If last season was known for the writers’ strike, fall 2008 will probably be remembered as the year of the import. Like “The Office,” the new CBS comedy “Worst Week” (8:30 p.m., CBS) offers an Americanized remake of a popular British series.

A comedy of constant humiliation, “Worst” seems to offer a serialized version of “Meet the Parents,” and that’s not a bad thing. Sam (Kyle Bornheimer) and Melanie (Erinn Hayes) seem like a cute couple. When Melanie discovers she’s pregnant, they decide to inform her parents about their engagement.

Kurtwood Smith (“That ’70s Show”) plays Dick, her stern and unfriendly father, an unsmiling judge who still refers to Sam as Melanie’s “friend.” Nancy Lenehan, who plays Earl’s mom on “My Name Is Earl,” moonlights here in a similar role.

Dependent on a continual cascade of crazy situations and contrived coincidences, “Worst” is hardly for every taste. But its emphasis on physical humor marks a welcome departure from the punch-line-driven yucks of shows like “Two and a Half Men.”

¢ “Heroes” (NBC) re-turns with a clip-show recap (7 p.m.) and two episodes (8 p.m. and 9 p.m.) that promise to tie up loose ends, redefine characters, and jump-start a franchise that got a little wobbly during last year’s truncated TV season.

For all but the obsessive fan, the clip show is a welcome antidote to confusion. In the one episode made available for review, we discover the identity of Nathan’s assassin (I’ll never tell!); Hiro receives a message from his dead father; Suresh stumbles upon a possibly earth-shattering breakthrough; and Claire endures a grisly ordeal that may spark some water-cooler conversation Tuesday morning.

¢ “Dancing with the Stars” (7 p.m., ABC) enters its seventh season with a new set of contestants, including sleazy reality star Kim Kardashian, singers Lance Bass and Toni Braxton, actress/host Brooke Burke, chef and reality TV star Rocco DiSpirito, Olympic gold medalists Maurice Greene and Misty May-Treanor, Oscar-winning actress Cloris Leachman, soap legend Susan Lucci, “Hannah Montana” star Cody Linley, actor Ted McGinley, comedian Jeffrey Ross and retired NFL star Warren Sapp.

Season premieres

¢ Penny turns to Sheldon for advice on “Big Bang Theory” (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ Barney tries to shake his player image on “How I Met Your Mother” (7:30 p.m., CBS).

¢ Charlie encounters a familiar face on “Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m., CBS).

¢ Alan’s case against Big Tobacco pits him against an old flame on “Boston Legal” (9 p.m., ABC).

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ John finds his affections divided on “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ The San Diego Chargers host the New York Jets on Monday Night Football (7 p.m., ESPN).

¢ Car engines play the “Top Gear” (7 p.m., BBC America) theme song.

¢ Michael and Lincoln continue their search for the next key card on “Prison Break” (8 p.m., Fox).

¢ The documentary “Shot in Bombay” (8 p.m., Sundance) examines India’s film industry.

¢ The investigation into Horatio’s shooting leads close to home on “CSI: Miami” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ The judge puts a crimp in Jerry’s style on “Raising the Bar” (9 p.m., TNT).