One of the many things to celebrate in “In Treatment” (8:30 p.m., HBO), the daring and provocative new cable series, is the return of the powerful half-hour drama. Anyone who has ever spent a New Year’s Day watching a “Twilight Zone” marathon knows how much good acting, dialogue and story can be packed into a mere 30 minutes.

Every night of the week, “Treatment” offers viewers a riveting 30 minutes eavesdropping on a session between Paul (Gabriel Byrne) and one of his patients. He treats a different person each night, with patients returning the same weeknight every week for nine weeks of therapy.

The series kicks off with Laura (Melissa George, “Alias”), a medical professional whose angry and unresolved relationship with her live-in boyfriend has just blown up in her face. After leaving her apartment and engaging in some reckless drunken behavior, she has camped out all night outside Paul’s office.

Tomorrow night’s session shifts gears with Alex (Blair Underwood), a brash Air Force top gun unable to honestly face his feelings about his role in an air strike that killed scores of civilians. He’s got some other unresolved issues as well. His manipulative tactics and efforts to keep Paul in a subordinate role are amazing to behold.

The half-hour format works wonderfully here. The demanding intimacy of these vignettes probably could not endure much longer. Like a therapy session, they end abruptly and punctually, leaving us with the sense that we had just gotten started and now we’ve run out of time. But like the patients, viewers will resolve to return every night and every week for the duration.

Other featured performers include Josh Charles, Embeth Davidtz and Dianne Wiest.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ John Connor meets his teen protector on the pilot episode of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ Competition continues on “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ “Harlem Globetrotters: A New Generation” (7 p.m., MyNetwork) celebrates a sports and entertainment tradition.

¢ Trouble with Amanda on “Kyle XY” (7 p.m., Family).

¢ Entering his final year in office, President George W. Bush presents his State of the Union address (8 p.m., ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, Fox News) to a joint session of Congress.

¢ “Cities of the Underworld” (8 p.m., History) visits the quarries and caverns beneath Jerusalem.

¢ Kris returns on “Wildfire” (8 p.m., Family).