Fish-out-of-water comedy meets contemporary American anxieties in the new comedy “Aliens in America” (7:30 p.m., CW). Justin Tolchuck (Dan Byrd), a socially awkward 16-year-old, finds his life changed when his family takes in foreign-exchange student Raja Musharaff (Adhir Kalyan) from a remote Muslim village in Pakistan.

In some of the show’s sweeter moments, Justin and Raja become instant buddies, bonding over soccer and engaging in endless bull sessions about girls and stuff. Raja’s warmth, emotional honesty and self-possessed confidence in his own faith and character stand as a strange affront to a teenage scene shot through with mindless consumerism, angry xenophobia, grotesque cruelty and a savagely enforced pecking order.

It seems that the writers of “Aliens” have given Raja all of the noble human qualities and bestowed Justin with all of the funny neuroses and portray everybody else as either witless or monstrously selfish.

Justin’s mother, Franny (Amy Pietz), and sister, Claire (Lindsey Shaw), come off as gruesomely callous shopaholic social climbers. Franny’s sole purpose in hosting a foreign-exchange student was to make Justin seem more normal. And when her new accessory comes in an unpopular flavor, she’s predisposed to send Raja back. Claire, we’re told, grew a pair of breasts while at summer camp and returns to her high school with the singular goal of climbing the social ladder.

“Aliens” has some lighter touches. Justin’s dad, Gary (Scott Patterson, “Gilmore Girls”), is a benign if cheap authority figure. He’s delighted by the stipend provided by the foreign-exchange agency and excited to have a teen around who is eager to do chores and mind his manners.

Tonight’s season premieres

¢ Chris gets sent to the guidance counselor (Chris Rock) on “Everybody Hates Chris” (7 p.m., CW).

¢ Aaron faces deployment on “Girlfriends” (8 p.m., CW).

¢ Monique appears on “The Game” (8:30 p.m., CW).

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Michael makes desperate attempts to reach Sara on “Prison Break” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ Chuck can’t tell the good “handler” from the bad on “Chuck” (7 p.m., NBC).

¢ A violent endgame for troops and civilians in Europe and in the Pacific on “The War” (7 p.m., PBS, check local listings).

¢ A sinister force claims a victim on “Heroes” (8 p.m., NBC).

¢ “Super Animals” (8 p.m., Science) continues with “Super Worm.”