Few war movies become family fare, but “The Colt” (7 p.m. today, Hallmark) is different. Late in the Civil War, a Union soldier named Jim (Ryan Merriman) loses his brother in a bloody battle. Soon after, his brother’s horse gives birth to a chestnut colt. The unit commander considers the young horse to be a nuisance to the men and a distraction to cavalry horses, so he orders it destroyed. But neither young Jim nor some of the more hardened soldiers can carry out the order, so the colt becomes a mascot of sorts for the unit.

But not all of the men cotton to the cute critter. One grizzled veteran complains that he finds it difficult to concentrate on killing Confederates in the colt’s presence because it reminds him of his farm, his wife and his children back in Michigan. But Jim tells him that if “you stop thinking about those things, maybe you’re already dead.”

Yes, the colt becomes a metaphor of sorts, a spark of humanity in the dark smoke of the battlefield. But the symbolism is never so heavy-handed as to obscure an intelligent film filled with fine performances. Based on a short story by Russian Nobel Prize winner Mikhail Sholokhov, “The Colt” just may emerge as a small classic of the television-movie genre.

¢ The new “reality” show “Hogan Knows Best” (9 p.m. Sunday, VH1) “stars” wrestler Hulk Hogan, his wife, Linda, and 16-year-old daughter Brooke. All three look like they bathe in peroxide daily. Hulk is a protective dad who flips out when an older boy asks Brooke out on a date, so he uses expensive gadgetry to spy on the unsuspecting couple.

Transparently contrived, “Hogan” is proof that there is little “reality” left in the celebrity-reality genre. Let’s call these shows what they really are: cheaply made sitcoms with abysmal, witless scripts featuring non-union casts. Compared to this, “According to Jim” seems like Shakespeare.

Tonight’s highlights

¢ Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (7 p.m., CBS): an interview with a fake doctor accused of murder.

¢ On back-to-back episodes of the Sci Fi Channel series “Battlestar Galactica” (NBC), a fuel crisis (7 p.m.), a new planet (8 p.m.).

¢ A king becomes a llama in the 2000 animated comedy “The Emperor’s New Groove” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ Scheduled on “48 Hours Mystery” (9 p.m., CBS): the death of a Seattle rocker.

¢ “Punk: Attitude” (9 p.m., Independent Film Channel) looks at the music and cultural influence of bands including The Ramones, The Clash, Sex Pistols and Black Flag.

Sunday’s highlights

¢ Repeat reports scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): “pork” folded into Homeland Security funding; an incendiary film about the Koran; personal flying machines.

¢ Scheduled on “Dateline” (6 p.m., NBC): young drivers and vehicular mayhem.

¢ Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jessica Biel star in the 2001 drama “Summer Catch” (7 p.m., WB).

¢ “The Dark Art of Interrogation” (7 p.m., History) looks at the history of extracting information from unwilling prisoners, from World War II to the current war on terror.

¢ “Amazing Animal Inventions!” (7 p.m., Animal Planet) looks at 20 eccentric pet-related gadgets.

¢ A spurned wife (Christine Lahti) forges new relationships with her tenants in the 2003 drama “Open House” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ A shocking burglary on “Desperate Housewives” (8 p.m., ABC).

¢ “Discovery: Return to Space,” (8 p.m., Fox News) looks at preparations for Wednesday’s scheduled launch and changes at NASA since the Columbia tragedy.

¢ A collection to die for on “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” (8 p.m., NBC).