TV tonight: 'Dancing With the Stars,' Bacall salute

Dancing With the Stars
ABC, 8 ET/PT

As we wait to hear if So You Think You Can Dance will be renewed, ABC's Dancing returns for what undoubtedly will be a better-rated run. Hard as it may be for SYTYCD fans to accept, it's indisputable that more people enjoy watching amateurs (many of whom can only be called "stars" if you stretch the term to its most charitable limits) make a good-sport try at dancing as they're pushed and pulled around the stage by professionals than enjoy watching young, incredibly gifted, soon-to-be-professionals be pushed to their limits by great choreographers. People like what they like — and commercial TV is in the business of giving them what they like.

Lauren Bacall Salute
TCM, 8 ET/5 PT

TCM celebrates one of the last of the Golden Age legends with this 24-hour salute to the lateLauren Bacall. It starts with her Private Screenings interview and then moves on to her two best films, To Have and Have Not (9 ET/6 PT) and The Big Sleep (11 ET/8 PT). But really, if you have room on your DVR, just let it run all day.

30 Rock
WGN, 1:30 a.m. ET/10:30 PT

Speaking of greats we've lost of late, this repeat from the show's third season features the return of Broadway legend Elaine Stritch as Jack's mother. And as always, she's reason enough to watch.

Watch Robert Bianco speak with other TV critics about the fall TV season at 7:30 p.m. PDT: