WEDNESDAY 11:30 P.M. New Year's Rockin' Eve, ABC-TV. Dick Clark, Times Square, the ball. You know the drill.

SATURDAY 7 P.M. Terry Jones' Medieval Lives, The History Channel. "The Knight/The Monk." Former Monty Python member Terry Jones possesses a passion for the Middle Ages, and tackles -- occasionally tumbling -- iconic characters from medieval England. First, Jones looks at the role of Knights and asks, "Were they noble heroes or murdering, looting, underpaid mercenary rapists?" From France, Jones investigates the Monk. A peaceful life of prayer in service to God? Not for many medieval monks, who were devoted to making lots of money. After all, the merchandising opportunities were endless. Very timely in the wake of Timeline's run on the silver screen (actually off-white, if you've ever noticed).

SUNDAY NOON. The E! True Hollywood Story, E! "Bill Clinton." A repeat of a rather unusual subject for the entertainment news channel. Or not. Clinton was very enamored of Hollywood and visa versa.

SUNDAY 5 P.M. The Courtyard, Court TV. Andrew McCarthy and "Cheech" Marin stave off obscurity in this film. When a neighbor turns up brutally murdered, a new tenant realizes he was the intended target and feels responsible. He becomes romantically involved with the victim's sister, and they begin their own investigation into the puzzling murder. Then other tenants of the upscale apartment complex begin to disappear.

MONDAY 4:30 P.M. Boiling Points, MTV. Just when you thought we were running out of reality TV shows, along comes this one. MTV producers set up playfully stress-inducing situations and, with the help of their team of actors, try to drive an unwitting participant to his or her boiling point. MTV hides the cameras ... and sets the clock. If participants keep their cool for the designated time, they win the cash. No prize for you if you manage the greater challenge of staying tuned.

TUESDAY 8 P.M. Mad TV, Comedy Central. The sketch comedy series takes up rerun residence on CC. No one has discovered the exact connection to the famous humor/comic magazine.

TUESDAY 9 P.M. Rides, Discovery. Follow the next wave in auto design, from concept to the inaugural run. Perhaps the next Mustang or Thunderbird, this top-secret model promises to revolutionize the industry when it debuts at the world-famous Detroit Auto Show. Or maybe it's another Pacer.

NEWS & NOTES: The seven-episode run of Fox's The Simple Life, will be available in DVD Jan. 20. They're already making room in the museum of broadcasting. ... The WB's Greetings from Tucson might be gone, but its creator, Peter Murrieta, has a sitcom in development for NBC and a one-hour drama for USA Network.