ABC continues its summer of documentary programming with “ICU: Arkansas Children’s Hospital,” a four-part series that will air on Wednesdays (9 p.m., ABC). I am beginning to feel a little manipulated by medical “reality” programming. It’s one thing to find my heart racing in the middle of an “ER” episode, but it is quite a different experience to follow the drama of a real life-and-death medical emergency. These aren’t highly paid actors who are suffering, crying, and even dying. I often feel like a voyeur while watching these traumas.

All that said, “ICU” does a credible job of introducing some remarkable individuals, most notably Dr. Jonathan Drummond-Webb, the hospital’s chief cardiac surgeon. A native of South Africa, Drummond-Webb has a type A-plus personality. When he isn’t saving children’s lives, he trains for triathlons. So does his colleague, Dr. Anji Yetman. It doesn’t take a psychologist to see that these doctors aren’t doing this for their figures. At least they feel in control when they are competing. Things are far less certain when they’re awaiting a donor heart for one of their very young cardiac patients.

When not following the doctors on their frantic rounds (made to seem all the more frenetic with the use of split screens and multiple images), “ICU” makes the most of the staff’s melodramas. Yetman finds herself falling in love with another doctor. Another cardiologist finds himself torn between his workaholic lifestyle and his duties as a single father, and the hospital’s superstar, Drummond-Webb, suffers a health scare of his own.

But the real “stars” of “ICU” are the ailing children. Some survive and some don’t. And that’s what makes me feel most uncomfortable about the series, and this new invasive television genre.

A Chinese police officer with remarkable martial arts skills joins forces with swaggering American cops to crack down on the bad guys. Sound familiar? The “Rush Hour” formula gets a gender-bending renovation in the television action movie “Red Skies” (7 p.m., USA). Only this time, Vivian Wu plays the shapely Asian female agent Li. She’s much better looking than Jackie Chan. FBI agents arrest her and then enlist her help when they discover that her real target is the stereotypically cruel and evil gang lord Zhao Lo (Roger Yuan). He’s the meanest bald bad guy since Superman dueled Lex Luthor. And he’s half as realistic. “Red Skies” is produced by John Woo and Terence Chang (“Mission Impossible II”).

The series “American Justice” (8 p.m., A&E) celebrates its 10 anniversary with a glance back at controversial trials that call into question the jury system.

Tonight’s other highlights

Brad Renfro and Dominique Swain star in the 2001 camp counselor romp “Happy Campers” (7 p.m., WB).

An open microphone picks up Bartlet bashing his potential rival on “The West Wing” (8 p.m., NBC).

One more elimination on “American Idol” (8:30 p.m., Fox).

An anti-corporate activist is found slain in Manhattan’s meatpacking district on “Law & Order” (9 p.m., NBC).

Cult choice

In the 1966 drama “The Sand Pebbles” (9 p.m., AMC), Steve McQueen stars as a sailor on an American gunboat trying to remain neutral during a 1926 Chinese uprising. The film was directed by Robert Wise and co-stars a young Candice Bergen.

Series notes

All are repeats … Three guys spend time with the Reeves family on “Meet My Folks” (7 p.m., NBC) … Amateur acts grovel on “30 Seconds to Fame” (7 p.m., Fox) … On back-to-back episodes of “My Wife and Kids” (ABC), under surveillance (7 p.m.), Jr. is a genius (7:30 p.m.) … On back-to-back episodes of “Enterprise” (UPN), T’Pol develops a human imagination (7 p.m.), and Rogue aliens use an uncharted planet as a hunting preserve (8 p.m.).