‘Grey’s season-opener has it all

Tonight’s must-see

“Grey’s Anatomy,” 9 p.m., ABC. At its best, “Grey’s Anatomy” does it all. It’s funny one moment, tragic the next. It’s quick and clever, yet deep. Given two hours, this season opener does all of that.

Forget the opening moments, which are a bit of a cheat. After that, we see how Seattle Grace does in the hospital ratings. The result resonates comically and, later, seriously.

The Derek-Meredith things drag on, but the George-Lexie ones are a delight.

And yes, there’s a new doctor. Strong and understated, Kevin McKidd is the perfect counterpoint for the “Anatomy” angst.

Tonight’s might-see

“ER,” 10 p.m., NBC. As its final season opens, we can hope the show recovers some of its long-ago spark. It will certainly start big. This hour begins after the ambulance explosion.

Other choices include

“Survivor: Gabon – Earth’s Last Eden,” 8-10 p.m., CBS. The show is back to Africa, presumably in a more pleasant setting. Its first visit there had lots of people looking hot and tired. Now the 18 contestants try a scenic locale.

“Ugly Betty,” 8 p.m., ABC. As the season opens, Betty decides between Henry and Gio.

“My Name is Earl,” 8 and 8:30 p.m., NBC. This oft-hilarious show gets off to a moderately good start. In the first episode, Earl helps a young man make an action movie. Laughs are scarce for a while, but the episode ends well. In the second, Earl is caught up in his parents’ long-ago drama.

PBS’ “American Masters: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story,” 9 p.m., KSPS and KUID. As modern times arrived, the Warner studio joined the crowd, seeking big-budget hits. It’s done it quite well, with the help of Batman, Superman and Harry Potter. This hour provides an entertaining (if rather unquestioning) finale.