Join Fascinating Search In ‘Giant Squid’

“Sea Monsters: Search for the Giant Squid,” a National Geographic special airing on NBC at 8, examines the legendary beast and follows scientists on a quest to photograph the fascinating creatures.

Though you may have thought they exist only in science-fiction movies, giant squid are quite real. They can weigh up to a ton and stretch to 60 feet. And they are not nice.

They occasionally get caught in fisherman’s nets, but no one has ever seen one alive in its natural deep-water habitat.

This fascinating hour follows Dr. Clyde Roper, who uses a high-tech Crittercam attached to a sperm whale. These whales are the giant squid’s primary predator.

Follow the sperm whale, and you may find a giant squid.

Roper is seen studying smaller squid. In a chilling sequence, he’s threatened by a squid that enters his protective cage and gives him a startling bite before blasting off.

You’ve never seen anything like these denizens of the deep. Computer simulations fill in what the cameras don’t catch in this outstanding nature special.

Highlights

“The Grammy Awards,” CBS at 8: Kelsey Grammer hosts the 40th awards ceremonies from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. Babyface leads the pack with eight nominees.

Of note: Bob Dylan, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement honoree, is nominated for Album of the Year and Best Male Vocal Performance. His son Jakob, leader of the Wallflowers, is nominated for two songs in the Best Rock Song category.

Babyface, Hanson, Luciano Pavarotti, LeAnn Rimes, George Strait, Stevie Wonder, Fiona Apple, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion are among the stars scheduled to perform.

“Beverly Hills, 90210,” FOX at 8: It’s ratings “sweeps” time, and here comes another of those story lines where a character crashes. This time it’s Donna (Tori Spelling).

The crisis: addiction to pain killers.

“America in the ‘40s,” KSPS at 7: This three-hour-long special from Reader’s Digest Video and Television hosted by Charles Durning captures the sound and the fury of the 1940s in personal recollections, archive film and photos, movie clips and music.

“Party of Five,” FOX at 9: Things continue to go poorly for the Salingers. Bailey (Scott Wolf) is stunned when Annie (Paige Turco) begins drinking. Also, Julia (Neve Campbell) finds out Griffin (Jeremy London) has strayed, and Claudia (Lacey Chabert) sees a psychologist to try to find a way to cope with Charlie’s (Matthew Fox) cancer.

“Ellen,” ABC at 9:30: In a clever fantasy episode, Spence (Jeremy Piven) gets bumped on the head and wakes up in a world where homosexuality is the norm and he’s a closeted straight. Harvey Fierstein guest-stars.

Cable Calls

“The Life and Times of Marty Stuart,” TNN at 5: The singer known as “The Hillbilly Crusader” is profiled in a colorful special.

Stuart is seen at the time of his stage debut at age 12 with the gospel group The Sullivans and touring with the legendary Lester Flatt. Find out how he reinvented his style and became a driving force in contemporary country music.