Tuesday's Best Bets on TV

“American Idol” (8 p.m., Fox): And so Season 8 of prime time’s most popular show all comes down to this: A matchup between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. An over-the-top rocker vs. an understated acoustic crooner. The West Coast vs. the deep South. The heavy favorite vs. the scrappy underdog. They’ll duke it out at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles and then come back the next night to learn who prevailed during a bloated, star-studded bash. The winner, as usual, will take a confetti shower, but what does the future hold? Will he be the next Chris Daughtry ... or Taylor Hicks?

“Glee” (9 p.m., Fox): “Glee” is a lighthearted drama from Ryan Murphy (”Nip/Tuck”) about the misfits who make up a struggling high-school glee club. The pilot airs tonight as a sneak preview for the series, which launches next fall.