What makes homicidal terrorists tick? Are suicide bombers driven by poverty? Resentment? Or religion? The documentary series “Wide Angle” (8 p.m., PBS) begins its third summer season with “Suicide Bombers.” The film offers rare interviews with two Palestinian terrorists in Israeli custody for recruiting and deploying the suicide bombers who killed 17 Israelis in a horrific bus explosion. These men speak with icy certainty about the just nature of their cause and the rewards that await “martyrs” in the afterlife.

“Wide Angle” does not offer a definitive explanation of this grim phenomenon. In fact, viewers will probably be left more confused and depressed than ever. For all of their political bluster and talk of holy martyrdom, these failed bombers are just grown-up boys who not long ago spent most of their time playing soccer and thinking about their girlfriends. The two terror recruiters are another story, however: They vow to keep on killing Israelis or die trying.

Every week through Sept. 23, “Wide Angle” will present documentaries about international issues.

l Add “The Graham Norton Effect” (9 p.m., Comedy Central) to the list of British programs that get lost in translation crossing the Atlantic. While Norton’s BBC America show “So Graham Norton” was bawdy, last week’s debut of his Comedy Central show seemed to be straining to get the attention of the FCC. The results were more often crude than clever.

Tonight’s other highlights

l Alien beings disguised as fetching co-eds woo randy freshmen in the sci-fi spoof “Decoys” (6 p.m., Sci Fi).

l Cool, brash New Yorkers lower the temperature and change the vibe on “North Shore” (7 p.m., Fox).

l Kanye West, 311, Los Lonely Boys, Gavin Degraw, Mis-Teeq and The Killers perform on “Pepsi Smash” (7 p.m., WB).

l A troubled new hire (Jason Priestley) passes his audition on “Tru Calling” (9 p.m., Fox).

l Producer Mel Brooks hired oddball director David Lynch to helm the 1980 film version of the Broadway drama “The Elephant Man” (8:30 p.m., Independent Film Channel) after seeing Lynch’s cult classic “Eraserhead.”

Late night

Will Ferrell and Dashboard Confessional appear on “Late Show with David Letterman” (10:35 p.m., CBS) … Jay Leno welcomes Charles Barkley on “The Tonight Show” (10:35 p.m., NBC)

Chris Rock, Shannon Elizabeth and Joe Buck chat on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (11:35 p.m., NBC).