Sunday A movie that consists of little more than diplomats sitting around a table may sound like some kind of torture procedure, but "Endgame" (8 p.m., KTCA, Ch. 2) is downright riveting thanks to the subject -- the end of apartheid in South Africa -- and the actors: William Hurt, Jonny Lee Miller and Chiwetel Ejiofor (pictured), who don't need special effects and firearms to create cackling tension.

Monday Anyone feeling the economic pinch will be delighted, or perhaps dismayed, to be reminded that things could be worse. The stock-market crash of 1929 sets up "The 1930s" (8 p.m., KTCA, Ch. 2), a documentary continuing over the next four Mondays, with riveting testimonials by those who survived the crisis. Future episodes spotlight the Hoover Dam, the Dust Bowl and Seabiscuit.

Tuesday At one point, Monica was the youngest female artist to have back-to-back No. 1 hits on the R&B charts. Today, she has had to turn to reality TV. Eleven years after declaring "The Boy Is Mine," the Grammy winner stars in "Monica: Still Standing" (9 p.m., BET), a look at how she's developing a new album and raising her two sons. Missy Elliot and Jermaine Dupri are among the high-profile producers assisting in the comeback.

Wednesday For the fourth season of "Friday Night Lights" (8 p.m., DIRECTV), Eric Taylor must coach for a new team -- and it's terrible. Blessedly, the series is not. In fact, it remains one of TV's finest hours, reinventing itself just when the plot could have run itself ragged. Taylor's new underdog position sets up a blitz of new story lines and gives stars Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton brand-new reasons to gripe why they keep getting ignored by the Emmys. Those short on money and long on time should be reminded that the pay-per-view season is scheduled to run on NBC next year.

Thursday "Parks & Recreation" (7:30 p.m., KARE, Ch. 11) has undergone significant improvement since last season. Most notably, Amy Poehler is no longer a dimwit, but more of a lonely, lovable soul, a switch that gives its talented star more layers to dig. Too bad more viewers aren't giving this show another chance. If ratings continue to slide, the network will turn this space into a Burger King -- or another half-hour of Jay Leno.

NEAL JUSTIN