As readers of this column must know by now, nothing irks your dear correspondent as much as shows like “Finding Bigfoot” (9 p.m., Animal Planet). Dolled up with fake documentary credentials and lots of grainy footage, these efforts elevate addled campfire stories to the level of “science” and demean science (and documentaries) in the process.

Worse still, Animal Planet is a particular favorite of children. And to teach still-quickening minds that superstition is the same as science is a crime in my book. Why doesn’t Animal Planet commission a series called “In Search of the Easter Bunny” and get it over with?

But even the most egregious fabricators cannot hide the truth forever, or from everyone — or even themselves. The stars of “Finding Bigfoot” belong to something called the Bigfoot Field Research Organization (BFRO) and the head of the BFRO is a man named Matt Moneymaker. And if that isn’t the point here, what is?

• Speaking of making money, Jason Sudeikis hosts the 2011 MTV Movie Awards (8 p.m., MTV). As it has for what seems like centuries, this award show celebrates favorite stars and moments from silly Summer movies past while anticipating and (heavily) promoting the oncoming onslaught of thought-free cinematic product-based on comic books and video games.

Musical distraction will be provided by the Foo Fighters along with Lupe Fiasco and Trey Songz.

• Guests Courteney Cox, Paula Deen, Guy Fieri and others join judges Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentis on a new season of “Food Network Star!” (8 p.m., Food).

• “The Glades” (9 p.m., A&E) returns for a second season. For the unfamiliar, this is the most popular drama in the network’s history. Matt Passmore stars as Jim Longworth, a brash Chicago detective exiled to the swampy regions of Florida.

Like too many cops on cable, he’s prone to run at the mouth. If there was a scientific scale of cheeky cops, he’d fall somewhere between the genial and immature Shawn (James Roday), the fake psychic on “Psych” and Patrick Jane, Simon Baker’s haunted non-psychic on “The Mentalist.”

It’s easy to see why “The Glades” works. It strives to be entertaining, not different. Like Florida itself, the supporting cast is ethnically diverse, but singularly attractive with a whiff of the exotic. And although it’s a murder mystery, “The Glades” remains blessedly free of gore and mortuary overkill.

Tonight’s other highlights

• Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): a repeat report on Spring rebellions in Tunisia and Egypt.

• Game 3 of the NBA Finals (7 p.m., ABC).

• Auditions continue on “America’s Got Talent” (8 p.m., NBC).

• A pair of comedians travel to exotic locales on “Mancation” (8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Travel).

• The Lannisters rub it in on “Game of Thrones” (8 p.m., HBO)

• Missing evidence on “The Killing” (9 p.m., AMC).

• Carnival descends upon New Orleans on “Treme” (9 p.m., HBO).