“Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives” (8 p.m., PBS): Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E,
“Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives” (8 p.m., PBS): Mark Oliver Everett, better known as E, is lead singer of the cult band The Eels. But the father he never really knew was a rock star of a different kind: iconoclastic quantum physicist Hugh Everett III, who published his theory of parallel universes more than a half-century ago as a Ph.D. student at Princeton University. This theory holds that every time anybody makes a decision, a parallel universe splits off from everyday reality. The concept was overlooked for many years, and the dejected Hugh Everett died of a heart attack at his Virginia home in 1982, long before Mark could appreciate his father’s professional triumphs and frustrations. “He was a total stranger to me,” says Everett, who focused on music where his father focused on science. A man who jokingly concedes he can barely tabulate a restaurant tip, he sets off on a journey to understand the father who traveled a parallel life from his own, and to grapple with his father’s radical ideas, in the “Nova” documentary “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives.”
“Scream 2008” (9 p.m., Spike): Forget the Oscars. “Scream 2008” is the awards gala that honors the best in horror, science fiction, fantasy and comics and has offbeat categories such as “Most Memorable Mutilation.” Not surprisingly, “The Dark Knight” leads the field with 21 nominations.
“Rookies” (10 p.m., A&E): “Rookies” is a new reality series that follows a group of police-academy grads during their initial weeks on the street. In the opener, one rookie is forced to deal with his first body. “Frank TV” (11 p.m., TBS): Frank Caliendo has a way of tapping into dozens of impersonations that range from the worlds of pop culture and entertainment to sports and politics. Returning for its second season, “Frank TV” turns Caliendo loose with his multiple personas, this week including John McCain, Yoda and James Gandolfini. In Caliendo’s world, David Letterman is hosting a new show for kids called “Naptime,” and Al Gore is at the center of the untold version of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Helpfully, Caliendo identifies for you ahead of time the people he’s trying to mimic. Sometimes his sketches are funny. Often not.