For what started as another “American Idol” copycat show, “The Voice” has certainly been influential in reality TV, inspiring first the dating show variation “The Choice” and now the cooking competition “The Taste” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
It works the same way – blind sampling and pressing a button. But what taste test isn’t blind? Do judges pick winners based on what cooks look like? It helps that the judges are some pretty big stars, such as Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson. They and Ludovic Lefebvre and Brian Malarkey then pick cooks to mentor on four teams and, well, you know “The Voice.” There are probably battle rounds.
Speaking of Bourdain, his departure from the Travel Channel leaves an opening for daredevil globe-trotters. Enter Geoff Edgers,a Boston Globe arts and entertainment writer who has been collecting those press releases on weird festivals. So the first episode of his “Edge of America” (Travel, 9 p.m.) features a calf-fry festival where he enters a fried testicle eating contest, and a rattlesnake festival where he becomes a handler. In a second half hour he goes to Oregon to toss bikes and handle chainsaws. He doesn’t quite get the weirdness the way “Portlandia” does.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off “Private Practice” (ABC, 10 p.m.) hasn’t had an easy time finding its way. But it did last five seasons before creator Shonda Rhimes was distracted by her main show or the new “Scandal.” As empowered as many of her felmale characters are, it’s a ittle disappointing that the series would end with a happily-ever-after device as a wedding. But that’s what happens with kate Walsh’s lead character Addison. Hope she wraps up the stories of the other characters with a more unconventional method.
Other female doctors living out their dream (until the episodes for the first year cancelled show run out) is “Emily Owens, M.D.” (The CW, 9 p.m.) and “Hart of Dixie” (The CW, 8 p.m.) which hasn’t been canceled (yet).
A season finale comes early for “Parenthood” (NBC, 10 p.m.), in which Kristina moves into a new stage of her treatment and Sarah finally decides between the too-young kid and too-old boss.
Martin Smith investigates on a new “Frontline” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) why not a single Wall Street banker was prosecuted for fraud after the financial meltdown they caused four years ago.
Sports has given us some of the strangest stories recently. But different strange ones are covered on a new “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” (HBO, 10 p.m.) including the NBA prospect who is afraid to fly, the Pakistan squash champ from a culture where such sport was banned, and the transformation of Luke Campbell from 2 Live Crew leader to high school football coach.
The three part series “The Abolitionists” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) concludes with a flurry of activity from John Brown’s raid to Abraham Lincoln’s election to the Civil War to the Thirteenth Amendment.
Today’s serialized dramas have their roots in the prime time soaps of the 70s and 80s. And one of them is back altogether, “Dallas.” The old shows are covered on tonight’s “Pioneers of Television” (PBS, 8 p.m.).
The latest episode of “Africa” (Discovery, 10 p.m.) concentrates on the Congo and its inhabitants, from a leaf-folding frog to a nocturnal elephant.
Piper Pirabo guest stars on a new “Go On” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
Did you know the special effects makeup competition “Face Off” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) is into a new season? Or that “America’s Supernanny” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.) is back?
Travis tries to acquire a super power on a new “Cougar Town” (TBS, 10 p.m.).
After a Sunday preview, the extreme nature travelogue “Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan” (BBC America, 10 p.m.) settles into its regular time slot .
“White Collar” (USA< 10 p.m.) returns for some new episodes.
“Our America with Lisa Ling” (OWN, 10 p.m.) returns with a saucy topic, S&M aficianados, inspired by the popularity of the book “50 Shades of Gray.”
Mark Duplass of “The League” guest stars on “The Mindy Project” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.).
Abby’s got a new favorite on “Dance Moms” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
The month-long Tuesday night salute to caper movies on Turner Classic Movies continues with “How to Steal a Million” (8 p.m.), “Topkapi” (10:15 p.m.), “The Happy Thieves” (12:30 a.m.), “Cairo” (2:15 a.m.) and “The Anderson Tapes” (4 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Jeremy Renner, Taye Diggs. The View: New Kids on the Black. The Talk: William H. Macy, Miranda Lambert, Dr. Tess Mauricio.Ellen DeGeneres: Michael Chiklis.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Anne Hathaway, Johnny Manziel, Jake Johnson, U.S. marine Chamber Orchestra (rerun). Jay Leno: Dana Carvey, Emmy Rossum, Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite. Jimmy Kimmel: Julie Bowen, LeAnn Rimes. Jimmy Fallon: Bill Cosby, Tempestt Bledsoe, Grace Potter (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Betty White, Morena Baccarin (rerun). Carson Daly: Citizen Cope, Atalas Genius, Wolf Gang (rerun). Jon Stewart: Jennifer Lopez. Stephen Colbert: Kathrn Bigelow. Conan O’Brien: Julia Stiles, Dj Qualls, the Lone Below. Chelsea Handler: Ryan Seacrest, Chris Hardwick, April Richardson, Gary Valentine.