Someone at the USA network is obsessed with the subject of spies on a budget. Last November, they broadcast the funny movie “Underfunded,” about Canadian secret agents operating on the cheap. Now they present “Burn Notice” (9 p.m., USA), a whimsical action series about secret agent Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan), who finds himself cut off from the CIA’s cookie jar in the middle of a transaction with a violent Nigerian warlord.

Determined to learn why he’s been fired, and to return to the good graces, or at least onto the expense account, of The Company, Michael returns to his hometown of Miami. There, he can cut his losses, contact some friends and earn some quick dough. But that also means running into his beautiful ex, Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), and his nagging mother (Sharon Gless).

Michael’s money problems force him to work freelance at the least glamorous jobs, and this requires him to practice his spy craft using some seriously low-tech gadgets. Michael takes us through his steps with a sarcastic voiceover. He’s not exactly MacGyver, but he makes do.

In the debut, he fashions a listening device out of a throwaway mobile phone. Why use a million-dollar weapon when a little duct tape will do? Bruce Campbell (“Army of Darkness”) guest stars as Sam, an old CIA pal now retired and reduced to living off rich ladies. You’re never sure whether Sam is helping Michael evade the FBI agents always on his tail or whether he is actually part of the FBI tail. And that’s half the fun of this summer series.

¢ “Engineering the Impossible” (7 p.m., National Geographic) looks at the story behind the construction of Chartres Cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. “Engineering” looks at the violent political backstabbing that took place behind the scenes and the enormous costs of creating this enduring monument to faith and engineering.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ The NBA draft unfolds (6 p.m., ESPN).

¢ Earl regrets his treatment of an exchange student on “My Name is Earl” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ Betty misplaces the all-important “book” on “Ugly Betty” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ On three episodes of “The Office” (NBC), Jim and Pam officiate an office Olympics (7:30 p.m.), it happened on Lake Wallenpaupack (8 p.m.), Jim worries about Michael’s confidentiality (8:30 p.m.)

¢ Catherine and Nick go on a road trip in search of a killer on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ Two more contestants dance into the wings on “So You Think You Can Dance” (8 p.m., Fox).

¢ The subject of a free clinic comes up on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC).

¢ Sebastian worries about jury reaction when the head of a women’s shelter admits to killing a porn producer on “Shark” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Verbose characters take themselves very seriously on “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” (9 p.m., NBC).

¢ An “expert” (Anne Heche) on love finds herself stranded in Alaska on the repeat pilot episode of “Men in Trees” (9 p.m., ABC).

¢ Paula Abdul, the “nice” “American Idol” judge, gets her own reality show, “Hey Paula” (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Bravo).