Thursday nights are getting ugly, and ABC wouldn’t have it any other way. Last week, the network announced that “Ugly Betty” (7 p.m., ABC) had been picked up for a full season. It debuted to strong ratings and has been running even with reality veteran “Survivor.” Like “Jericho” on CBS, the success of “Ugly” does not depend on a strong lead-in show. In fact, “Ugly” has helped build an audience for “Grey’s Anatomy,” a show that has beaten “CSI” to become the most popular series on television’s most-watched evening. ABC has not dominated Thursday nights for decades.

All is not rosy for ABC, however. “Six Degrees” is losing a huge percentage of its “Grey’s Anatomy” audience and has to be considered a failure. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know where viewers are going. NBC’s “ER” has shown a healthy resurgence this season. It seems logical that “Grey” fans are changing channels at 10 p.m. and migrating from the McDreamy melodrama to the guts and gurneys action on “ER.”

¢ “After Innocence” (7:30 p.m., Showtime) profiles seven men who were released after being exonerated by DNA evidence. Some had served years, even decades, in prison for crimes they didn’t commit. Like winners of a strange lottery, some of these men have a harder time adjusting than others.

“After” also celebrates the legal work of the Innocence Project, founded by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld. It’s a difficult job getting a convicted prisoner’s case reopened. And the Innocence Project depends on law students and the volunteer work of professional lawyers to cut through red tape.

In the case of one defendant, the state of Florida refused to reopen his case even after the Innocence Project had produced a DNA test proving his innocence. He had to spend an additional six years in prison just fighting for the right to produce the evidence in court. He was released in 2004 and is also seeking legal action against the state.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Jeff Probst hosts “Survivor: Cook Islands” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ Earl sets out to right a rock-and-roll wrong on “My Name is Earl” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ Dwight hazes Ryan on their first joint sales call on “The Office” (7:30 p.m., NBC).

¢ A church becomes a crime scene on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ A young mother suffers from breast cancer on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC).

¢ A star college quarterback is sacked by rape allegations on “Shark” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Forest Whitaker guest stars as a litigious former patient on “ER” (9 p.m., NBC).

¢ Mae plans another flight on “Six Degrees” (9 p.m., ABC).