Kennedy Center Honors (9pm, CBS) - This is always one of my favorite shows of the year! This year, the Kennedy Center honors David Letterman, Dustin Hoffman, Buddy Guy, Natalia Makarova and the members of Led Zeppelin. Performers and presenters include Alec Baldwin, Robert De Niro, Tina Fey, Foo Fighters, Morgan Freeman, Ray Romano, Naomi Watts, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeff Beck and Jack Black.

Border Wars (9pm, National Geographic Channel) - Tonight's episode focuses on law enforcement animals, including horses and dogs.

The Hour (9pm, BBC America) - Bel is shaken by news of a source's murder and tries to stop the team's pursuit of corrupt Cilenti.

Ghost Hunters (9pm, Syfy) - The Friars Club in New York City is investigated.

Hot in Cleveland (10pm, TV Land) - Marnie gets flirting lessons from Elka on a trip to the vet, and Victoria discusses second chances in life in an interview with her daughter.

Top Chef (10pm, Bravo) - The chefs harvest oysters and then prepare them for judge Emeril Lagasse. Later, they serve up fare for a Seattle sports team, and host Padma Lakshmi makes an appearance on roller skates.

The X-Factor (8pm, Fox) - Season 2 begins with new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato joining Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid for an evening of auditions.

Ghost Hunters (9pm, Syfy) - The TAPS crew investigate a camp in Georgia and a haunted home in Marion, N.C.

Royal Pains (9pm, USA) - Boris calls on Hank again to travel the globe to help Dmitry. Meanwhile, Hank and Harper grow closer and Paige continues to navigate the fallout from the revelation of a family secret.

Guys with Kids (10pm, NBC) - A new comedy about three dads in their thirties opens with Chris needing to find a babysitter so he can attend a basketball game without his ex-wife finding out.

Top Chef Masters (10pm, Bravo) - The chefs participate in an underground dining event by creating an epic picnic-style meal.

Family Guns (10pm, National Geographic Channel) - A new reality series documenting the daily life at New Jersey's International Military Antiques, a family-run supplier of military collectibles. In tonight's opener, IMA manager clashes with his father over what to do with their most valuable pieces. Elsewhere, staffers risk their jobs by making unauthorized purchases of two rare, mint-conditioned World War II sniper rifles.

Democratic National Convention - The Democrats get to business in Charlotte. Just like the Republican party in Tampa, the wall-to-wall coverage will be online and on cable news channels. The broadcast networks start coverage at 10 p.m. -- except for NBC, which will air the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants football game. They'll make up the extra hour tomorrow night. PBS (UNC-TV locally) has coverage starting at 8 p.m. The highlight of the night will be a speech from former President Bill Clinton. Here's the full rundown of what the networks and cable outlets have planned.  
 
Ghost Hunters (9pm,  Syfy) - After a break, "Ghost Hunters" resumes its eighth season with a trip to Charleston's Old City Jail (left), where America's first female serial killer, Lavinia Fisher, spent her last few days before her execution in 1820. Fisher and her husband John owned a hotel in Charleston and they allegedly murdered lots of their guests (I say allegedly because she was executed for highway robbery ... and yes, I just read her chilling Wikipedia page). 

America's Lost Treasures (10pm, National Geographic Channel) - The first season concludes in Santa Ana, California, where the hosts examine stone bowls that are possibly prehistoric, and a sword and pistol that once belonged to a 19th-century sea captain.

Top Chef Masters (10pm, Bravo) - The chefs step into the boxing ring for tonight's culinary matches. Former boxer Sugar Ray Leonard is the guest judge.

The Soul Man (10pm, TV Land) - In the first season finale, a storm causes a blackout that coincides with the arrival of Barton's estranged wife, and Boyce tries to play peacemaker between her and his father.

The Exes (10:30pm, TV Land) - In the Season 2 finale, Eden goes into labor when the gang crashes a party on a yacht that belongs to Phil's boss.

Photo by Drew Castelhano (which you can buy!)

One Tree Hill (8pm, CW) - A new cafe in town gives Haley unexpected competition. Also, Chase's new girlfriend has a puzzling secret.

NC State at Boston College (8pm, WRAL) - The only CBS programming you'll miss because of this is a special about Super Bowl commercials and a repeat of "Criminal Minds." If you really want to see those, you know the drill.

