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What's on tonight: Thursday, Feb. 21

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Not only is Jamie Johnson an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, but he's also a filmmaker who explores what it means to be rich.

His first film, the acclaimed 2003 documentary "Born Rich," introduced its audience to some of the nation's wealthiest families (and the young heirs to these fortunes).

Now, in "The One Percent" (7:30, Cinemax), Johnson examines the discrepancy between most Americans and the population's 1 percent possessing about half of the country's wealth — and how this imbalance affects society.

He interviews tycoons including Apple computers' Steve Jobs and Kinko founder Paul Orfalea, as well as noted economist Milton Friedman, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich and activist Ralph Nader. "The One Percent" received its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival.

ABC's do-gooder dramedy "Eli Stone" (9 p.m., KOAT-Channel 7) is a cross between the short-lived cult favorite "Wonderfalls" and "Ally McBeal." Jonny Lee Miller is drolly empathetic as the title character, an ambitious corporate lawyer engaged to his boss's (Victor Garber) daughter, Taylor (Natasha Henstridge).

Life is sweet, at least until he sees George Michael singing "Faith" in his living room and faints, a perfectly reasonable response. But wait — Eli both sings and dances along to Michael's music. That seems less likely than him being attacked by a biplane, which occurs during this debut season.

His acupuncturist pal (James Saito) suggests that the curious visions bedeviling him point to his perhaps being a prophet of some sort placed here to combat social injustice, but the truth is more prosaic: Turns out Eli is suffering from a brain aneurysm that could be causing his hallucinations. Or maybe it's both.

"Wonderfalls" posited a young slacker who worked in a souvenir shop where the gewgaws offered her opaque advice that would help others, which is pretty much what's going on here. Both protagonists opine that if some deity is trying to speak to them, it would be nice if it were a little more clear as to what is expected of them.

"Wonderfalls," however, was bubblier and eschewed heavy-handedness.

The premiere episode of "Eli Stone" was delightful, funny, surreal and sentimental in nicely calibrated doses.

Subsequent episodes, however, have been a little more mechanical: You start to see exactly where the show is headed (Eli helps the downtrodden-soul-of-the-week), and it's not as interesting as the promise offered in last month's debut.

Still, no denying creator Craig Berlanti ("Everwood") is good at snappy dialogue and unconventional characterizations down to minor characters (save for Loretta Devine's rather clich‚d sassy secretary).

"Eli Stone" has promise that remains unfulfilled.