A smart show with a dumb title, “Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein” (9 p.m., Discovery) stars a handsome adventurer/ archeologist who spans the globe to explore strange and ancient cultures.

Scientists and researchers comb through the rubble and remains of dead civilizations to help us understand how these people lived and died.

“Bernstein” kicks off with a visit to gladiator school. He takes a few lessons in the ancient sport, spends time in an academy built in the shadow of the Colosseum, looks at gladiator-obsessed graffiti and other “fan” art, and visits a recently uncovered gladiator cemetery. He discovers that despite their low-caste status, these fighters were often envied. Some rich Romans even entered the arena just to gain a whiff of celebrity.

Now, about that dumb title. The whole point of the program is to showcase experts who share their scholarship. He’s not traveling into the “unknown” at all. But “Into the Knowable with Josh Bernstein” just doesn’t sound as snappy.

¢ Filmmaker Rory Kennedy directs and acts as an unseen interviewer in the documentary “Thank You, Mr. President: Helen Thomas at the White House” (8 p.m., HBO), a profile of the veteran White House correspondent who has been attending presidential press conferences since 1961.

The daughter of illiterate immigrants, Thomas took to journalism early and worked at the White House at a time when most female reporters were consigned to the “society” column.

Thomas regales viewers with anecdotes about the last nine presidents and clips show her putting them on the spot. Despite tough questioning, Thomas enjoyed cordial relations with eight presidents. But she decries the current administration’s contempt for journalism, the blending of government and religion, and its collusion with “friendly” media as dangerous, radical and unprecedented.

In fact, the faith-based, family-values crowd appears to have treated Thomas in a manner we mere sinners might call rude. She is seen here receiving a condescending rebuke from rookie press secretary Dana Perino. There’s also a clip of Fox News ratings star Bill O’Reilly calling Thomas, a woman well into her 80s, a “pinhead.”

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Summer Olympics (7 p.m., NBC) coverage includes gymnastics, track and field, and beach volleyball.

¢ “Diego’s Moonlight Rescue” (7 p.m., Nickelodeon and Noggin) features characters from the preschool favorite “Go, Diego, Go!”

¢ The Giants host the Browns on “Monday Night Football” (7 p.m., ESPN).

¢ “The Price for Paradise” (7 p.m., Documentary) interviews Iraqis about their war experiences. Followed by “My War, My Story” (8 p.m., Documentary), which features returning U.S. veterans.

¢ “History Detectives” (8 p.m., PBS) looks at items that might be linked to John Adams and a Navy flying boat.

¢ A murder investigation targets Alex’s son on “CSI: Miami” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ A murdered woman’s son is abducted on “Saving Grace” (9 p.m., TNT).

¢ “The Hills” (9 p.m., MTV) enters its fourth season. Have I really been ignoring it for that long?

¢ Puppet vampires abound on “The Middleman” (9 p.m., Family).