"Nova: Einstein's Big Idea," 8 p.m., PBS. Adventures of the mind are featured in a beautifully detailed docudrama. At the core is Albert Einstein.

OF NOTE

"NCIS," 7 p.m., CBS. In the season's first episodes, viewers met sharp-tongued spy Ziva David (played by Cote de Pablo, who was born in Chile, but grew up in Miami). Now she has joined Gibbs' team; tonight, she ponders a Civil War casket with a cell phone inside.

"Gilmore Girls," 7 p.m., WB. Rory was quick to abandon college and her newspaper dreams when a publisher criticized her writing. Now her grandparents are attacking him.

"Commander in Chief," 8 p.m., ABC. The new president (Geena Davis) faces a staff that dislikes her, so new problems emerge.

"My Name is Earl," 8 p.m., NBC. Earl was never good at breaking up with girlfriends. He once faked his own death to get out of a relationship. Now he sees that woman and tries to make up for it; new troubles follow.

"The Office," 8:30 p.m., NBC. When the fire alarm rings, everyone has way too much time to kill. Michael makes up his 10 rules of business success; Jim proposes a game to discover personal truths.

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," 9 p.m., NBC. A teen baseball player shows rage. That brings up problems with Stabler (Christopher Meloni), who has his own rage issues. Now he visits a psychiatrist (Mary Stuart Masterson) introduced in previous episodes.

"Boston Legal," 9 p.m., ABC. On a fishing trip, Shore and Crane (James Spader and William Shatner) come across a fresh case. Meanwhile, Catherine (played by 83-year-old former "Golden Girl" Betty White) confesses to murder.

"Independent Lens: Parliament Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove," 10 p.m., PBS. A new "Lens" season begins with Edie Falco ("The Sopranos") as host. This film looks at Parliament Funkadelic, the eccentric band George Clinton created —under various names — back in the 1950s.