Wednesday’s TV highlights

SERIES

American Greed: A new installment investigates some of the more dastardly schemes and scams perpetrated in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks (6, 7, 9 and 10 p.m. CNBC).

Outrageous Kid Parties: A ninja-themed bash and a swamp-style soiree are featured in back-to-back episodes (7 and 7:30 p.m. TLC).

SoCal Connected: The newsmagazine examines local security issues in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks (8 p.m. KCET).

America’s Got Talent: Vocal group Il Divo and 1980s rockers Def Leppard perform on the results show (9 p.m. NBC).

Man v. Food Nation: Basketball’s Harlem Globetrotters join host Adam Richman in this new episode (9 p.m. Travel).

Rescue Me: The firefighter drama starring Denis Leary presents its series finale (10 p.m. FX).

Deadliest Warrior: This new installment imagines a contest-of-arms between Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa and the native American warrior known as Crazy Horse (10 p.m. Spike).

Paranormal Witness: Purportedly true tales of eerie encounters are reenacted in this spooky new series (10 p.m. Syfy).

SPECIALS

Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Terror in the Dust: Respiratory problems and other health issues faced by rescue workers at ground zero are detailed in this special (8 and 11 p.m. CNN).

From the Ground Up: Five women who lost their firefighter husbands on Sept. 11 share their stories (9 p.m. KCET).

Pawn 90210: This new special visits a unique pawn shop located in the tony confines of Beverly Hills (10 p.m. E!).

MOVIES

Fargo: Frances McDormand and Steve Buscemi star in this 1996 crime tale from the Coen brothers (8:15 p.m. Cinemax).

SPORTS

Tennis: Play continues at the U.S. Open with the men’s and women’s quarterfinals (8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ESPN2; 8 a.m. Tennis).

Baseball: The Dodgers face the Nationals (4 p.m. KCAL); the Braves battle the Phillies (4 p.m. ESPN); and the Angels host the Mariners (7 p.m. ESPN, FSN).