‘Uncle Buck’ should have stopped long ago

Will the third time be the charm for “Uncle Buck” (8 p.m., WATN-TV Channel 24)? The 1989 John Hughes comedy was adapted for a 1990 CBS sitcom starring Kevin Meaney. It resurfaces tonight, starring Mike Epps in the title role.

In addition to needlessly recycling an old vehicle, “Buck” hitches it to the annoying cartoonlike sitcom style of Disney Channel efforts.

John Candy may have been a lovable goofball in John Hughes’ stylized white suburban tableaux, but as a black male character, Epps’ Buck hearkens back to some more ancient stereotypes.

He is basically cast as a lazy and irresponsible mooch, naughty but basically harmless and ineffectual, good for little more than entertaining children — when he’s not being outsmarted by them.

This “Uncle Buck” made me cringe.

Ellen Barkin (“Sea of Love”) stars as crime family matriarch Janine “Smurf” Cody in “Animal Kingdom” (8 p.m., TNT). Her grandson Joshua “J” Cody (Finn Cole) comes to live with her after the overdose death of his mother. This doesn’t sit entirely well with her sons, J’s not-so-close uncles. Perhaps because they’re just about to pull another major heist.

Despite his mother’s addiction, J appears to be well adjusted and studious. He’s immediately dubious of his grandmother and the violent frat house he now calls home.

It doesn’t help that the pilot jams so much story in with so little character development. OK, these folks are called “animals,” but their reaction to a death in the family and a funeral is to throw a pool party. And wouldn’t you know, the very day J arrives, the eldest son, Pope (Shawn Hatosy), gets released from prison.

Barkin, an actress of considerable talent, has little to do here but react to her rowdy crew and beg them to behave and clean up after themselves.

With the exception of Pope, who brings a weird menace and vulnerability, Smurf’s sons are nearly indistinguishable surfer thugs. Once you get beyond their well-exposed beach bodies, they’re as interesting as the background goons in “Point Break.” You can watch the whole pilot and not be able to tell them apart.

That’s not a very good sign.

Debuting tonight, “Wrecked” (9 p.m., TBS) uses a spoof on “Lost” as a vehicle for an absurdist ensemble comedy. Like many comedies from the YouTube era, it seems best enjoyed in two-minute dollops. The shocking but inconsequential “story” is merely a backdrop for the “bits.”

TV-themed DVDs available today include the “Dark Shadows 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition.”

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Auditions continue on “America’s Got Talent” (7 p.m., WMC-TV Channel 5).

Somebody decided that a “new” prime-time “To Tell the Truth” (7 p.m. and 9 p.m., WATN-TV Channel 24) was a good idea.

Death finds a drone pilot on “NCIS: New Orleans” (8 p.m., WREG-TV Channel 3).

As riots consume Los Angeles in 1992, O.J. Simpson isolates himself in the wealthy Brentwood neighborhood on part two of “O.J.: Made in America” (8 p.m., ESPN). Part one (6 p.m.) also airs.

Bill Murray’s reputation as a hip rebel and respected actor with a discerning taste in roles has survived his participation in movies like “Garfield” (8 p.m., Discovery Family).

Undercover behind bars on “Person of Interest” (9 p.m., WREG-TV Channel 3).

Variety extravaganza galore on “Maya and Marty” (9 p.m., WMC-TV Channel 5).

Eight singles share a house in Los Angeles to work on their relationship skills in the new reality series “Famously Single” (9 p.m., E!).