Has too much celebration, food and football lulled you into New Year’s lethargy? Time for “Action!” (9 p.m., AMC). This hour-long celebration of the fast-paced movie genre offers a nonstop onslaught of explosions, chase scenes and one-liners from such popcorn fare as “The Terminator,” “Die Hard,” “Speed,” “Armageddon,” “Jurassic Park,” “The Mummy” and many more.

“Action!” includes interviews and commentary from many major stars of the genre, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keanu Reeves and John Travolta, who praises Hong Kong director John Woo for bringing a new “poetry” to thrillers. Woo explains that he directs his films as if they were musicals.

Narrated by Michael Madsen, “Action!” is quite frank about the fact that many contemporary thrillers have received rotten reviews and critical lambasting for their comic-book plots and rudimentary dialogue. But the experts interviewed here allege that critics don’t quite know what to make of a genre that transcends scripts and speaks to an international audience through the “universal language” of hyperviolence. I guess I have to side with the critics here. After all, what good is a universal language that has nothing intelligent to say?

• The half-hour documentary “Through a Child’s Eyes: September 11, 2001” (6:30 p.m., HBO) presents a collage of interviews with children, aged two to 11, who try to make sense of a world that includes violence, terrorism and war. Their words range from the simple to the profound. A seven-year-old girl who lost her father offers this advice to the kids whose parents died on Sept. 11: “It’s always going to be hard … it’s like a mountain of sadness that gets smaller and smaller until it’s just a little bump.”

Produced by the creative team behind the HBO productions of “Goodnight Moon” and “‘Twas the Night,” this film also includes music by John Lennon and The Byrds and features a brief clip of “The House I Live In,” Frank Sinatra’s Oscar-winning 1945 short film celebrating America’s strength and diversity.

• Viewers in search of the sentimental could do worse than the 2001 romance “The Wedding Dress” (8 p.m., CBS). “Dress” presents five intersecting love stories. Each couple finds their lives transformed when they come in contact with the same old-fashioned handmade wedding gown. Neil Patrick Harris stars as a photographer too blind to notice that his pretty assistant (Kathryne Dora Brown) is in love with him. Through mishaps of thievery, chance and mislabeled express mail packages, the dress also touches the love lives of characters played by Margaret Colin and Tyne Daly. Daly, who is Kathryne Dora Brown’s real-life mother, plays her mom in this television romance.

Tonight’s other highlights

• HGTV presents uninterrupted coverage of the 114th Tournament of Roses parade live from Pasadena, Calif., beginning at 10 a.m. The parade will be rebroadcast at 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
• Oklahoma and Washington State meet in the Rose Bowl (3:30 p.m., ABC).
• Repeat reports scheduled on “60 Minutes II” (7 p.m., CBS): orphans from Sudan adjust to life in America; on tour with the Rolling Stones.
• Bernie fears losing his baby girl on “The Bernie Mac Show” (7 p.m., Fox).
• Walter Cronkite hosts “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2003” on “Great Performances” (7 p.m., PBS), featuring the music of Bach, Brahms, Weber and Berlioz.
• Georgia and Florida State meet in the Sugar Bowl (7:30 p.m., ABC).
• Bartlet wants a bold State of the Union address on “The West Wing” (8 p.m., NBC).
• Religion may have inspired a murder “Law & Order” (9 p.m., NBC).

Series notes

Ed is miserable on Carol’s big day on “Ed” (7 p.m., NBC) … A port of call seems too hospitable on “Enterprise” (7 p.m., UPN) … Dawson and Joey face an awkward morning after on “Dawson’s Creek” (7 p.m., WB).

Deaq’s ex can’t leave the bad life behind on “Fastlane” (8 p.m., Fox) … A man gains special powers after being struck by lightning on “The Twilight Zone” (8 p.m., UPN) … Quinn hires a mutant to target cops on “Birds of Prey” (8 p.m., WB).

Late night

Nia Vardalos and Barry Sonnenfeld appear on “Late Show with David Letterman” (10:35 p.m., CBS) … Jay Leno hosts Brendan Fraser, Wanda Sykes and Dane Cook on “The Tonight Show” (10:35 p.m., NBC) … Brian Williams and Marc Maron are scheduled on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Leah Remini and Donald Faison appear on “The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn” (11:37 p.m., CBS).