"The Sopranos" (9 p.m., HBO): After laying low for 21 excruciating months, Tony and the gang have

"The Sopranos" (9 p.m., HBO): After laying low for 21 excruciating months, Tony and the gang have returned to restake their claim as prime time's best drama series. So was the wait worth it? Absolutely. As it lifts the shades on its sixth -- and final -- season, David Chase's mob masterpiece has all the usual elements in place: the raw intensity, the mordant humor and domestic intrigue. But if you're expecting it to be simply business as usual, well fuggetaboudit. The opening episode features an explosive ending that puts a whole new dynamic into place and paves the way for several fresh storytelling possibilities.
"Cheerleader Nation" (10 p.m., Lifetime): We've got spirit, how 'bout you? "Cheerleader Nation" is a new reality series that follows a talented squad of high school pom-pom wavers from Kentucky as they jump, kick, tumble and dance their way to the national cheerleading championship. We say, bring it on.
"Beach Week" (7 p.m., Travel Channel): Forget the freezing gray days of late-winter. The annual roundup of fun in the sun includes "Sand Blasters" on Sunday at 7 p.m., in which sand sculptors compete to build their temporary masterpieces for a chance at a $15,000 prize, followed at 9 p.m. by "America's Best Beaches 2006," showcasing the most scenic places to park your towel. "When Beaches Attack" at 10 p.m. offers tips on guarding against beach dangers.
"King of the Hill" (7:30 p.m., Fox): Bobby looks up to Johnny Knoxville, and his parents are really scared.
"Freediver" (8 p.m., Animal Planet): Tanya Streeter can hold her breath underwater for more than six minutes and has broken world records for free-diving, but on this two-hour special, her skills help guide viewers on an underwater wildlife tour. Streeter communes with the ocean's inhabitants, including turtles, manatees, sharks and humpback whales.
"How William Shatner Changed the World" (8 p.m., History): Forty years after the premiere of the original "Star Trek," William Shatner still is "Captain Kirk" to the Trekkers -- and he knows it, as he acknowledges with a wry delivery and a sly wink. In this two-hour special, Shatner takes a semiserious look at how the campy sci-fi series affected young scientists and inventors. Some of those who watched the TV adventures aboard the USS Enterprise longed to adapt the gadgetry to their own lives, including Motorola's Marty Cooper, who was inspired to help develop the first portable cellular phone.
"Through the Fire" (8 p.m., ESPN): The struggle of teen-age basketball star Sebastian Telfair to decide whether to attend college or enter the National Basketball Association draft is at the center of this documentary.