Expect brutality on ‘Ultimate Fighter’
At its best and worst, television takes us to places we would never go. It’s in this spirit that I approach the second-season opener of “The Ultimate Fighter” (11 p.m., Spike).
For the uninitiated, ultimate fighting incorporates elements of Asian martial arts and Western wrestling and boxing.
Although the television presentation of the sport does owe something to professional wrestling and reality television, “Ultimate” puts the emphasis on loud music and oozing testosterone.
Drenched in camp, drag and soap opera, professional wrestling presents pure spectacle. In contrast, “Ultimate” offers fighting in every brutal way possible.
As one thick-necked participant observes, “I see my opponent as a pinata, and I keep smashing it until the candy comes out.” Don’t try this at home, kids.
This season will follow a 38-day competition that whittles down a field of 18 fighters until the last man takes the Ultimate Fighter crown in his particular weight class.
Not for every taste, “Ultimate Fighter” is the most popular series on Spike.
Jamie Gertz (“Square Pegs,” “Still Standing”) shifts gear from comedy to drama in the title role of “Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story” (9 p.m., Lifetime).
This original TV movie profiles a Texas parole officer who quits her job to help the children of parents spending their adult lives in and out of prison. Helped by her parole board colleague Perry Beasley (Ernie Hudson), Marilyn fights bureaucracy and lack of funding to establish an effective program in one of Houston’s toughest school systems.
“Inside 9/11” (8 p.m., National Geographic) concludes with a minute-by-minute chronology of the terrorists’ movements as they hijacked jetliners and flew them into their targets. The documentary also shows how local, state and federal authorities responded to the attacks, as well as documents the actions and heroism of ordinary citizens.
“History Detectives” (9 p.m., KSPS) sifts through evidence to evaluate stories involving a watch said to have belonged to Western legend Doc Holliday; a photograph that seems to be of a woman who disguised herself so she could fight for the Confederate Army; and watercolor illustrations that could have been drawn by a prisoner at an American Japanese internment camp during World War II.
Turner Classic Movies spends the entire day with the movies of Joan Crawford. The marathon includes some of her famous roles – “Mildred Pierce” (8 p.m.) – and not-so-celebrated vehicles such as “The Gorgeous Hussy” (8:30 a.m.), “The Last of Mrs. Cheyney” (10:15 a.m.) and “The Story of Esther Costello” (7 p.m.).
Other highlights
Therapy avoidance on “Everybody Loves Raymond” (8:30 p.m., CBS).
A teen becomes his troubled mother’s caregiver on “House” (9 p.m., Fox).
Sylvester Stallone guest-stars on “Las Vegas” (9 p.m., NBC).
Seattle hosts Dallas in preseason action on “Monday Night Football” (5 p.m., ABC).
A foreign businessman on a terror watch is found murdered on “The Closer” (9 p.m., TNT).
Gang war invades an emergency room on “CSI: Miami” (10 p.m., CBS).
Allison mulls information that may free a convicted killer on “Medium” (10 p.m., NBC).
Cult choice
A thief escapes punishment so he can double for a 16th-century warlord in director Akira Kurosawa’s 1980 epic “Kagemusha” (6 p.m., Fox Movie Channel).
Series notes
Carrie craves a van on “King of Queens” (8 p.m., CBS) … Joe Rogan hosts “Fear Factor” (8 p.m., NBC) … Brits and brats on “Nanny 911” (8 p.m., Fox) … Spirit has one too many on “One on One” (8 p.m., UPN) … Simon’s girl has a secret on “7th Heaven” (8 p.m., WB) … A vision of happy endings on “All of Us” (8:30 p.m., UPN) … A fling becomes serious on “Girlfriends” (9 p.m., UPN) … Johnny holds a torch on “Summerland” (9 p.m., WB).
On two episodes of “Two and a Half Men” (CBS), Alan’s happy day (9 p.m.), and Evelyn’s drastic steps (9:30 p.m.).