 P.M. The System, Court TV, "Danger on the Job." A look at the risks of working at a convenience store including burglaries and murders. These common crimes make convenience stores one of the most dangerous places to work in America. It's worth the risk, though, for the free Big Gulps.

SATURDAY 7 P.M. Gangs of New York, The History Channel. Find out what's history and what's Hollywood as History Channel experts examine Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York. Set against the backdrop of the infamous Five Points, an area of Manhattan once described as the world's worst slum, the film focuses on powerful Irish and Italian gangs in the 19th century. Scorsese tours Josh Binswanger around Five Points, where outlaws, crooked cops and corrupt politicians once flourished. Includes interviews with Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz. Yes, the gangs were violent, but they were so good looking!

SATURDAY MIDNIGHT. Rain Man, TCM. Sister channels (WTBS and TNT) run this now and again, but here you have it without commercials. See Tom cruise down Columbia Parkway (sorry) and jam to 97X (listen closely). By the way, do you think they sell this at Kmart?

TUESDAY 2 P.M. Blue Thunder, A&E. Fine action thriller from 1983 about a Los Angeles cop who uncovers a government plot to use a high-tech helicopter to spy on citizens. Roy Scheider, Daniel Stern and Malcolm McDowell are all quite good.

TUESDAY 11:30 P.M. MTV's New Years Eve Pajama Party, MTV. Lots to choose from in this time slot. Dick Clark is over on ABC, of course, but this one sounds a bit more contemporary. Brittany Murphy, Carson Daly and Ashton Kutcher host the festivities. Dude, where's my champagne?

-- P.F. Wilson

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Curtain Call
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Simply Irresistible
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