(ALL TIMES ET)

9PM | ANIMAL PLANET – SERIES PREMIERE
Tanked – The series follows a Las Vegas family who owns a custom aquarium business, including fancy, over-the-top tanks made for celebrities. In the opener, owners (and brothers-in-law) Wayde and Brett design a 1,000-gallon Mob-themed tank.

10PM | SHOWTIME
Strike Back – With Stonebridge and Scott embedded inside a New Delhi hotel, and Indian general decides not to attack the establishment.

10PM | MTV
Thumbs – Not making this up … this special profiles “competitive texters” as they prepare for the National Texting Championship in New York City.

10PM | STARZ
Torchwood: Miracle Day – Gwen’s efforts to protect her family includes a trip across several miles and decades, but just might uncover the secret behind the history of the Miracle.

Worth flipping to during commercials:
– Captain Awesome himself, Ryan McPartlin, guest stars on Friends With Benefits (8PM, NBC);
– On Haven (10PM, Syfy), Audrey keeps having the same day over and over again, and the consequence are nowhere near as cheery as Bill Murray‘s do-over in Groundhog Day;
– Duff heads to Dallas on Sugar High (10:30PM, Food Network), where he samples special s’mores and a red velvet peppermint Whoopie Pie;
– New ep of Whisker Wars on IFC (11PM).

And the late-night line-up:
– The Late Show with David Letterman (11:35PM, CBS): Brian Williams (REPEAT);
– The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35PM, NBC): Randy Travis and Kim Kardashian (REPEAT);
– Jimmy Kimmel Live (12:05AM, ABC): Jessica Alba (REPEAT);
– Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (12:35AM, NBC): Beyonce, Julianne Moore and Dominic Cooper (REPEAT);
– The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:37AM, CBS): Elizabeth Banks (REPEAT);
– Last Call with Carson Daly (1:35AM, NBC): Rob Riggle (REPEAT).

• No Comments
• Filed in Late Night, TV Picks
• Tags: Strike Back Cinemax, Torchwood: Miracle Day

(ALL TIMES ET)

10PM | STARZ
Torchwood – When Gwen, Rex and Esther are stuck in different locations, it’s all up to Cap’n Jack to take on the conspiracy.

9PM | ABC – SERIES PREMIERE
Karaoke Battle USA – You know that thing that’s only fun if you or someone you know is doing it, and only in small doses then? ABC thinks you’re gonna want to tune in for two hours of that, done by strangers, and hosted and judged by the likes of Joey Fatone and Carnie Wilson. Oh, ABC, you’re darling. Still, at least DVR this one night, if for no other reason than to see how long, exactly, you can be entertained by strangers doing karaoke.

9PM | ANIMAL PLANET – 4TH SEASON FINALE
Whale Wars – After 30 years of fighting the whalers, Paul Watson celebrates a major win, leading him and his crew to strengthen their commitment to their cause.

10PM | CINEMAX – SERIES PREMIERE
Strike Back – The first season of this British antiterrorism action series starred The Walking Dead‘s Andrew Lincoln. Without spoiling why he isn’t in season two for those who might want to catch up with season one, suffice it to say that this second season, a collaboration between British Sky1 and Cinemax (hence, it’s a series premiere for American TV), finds British antiterrorist agent John Porter (Captain America‘s Richard Armitage) relying on American Delta Force op Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) to help rescue him from a Pakistani terrorist.

Worth flipping to during commercials:
– On Haven (10PM, Syfy), it isn’t a bridezilla that wedding guests have to fear … it’s something that has sealed them inside an isolated estate and is now attacking them;
– Aaron and Roger head to Miami on Heat Seekers (10PM, Food Network), where they eat authentic Jamaican jerk chicken and super-hot Peruvian ceviche;
– It’s old vs. new when the reigning Full Beard Natural world champ faces off against the current national champ on Whisker Wars (11PM, IFC).

And the late-night line-up:
– The Late Show with David Letterman (11:35PM, CBS): Roseanne Barr and Regis Philbin (REPEAT);
– The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (11:35PM, NBC): Jane Fonda;
– Jimmy Kimmel Live (12:05AM, ABC): James Franco and Coldplay (REPEAT);
– Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (12:35AM, NBC): Julia Stiles and J-WOWW;
– The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (12:37AM, CBS): Craig’s robot pal Geoff Peterson (REPEAT);
– Last Call with Carson Daly (1:35AM, NBC): David Sirota (REPEAT).

• No Comments
• Filed in Late Night, TV Picks
• Tags: Karaoke Battle USA series premiere, Strike Back Cinemax, Torchwood, Whale Wars season finale