If grownups can have off-putting personalities as comedy leads, why not teens? “Zach Stone is Gonna be Famous” (MTV, 10:30 p.m.) is a new comedy about a kid who instead of spending his savings on college, hires a camera crew so he can make a reality show about his life.
But like most reality shows, he changes his manner in order to come across as cool on TV, which only makes him more embarassing. Bo Burnam, who has already made some progress as a young standup, stars in the show, and spends a lot of his time straddling the line between amusing and annoying, leaning heavily toward the latter. But Tom Wilson of “Back to the Future” (the guy who bullied McFly) plays his dad, though, so thats pretty cool.
And the show in general is a better move than, say, reusing the “Jersey Shore” characters in new situations, as they do on the new “The Show with Vinny” (MTV, 10 p.m.), in which the least colorful cast member, Vinny Guadagnino, conducts a sort of talk show from out of his mother’s house on Staten Island.
Tonight’s great comedy, “Parks and Recreation” (NBC, 9:30 p.m.) has its season finale tonight, as Leslie marks her first year as city councilor.
“Big Time Rush” (Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.) the show about hockey players turned boy band, returns for a new season, though the cast must be outgrowing their parts by now.
Comedy worlds collide when Bob Newhart guest stars on “Big Bang Theory” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
F. Murray Abraham plays a hit man on a new “Elementary” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
Whenever a show like “Scandal” (ABC, 10 p.m.) is described as a guilty pleasure, it usually means it’s actually embarrassingly bad.
Now that the characters on “The Office” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.) have seen clips of the show they’ll actually be on, why don’t they act differently in front of the cameras? Tonight is an hour long episode.
Unlike last week, somebody is really eliminated tonight on “American Idol” (Fox, 8 p.m.) leaving a final three.
Kate Hudson and Katey Sagal return to “Glee” (Fox, 9 p.m.) on an episode where Stevie Wonder songs get the spotlight. It’s on the same time as their performance movie “Glee Live! In Concert!” (HBO2, 9:30 p.m.).
Abed figures out how all the characters on “Community” (NBC, 8 p.m.) knew eachother in the past.
Who’s scarier? “Hannity” (Fox News, 9 p.m.) or “Hannibal” (NBC, 10 p.m.)? Well, the latter has been banned by a Salt Lake City station for being too violent.
Tonight, if you don’t get swamped, you could watch both “Swamp People” (History, 9 p.m.) and “Swamp Wars” (Animal Planet, 10 p.m.).
Tonight is the season finale for “Wife Swap” (ABC, 8 p.m.) as well.
Hilarie Burton begins a stint on “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
You could also watch a couple of titles that sound like the animal kingdom in modern crimes: “Drug Kingpin Hippos” (Animal Planet, 8 p.m.) and “Dog the Bounty Hunter” (BIO, 8, 9 and 10 p.m.).
The later films of King Vidor are featured on Turner Classic Movies with “Duel in the Sun” (8 p.m.), “Ruby Gentry” (10:30 p.m.), “Lightning Strikes Twice” (midnight), “An American Romance” (1:45 a.m.) and “Comrade X” (4 a.m.).
Your Elvis movie of the night is “Frankie and Johnny” (Encore, 8 p.m.), notable because it costars Henry Morgan.
NBA playoff games today are Brooklyn at Chicago (TNT, 8 p.m.) and Denver at Golden State (TNT, 10:30 p.m.). But there are twice as many NHL playoff games, with Rangers at Washington (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.), Ottawa at Montreal (CNBC, 7 p.m.), Los Angeles at St. Louis (CNBC, 9:30 p.m.) and Detroit at Anaheim (NBC Sports, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Ben Kingsley. The View: Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Debi Gutierrez. The Talk: Kathy Griffin, Natasha Bedingfield, Linda Perry. Ellen DeGeneres: Alison Sweeney, Michael Buble.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Paris Hilton, Miriam Tucker, Atlas Genius. Jay Leno: Matt Lauer, Jen Kirkman, AWOLNATION. Jimmy Kimmel: Robert Downey Jr., Science Bob Pflugfelder, the Airborne Toxic Event. Jimmy Fallon: Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, George Lois, Icona Pop, Too $hort. Craig Ferguson: Pierce Brosnan, Tone Bell. Carson Daly: Michael Shannon, Josh Rushing, Foals. Tavis Smiley: Ben Kingsley. Jon Stewart: Eric Greitens. Stephen Colbert: Ben Kingsley. Conan O’Brien: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bob Saget. Chelsea Handler: Ryan Lochte, James Davis Fortune Feimster, Ryan Stout.