Ghost Hunters (9pm, Syfy) - Jason and Grant investigate a Tennessee bed and breakfast, where there are reports of shadowy figures and images of a little girl.

Top Chef: Texas (10pm, Bravo) - The chefs make pancakes for Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens with Padma Lakshmi at right) and later hit the streets of San Antonio on bikes to gather ingredients for Pee-wee's big dinner party.

Royal Pains (10pm, USA) - Dr. Van Dyke fills in for Hank while he's sideline with back problems. Elsewhere, Divya and Jill come to the aid of a thief who robbed them, and Jack starts a clinical trial that yields disappointing results.

Hot in Cleveland (10pm, TV Land) - Victoria's enemy Susan Lucci comes looking for support after the cancellation of "All My Children," but Victoria warns her friends that the soap star is not to be trusted. Also, Elka (SAG Award winner Betty White) talks hoops with Baron Davis of the Cleveland Caveliers.

American Idol (8pm, Fox) - Tune in to see if Garner's Scotty McCreery learns the words to this week's song.

America's Next Top Model (8pm, CW) - The 16th season begins. That's about all there is to say about that.

Ghost Hunters (9pm, Syfy) - In the Season 7 premiere,  the TAPS gang looks for the ghost of a hotel owner and also probes a tavern and restaurant in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Shedding for the Wedding (9pm, CW) - The premiere of a new reality show in which nine couples lose weight while competing for a dream wedding.

Modern Family (9pm, ABC) - Jay and Gloria sort things out when a big fight between Claire and Phil has Phil in the dark about the reason for the fight. Also, Jay buys Gloria a karaoke machine and Cameron asks Mitchell and Luke for help with an important fundraiser.

Venom: Nature's Killer (9pm, UNC-TV) - This episode of Nova chronicles the efforts of two venom scientists to collect samples from the world's deadliest species before the creatures die off in order to study to the natural poisons, which could provide the building blocks for a new wave of advanced medicines.

Justified (10pm, FX) - A church bus containing a shipment of painkillers is hijacked, and Boyd is considered the likely suspect. Roots-rock singer Dave Alvin performs in a sequence at a roadhouse, where Raylan is having a tryst with Winona.

Law & Order: SVU (10pm, NBC) - An art patron (LuAnn de Lesseps, aka The Countess from "Real Housewives of New York") finds a body, and when detectives question the murdered young woman's good friend and associates, they uncover an antagonistic work environment filled with grown-up bullies.

Top Chef All-Stars (10pm, Bravo) - The remaining chefs break out the deep fryers and tubs of butter to impress guest judge Paula Deen.

NOTE: WRAL will air the State vs. Carolina basketball game tonight at 9pm, so if you want to see the two "Criminal Minds" shows, you'll need to set your recorder to start after the "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" ends, or go online tomorrow. 

MasterChef (8pm, Fox) - Oh so trendy. The contestants are asked to make a single cupcake, which proves to be harder than it sounds. Then guest Cat Cora takes them to a truck stop for a team challenge.

Ghost Hunters (9pm, Syfy) - New episodes are back. The team investigates the Otesaga Resort in Cooperstown, NY. Read what a true fan thinks of tonight's Season 6 premiere.

Top Chef: Washington, DC (10pm, Bravo) - The six remaining chefs take over two concession stands at the Washington Nationals baseball park to create snacks that add a "high end culinary quality" to ballpark fare. Haughty Angelo started strong but Tiffany (right) is my favorite. I think it's Tiffany and Kevin (or Ed?) in the finale. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Tonight, baseball players Adam Dunn, Matt Capps, and John Lannan make appearances. The guest judge is chef Rick Moonen.

Psych (10pm, USA) - Shawn and Gus help a guard round up escaped inmates on a ferry boat en route to the Channel Islands. 

Criss Angel: Mindfreak (10pm, A&E) - Criss tries to break the Guiness World Record for the most people to "vanish" in one place. People are picked at random and shackled together.

Since I've been cynical about the Syfy show "Ghost Hunters" in the past, I knew I wasn't the right person to objectively review the Season 6 premiere. So instead of watching it and complaining about how lame I think it is, I decided to give a true TAPS fan equal time, and offered the advance dvd of tonight's show to the biggest "Ghost Hunters" fan I know, my mother.

Her thoughts on the show follow. There may be some spoilers so don't keep reading if you don't already think every episode isn't exactly the same.