“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., FX) enters its third season. “Sunny” makes the most of its arrested development. Its cranky misanthropy and “can-you-top-this” gross-out scenarios have the dank aroma of an all-night poker game between aging fraternity brothers.

While strenuous in its attempts to shock, “Sunny” is, at its core, an old-fashioned sitcom. Its tavern setting is the perfect stage for its curdled “Cheers” atmosphere. It’s a place where everybody knows your name and your business a tad too well.

The third season opener pushes a record number of hot-button topics in a 22-minute episode. Dennis (Glenn Howerton) discovers global warming and tries to become a tree-hugger until more dedicated activists snub him. Mac (Rob McElhenney) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) find a baby in a Dumpster and try to raise it, just for fun. Inspired by Dennis, Frank (Danny DeVito) and Charlie (Charlie Day) embrace recycling to a fault and become crazed garbage pickers who spend their days wearing filthy clothes, sleeping in Dumpsters and on the streets after they fill up their dank apartment with their hoard. And if lampooning environmental activism, abandoned babies and the homeless were not enough, a subplot about abortion emerges and is handled with a blunt brutality.

But for all of its studied tastelessness, “Sunny” never strives for satire, and it never approaches the scabrous if thought-provoking abrasion that is “South Park.” But even nonfans of “Sunny” have to admire the zest that Danny DeVito brings to his character. You get the sense he will do anything for a gag. After climbing an Everest of garbage in tonight’s first episode, he has a moment in the second (9:30 p.m.) that may remind some of “Train Spotting.” I’ll say no more.

¢ Believe it or not, director-producer Norman Jewison isn’t Jewish. Who knew? The man behind “Moonstruck” (8 p.m., TCM) and “The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!” (12:45 a.m., TCM) reviews his career in movies (and in early live television) with Robert Osborne on “Private Screenings” (7 p.m., TCM).

The Canadian-born filmmaker recalls working with actors including Steve McQueen, Rod Steiger and Denzel Washington.

Apparently, Jewison has been explaining his non-Jewish roots for most of his life, most notably when he was summoned to a meeting at United Artists and given a crack at producing and directing “Fiddler on the Roof.” He still got the job, and the 1971 musical adaptation was a hit and won two Oscars.

Tonight’s other highlights

• Maryland hosts West Virginia in college football (6:30 p.m., ESPN).
• Long-distance romance on “30 Rock” (7:30 p.m., NBC).
• Michael grooms a successor on “The Office” (8 p.m., NBC).
• Hodges gets help on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS).
• Exam-day jitters on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC).
• James Gandolfini interviews wounded warriors on “Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq” (8 p.m., HBO).
• Abby and Kovac adjust to married life on “ER” (9 p.m., NBC).
• Michael helps a woman find her missing husband on “Burn Notice” (9 p.m., USA). Viewers can catch up on the series with a daylong marathon of episodes (8:30 a.m., USA).
• Don attracts attention from a rival agency on “Mad Men” (9 p.m., AMC).