"Frasier" has even more competition than usual tonight. In addition to "Home Improvement" on ABC, there's the latest Museum of Radio & Television special on Fox -- one devoted to science fiction, at a time when the genre has never been hotter. There's also a TV special that, not too many years ago, would have sounded like sci-fi: a live broadcast from Antarctica.
* "Live From Antarctica" (2-2:30 p.m., channels 22, 67) -- This program isn't just coming to your home -- it's being fed directly to schools. During each telecast, students from selected sites will be able to interact with scientists working in Antarctica. Participating Maryland schools are Canton Middle, Colonel E. Brooke Lee Middle, Falstaff Middle, Gwynn Park Middle, Havre de Grace Middle and Old Mill Middle. PBS.
* "Science Fiction: A Journey Into the Unknown" (8-10 p.m., Channel 45) -- This is the fourth Museum of Television & Radio special. Since the specials rotate among the networks, tonight's Fox show amounts to a clean sweep. (Unlike its predecessors, it also avoids any built-in plug for said museum, and that's a big plus.) Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, the first two hosts (Carrie Fisher and Dean Cain are the others), playfully introduce themselves to one another, then start the journey through a wealth of clips. The quality and quantity of the clips make this a very watchable two hours. Fox.
* "Frasier" (9-9:30 p.m., Channel 2) -- On tonight's show, it's not Frasier's radio callers who are backed up -- it's his toilet. Kelsey Grammer stars. NBC.
* "Home Improvement" (9-9:30 p.m., Channel 13) -- You'd think that with "The Santa Clause" doing great business in theaters, Tim Allen wouldn't need to get any more involved in Christmas this season. Yet tonight's plot has his in-laws visiting for the holidays -- and the casting is perfect. They're played by Polly Holliday and M. Emmett Walsh. ABC.
* "Barbara Walters: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 1994" (10-11 p.m., Channel 13) -- Apparently, not one of them is Dennis Potter, whose handling of the months leading up to his own death earlier this year made him the most fascinating person of 1994 in my book. Instead, Ms. Walters' roster includes media magnate Rupert Murdoch -- an ironic choice, given that one of Potter's last acts was to publicly demean Murdoch. ABC.