On television, hardly anybody works. Police, lawyers and doctors go about their noble professions, but everybody else appears to be lollygagging. Situation comedies portray reality as one long vacation. Roseanne was the last sitcom character who ever seemed to worry about making ends meet. Nobody on “Friends” even knows what Chandler does for a living.

Hard work gets a measure of respect on “Into the Death Zone: Skywalkers” (9 p.m., Discovery). This one-hour film explores the dangerous world of the ironworkers who construct skyscrapers. Don’t even think of watching this if you have a fear of heights.

The filmmakers rigged their cameras to show how these people make their way across 5-inch-wide steel beams at vertigo-inducing heights.

Every year, more than 1,000 construction workers die, and the death rate among ironworkers is the industry’s highest. One missed step can send a worker falling at “terminal velocity” approximately 120 miles per hour to certain death.

In addition to these risks, ironworkers face the challenge of hoisting, fitting and welding hundreds of steel beams each weighing tons every day.

The “reality” series “Who Needs Hollywood?” (6 p.m., Oxygen) scours the town of Darien, Ga., for local talent. After discovering a barbershop quartet, a Scottish bag-piper and an outgoing produce man from the Piggly Wiggly supermarket, a talent agency has three days to put on a variety show with this new ensemble company.

Frankie Muniz, star of “Malcolm in the Middle,” appears as himself on the kid comedy “Lizzie Mcguire” (6:30 p.m., Disney). Lizzie’s world is upended when the TV star asks her out on a date. While Muniz tries to explain how he’s just a regular kid, he and Lizzie are beset by screaming fans.

Tonight’s other highlights

Scheduled on “48 Hours” (7 p.m., CBS): the residents of Middletown, N.J., reflect on changes since Sept. 11, 2001. A second “48 Hours” (9 p.m.) looks at Oxycontin addiction.

Scheduled on “Dateline” (7 p.m., NBC): a look back at Hurricane Andrew. The 1992 storm is considered the most costly natural disaster in U.S. history.

Philadelphia takes on Baltimore in NFL preseason action (7 p.m., Fox). Joe Buck provides play-by-play commentary with analysts Cris Collinsworth and Troy Aikman.

An earthquake levels Los Angeles in the 2000 thriller “Epicenter” (7 p.m., UPN).

Series notes

All are repeats Tom Bergeron is host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (7 p.m., ABC) On back-to-back episodes of “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” (WB), Aunt Irma (Barbara Eden) returns (7 p.m.), Hilda marries (7:30 p.m.).

A casino big shot is found dead on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS) On back-to-back episodes of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC), a child escapes her abductor (8 p.m.); a bereaved widower (Henry Winkler) may have kept secrets from his murdered wife (9 p.m.).

Drew Carey is host for back-to-back episodes of “Whose Line is it Anyway” (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., ABC) Matt teaches sex education on “Raising Dad” (8:30 p.m., WB).

Late night

Elizabeth Hurley, Brian Wilson and Tom Ryan appear on “Late Show with David Letterman” (10:35 p.m., CBS) Jay Leno welcomes Will Smith, Roger Ebert, Richard Roeper and Papa Roach on “The Tonight Show” (10:35 p.m., NBC).

Tom Arnold, Roger Ebert and Doris Wishman chat on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (11:35 p.m., NBC) Connie Nielsen, Rachel Roberts and Beth Orton appear on “The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn” (11:37 p.m., CBS).