Black’s dark humor not too funny on HBO

Obscenities aren’t what they used to be. As they have grown more common, dirty words have largely lost their power to shock, anger and amuse. In the comedy special “Lewis Black: Black on Broadway” (9 p.m. today, HBO), the “Daily Show” comic employs a steady stream of foul language to amplify his consistently apoplectic attitude. When subjects as different as the federal deficit and bottled water receive the same savage treatment, the effect is wearying and largely laughless. Black’s two-minute tirades on “The Daily Show” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” can be jolting and amusing, but a solid hour of outrage is as tiresome as being on the receiving end of a barroom harangue.

  • If “Friends” received a ridiculous amount of farewell hype, the legal soap opera “The Practice” (9 p.m., ABC) gets the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out” treatment. In ABC’s lengthy press release for its May sweeps offerings, the last episode of this once-popular David E. Kelley drama got exactly one sentence. Former series star Dylan McDermott shows up to help turn out the lights and shut the door.

Tonight’s other highlights

  • Scheduled on “48 Hours Investigates” (7 p.m., CBS): the murder of a rising singing sensation.
  • The late Richard Harris appears in the 2001 adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s fable “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (7 p.m., ABC).
  • John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Don Cheadle star in the 2001 spy drama “Swordfish” (8 p.m., CBS).
  • Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen are hosts of the season finale of “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m., NBC), featuring musical guest J-Kwon.

Sunday’s other highlights

  • Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): America’s Arabic-language TV channel; France’s Muslim community; a profile of Placido Domingo.
  • Regis Philbin is host of “Super Millionaire” (8 p.m., ABC).
  • “Small Place, Big Style” (8 p.m., HGTV) features a team of designers who show how to make the most out of tiny rooms and studio apartments, and how to do it with style.
  • Jane admits to killing her attacker o n “Crossing Jordan” (9 p.m., NBC).