CBS plays the Grammys; Selleck returns to prime time; KCET recalls ‘40s; HBO fights ‘Pentagon’

Monday

“Spytek” / 8-11 p.m. Discovery Channel

This three-part guide to the high-tech world of espionage offers a glimpse at tools of the trade--ie. bug detector headphones, microphone wristwatch and brass knuckles knife. Roger Moore, who played the spy game as James Bond, narrates the programs featuring interviews with operatives who discuss the gadgets they have used in cases of the past 50 years. H. Keith Melton, an authority on the technology, displays his private collection, which supposedly is the most extensive of its kind.

****

“The Closer” / 9 p.m. CBS

No, this is not a series about relief pitchers. Tom Selleck returns to prime time in this new comedy set at a Denver ad agency where he plays Jack McLaren, a smooth talker who lives by the credo, “Never let the client see you’re human.” The most prominent members of Jack’s crack team are a tough creative director (Ed Asner) and an Ivy League accountant (Penelope Ann Miller) who wants to shed her image as a bean counter.

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“The American Experience” / 9 p.m. KCET. Concludes Tuesday

The PBS series, which last week repeated three acclaimed documentaries on the Kennedys, LBJ and Richard Nixon, concludes its penetrating look into the Oval Office with “Reagan,” a compelling two-part biography of the actor-turned-politician. Nancy Reagan agreed to be interviewed on camera for the first time since leaving the White House, and son Ron reflects on his father’s parenting and charisma. “People don’t reckon with the power of charm,” he says.

Tuesday

“Four Corners” / 9 p.m. CBS

As the respective producers of “Dallas” and “Knots Landing,” David Jacobs and Michael Filerman are well versed in the art of prime-time soaps. Their experience comes into play on the two-hour debut of this drama set in the Southwest. Ann-Margret stars as a widow running a sprawling ranch while fending off pesky developers. Sonia Braga (“Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands”) plays a close friend. Each has a family of attractive twentysomething siblings--a prerequisite for those network demographics, you understand.

****

“Home Improvement” / 9 p.m. ABC

No improvement needed on the strong script for this week’s episode, which deftly interweaves humor and conflict while dealing with drugs. Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), the oldest, is busted by Tim (Tim Allen) and Jill (Patricia Richardson), who discover that he’s using marijuana. The dialogue is sharp and the interaction between parents and child is believable, though some may disagree with Jill’s admission of her past experience with dope.

Wednesday

“The 40th Annual Grammy Awards” / 8 p.m. CBS

Is there a shrink in the house? Why, that would be Kelsey Grammer, who plays one on “Frasier.” Grammer hosts the competition at Radio City Music Hall, where Babyface leads the field with eight nominations. The evening’s most interesting showdowns: Julio Iglesias and son Enrique, duke it out for best Latin pop performance, and pop legends Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan face off for album of the year. A sure-fire musical highlight: Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion sing their Grammy-nominated duet “Tell Him.”

****

“America in the ‘40s” / 8 p.m. KCET

In November, the History Channel recounted the happy--and not-so-happy--days of the 1950s. Now viewers can reminisce about another turbulent decade as PBS presents a sentimental journey back to an era of world war, Benny Goodman and prosperity. Producer Tom Spain describes the program as a “nonfiction musical” depicting pivotal events through a mix of music, home movies and archival footage. Charles Durning, who survived the D-Day invasion at Normandy’s beaches, is host.

Saturday

“The Pentagon Wars” / 9 p.m. HBO

Wasteful military spending comes under scrutiny in this satire, described by director Richard Benjamin as “the story of how one good man wanted to provide a safe vehicle for soldiers going into battle.” That man is James G. Burton, an Air Force colonel whose book inspired the fact-based production about a troop transport that cost taxpayers a whopping $14 billion over 17 years. Cary Elwes plays Burton, whose attempts to test the defective vehicle were undermined by a deceitful superior (Kelsey Grammer).