There may have been a particularly pronounced celebrity drain from “Dancing with the Stars” this year. But it’s not because so many celebrities decided instead to do “Splash” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
The lineup for this star diving competition isn’t much better, with Louie Anderson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Nicole Eggert, Kendra Wilkinson, Katherine Webb, Ndamukong Suh, Nicole Eggert and Rory Bushfield all participate. Gold medalists Greg Louganis and David Boudia judge.
The Fox stab at a similar idea, “Stars in Danger; The High Dive” belly flopped in the ratings in January. How could this do much better?
It’s paired tonight with the repurposed results show place-holder, “Dancing with the Stars: Exclusive First Look” (ABC, 9 p.m.). But don’t mistake “Splash” with “Smash” (NBC, 10 p.m.), returning with a new episode.
John Corbett and Kim Raver star as a couple of traveling investigators on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 9 p.m.), who may well star in a subsequent spin off into a third variant of “NCIS” depending on how well it is received.
Tina Fey visits “Inside the Actors Studio” (Bravo, 8 p.m.).
Jess admits her feelings toward nick on “New Girl” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
Bad timing to have Dennis Rodman on the initial episode of “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (OWN, 10 p.m.). After trips to North Korea and the Vatican, as well as currently featured on “Celebrity Apprentice,” Rodman’s current activity may instead pose the question: Where isn’t he? Others on the premiere are Nadya Suleman and Gennifer Flowers.
What ever happened to G.L.O.W., though? The low budget syndicated series of female wrestling that thrived in the 80s is relived in the documentary “GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling” (Logo, 9 p.m.).
“Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” (HBO, 10 p.m.) deserves an Emmy if only for shaming ESPN to drop its lethal showmobile freestyle finals after the death of a 25 year old during the Winter X Games. There are a few other interesting reports tonight, too, from Lolo Jones try for Olympic gold in a completely different sport (bobsled), Mike Tyson’s stage adventure and a return to college basketball after a sex reassignment surgery from men’s to women’s competition. An equal surprise about Gabrielle Ludwig is that the Desert Storm veteran is 51.
A guy who hasn’t been on TV quite enough lately to promote his new album gets the prime time network special “Target Presents The iHeartRadio Album Release Party with Justin Timberlake” (The CW, 8 p.m.), a title that packs in two product placements (three if you count Timberlake).
The unfunny “Real Husbands of Hollywood” (BET, 10 p.m.) ends its first season; but it’s been picked up for a second. Also closing its season is “Second Generation Wayans” (BET, 10:30 p.m.).
The difference between winning and losing on “Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox, 8 p.m.) is the difference between relaxing on a yacht and cleaning the fish.
The final showdown with the Detroit gang begins on “Justified” (FX, 10 p.m.).
The blonde in the red hoodie shows herself on the spring finale of “Pretty Little Liars” (ABC Family, 8 p.m.). Then there’s a full episode of the new mystery series that will accompany it when the shows return June 11, “Twisted” (ABC Family, 9 p.m.), starring Avan Jogia as a troubled 16 year old who is suspected when a fellow student is found dead. Kimberly Quinn and Denise Richards also star.
The four-episode “How We Invented the World” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) begins with how the cell phone came to be.
In the new “Urban Tarzan” (Spike, 10:30 p.m.), long haired John Brennan isn’t so much swinging on vines as making rescues and relocations for dangerous animals in the city.His title is extreme animal handler. The first is a chimp, drunk on cough syrup, tearing up a house and picking up a gun.
Appearing on Wendy Williams may be the toughest thing for contestants on “The Face” (Oxygen, 9 p.m.). The contestants on “FaceOff” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) are enlisted to design for another series on that network, “Defiance.”
A new group of friends is sought to help ring in her birthday on “The Mindy Project” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.).
Joel Gray is guest programmer on Turner Classic Movies. His choices: “The Best Years of Our Lives” (8 p.m.), “Yankee Doodle Dandy” (11 p.m.) and “On the Waterfront” (1:15 a.m.).
In lieu of a Grumpy Cat movie there is “Grumpy Old Men” (TV Guide Network, 8 p.m.).
The First Four are not as exciting as the Final Four, but with these play-in games, March Madness begins: North Carolina A&T vs. Liberty (truTV, 6:40 p.m.) and Saint Mary’s vs. Middle Tennessee (truTV, 9:10 p.m.).
But the NIT Tournament of also-rans begins in earnest with Niagara at Maryland (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), St. John’s at Saint Joseph’s (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Kentucky at Robert Morris (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.), Norfolk State at Virginia (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), Northeastern at Alabama (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Washington at Brigham Young (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.) and Stephen F. Austin at Stanford (ESPN2, 11 p.m.).
In hockey, it’s Capitals at Penguins (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Gerard Butler. The View: Donald Trump, Radha Mitchell, Terry Crews (rerun). The Talk: Pauley Perrette, Carrie-Anne Moss, Taniya Nayak. Ellen De Generes: Keith Urban, Savannah Guthrie (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Bill Cosby, Mikaela Shiffrin, Garbage. Jay Leno: Jenna Fischer, Dennis Rodman, Black Prairie. Jimmy Kimmel: Gerard Butler, Vanessa Hudgens, T.I. Jimmy Fallon: Selena Gomez, David Steinberg, Pinback.Craig Ferguson: Michelle Monoghan, John Green, Tone Bell. Carson Daly: Jake Bugg, the Trouble with Templeton, Angel Haze, Maximum Hedrum. Tavis Smiley: Miguel, Charlie Haden. Jon Stewart: Rachel Maddow (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Jon Favreau (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Kristen Stewart, Glenn Howerton, Lianne La Havas (rerun).