“Secrets of the Dead” (7 p.m., PBS, check local listings) presents “Battle for the Bible,” recalling efforts to translate the Bible into English and the role of the good book in the spread of democracy in the English-speaking world.

“Secrets” employs dramatic re-enactments to show how the Roman Catholic Church in England tried in vain to ban vernacular versions of the Bible and consigned books, translators and readers to the flames in its efforts to maintain a monopoly on religious instruction.

“Battle” puts special emphasis on the poetry and power of the evolving English Bibles that culminates in what we know as the King James Bible and argues that this book stands with Shakespeare as an expression of the full flowering of the language.

It also argues that as numerous Protestant denominations rejected the pomp and pageantry of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, the language of the King James Bible became the sole aesthetic experience for their congregations. And for many, the word was enough.

¢ Class acts and crass acts: On last week’s “American Idol” (8 p.m., Fox), Melinda Doolittle simply sat down on the stage rather than be forced to choose which of her contestants deserved to be in the top or bottom three. This was a nice gesture of solidarity with her colleagues and a way of saying, “I’m a singer, not a judge.”

And now to the crass: Bill O’Reilly. Miffed when Joanne Ostrow, a TV critic for the Denver Post, panned his choreographed shouting match with Geraldo Rivera, O’Reilly demanded that she “debate” him on “The Factor” (7 p.m., Fox News). When Ostrow said her prose and her column spoke for itself, O’Reilly dispatched a TV crew to Denver and harassed her outside of a local supermarket.

Wow, Bill. You used to lecture popes and presidents. Now you’re stalking TV critics? Why don’t you pick on someone your own size? Come on, Bill. Anytime. We’re both Irish Catholics of a certain age. We can bash each other using just the chips on our shoulders!

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Thieves in the salt mine on “Jericho” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ Jordan returns to work before recuperating fully on “Crossing Jordan” (8 p.m., NBC).

¢ “Mythbusters” (8 p.m., Discovery) debunks the legends of ninjas.

¢ On two episodes of “Lost” (ABC), a jungle trek and Desmond’s premonition (8 p.m.), Sun’s pregnancy scare (9 p.m.).

¢ Mac second-guesses a key arrest on “CSI: NY” (9 p.m., CBS).