All but obscured by the staggering and seemingly endless success of “American Idol” is the Fox network’s failure to develop a new hit sitcom or drama not named “House.”

“Bones” has a following. “Prison Break” will return for another season, and many await the return of “24.” But Fox’s new dramas, from “K-Ville” to “New Amsterdam,” have come and gone without much fanfare. “Canterbury’s Law” (8 p.m., Fox) joins their ranks this evening, airing the finale episode of its brief season. Fox will air movies on Friday nights during May sweeps.

¢ “True Hollywood Story” (8 p.m., E!) profiles Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law & Order: SVU.” The actress’s ability to portray a tough cop able to make an emotional connection with victims and witnesses (as well as with audiences) has helped make “SVU” the most popular show in the “Law & Order” franchise.

The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress’s tale seems custom-made for a “True Hollywood Story.” The daughter of actress Jayne Mansfield and Hungarian muscle-man Mickey Hargitay, she grew up in the public spotlight. She was only 3 and sitting in the back seat of the car when her mother was killed in a horrific crash. The actress recalls her early auditions and how being the daughter of an over-the-top sex symbol proved to be both a boon and a burden.

¢ Former U.S. Marine Capt. Brian Steidle traveled to Darfur to see the genocide firsthand in the documentary “The Devil Came on Horseback” (9 p.m., National Geographic). Steidle’s military status allowed him access to areas where filmmakers and journalists couldn’t go. He would smuggle out more than 1,000 photographs and stories of an Arab-run regime bent on exterminating its black population.

¢ How do average TV viewers become the kinds of obsessive and informed fans who flock to shows like “Battlestar Galactica” (9 p.m., Sci Fi)?

Is it nature or nurture? If you lean toward the latter theory, then a steady diet of cartoons like “Ben 10: Alien Force” (7 p.m., Cartoon Network) may be laying the groundwork for future generations of sci-fi fans.

“Alien Force” is a new installment of the “Ben Ten” cartoon series. Ben was a 10-year-old boy whose summer vacation was changed utterly when he stumbled upon an item called the Omnitrix, a wristwatch-like accessory that allows him to turn into various alien entities.

“Alien Force” takes place five years in the future. Ben is 15 and ready to slip on the Omnitrix again, just in time to take on enemies known as the DNAliens, a powerful force bent on destroying the galaxy. After this prime-time exposure, “Ben Ten” will air at 9 a.m. Saturdays.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Ned’s school may be haunted on “Ghost Whisperer” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ The Marsh Pride scatters on “Big Cat Diary” (7:30 p.m., Animal Planet). At least it’s not a blog.

¢ A misbehaving bulldog gets in the way of a couple’s happiness on “The Dog Whisperer” (7 p.m., National Geographic).

¢ Nick discovers Coraline’s secret for remaining human on “Moonlight” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ A robbery at a comic-book convention is no joke on “Numb3rs” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ Scheduled on “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC): weather wisdom, legends and deceptions.