Watch enough television and you begin to see the comedy and absurdity in everything. The documentary “A Man Among Wolves” (8 p.m., National Geographic) is deadly earnest and oddly fascinating. Or is it just fascinatingly odd?

Australian-born naturalist Shaun Ellis has dedicated his life to an up-close and personal study of the wolf. Not content to observe them from afar, he “adopted” a pack that was abandoned by its mother and has lived with them as the alpha male of the litter. He’s taught them to fish, hunt and play.

But a human alpha wolf also has to learn to growl, howl and eat with his boys. So Shaun’s not above snacking from a deer carcass with his hirsute family. This all gets a tad complicated as the pups grow to adulthood and begin to challenge him for top-dog status. Look for plenty of scenes of Shaun getting feral, bearing his teeth and snarling back at dinnertime. But Shaun’s not all discipline and dominance. He’s not above sharing a little regurgitated deer lung with his boys – provided that they lick it out of his mouth.

Are you surprised that Ellis’ wife left him soon after he became the leader of the pack?

Tales of men living among the wolves are hardly new. In the movie “Clash of the Wolves” (7 p.m., TCM), Charles Farrell stars as a man who tames, heels and befriends a wounded wolf. It’s a silent feature from 1925.

¢ Jeff Foxworthy hosts the 2007 CMT Music Awards (7 p.m., CMT), featuring performances by Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Martina McBride. Kris Kristofferson will receive the Johnny Cash Visionary Award.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Alex is detained on “Drive” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ “Antiques Roadshow” (7 p.m., PBS) evaluates treasures in Salt Lake City.

¢ Improvisational sketches on “Thank God You’re Here” (9 p.m., NBC).

¢ Unforeseen circumstances shift the focus of the CTU on “24” (8 p.m., Fox.

¢ Oprah Winfrey appears on “Larry King Live” (8 p.m., CNN), the beginning of a weeklong salute to King’s 50 years behind the microphone.

¢ Treat Williams stars in the 2007 drama “The Staircase Murders” (8 p.m., Lifetime), based on a well-documented case.

¢ “The Bachelor” (8:30 p.m., ABC) puts the ladies through boot camp.

¢ Therapy can be a killer on “CSI: Miami” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ An alligator and its aftermath on “The Riches” (9 p.m., FX).

¢ John Waters hosts “‘Til Death Do Us Part” (9 p.m., Court).

¢ “REAL Sports With Bryant Gumbel” (9 p.m., HBO) revisits an effort to market affordable athletic shoes.