Are we interested enough in Maria Menounos to watch a whole series (purported to be) about her life? Is it the next step from TV host and personality to reality star, in the manner of Giuliana Rancic? Well, yes, if the issue is childbirth decisions.
That’s central in the series “Chasing Maria Menunous” (Oxygen, 10 p.m.), which begins at her 35th birthday, and the biological clock as prominent as corporate sponsorships at the party. The busy Menounos (who spends her days, like many of us, interviewing celebrities) is presented as if its coal mining it’s so hard.
So her home life is important and she lives with both her live-in boyfriend and her parents, and they push the “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” as much as they can. The resistant boyfriend seems just childish in his resistance; the parents are cute. But in their attempt to develop a trademark for Menounos, all they’ve found is a “Nanny” level annoying bray of a laugh.
It comes alongside a Wendy Williams-produced venture “Celebrities Undercover” (Oxygen, 10:30 p.m.), which involves dressing up stars so they can mingle among their fans and see what they really think.They could save money by just reading internet comments, but it’s a way for celebrities to look like they’re going undercover to find the truth, in a cross between “I Get That A Lot” and “H8R.”
It’s such an ego-driven activity that Williams is the first to mingle among her fans; she is a great deal more amused about it than the fans, who look skeptical. Kim Kardashian also dresses up among fans, they don’t quite recognize her when she gets out of makeup either, because it must have been that time when she looked so different during pregnancy. Upcoming semi-recognizable celebrities will include Joey Fatone, Ice-T, TLC, Fantasia, Jaleel White, Lil Kim and Anthony Anderson.
“Glee” (Fox, 8 p.m.) hits its 100th episode, at a time when most stop watching it at the 30th. It gives an opportunity for past guest stars to return, including Kristin Chenoweth and Gwyeneth Paltrow, as they remix and re-perform the most popular songs from their five seasons.
Think of it as an hour long infomercial for the next superhero franchise: “Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe” (ABC, 8 p.m.). Or a last ditch effort to save “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
Battle rounds continue on “The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
March Madness begins tentativly with a couple of play-in games: Albany vs. Mount St. Mary’s (truTV, 6:30 p.m.) and North Carolina State vs. Xavier (truTV, 9 p.m.).
But the NIT tournament, home of the teams that didn’t make to the main NCAA tournament, is in full swing with first round play from Georgetown vs. West Virginia (ESPN, 7 p.m.), St. John’s vs. Robert Morris (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Florida State vs. Florida Gulf Coast (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Arkansas vs. Indiana State (ESPN, 9 p.m.), Clemson vs. Georgia State (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), Missouri vs. Davidson (ESPN2, 9 p.m.) and St. Mary’s vs. Utah (ESPN2, 11 p.m.).
“Pretty Little Liars” (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) reaches a fourth season finale. Figure out your mystery and graduate already.
The Super Bowl episode of “New Girl” (Fox, 9 p.m.) with Prince, gets a rerun.
Other shows look to the skies, this episode of “The Blue Planet” (BBC America, 8 p.m.) looks to the deepest oceans.
A new season starts for “Storage Wars” (A&E, 9 p.m.). The 20th season of “Chopped” (Food Network, 9 p.m.) also begins.
Red Skeleton, in a 1983 appearance, is among the archival “Tonight Show” interviews on “Carson on TCM” (TCM, 8 p.m.) that also includes vintage interviews with Lucille ball, carol Burnett, Don Adams and Candice Bergan. They’re followed by a couple of Red Skelton movies, “Whistling in the Dark” (TCM, 9:15 p.m.) and “The Show Off” (TCM, 10:45 p.m.), “A Southern Yankee” (TCM, 12:15 a.m.), “Excuse My Dust” (TCM, 2 a.m.) , “The Clown” (TCM, 3:30 a.m.) and “Merton of the Movies” (TCM, 5:15 a.m.).
NBA action includes Toronto at Atlanta (NBA, 7:30 pm.); in hockey, Chicago vs. Philadelphia (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.).
Spring baseball includes Red Sox vs. Yankees (ESPN, 1 p.m.), A’s vs. White Sox (MLB, 4 p.m.) and Cubs vs. Rangers (MLB, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Usher, Gillian Anderson. The View: Bradley Whitford, Sasha Pieterse, Lucy Hale, Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Shay Mitchell, T.J. Holmes. The Talk: Betty White, Kevin Frazier, Susan Feniger. Ellen DeGeneres: Kate Winslet, Josh Radnor, Lake Street Dive. Wendy Williams: Mekhi Phifer, Jeannie Mai.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Matt Damon, Lenny Kravitz (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Lena Dunham, Hugh Dancy, Foster the People. Jimmy Kimmel: Ashley Judd, Howie Mandel, Sam Smith. Seth Meyers: Jason Sudeikis, Kathryn Hahn, David Remnick. Craig Ferguson: Lewis Black, Dawn Olivieri. Carson Daly: Emily Mortimer, K. Flay, Maidentrip. Tavis Smiley: Barry Manilow, Bruce Sussman. Jon Stewart: Seth MacFarlane (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Neil DeGrasse Tyson (rerun). Arsenio Hall: LL Cool J, (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Tom Hanks, the Head and the Heart. Chelsea Handler: Theo James, Margaret Cho, Jen Kirkman, Ross Mathews. Pete Holmes: Ronda Rousey, TJ Miller (rerun).