It’s got one of the strongest supporting casts on TV, with Rhys Darby (Murray from “Flight of the Conchords,” Dave Foley of “Newsradio,” Mary Lynn Rajskub of “24.” But at its center looks to be an “Odd Couple” rehash with creator David Hornsby (a minor character from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) as an uptight writer (whose manners make him seem the loser) and Kevin Dillon, essentially playing a more loutish Johnny Drama as his personal trainer and tormentor.
“How to Be a Gentleman” (CBS, 8:30 p.m) will get most of its audience from the show that precedes it, “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS, 8 p.m.). But the smart people who wath that won’t be tempted to stick around for long.
New comedies are generally doing well this season, but there wasn’t much luck at NBC, which has a night full with three returning shows and a new one. And one of the returning shows, “The Office” ( NBC, 9 p.m.) is trying out a new character from James Spader.
Starting its season tonight is Kate Walsh’s medical serial “Private Practice” (ABC, 10 p.m.), in which Pete is still suffering from the heart attack he succumbed in last spring’s finale and Benjamin Bratt joins the cast. On “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 9 p.m.), the fifth year residents perform their first solo surgeries.
Like their series “The Black List,” which featured brief portraits of prominent African-Americans, “The Latino List” (HBO, 8 p.m.) features prominent Hispanic-Americans, from Gloria Estefan and Eva Longoria to Pitbull and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Maria Hinojosa of NPR conducts the interviews.
“The X Factor” (Fox, 8 p.m.) has been wearing out its welcome with two two-hour episodes for two weeks. But tonight is the last of the auditions, we’re told, and the show moves into an unchartered phase next week.
There’s a ‘70s challenge on “Project Runway” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
Patricia Clarkson is all no-nonsense as she plays Ron Swanson’s first wife, Tammy No. 1, back to threaten him with an audit on a new “Parks & Recreation” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
The fact that men can’t stand female detectives take the lead makes “Prime Suspect” (NBC, 10 p.m.) seem a little old fashioned. Don’t these cops watch “The Closer” ?
Frank goes into the child beauty pageant business on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (FX, 10 p.m.).
Mike makes a play for Snooki on “Jersey Shore” (MTV, 10 p.m.), possibly because she’s the only girl he knows in Italy who speaks English.
The monthlong Thursday night series of Merchant-Ivory films on Turner Classic Movies concludes with “Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie’s Pictures” (8 p.m.), “The Sword and the Flute” (TCM, 9:30 p.m.), “Adventures of a Brown Man in Search of Civilization” (10 p.m.), “Courtesans of Bombay” (11 p.m.), “Autobiography of a Princess” (12:30 a.m.), “Jane Austen in Manhattan” (1:45 a.m.) and “In Custody” (3:45 a.m.).
Panorama of Steve Buscemi: “Ghost World” (Flix, 9:35 p.m.) and a replay of Sunday’s second season premiere of “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO Signature, 8 p.m.).
The animated “Archer” (FX, 10:30 p.m.) ends its three episode fall run. It takes a long time to make all those drawings.
Daytime Talk
Regis and Kelly: Claire Danes, Alton Brown, Jason Derulo. The View: Benjamin Bratt, Elisabetta Canalis. The Talk: Amy Brenneman, Ricky Paull Goldin, Kris Jenner, Aisha Tyler, Sheryl Underwood. Ellen DeGeneres: Heidi Klum, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, LeAnn Rimes. Wendy Williams: Cloris Leachman.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Kaley Cuoco, Skipper Bivins & Trent Jackson, Death Cab for Cutie. Jay Leno: Albert Brooks, Chaz Bono, TV on the Radio. Jimmy Kimmel: Matt Stone & Trey Parker, Jessica Capshaw, Givers. Jimmy Fallon: Melissa McCarthy, Steven & JoAnn Ward, Mick Rock, Dierks Bentley. Craig Ferguson: Carson Kressley, Michelle Monaghan. Tavis Smiley: Wangari Maathai. Carson Daly: Kurt Sutter, Laura Marling. Jon Stewart: Tony Bennett. Stephen Colbert: Mark Cuban. Conan O’Brien: Patton Oswalt, Ruth England & Mykel Hawke, Portugal, The Man. Chelsea Handler: Cheryl Hines, Brad Wollack, Heather McDonald, Ryan Stout.