Armchair travelers who won’t be making it to the Olympic games can enjoy “Seven Wonders of China” (9 p.m., Travel), an hour-long exploration of engineering marvels dating back thousands of years, including the Great Wall, a giant stone Buddha that has been credited with taming a wild river and two gravity-defying temples built right into sheer cliff faces.

With so much recent programming focused on China’s politics and economy, Travel’s China Week has kept the accent on discovery, introducing viewers to an 8,000-year-old culture that remains relatively unknown to Americans.

¢ CNBC explores the promise and challenge of China’s galloping economy on “Made in China: The People’s Republic of Profit” (8 p.m. and 11 p.m., CNBC). In addition to profiling some of the rising stars of the Chinese economy, correspondent Melissa Lee shows how some companies are trying to get a foothold in the vast Chinese market. She attends the opening of a Home Depot in China and visits with Kraft Food marketers who hope they can sell a billion Chinese on the virtues of the Oreo cookie.

CNBC should have thought a little harder about its title for this, given the fact that Discovery just aired a three-part documentary called “Koppel: People’s Republic of Capitalism.” Imitation may be the sincerest form of television, but this kind of creative plagiarism seems lazy and lame.

¢ If the less-than-stellar ratings for the latest variation on “High School Musical” mean anything, they indicate that even the most golden franchise can be over-milked. With that in mind, Bravo travels to the city of Sugarbakers and Scarlett O’Hara to showcase “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (11 p.m., Bravo).

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ Shark Week continues with “Jaws of the Pacific” (7 p.m., Discovery) and a second two-hour shark-themed “Mythbusters” (8 p.m.).

¢ “Nova scienceNOW” (8 p.m., PBS) looks at NASA’s latest trip to Mars, a cancer pioneer and the discovery of the prehistoric remains of two Mammoths locked in battle.

¢ A special outfit for a client’s special day may be less than special for some designers on “Project Runway” (8 p.m., Bravo). Is it just me, or has there been a distinct lack of Tim Gunn this season? He’s the one who makes it work.

¢ Predators who beat the system face harsh justice elsewhere on “CSI: NY” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ A mechanic’s last tune-up on “Law & Order” (9 p.m., NBC).

¢ Scheduled on “Primetime” (9 p.m., ABC): crime.

¢ On “Scare Tactics” (Sci Fi), a haunted building (9 p.m.), RV spooks (9:30 p.m).

¢ “Criss Angel Mind-freak” (9 p.m., A&E) features an escape from an imploding building.

¢ Former “Charlie’s Angels” stars Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith appear on “Shear Genius” (9 p.m., Bravo).

¢ The mock debating show “Lewis Black’s Root of all Evil” (9:30 p.m., Comedy Central) returns for a second season with Patton Oswalt and Andrew Daly arguing the virtues of ultimate fighting vs. bloggers.

Cult choice

Two cousins (Eric Roberts and Mickey Rourke) try for a big score in the drama “The Pope of Greenwich Village” (8 p.m., IFC).