I’m always attracted to programs that approach self-parody. And “The Gamekillers” (6 p.m., MTV) fills the bill. This combination advice show and hidden-camera reality spectacle sets out to teach viewers the secrets to remaining on their “game” and not getting intimidated or distracted in the pursuit of a romantic connection.

The show follows men who have no idea that everyone they encounter – including their dates – is an actor/actress out to test their “game.” Throughout the date, the poor sap will encounter a series of “gamekillers,” suave dudes out to rattle our hero and intimidate him in the eyes of his “lady.” Of course, she’s not really his “lady,” she’s a paid plant, but let’s not kill anybody’s game here.

All of this “drama” provides an extended backdrop for a long commercial product placement for a popular deodorant. Talk about a “soap” opera!

¢ Hey, kids, the Avatar’s back and he’s got hair. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (7 p.m., Nickelodeon), the popular cartoon series with the ridiculous name, returns for a third season. The newly hirsute Avatar is up and ready to take on the Firelord.

A cartoon filled with so much pompous New Age malarkey appears ripe for lampooning. But maybe we’ll have to wait for the live-action “Avatar” movie. It’s being directed by M. Night Shyamalan, a filmmaker whose post-“Sixth Sense” work has become synonymous with bloated mystical blather and ghostly hokum.

¢ Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds shares the stage with Trisha Yearwood on “Crossroads” (8 p.m., CMT). Their performance was taped earlier before a small audience in Nashville.

Speaking of small audiences and “Nashville” (8 p.m., Fox), the Fox reality series debuted last week to negligible ratings, finishing fifth out of five networks, even though the competition was airing repeats.

“Nashville” offers proof of how difficult it can be to replicate cable success on network television. Made by the folks behind “Laguna Beach” and other reality fluff, “Nashville” pulled in numbers that would be respectable on cable but disastrous on network. Furthermore, it does not have the luxury of repeating endlessly like most MTV fare.

Will its disastrous debut mean a quick hook for “Nashville”? The network wasted no time showing “Anchorwoman” the door, canning it after one bad outing. On the other hand, they let “On the Lot” twist in the wind all summer. Fox hasn’t had a success on Friday nights for nearly 10 years now, so they may be in no hurry to fill that problematic spot.

¢ Scheduled on “Expose” (9 p.m., PBS, check local listing): A report on the murder of 12 Nepalese immigrants in Iraq leads to a story about private contractors in the war zone and a network of human traffickers.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Flower returns to this old house on “Meerkat Manor” (7:30 p.m., Animal Planet).

¢ An expectant mother wants her best friend to take custody in the 2007 drama “Love Notes” (8 p.m., Lifetime).

¢ The TARDIS go to extremes on “Doctor Who” (7 p.m., Sci Fi)

¢ A glance behind the scenes on “Survivorman” (8 p.m., Discovery). Repeats (7 p.m. and 9 p.m.) bookend this original episode.

¢ A buried secret changes things on “Numb3rs” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Fin investigates a violent felony at his son’s college on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC).

¢ Scheduled on “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC): making difficult choices.