An inspired, if greasy, combination of “The Muppets” and “Beavis and Butt-head,” the new puppet comedy “Mr. Meaty” (7:30 p.m., Nickelodeon) has the potential to be the choice, if not the voice, of a new generation of tweens and teens.

On the other hand, some viewers may find “Mr. Meaty” too gross and weird to enjoy. That’s their loss. Fifty years ago, the same kids would have preferred “True Romance” comics to “Mad Magazine.” There’s no accounting for taste.

Set in a fast-food restaurant in a mall, “Mr. Meaty” revolves around the antics and halting conversations between teens Parker and Josh. Best friends forever and united by their shared interest in sci-fi films, they hope to save enough of their minimum-wage incomes to produce their own movie, “Ninja Zombies.”

The brazen, awkward ugliness of Parker, Josh and everybody in “Mr. Meaty” should appeal to those who have tired of the sunny, saccharine prettiness of characters in live-action teen shows like “Hannah Montana” and “Zack and Cody.” It’s not easy capturing the awkward truths about adolescence. Sometimes it takes a puppet.

¢ With the possible exception of the disembodied voice of Charlie on “Charlie’s Angels,” nobody has worked with more knockout law enforcement officers than DA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) on “Law & Order” (9 p.m., NBC). Melina Govich joins the cast as detective Nina Cassady as the drama enters its 17th season.

Tonight’s plot features another ripped-from-the-tabloids story. A slack-jawed young singer prone to dropping her newborn in front of hordes of photographers finds her pampered playpen upset when her pathetic rapper-wannabe husband is accused of taking their war with paparazzi to homicidal heights.

We’re told early on that any resemblance between these characters and real celebrities is strictly coincidental. Boy, that’s a relief.

Series premieres

¢ A friend’s fate hangs in the balance as Melinda’s stalker flies to see her on “Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m., CBS). Jay Mohr appears as recurring character professor Rick Payne.

¢ Annabeth gets a high-profile case on “Close to Home” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ A teacher and her teen lover go on a crime spree on “Numb3rs” (9 p.m., CBS).

Other highlights

¢ Scheduled on “Dateline” (8 p.m., NBC): Twenty creeps fall for an Internet sting.

¢ Scheduled on “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC): an interview with Bill O’Reilly, a profile of Rachael Ray, the methadone plague.