Tuesday, May 13

Frontline

PBS 9:00 PM ET

Stunning footage of Earth's tallest mountain and moving comments from those who survived its deadliest day make the new episode "Storm Over Everest" a must-see. Filmmaker David Breashears (pictured), who was there during the storm on May 10, 1996, that left five climbers dead, re-creates the events of that day in terrifying detail. Several of his fellow climbers share their memories, including Beck Weathers, who was left for dead twice.

Steel Magnolias

TCM 8:00 PM ET

Mention this 1989 comedy-drama, and most people will flash on its tear-jerker ending. That's a pity, because it's packed with laughs before and even after the tragic event. Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts light up the screen and pepper the air with commentary that's occasionally sweet, often acidic, but always witty. The byplay between Dukakis and MacLaine is priceless.

Hellboy

Ron Perlman stars in "Hellboy" Tuesday on FX.

FX 8:00 PM ET

Don't hate him because he has the name from hell; he's a good guy. A member of an "X-Men"-like team with special powers, the title character (Ron Perlman) battles a villain (Karl Roden) who wants to tap into Hellboy's darker side and engulf Earth in evil in this visually impressive 2004 interpretation of Mike Mignola's comic book. Selma Blair portrays the firestarter Hellboy loves, with John Hurt as the paternal leader of the good guys.

Nova

PBS 8:00 PM ET

A sad but ultimately hopeful story is told in the new documentary "A Walk to Beautiful." It profiles three Ethiopian women who face lifelong ostracism because of obstetric fistula, a complication of childbirth that leaves them incontinent and unable to have more children. There's a hospital in Addis Ababa, the capital, that specializes in treating this condition, and getting there is a long and difficult journey, but worth it.

Beauty and the Geek

CW 8:00 PM ET

The season finale is full of surprises for the remaining three teams. It starts with the news that one team is being eliminated immediately, based on its performance on a pop quiz. Then the previously eliminated teams show up at the house, and two girls get into a fight over one of the guys. When it's time for the final challenge, host Mike Richards shocks the two remaining pairs with the news that there's no way to prepare for it in "The Fixer-Uppers."

NCIS

David McCallum stars in "NCIS" Tuesday on CBS.

CBS 8:00 PM ET

Ducky (David McCallum) must be feeling like the Jessica Fletcher of the NCIS team. Like the "Murder, She Wrote" heroine who kept losing friends to murder, he's had one assistant incapacitated by a gunshot, and now his current right-hand man, Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), has become the target of a killer. Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and the team scramble to solve the case and save their friend. Cote de Pablo also stars in the new episode "About Face."

The Zen of Bobby V

ESPN2 9:00 PM ET

Brash and confident former major league manager Bobby Valentine made some enemies during his time in the bigs, but a world away in Japan he's become a treasured icon. This new two-hour documentary, made by three New York University film students, shows Valentine doing what he loves -- managing the Pacific League's Chiba Lotte Marines during the 2007 season and continuing as the biggest American ambassador of Japan's national sport.

Reaper

CW 9:00 PM ET

You've heard the expression "when hell freezes over"? Bet you didn't know it could spring a leak, too. In this new episode, a soul named Mike (Richard Burgi, "Desperate Housewives") keeps escaping from hell. The devil (Ray Wise) orders Sam (Bret Harrison) to find out who's responsible for the breach. He does -- and it turns out to be someone he'd rather not rat out. Tyler Labine and Christine Willes also star in "The Leak."

Women's Murder Club

Aubrey Dollar stars in "Women's Murder Club" Tuesday on ABC.

ABC 10:02 PM ET

Nobody ever said their jobs would be dull. Last week, the women's investigation of a crime put Cindy (Aubrey Dollar) in jeopardy. In this new episode, it's Lindsay (Angie Harmon) who puts her own life on the line to capture a serial killer. And her romantic life could take a hit from this, too. Paula Newsome, Laura Harris and Joel Gretsch also star in "Never Tell."