Tuesday TV: ‘Mankind’ and Assisted Suicide

As if to show that not all of its programming today is not all “Pawn Stars” and “American Pickers,” History gets serious with the overarching miniseries “Mankind: The Story of Us All” (History, 9 p.m.).

Actually it would be the story of us all if it were titled “Humankind,” but that’s another story. The 12-hour, six-night series is much too broad, with a narration by James Brolin jumping all over the place, from the formation of the world, to the start of fire to the invention of tools. Each thing mentioned would wrrant a decent special, but as it is, the flashy re-enactments with dramatic music, interrupted by modern day experts of questionable value (from Dr. Oz to Brian Williams), it’s a showy piecemeal approach, a throwing of historical ideas thrown iChing style, that is like the story of man, er, humankind itself, too big to get one solid picture of.

“Frontline” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) looks into assisted suicide, which is legal in Oregon and Washington, but in 48 other states, those wishing to end their lives are left to their own devices or underground organizations that advise them in the process. The story begins in Cornwall, Conn., where a man with terminal cancer takes a revolver after consulting with a friend.

With a title like “Frontier Earth Presented by Walmart” (Animal Planet, 8 p.m.), we assume there are greeters. No, just intrusive sponsors. Dave Salmoni is the actual host, who begins the series by looking for orca whales.

“Animal Intervention” (Nat Geo Wild, 9 p.m.) ends its inaugural season trying to talk some sense into an Arkansas woman with 29 tigers.

With last week’s results show pre-empted by election coverage, two dancers will be eliminated tonight on “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC, 9 p.m.). Also Ne-Yo and Kylie Minogue perform.
Chef Jamie Oliver and designer Paul Smith exchange ideas on a new “Iconoclasts” (Sundance, 8 p.m.).

Carla Gugino guest stars on “New Girl” (Fox, 9 p.m.); Chris Klein guest stars as Jimmy’s long lost brother on “Raising Hope” (Fox, 8 p.m.).

A 90 minute episode suggests something big happening on “Sons of Anarchy” (FX, 10 p.m.).
“Million Dollar Decorators” (Bravo, 10 p.m.) begins a second season of excessive remakes to excessive properties.

There’s a new business venture for Matt and Amy Roloff – “Little People, Big World: Wedding Farm” (TLC, 9 p.m.).

“Extreme Couponing” (TLC, 10 p.m.) returns for a fourth season.

“Behind the Music” (VH1, 10 p.m.) is still around, and so is Pink, tonight’s subject.

A 22-film salute to Constance Bennett Tuesdays this month on Turner Classic Movies continues with “What Price Hollywood?” (8 p.m.), “Our Betters” (9:45 p.m.), “Two Against the World” (11:15 p.m.), “Law of the Tropics” (12:30 a.m.), “Rockabye” (2 a.m.), “After Tonight” (3:15 a.m.), and “Apache War Smoke” (4:30 a.m.).

There’s a whole lot of college basketball on today including Harvard at Massachusetts (ESPN, 10 a.m.), Temple at Kent State (ESPN, noon), Detroit at St. John’s (ESPN, 2 p.m.), Butler at Xavier (ESPN, 4 p.m.), Kansas vs. Michigan State (ESPN, 7 p.m.), Wichita State at Virginia Commonwealth (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Duke vs. Kentucky (ESPN, 9 p.m.) and Georga Southern at Charlotte (NBC Sports Network, 9 p.m.).

Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Bradley Cooper, Jason Cameron. The View: Rachael Ray & John Cusimano. The Talk: Carrie Fisher, Toby Keith, Jamie Krell. Katie Couric: Michael Morton. Ellen DeGeneres: Andrew Garfield, Alison Eastwood & Donald Schultz, Ne-Yo.

Late Talk
David Letterman: Julianna Margulies, Stupid Pet Tricks, Mumford & Sons. Jay Leno: Keira Knightley, Whitney Cummings, Gin Wigmore. Jimmy Kimmel: Christina Applegate, Youngblood. Jimmy Fallon: Sally Field, Finesse Mitchell, Elon Musk, Lee Brice. Craig Ferguson: Toby Keith, J.R. Martinez. Carson Daly: Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele, Buffalo Girls, Ceremony. Tavis Smiley: Frank Rich. Jon Stewart: Jason Sudeikis. Stephen Colbert: Newt Gingrich. Conan O’Brien: Joel McHale, James “Bobo” Fay, Samuel Comroe. Chelsea Handler: Greg Fitzsimmons, Loni Love, Matt Braunger.