TV TOP PICKS
6 p.m. on FOX Next Level Chef
Fifteen contestants from all walks of life vie for a chance to win a life-changing prize as they navigate a series of challenges that make up a multilevel culinary gauntlet in this new competition series, which moves into its regular Wednesday time period Jan. 5 after tonight’s series premiere. Executive producer Gordon Ramsay joins fellow chefs Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais to serve as mentors to the contestants, on a set that includes a different kitchen and different ingredients on each of its three levels. The winner receives $250,000.
6 p.m. on DSC Dirty Jobs
One of Discovery Networks’ most iconic hosts returns in a reboot of the 2005-13 series that earned him legions of fans. Mike Rowe hosts this revived celebration of the essential workers who make modern life possible. The season premiere finds Rowe undertaking a timely gig as he joins the hard workers responsible for building America’s infrastructure, showing viewers what goes into building those complex and vitally important structures. The season also will find him working alongside water tower cleaners, escalator maintainers and combat surgeons, among others.
7 p.m. on PBS Around the World in 80 Days on Masterpiece
A mustachioed David Tennant, pictured, brings his patented charm and wit to the role of Victorian eccentric Phileas Fogg in this new miniseries adaptation of Jules Verne’s crowd-pleasing, globe-hopping literary classic, which opens as Fogg — an overeducated but little-traveled Englishman — makes a rash and ill-considered wager he can traverse the world in only 80 days. Accompanying him on his risky odyssey are his French valet Passepartout (Ibrahim Koma) and fledgling journalist Abigail “Fix” Fortescue (Leonie Benesch).
8 p.m. on FOOD Alex vs. America
In each episode of this new five-week culinary competition series, Food Network fan favorite Alex Guarnaschelli demonstrates her prowess against three rising cooking stars from across the country, who vie against her and their other two rivals in two battles. In the series premiere, “Alex vs. Shellfish,” host Eric Adjepong welcomes three talented shellfish experts from Louisiana, Maine and Hawaii to challenge Alex.