Narrated by Glenn Close and directed by Luc Bresson (“The Fifth Element”), the documentary “Home” (8 p.m., National Geographic) explains and celebrates the planet’s fragility and biodiversity in a manner more than a little self-consciously religious. The film’s companion book, “Home: A Hymn to the Planet and Humanity” by Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Abrams Books) also goes on sale today.

Shot entirely from a birds-eye-view, or at least a helicopter’s-eye-view, “Home” offers a big-picture glance at the evolution of the planet from a dusty, volcanic wasteland to a blue miracle of life, water and oxygen. Its aerial vantage point and hypnotic musical score combine with a slow-panning technique to present river valleys, fields of wheat, highways and desert canyons in a highly abstract manner — the planet as a work of art, a delicate tapestry of interconnected elements.

The overall effect, combined with Close’s sermonizing commentary about man’s threats to his own “Home,” may mesmerize some, bring others to insight and rhapsody, and bore still others to tears.

There’s little point in criticizing a film that hopes to encompass the entire globe. Biting off more than it can chew is precisely the point. And, like most “hymns,” this visual chant is not designed to attract converts but to delight the true believers.

• In other nature news, “Whale Wars” (8 p.m., Animal Planet) enters a second season. The anti-whaling group the Sea Shepherds will sail their vessel the Steve Irwin to frozen waters where it will get trapped in ice and conduct some up-close and personal struggles with a Japanese whaling fleet, resulting in the death of one of the whalers.

When the Steve Irwin docked in Tasmania in March, it was met by Australian Federal Police, who impounded hundreds of hours of videotape of the Shepherds’ battle with the Japanese, the climax of this second season.

This may all make for compelling television, but when the “stars” of a reality TV show engage in activity that results in a person’s death, or even a homicide, we’re all beginning to sail in unchartered waters of “entertainment.”

• TV Land celebrates the return of “Roseanne” to prime-time with a weeklong marathon of episodes from 7 p.m., to 5 a.m., nightly through June 12.

For many of its nine years, the tale of the Connor family was one of the best sitcoms on television. Roseanne Barr was never afraid to surround herself with topnotch talent, including John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Ned Beatty, among others, who even included a young and pre-“ER” George Clooney. It says something that Barr cast two Oscar winners, Estelle Parsons and Shelley Winters, as her mother and grandmother.

• A nightlong salute to Steven Spielberg includes the 1998 drama “Saving Private Ryan” (8 p.m., TCM); “The Sugarland Express” (11:30 p.m.) from 1974; the 1979 box office disaster “1941” (1:30 a.m.); and the 1971 TV film “Duel” (3:30 a.m.), starring Dennis Weaver.

Tonight’s other highlights

• Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles and the city of Vienna star in director Carol Reed’s 1949 tale of postwar corruption “The Third Man” (5 p.m., TCM).

• A patient believes she’s seven months pregnant on “Mental” (8 p.m., Fox).

Cult choice

John C. Reilly stars and sings in the title role in the 2007 comedy “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” (7 p.m., Encore), a spot-on parody of musical biographies.