With the new year already marred by another ugly partisan showdown, the timely “Mr. Cao Goes to Washington” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) shines a light on a man who tried to transcend it.
Joseph Cao was the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress, and the first Republican from the largely black Second District in Louisiana in 40 years. William Jefferson had been indicted for bribery, giving the GOP its best chance in decades. Once in, he succeeded in representing his district but tended to infuriate those who helped elect him. He was the only Republican to vote for Obama’s health care the first time around, but managed to disillusion everyone by voting against it the next chance he got.
Leo Chiang’s film gets close to his subject, seeing how it affects his family life and how uncomfortable he gets at the tea party’s more racist tendencies. the test is whether he can win re-election, giving the film some drama.
With “Jersey Shore” finally ended, MTV looks to another lowly regional subculture to exaggerate and make it appear exotic enough to be entertaining. So here’s “Buckwild” (MTV, 10 p.m.), set in a rural West Virginia where goofy kids jump in mud and fight with girlfriends and drink and roll down a hill in a truck wheel. Not a lot of intellectual activity going on here. Already a congressman has formally complained about it — which is how “Jersey Shore” started.
“What Not to Wear” (TLC, 10 p.m.) returns for its 10th season, coming to the rescue of the singer Tiffany.
Two more episodes of “Mobbed” (Fox, 8 and 9 p.m.) are staged, making Howie Mandel the hardest working man in mid season burn-off game shows.
Kathy Griffin has been shaping her career, such as it is, around New Year’s. First she shows up on CNN for hours on end saying and doing inappropriate things to make Anderson Cooper laugh.
Kathy Griffin has been shaping her career, such as it is, around New Year’s. First she shows up on CNN for hours on end saying and doing inappropriate things to make Anderson Cooper laugh.
Then she appears on a late night talk show to brag about it, as she did last night on Letterman, and to top it off, she presents a new standup special, “Kathy Griffin: Kennedie Center On-Hers” (Bravo, 10 p.m.). She’ll talk about Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion and assorted Real Housewives, but it may sound outdated: Nothing about Kanye and Kim’s baby.
Sheldon is charged with sexual harassment on a new “Big Bang Theory” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
It’s the only network with new episodes on tonight for “Two and a Half Men” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), “Person of Interest” (CBS, 9 p.m.) and “Elementary” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
It’s the only network with new episodes on tonight for “Two and a Half Men” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), “Person of Interest” (CBS, 9 p.m.) and “Elementary” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
A newly shuffled set of reruns on ABC offers one “Nashville” (ABC, 8 p.m.) and two episodes of “Scandal” (ABC, 9 and 10 p.m.).
A spoiled teenage girl goes “Beyond Scared Straight” (A&E, 10 p.m.) in Oklahoma City.
A “Real Housewives of Miami” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) reunion stretches into a second part.
A “Real Housewives of Miami” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) reunion stretches into a second part.
“Rehab Addict” (HGTV, 9 and 9:30 p.m.) isn’t about drugs, it’s about home improvement.
Get up offa that thing and take a look at the estate of James Brown on a new episode of “The Will: Family Secrets Revealed” (Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.).
Get up offa that thing and take a look at the estate of James Brown on a new episode of “The Will: Family Secrets Revealed” (Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.).
Reunions are the basis of the new series “Lost and Found” (OWN, 10 p.m.).
The Fiesta Bowl has Oregon vs. Kansas State (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.).
Shirley Temple is the star on Turner Classic Movies with “The Littlest Rebel” (8 p.m.), “Captain January” (9:30 p.m.), “Stowaway” (11 p.m.), “I’ll Be Seeing You” (12:30 a.m.), “Fort Apache” (2 a.m.) and “Adventure in Baltimore” (4:15 a.m.).
In men’s college hoops, it’s Northeastern at George Mason (NBC Sports, 7 p.m.), Colorado at Arizona (ESPNU, 8 p.m.) and Stanford at Southern California (ESPNU, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Victoria Justice (rerun). The View: Damian Lewis, Jennifer Morrison, Michael Corbett, Andy Cohen (rerun). The Talk: Tom Selleck, Leeza Gibbons. Ellen DeGeneres: Alison Sweeney, Allen Stone.
Kelly & Michael: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Victoria Justice (rerun). The View: Damian Lewis, Jennifer Morrison, Michael Corbett, Andy Cohen (rerun). The Talk: Tom Selleck, Leeza Gibbons. Ellen DeGeneres: Alison Sweeney, Allen Stone.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Regis Philbin, Marv Albert, Everest. Jay Leno: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chumlee & Rick Harrison, Ziggy Marley. Jimmy Kimmel: John Krasinski, Mike Birbiglia, Atlas Genius (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Michael Bloomberg, NeNe Leakes, T.I. Craig Ferguson: Mila Kunis, the Imagineers (rerun). Carson Daly: Ed Burns, the Features (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Matt Damon (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Sarah Silverman, Brian Austin Green, Father John Misty (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Gerard Butler, Anne Hathaway, Pitbull (rerun).
David Letterman: Regis Philbin, Marv Albert, Everest. Jay Leno: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chumlee & Rick Harrison, Ziggy Marley. Jimmy Kimmel: John Krasinski, Mike Birbiglia, Atlas Genius (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Michael Bloomberg, NeNe Leakes, T.I. Craig Ferguson: Mila Kunis, the Imagineers (rerun). Carson Daly: Ed Burns, the Features (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Matt Damon (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Sarah Silverman, Brian Austin Green, Father John Misty (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Gerard Butler, Anne Hathaway, Pitbull (rerun).