Starz!, 9:00 p.m. ET
This is the TV premiere of the newest reboot of this durable Marvel Comics superhero – portrayed, in this 2012 version, by Andrew Garfield. This movie goes back to the comic’s very origins, with early villain The Lizard (Rhys Ifans), with blonde girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), and with Peter Parker’s elder guardians, Aunt May and Uncle Ben – played by acting heavyweights Sally Field and Martin Sheen.
Encore, 9:35 p.m. ET
Carl Reiner directed this 1979 comedy with equal emphasis on sight gags and witty dialogue – typical of the man who learned his craft on Your Show of Shows and stretched it on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Steve Martin, in the title role, commits totally to the silliness of the concept, and it works, generating scenes you won’t soon (or ever) forget. “The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here!”
Cinemax, 10:00 p.m. ET
Long before Matt Damon temporarily forgot about his lethal combat skills in The Bourne Identity, Geena Davis did the same thing in this 1996 action movie, which pairs her with Samuel L. Jackson in this tale of a suburban mom who slowly but surely recovers her memory as a top secret agent – at the same time her old adversaries are discovering her fate, and her whereabouts. Watch it for its clever premise, its action sequences, and one torture scene that is a frighteningly early cinematic use of the basic techniques of waterboarding.
Science Channel, 10:00 p.m. ET
This third season of An Idiot Abroad ended way too quickly, after only three episodes. Series creator Ricky Gervais apparently thought so, too, so serves up this after-the-fact special, cobbled together from outtakes and subsequent interviews. But whatever Gervais cobbles together, especially when it involves reluctant traveler Karl Pilkington (pictured), I’m happy to watch.
NBC, 11:29 p.m. ET
Tonight’s new episode features Kevin Hart as guest host, and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are musical guests. If you know all those names, this installment’s for you, especially.