Just when you think “Cops” may be the granddaddy of documentary-style reality television comes “Beyond Scared Straight” (9 p.m., A&E), a new series based on an Academy Award-winning film with more sequels than “Rocky.”

Filmmaker Arnold Shapiro serves as executive producer on the “Beyond” series and he was the creator of the original in 1978. Like “Scared Straight” in all of its incarnations, the film introduces a group of at-risk tough kids from all backgrounds to prison life for a day, all in the hopes that some harrowing time spent behind bars will wise them up. The first “Straight” was narrated by Peter Falk and appeared on network television with the prisoners’ obscene language broadcast unfiltered. Two years later came “Scared Straight! Another Story” and then “Scared Straight 10 Years Later” in 1987 and “Scared Straight 20 Years Later,” narrated by Danny Glover.

“Beyond Scared Straight” will visit a different set of kids and a new prison facility in every episode. While this series has much in common with the original film, it also has to contend with youth whose many neighbors and family members have been incarcerated and whose communities can be as dangerous as prison. The filmmakers also have to demystify a popular culture that has celebrated the gangster life and depicted prison as a rite of passage to manhood.

• On two episodes of “The Office” (NBC), a trip to Niagara Falls (8 p.m.) a YouTube-inspired ceremony (8:30 p.m.). While we’ve come to expect repeats this time of year, it’s never a good sign when the network reaches back to an earlier season’s repeats. Particularly when the show is already seen in heavy rotation in syndication. Tonight’s reruns concern Jim and Pam’s much-anticipated wedding, an event that should have provided a perfect ending for this series.

• The 2010 documentary “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” (8:30 p.m., Showtime) takes a warts-and-all look at the foul-mouthed comedienne as she tries to maintain a busy touring schedule in the face of much younger competition. The film also glances back at career that spans five decades of the television era and how Rivers was championed by late night king Johnny Carson and later spurned by Carson when she accepted an offer by the fledgling Fox Network to host her own show.

Like Hugh Hefner, Rivers offers a living connection to another era, and remains show-biz icon who refuses to act her age.

Tonight’s other highlights

• A corpse in a casino pool may not have entered the water alive on “CSI” (8 p.m., CBS).

• Booth’s new girlfriend drops by on “Bones” (8 p.m., Fox).

• Jane’s troubled brother-in-law drags him into his past history on “The Mentalist” (9 p.m., CBS).

• On two episodes of “30 Rock” (NBC), Jack basks in good fortune (9 p.m.), micromanaging the microwave (9:30 p.m.). Starting next Thursday, “30 Rock” will move permanently to 9 p.m., followed by “Outsourced.”