A couple of so-so but harmless network sitcoms have already premiered this week. Now comes a truly hateful one. “Mixology” (ABC, 9:30 p.m.) is a high-concept comedy about 10 people in a singles bar on one night played over a whole season. It’s listed as being from the writers of “The Hangover,” so the bar is set low. But rarely has there been a network show so thoroughly coarse, sexist and unfunny. It’s so desperate to snare young people, but it won’t work and is full of repellant characters.
“Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.) stars its 28th season in Cagayan, a region of the Philippines, with its 18 players divided into teams defined by Beauty, Brawn and Brains. Jeff Probst returns to host.
A second season of “The Americans” (FX, 10 p.m.) is long awaited for some. But I never warmed to the Reagan-era spy caper that involved wigs and big cars. Its inverted Cold War action (are we supposed to root for them or against them?) is equally convoluted as it is placed into the neighborhoods of northern Virginia where an FBI agent happens to be a neighbor.
Picking up from from its profiles of forgotten recording artists, “Unsung Hollywood” (TV One, 10 p.m.) looks at actors. Its first subject is the great Blaxploitation star Pam Grier, who made a major comeback in “Jackie Brown.” Here’s a story I wrote about about the episode for the Washington Post.
Where is Sacha Baron Cohen’s hip hop character Ali G after all these years? According to new footage shot for “Ali G: Rezurection” (FXX, 10:30 p.m.), he’s in the suburbs and domesticated. He’s here to introduce bits from his classic HBO show a decade ago, which introduced three of his strongest characters, Ali G, Bruno and Borat, each of whom went on to have their own movies (a disaster, a disappointment and a phenomenon, respectively).
His humor, which involves unsuspecting people is still so bold it causes gasps today, but so funny you’ll remember seeing half of it. Parts of it, though, are from British telecasts not seen here, including a funny interview with David and Victoria Beckham. The compilation series accompanies a second season of the comedy “Legit” (FXX, 10 p.m.) in which Jim wonders why he’s never had a relationship longer than six months.
The newly crowned Top 13 on “American Idol” (Fox, 8 p.m.) compete head to head for the first time, choosing songs that are supposed to illuminate some aspect of themselves. One will be eliminated tomorrow.
Still trying to wring out the ratings on the last night of sweeps, here’s a “two hour crossover event” that combines teams on “Law & Order: SVU” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and “Chicago P.D.” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
Juliette is recording in Los Angeles on a new “Nashville” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Rocky Mountain High took on a different meaning following the recent legalization, a money making bonanza for some states as reported on the special “Marijuana in America: Colorado Pot Rush” (CNBC, 10 p.m.).
Luke’s wrestling match becomes personal for dad on a new “Modern Family” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
Mary Astor, who was also in “The Maltese Falcon” that year, won the best supporting actress Oscar in 1941 for “The Great Lie” (TCM, 8 p.m.) against Teresa Wright in “The Little Foxes” (TCM, 10 p.m.), Maureen O’Hara in “How Green Was My Valley” (TCM, 12:15 a.m.) and Margaret Wycherly in “Sergeant York” (TCM, 2:30 a.m.).
NBA action includes New Orleans at Dallas (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Houston at Clippers (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.). Hockey is back with Boston at Buffalo (NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.) and Los Angeles at Colorado (NBC Sports, 10 p.m.).
Men’s college hoops includes Georgia Tech at Notre Dame (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Rutgers at Central Florida (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Connecticut at South Florida (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Butler at Villanova (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.), California at Arizona (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Baylor at Texas (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), Boise State at Fresno State (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.), Stanford at Arizona State (ESPNU, 11 p.m.) and Colorado State at UNLV (CBS Sports, 11 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Julianne Moore, Keri Russell. The View: Rachel Fredrickson, Nick Lachey, Fred Armisen, Blake Lee, Andrew Santino, Vanessa Lengies, Jeanine Pirro. The Talk: Billy Ray Cyrus, Dionne Warwick, Diana Madison, Tre Wilcox. Ellen DeGeneres: Jimmy Kimmel, Allison Williams. Wendy Williams: Chandra Wilson, Noah Levy.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Meredith Vieira, Band of Horses. Jimmy Fallon: Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler, Dierks Bentley. Jimmy Kimmel: Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Ford, Sky Ferreira. Seth Meyers: Kelly Ripa, Robyn Doolittle, Brad Paisley. Craig Ferguson: Alice Eve, Bojana Novakovic, Roddy Hart & the Lonesome Fire. Carson Daly: Andi Osho, Lucius, La Luz. Tavis Smiley: Dr. David Agus, Julianne Nicholson. Jon Stewart: Liam Neeson. Stephen Colbert: Meryl Davis & Charlie White. Arsenio Hall: Deion Sanders, Tracey Edmonds, Ross Mathews, Schoolboy Q. Conan O’Brien: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nick Kroll, Ted Alexandro. Chelsea Handler: Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir, Dov Davidoff, Whitney Cummings, Tone Bell. Pete Holmes: Kyrie Irving.