The forces that built the continent and its natural wonders are still at work, according to the three part series “Making North America” on “Nova” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings). National Museum of Natural History director Kirk Johnson zips from the Grand Canyon, where he rappels down the sheer wall, to volcanoes in Hawaii to Alaska, where he is surprised to find a fossil of a palm frond that once grew there.
Plenty of green screen and post production is used to help label and emphasize strata, so rather than just tell you there were mountains once in New York City, they build them to show what it might have looked like. Johnson seems to have fun doing all the traveling — to 18 states and Canada before the three episodes are finished. And it’s helpful to learn that you can find dinosaur bones just about anywhere if you only look down.
Here’s a story I wrote about Johnson and “Making North America” for Smithsonian Magazine.com.
Earlier tonight on public television is another three-part series about “Earth’s Natural Wonders” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) that looks but doesn’t dig, catching sights from sherpas on Mount Everest, to elephants on Mount Kilimanjaro. And it has its own Grand Canyon scene, where conservationists try to save a condor chick.
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood host The 49th Country Music Association Awards (ABC, 8 p.m.) from Nashville, performances from Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Eric Church, Kenny Chesney, Hank Williams Jr., Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt and Maddie & Tae, among others. And just to prove that country music is pretty much just pop music anyway there are duets of Keith Urban with John Mellencamp, Thomas Rhett and Fallout Boy and Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake.
There’s murders again at Lizzie Borden’s old place on “Supernatural” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
Matt Ryan guest stars as John Constantine on a new “Arrow” (The CW, 8 p.m.).
The merge seems to come a little earlier than normal on “Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.), changing the game for everyone.
Because there’s no Game 7 to the World Series, there’s a new “Rosewood” (Fox, 8 p.m.) and a new “Empire” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
The latest installment of “The Brain with David Eagleman” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
There’s a whole lot of Jackie Chan on tonight, with “Rumble in the Bronx” (AMC, 8 p.m.) and “Jackie Chan’s First Strike” (AMC, 10 p.m.) but also a dash of Bruce Lee, with “The Way of the Dragon” (Esquire, 8 p.m.).
Looks like these won’t be stopping soon: “A Boyfriend for Christmas” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) and “A Very Merry Mix-Up” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies turns its attention to Southern writers Wednesdays this month in a spotlight hosted by writer John Grisham. First up is Mark Twain, represented by the 1939 “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (8 p.m.) with Mickey Rooney as Huck, before Margaret Mitchell’s epic “Gone with the Wind” (9:45 p.m.) from the same year.
NBA action includes Knicks at Cavaliers (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Clippers at Warriors (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.).
In hockey, it’s Blues at Blackhawks (NBC Sports Network, 8 p.m.).
And there’s one college game: Ohio at Bowling Green (ESPN2, 8 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Andy Cohen, Bryan Adams, Dr. Karen Halligan. The View: Susie Essman. The Talk: Taye Diggs, Jessica Radloff. Ellen DeGeneres: Michael Keaton, Little Mix. Wendy Williams: Leah Remini, Giada De Laurentiis, Ian Drew. The Real: Travis Barker. Meredith Vieira: Regina King.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Daniel Craig, Elizabeth Gilbert, Dr. Eugenia Cheng. Jimmy Kimmel: Seth Rogen, the Band Perry. Jimmy Fallon: Aziz Ansari, Christie Brinkley, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, Wayne Federman. Seth Meyers: Ralph Riennes, Dr. Jill Biden, Against Me!, Jon Theodore. James Corden: Ken Jeong, Erin Andrews, Bloc Party. Carson Daly: Travis Barker, NOFX, Dan Carlin. Tavis Smiley: David Maraniss, Shemekia Copeland. Noah Trevor: David Holbrooke. Conan O’Brien: Ryan Reynolds, Judy Greer, Catfish and the Battlement (rerun).