Thursday TV: Ninth Season Start for ‘Runway,’ ‘Shore’ Refresher

Twenty designers have been assembled to start season nine of “Project Runaway” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.), the most in series history. But they will immediately have to plead their case before Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, Nina Garcia and Tim Gunn to explain why they deserve to be one of the 16 who will have a chance to show their skills. Once chosen, they’ll embark on what the show calls “one of the toughest first challenges in the series’ history.”

Christina Ricci is the first guest judge of the season, which once more is set in New York; other guest judges this season will include Kim Kardashian, Zoe Saldana and Malin Akerman.

The latest documentary on Oprah Winfrey’s network looks at the changes that happen behind bars to prisoners of the Angola prison in Louisiana who volunteer to work in the hospice there, caring for dying fellow prisoners. “Serving Life” (OWN, 9 p.m.) is narrated by Forest Whitaker.

It will be just a week before the fourth season of “The Jersey Shore” starts on MTV. For now, they provide a recap, lest we lose track of the complicated narrative. It’s called “The Jersey Shore: From the First Fist Pump” (MTV, 10 p.m.).

“Louie” (FX, 10:30 p.m.) rides a subway.

The Top 8 become a half dozen tonight on “So You Think You Can Dance” (Fox, 8 p.m.) where one of the week’s guest judges, Lady Gaga, also steps up to perform, alongside dance troupe LXD.

A new season comes for Kat Von D and her West Coast tattoo concern, “L.A. Ink” (TLC, 10 p.m.).

The intriguing sports documentary “The Curious Case of Curt Flood” (HBO, 8:30 p.m.) gets a replay.

Another duo of newcomers are up for eviction on “Big Brother” (CBS, 9 p.m.). Either young mama’s boy Dominic Briones or heavy metal teddy bear Adam Poch will be ousted, and get to talk to host Julie Chen in person.

Reruns dominate network TV, but the replayed shows on The CW includes the little seen makeover show “Plain Jane” (The CW, 9 p.m.).

“Hot, Famous and 40” (BIO, 10 p.m.) looks at those who aren’t unhappy about being on the other side of 39.

Cliff diving is the challenge on “Expedition Impossible” (ABC, 9 p.m.). on “Extreme Chef” (Food Network, 10 p.m.), it’s all about live scorpions and uncooperative donkeys.

Lauren Holly guest stars on a new “Rookie Blue” (ABC, 10 p.m.).

The cast of “Futurama” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.) time travels back to the time of the American Revolution. Looking forward to Bender meeting Ben Franklin.

Not sure how “Black Tide: Voices from the Gulf” (Animal Planet, 9 p.m.), a two hour look back on the effect of last summer’s massive oil spill, actually involves animals in any way. Maybe it’s the oil-soaked pelicans.

It probably wasn’t too difficult to populate “The Top 20 Most Shocking Dumb Dudes 4” (TruTV, 10 p.m.).

Josephine Baker stars as an African princess brought to Paris in the 1935 film “Princess Tam Tam” (TCM, 8 p.m.). It kicks off the final night of a series of films looking at Hollywood images of Arabs over the years. This year, it’s about images of Arabs from outside Hollywood, with “The Band’s Visit” (TCM, 9:30 p.m.), “Rana’s Wedding” (TCM, 11:15 p.m.), “The Battle of Algiers” (TCM, 1 a.m.) and “Taste of Cherry” (TCM, 3:15 a.m.).

In sports, The X Games (ESPN, 7 p.m.) begin from Los Angeles with skateboarding and a lot of events on the Moto X, incuding best rick, best whip and step up.

Daytime Talk

Regis and Kelly: Julianne Moore, 3 Doors Down. Gayle King: Tracy Anderson, Tim Gunn. The View: Beyonce, Donyelle Jones, Shane Sparks, James Woods. The Talk: Swoosie Kurtz, Penn Jillette. Ellen DeGeneres: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Marisa Miller, the Band Perry (rerun). Wendy Williams: The Braxton Family, Jamie Oliver (rerun).

Late Talk

David Letterman: Kirstie Alley, Louis C.K., Fountains of Wayne. Jay Leno: Matt Le Blanc, Freida Pinto, Stevie Nicks. Jimmy Kimmel: Harrison Ford, Lady Gaga. Jimmy Fallon: Julianne Moore, Dominic Cooper, Beyonce. Craig Ferguson: Lisa Kudrow, Ben Mezrich. Tavis Smiley: Tom Selleck (rerun). Carson Daly: Adam Pally, Make Believe, the Black Angels (rerun). Jon Stewart: Peter Tomsen. Stephen Colbert: Buddy Roemer. Conan O’Brien: Jon Favreau, Jayma Mays, Brett Dennen. George Lopez: Chris Tucker, Matt Kemp, Jerrod Harris. Chelsea Handler:  Taryn manning, Josh Wolf, Gary Valentine, Matt Braunger.