As long as there have been troubled high schools, surly and confused students and idealistic teachers who “give a damn,” there have been movies and TV shows about them. “Blackboard Jungle,” “To Sir With Love” and “Boston Public” come to mind. And now we have “Waterloo Road” (8 p.m., BBC America).

How tough is this school? The daft headmaster quits in the opening moments. He doesn’t just retire, but goes out in a crazy blaze of ignominious shame, ranting on the school roof and tossing school records like so much confetti to the gleeful jeer of unruly students.

Into this maelstrom walks Andrew (Jamie Glover), a veteran of posh private academies who takes the impossible job of vice principal. He wants to rattle cages and challenge the kids with a zero-tolerance policy toward violence and disruptive behavior while challenging them to greater academic achievement. His beleaguered and bureaucratic colleagues consider his approach idealistic rubbish. But he perseveres.

A nice mix of idealism, soap opera and gritty realism, “Waterloo Road” was written by Ann McManus (“Footballers’ Wives”), who spent five years teaching in some of Glasgow’s toughest public schools.

¢ The voting has begun on “So You Think You Can Dance” (8 p.m., Fox). The three couples receiving the lowest number of votes are revealed tonight. All six members of these pairs will perform solo for the judges, and, by the end of the show, one man and one woman will be given the boot.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Ricki Lake hosts “Gameshow Marathon” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ Parents of multiple births share their stories on “Surviving Sextuplets and Twins” (7 p.m., Discovery Health).

¢ Julius wants some time to himself on “Everybody Hates Chris” (7 p.m., UPN).

¢ A defendant’s sister’s testimony throws a trial into turmoil on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ A tank of gas for a sad case on “My Name is Earl” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ Michael plays Big Brother on “The Office” (7:30 p.m., NBC).

¢ Scheduled on “Dateline” (8 p.m., NBC): an interview with Britney Spears.

¢ Miami hosts Dallas in game four of the NBA finals (8 p.m., ABC).

¢ A missing woman suffers from amnesia on “Without a Trace” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ An impetuous shopping spree proves stressful on “Windfall” (9 p.m., NBC).