‘Frontiers’ Looks at Science and Pets

“Scientific American Frontiers” launches its 12th season on PBS tonight (9 p.m., KCET) with four reports on how animals are helping, and being helped by, technology.

It sounds more interesting than it plays.

Admittedly, this series has “frontier” in the title, so maybe it’s too much to expect that all of the scientific exploration on view has practical application at the moment. But the fact that some of the work is in its early stages and may never have real-world use, combined with host Alan Alda’s layman approach, makes for less-than-riveting viewing.

A device to detect land mines through their odor still isn’t as effective as the sniffing of trained dogs, Alda reports. Computer toys that would keep pet parrots stimulated while their owners are at work look promising, but a computer scientist training his dog over the Internet seems silly. Do you imagine many employers welcoming that technology into the workplace?

The most interesting segment comes at the end, when Alda visits Hill’s Pet Nutrition (though you know this only through the on-screen I.D. of one the people he interviews) to find out how workers there developed a type of food that in essence cleans a dog’s teeth while being chewed--and keeps the animal’s breath fresh to boot. It’s available by prescription, Alda reports, but viewers are left to guess about the name of the product.

Compared to “Nova” or “National Geographic,” this is Science Programming Lite. It does, however, feature lots of cute canines and pretty parrots.

Surf Report

SERIES

Los Angeles County public health director Dr. Jonathan Fielding will respond to viewers’ calls regarding the current anthrax scare on “Life & Times Tonight” (7 p.m. KCET).

Newly engaged Lorelai (Lauren Graham) has second thoughts about marriage after she attends a bachelorette party on “Gilmore Girls” (8 p.m. WB).

The Foreman family welcomes the wayward Hyde (Danny Masterson) back into their home on “That ‘70s Show” (8 p.m. Fox).

Call it “Superman” meets “Dawson’s Creek”: Newcomer Tom Welling stars as the WB premieres its new take on the comic book legend, focusing on the Man of Steel’s high school days, in “Smallville” (9 p.m. WB).

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MOVIES

A young French girl vacationing with her family is the focus of director Eric Rohmer’s 1983 coming-of-age fable “Pauline at the Beach” (6 p.m. Sundance Channel).

A young woman (Victoria Sanchez) with a rare disease is transformed into a “Wolf Girl” (9 p.m. USA), in this latest spin on the werewolf legend. Tim Curry and Grace Jones also star.

High school teacher Matthew Broderick crosses swords with student body presidential candidate Reese Witherspoon in the dark comedy “Election” (11 p.m. Sundance Channel).