What's on TV
The following are not necessarily recommended by the Monitor. All times Eastern, check local listings.
World Series (Fox, 8:20 p.m.): After winning their 38th American League Championship earlier this week, the New York Yankees will head into their fourth straight World Series against the four-year-old Arizona Diamondbacks who have earned their first World Series berth. This could be the first World Series that extends into November.
How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog (Starz!, 8-10 p.m.): Despite the awful title, this suburban comedy carries a bite with its bark. The British actor Kenneth Branagh stars with Robin Wright Penn in this contemporary parable about a childless couple who are trying to have a child - he thinks he doesn't want one, she knows what's best. His real problem is that he is a writer with a string of flops, looking for a breakthrough. The little girl next door shows him what parenting can really mean. It's both sweet and odd, but there's too much strong language for children.
Vaudeville (PBS, check local listings): This new documentary in the American Masters Series will prove interesting to theater and musical-theater buffs. Good words from such distinguished performers as Bert Lahr and Bill Irwin help put this history in perspective. But the picture isn't always sweetness and light - there's a quite dark side to vaudeville, too.
The Wedding Dress (CBS, 9-11 p.m.): Tyne Daly stars in this pleasant comedy about a very special wedding dress that moves from one couple to another, defining just who is really worthy of the best marriage. Meant for the whole family, the stories intertwine nicely, and character is determined by who appreciates the dress.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8-8:30 p.m.): The classic children's tale still has its pleasures for even the smallest toddlers. Charles Schulz understood how readily children believe in fairy tales, but he never lied to them. The Great Pumpkin never appears, of course, but Linus's hopes persist.
Truth or Scare (Discovery Kids, noon to 9 p.m.): It's really a scare-athon for kids. Debunking the ghosts and goblins, and looking at the scientific facts behind the legends, is part of the goofy fun. But it still may be best to watch it with children to reassure them that there really are no ghosts.
