This summer, I’ve come to think of the ABC network as Anything But Creative, or All But Closed. Seriously, the folks who bring you “Lost,” one of the best shows in the history of television, have been reduced to endless loops of “Wipeout,” “The Bachelorette” and “Dating in the Dark.” A buffet of leftovers — most notably, the 10th-anniversary edition of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” — has attracted modest audiences and has saved the network from complete abandonment.

Tonight, ABC offers “Crash Course” (8 p.m., ABC), an empty-headed automotive take on “Wipeout” (7 p.m., ABC). Teams of two (married couples, best friends and siblings) compete on a silly, often slow-motion, demolition-derby-style obstacle course, bending fenders, bumpers and egos along the way. Hosts Orlando Jones and Dan Cortese preside over the “crazy” action with snarky chatter.

It’s easy to get the impression that Cortese has been playing the same “dude” role since the Lambada was popular. In fact, his trademark dudedom is much older. He was the host of “MTV Sports” from 1992 to 1997, popularizing a kind of extreme-sports stereotype that endures to this day. He appeared in popular Burger King ads; had a memorable guest role on “Seinfeld” as a boyfriend of Elaine’s; and had a regular role on “Veronica’s Closet,” an NBC sitcom that ran for three years without making much of a deposit in my memory bank.

Being stuck in the man-dude role has not been entirely healthy for Cortese’s career. Before scoring this “Crash Course” gig, he hosted the NBC game show “My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad,” which ran from February to April 2008. Remember that? Didn’t think so.

• “Great Performances” (7 p.m., PBS, check local listings) presents “Harlem in Montmartre: A Paris Jazz Story.” After World War I, many black jazz musicians, singers and performers flocked to Paris, rather than return to segregation and prejudice in the United States.

“Montmartre” profiles artists such as Sidney Bechet, Ada “Bricktop” Smith and Josephine Baker, who became fixtures of Paris nightlife that attracted the swells and sophisticates of Europe. The film also examines the cross-pollination between American jazz artists and French musicians that created a new hybrid sound, most notably that of Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt.

• Give the people what they’ve already seen, and they’ll stay away in droves. Actually, that’s not entirely true. For yet another summer, repeats of “NCIS” continue to be among the most-watched shows on both network (CBS) and cable (USA). For those of you who can’t get enough of the Mark Harmon series that receives almost no publicity or critical buzz, tune in to the 12-hour “NCIS” marathon running on USA from 11 a.m. through 11 p.m.

Tonight’s other highlights

• Two helpings of “America’s Got Talent” (7 p.m. and 8 p.m., NBC).

8 U.S. semifinals from the Little League World Series (7 p.m., ESPN), broadcast from Williamsport, Pa.

• Nate’s crew gives art thieves a taste of their own medicine on “Leverage” (8 p.m., TNT).

• “I Was Bitten” (8 p.m., Animal Planet) allows victims to recall how they felt when the dog bites, when the bee stings and when they’re feeling sad. There will be no talk of whiskers on kittens, however.