Thursday's TV Highlights: Spike Lee bring 'Passing Strange' to PBS
LOCAL HERO: Recorded for television by Spike Lee, 'Great Performances: Passing Strange' tells the story of a young man who leaves mid-'70s Los Angeles for Europe. 8:30 p.m. on KCET.
SERIES
Biography on CNBC: Poultry magnate Frank Perdue is profiled in this new installment (7 and 10 p.m. CNBC).
Naked Science: A new episode looks at the environmental hardships faced by prehistoric people in Alaska (7 and 10 p.m. National Geographic).
The Vampire Diaries: There's a new vampire in town in this new episode of the supernatural drama (8 p.m. KTLA).
Bones: Booth and Brennan (David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel) investigate when a human skeleton is discovered at a Civil War battleground in this new episode of the forensics drama (8 p.m. Fox).
SoCal Connected: A new edition of the newsmagazine spotlights efforts to bring "runaway" film productions back to the state in general and Los Angeles in particular (8 p.m. KCET).
Storytellers: Soft rocker John Mayer performs for his fans in an intimate setting in this new edition of the concert series (8 p.m. VH1).
Fringe: Wedding guests fall victim to a mysterious toxin on a new episode of the sci-fi drama (9 p.m. Fox).
Flipped: A Mobster Tells All: This new series profiles assorted underworld figures (9 and 10 p.m. Discovery).
World's Dumbest...: The series that pokes fun at the dim bulbs among us returns with new episodes (9 p.m. TRU).
Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew: The reality competition returns (10 p.m. MTV).
Burn Notice: Michael (Jeffrey Donovan) is on the trail of a child predator in this new episode (10 p.m. USA).
SPECIALS
Live for the Moment: "Survivor's" Jeff Probst introduces viewers to Roger Childs, a family man struggling with ALS, in this new special (8 p.m. CBS).
MOVIES
Zoolander: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell and Milla Jovovich star in this 2001 send-up of the fashion industry (7 p.m. Showtime).
The Road Warrior: Mel Gibson returns as Mad Max in this apocalyptic 1981 sequel (10:20 p.m. Encore).
SPORTS
Winter X Games: The cold-weather edition of the extreme sports competition returns (9 a.m. ESPN2, 6 p.m. ESPN).
College basketball: Wisconsin plays Purdue (4 p.m. ESPN); Seton Hall visits South Florida (4 p.m. ESPN2); Mississippi State meets Arkansas (6 p.m. ESPN2); the UCLA Bruins battle Oregon (7:30 p.m. FS Prime); and Santa Clara challenges Gonzaga (8 p.m. ESPN2).
Hockey: The Kings visit the Columbus Blue Jackets (4 p.m. FSN).
Pro basketball: The Boston Celtics take on the Orlando Magic (5 p.m. TNT) and the Dallas Mavericks face the Phoenix Suns (7:30 p.m. TNT).
Photo: David Lee / PBS
