‘Mister Mom’ mimics ‘Wife Swap’

Scant days after debuting the “Apprentice” rip-off “The Law Firm,” NBC offers “Meet Mister Mom” (8 p.m., NBC), a blatant photocopy of ABC’s popular “Wife Swap” reality series.

But in this case the wives and moms are given a spa vacation, while the couch potato dads get put in charge of feeding the kids and keeping house.

The familiar “Swap” format seemed like a pretty hard thing to mess up, but the makers of “Mister Mom” gave it their best, or rather their worst, shot.

Annoying graphics accompany the dads’ every move, and corny music and wacky sound effects recall the early days of “America’s Funniest Home Videos.”

But on “Funniest” the clips are mercifully short.

On “Mister Mom” we have to spend a solid hour with the same whining toddler as the producers milk what humor they can out of his habit of picking his nose.

On a similar theme, “Hi-Jinks” (9:30 p.m., Nick at Nite) features celebrity parents playing “Candid Camera”-style pranks on kids and teens. In tonight’s debut, “Kill Bill” star Vivica Fox auditions teens to appear in a perfume commercial.

But first the star-struck kids have to overcome the pricey scent’s putrid aroma.

I never make idle promises, but I guarantee you that the documentary “In the Realms of the Unreal” on “P.O.V.” (10 p.m., KSPS) is one of the strangest films you will see on television this or any year.

When retired Chicago janitor Henry Darger died in 1973, he was mourned by a handful of neighbors who considered him a reclusive eccentric and a sad, lonely man.

They had little idea that he had spent his time amassing a 15,000-page fantasy novel illustrated by thousands of paintings, drawings and collages.

In his novel “In the Realms of the Unreal” and its 8,000 page unfinished and untitled sequel, Darger entered an alternative reality in which armies of angelic little girls battled the forces of evil, darkness and cruelty.

“Realms” also examines Darger’s own bleak, Dickensian story and the ways his orphanage upbringing and intensely personal faith worked their way into his sprawling tale.

The film also charts the evolution of Darger’s artistic techniques, from crude drawing and tracing to the creation of an outsider masterpiece both repelling in its strangeness and irresistible for its singular vision.

The film uses innovative animation techniques to bring the many battle scenes form “Realms” to life. Parts of the film feature narration by Dakota Fanning.

Other highlights

On back-to-back episodes of “Gilmore Girls” (8 p.m., WB), a good deed punished (8 p.m.), and Rory’s byline (9 p.m.).

A 10-year-old suffers a heart attack on “House” (9 p.m., Fox).

Alan Jackson, Big & Rich and others are slated to perform at the “CMA Music Festival” (9 p.m., ABC).

“Wide Angle” (9 p.m., KSPS) examines journalism in Iran.

A carjacking seems connected to a pill-pushing ring on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10 p.m., NBC).

Tommy maintains a vigil for a young fire victim on “Rescue Me” (10 p.m., FX).

Cult choice

A mother-obsessed gangster (James Cagney) goes out in a blaze of glory in the 1949 drama “White Heat” (7 p.m., Turner Classic Movies). This is part of a daylong festival of Cagney’s films.

Series notes

A grisly package from Paraguay on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS) … Parallel wives on “Trading Spouses” (8 p.m., Fox) … An animated spoof on “My Wife and Kids” (8 p.m., ABC).

Mac Davis guest-stars on “Rodney” (8:30 p.m., ABC) … A bachelor rivalry on “Eve” (8:30 p.m., UPN).

Julie Chen hosts “Big Brother 6” (9 p.m., CBS) … Four remain on “I Want to Be a Hilton” (9 p.m., NBC).

Auditions continue on both “R U the Girl” (9 p.m., UPN) and “Rock Star: INXS” (10 p.m., CBS).