Some of the 28 smitten women on the 20th season premiere of “The Bachelor” (ABC, 8 p.m.) call Ben Higgins, the nondescript runner-up in last season’s “Bachelorette,” the best “Bachelor” ever. Yet he seems one of the blandest guys ever in the role as he tries to keep up with the dozens of women who pour out of limousines turned clown cars. And what clowns: One dresses as a unicorn, another brings a horse, one dresses as a rose, and a fourth wears jammies so she can ask, “Are you the onesie?”
The idea is to be remembered amid the crush, but the effect is turning into someone to avoid. In the lengthy premiere, two familiar faces from past seasons elbow their way in, because they like what they’ve seen in Ben (or they want to be on TV some more). And the producers make clear which women will serve as their villains. These people might deserve each other, but there must be a better way to find a mate.
It’s also the 20th season start for another long-running reality show that has scarcely changed its approach: “Antiques Roadshow” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings).
On the new “Superhuman” (Fox, 8 p.m.), Kai Penn welcomes people with extraordinary skills to compete in a game show format. It runs opposite both a fictional superhuman, “Supergirl” (CBS, 8 p.m.) and something not human at all, “Superstore” (NBC, 8 p.m.), the wan new workplace comedy with Ben Feldman and America Ferrera.
The latter has a match in the also not-quite-there comedy “Telenovela” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
It’s the 17th season start for “The Biggest Loser” (NBC, 9 p.m.), a show that takes up the subtitle “Temptation Nation” this season, perhaps going back to its roots by making the dieting hopefuls sit in rooms full of donuts. More than that, they’re offering cash for people to drop out.
It’s been a year this week since the attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, killing 12. The strike is recounted in “Paris Terror Attack: Charlie Hedbo” (Smithsonian, 8 p.m.).
In what sounds like a perfect documentary, a new film on “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) shows how Chuck Norris crumbled the Soviet Union, so to speak when his cheesy films from the 80s were smuggled into Romania and re-dubbbed for the cause in “Chuck Norris vs. Communism.”
Perhaps you’re in the mood for films about the Spanish Civil War. Turner Classic Movies has you covered, with “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (8 p.m.), “Behold a Pale Horse” (10:45 p.m.), “The Angel Wore Red” (1 a.m.), the documentary “Spanish Earth” (3 a.m.), “The Fallen Sparrow” (4 a.m.) and “Blockade” (5:45 a.m.).
Men’s college basketball tonight includes North Carolina at Florida State (ESPN, 7 p.m.), West Virginia at TCU (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Virginia at Virginia Tech (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Oklahoma at Kansas (ESPN, 9 p.m.) and Alcorn State at Texas Southern (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
In pro games, it’s Indiana at Miami (NBA, 7:30 p.m.) and Memphis at Portland (NBA, 10 p.m.). Hockey has Los Angeles at Colorado (NBC Sports, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Higgins, Miss Universe. The View: Susan Sarandon, Rocco DiSpirito. The Talk: Jane Lynch, Maggie Lawson, Rickey Smiley. Ellen DeGeneres: Matt Damon, Natasha Lyonne (rerun). Wendy Williams: Elizabeth Hurley, cast of “The Royals” (rerun). The Real: Justin Baldwin. Meredith Vieira: Rev. Run & Justine Simmons.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Samuel L. Jackson, Olivia Hallisey, Foals. Jimmy Kimmel: Jennifer Lopez, Ben Higgins. Jimmy Fallon: Sylvester Stallone, John Stamos, Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello. Seth Meyers: Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Zella Day, Matt Sorum. James Corden: Sarah Silverman, Taylor Kinney, Alicia Vikander, Jamie Lee. Carson Daly: Kevin Pereira, Emily Beecham (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Andrea Bocelli. Trevor Noah: David Cross. Conan O’Brien: Martin Short, Lauren Ash, 5 Seconds of Summer.