Geeks share laughs on ‘Mythbusters’
Immature viewers of all ages can rejoice as “Mythbusters” (9 p.m., Discovery) enters a brand new season. For the uninitiated, this show tests urban legends and common assumptions with good old-fashioned laboratory know-how.
Do “corked” baseball bats provide hitters with an advantage? Do alligators breed in city sewers? Are commercial passenger planes hotbeds of contagion?
Between them, hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage have more than three decades of experience in building models and other special effects for Hollywood movies. They can build just about anything, but they really seem to enjoy blowing stuff up.
That’s where the permanent immaturity comes in. They not only take painstaking care in scientific deconstruction and just plain old destruction, but they can’t help laughing to themselves as they go along. They make a strong if slightly demented argument that geeks really do have more fun.
In tonight’s episode they test the “legend” that a prisoner devised a crossbow out of newspapers, a cafeteria tray and the elastic in his underwear and used it to kill a fellow inmate. Jamie and Adam compete to devise their own crossbow in their laboratory and have way too much fun shooting it at their poor, disrespected test dummy.
Along the way, their helpers put other urban legends to the test.
Does vodka really work as a mouthwash? Will it take the smoky smell out of your clothes? Will it fend off a bee attack?
You’ll just have to tune in for further “proof.”
The three-part series “Walking the Bible” (7 p.m., KSPS) continues. Host, storyteller and best-selling author Bruce Feiler hoofs it through 10 countries on three continents. Along with biblical archeologist Avner Green, he explores the geography of the Old and New Testaments, from Turkey’s Mount Ararat to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Iraq. “Walking” concludes next Wednesday.
On two episodes of “Lost” (ABC), the crash and its aftermath from both sides now (8 p.m.,), and Charlie’s secret (9 p.m.). Although the first features clips of past action, these are the first new “Lost” episodes in a long time. Enjoy.
Other highlights
JT discovers a plague plant in Holland on “E-Ring” (8 p.m., NBC).
Jackie’s mortification on “That ‘70s Show” (8 p.m., Fox).
Suspicion falls on respectable people on “Criminal Minds” (9 p.m., CBS).
The expense of spirit in a waist of shame on “The Biggest Loser: Special Edition” (9 p.m., NBC).
The search for new players on “Beauty and the Geek” casting special (9 p.m., WB).
A dancer takes flight on “CSI: NY” (10 p.m., CBS).
Vigilante justice runs amok on “Law & Order” (10 p.m., NBC).
Russell asks Mariel to explain herself on “Invasion” (10 p.m., ABC).
Cult choice
James Bond (Roger Moore) encounters a tarot card reader (Jane Seymour) on the trail of a bad guy (Yaphet Kotto, “Homicide”) in the heroin and voodoo racket in the 1973 adventure “Live and Let Die” (10:45 p.m., AMC).
Series notes
Not a scalp in sight on “Still Standing” (8 p.m., CBS) … A chance encounter on “One Tree Hill” (8 p.m., WB) … Too many questions on “Yes, Dear” (8:30 p.m., CBS) … Unscheduled surgery on “Stacked” (8:30 p.m., Fox) … A physician’s family needs help on “Nanny 911” (9 p.m., Fox).
Late night
Queen Latifah and Bob Sarlatte appear on “Late Show with David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jay Leno hosts Steve Carell and Anthony Hamilton on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … LL Cool J and John Daly chat on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Craig Ferguson hosts Seth Green, Peter Bart and Peter Guber on “The Late, Late Show” (12:37 a.m., CBS).