You don't have to be a canine lover to find the cartoon "documentary" "Still Life with Animated Dogs" (9:30 p.m., PBS, check local listings) both whimsical and profound. Written, animated and narrated by artist Paul Fierlinger, the short film celebrates the nine dogs he has known in his 64 years. The first story sets the film's amusing, absurd tone and relates how Spinnaker, his current friend, came to him after an overzealous animal rescue volunteer discovered him chasing mice along a highway.
"Dogs" quickly retreats to a young Fierlinger in the 1950s as a bearded, nonconformist artist in communist Czechoslovakia. Under totalitarianism, every action, including dog sheltering, can be considered a subversive act. Fierlinger wears his defiance proudly, and names a series of dogs after American presidents: Roosevelt, Truman and Ike. After defecting to the West and settling in America in 1967, he gets a new dog named Johnson.
Dustin Hoffman plays a Hollywood producer in the political satire "Wag the Dog," which will be broadcast at 7 p.m today on Fox.
"Dogs" transcends politics to consider the seemingly mystical relationship between dogs and their companions. With simple line drawings that recall William Steig, "Dogs" is that rare TV treat and a provocative work of art.
Art imitates life and film anticipates politics on many levels in the 1997 satire "Wag the Dog" (7 p.m., Fox). Facing a sex scandal, the president hires a spin doctor (Robert DeNiro) who brings in a Hollywood producer (Dustin Hoffman) to concoct a fake war to distract the public's attention.
Written by David Mamet and Hilary Henkin, "Wag" is loosely based on the novel "American Hero" by Larry Beinhart. "Hero" was in turn inspired by the government's tight control of the televised images of the 1991 Gulf War.
Tonight's other highlights
Lorelai feels hurt when Rory doesn't share news of her first kiss on a repeat of "The Gilmore Girls" (7 p.m., WB).
A rain-soaked crime scene offers few clues to a carjacking homicide on "CSI" (8 p.m., CBS).
A visit from Nina's farm girl sister (Brooke Shields) on "Just Shoot Me" (8:30 p.m., NBC).
Miffed at the FBI's priorities, Mooney and Trout return to their precinct on "Big Apple" (9 p.m., CBS).
Chaos ensues after an elderly patient grabs a policeman's gun on "ER" (9 p.m., NBC).
How soon we forget. Catch the Spice Girls at their peak in the 1997 musical comedy "Spice World" (1:30 a.m., USA).
Series notes
The first "Whose Line" and "Charmed" are repeats ... Another torch darkened on "Survivor" (7 p.m., CBS) ... Joey is up for a soap opera award on "Friends" (7 p.m., NBC) ... On back-to-back episodes of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" (ABC), the Munchkins as sportscasters (7 p.m.), and shoplifting songs (7:30 p.m.) ... Wrestling on "WWF Smackdown" (7 p.m., UPN).
Intimidated by intimacy on "The Weber Show" (7:30 p.m., NBC).
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