Wednesday’s TV highlights

SERIES

The Middle: The Heck family embarks on a trip to New York after Sue (Eden Sher) wins a trip to the Big Apple. Patricia Heaton, Neil Flynn, Charlie McDermott and Atticus Shaffer also star in this new episode (8 p.m. ABC).

American Idol: Contestants perform songs by the Beatles in Las Vegas (8 p.m. Fox).

Shedding for the Wedding: Nine overweight betrothed couples size up one another and face grueling workouts in this new unscripted series (9 p.m. KTLA).

Nova: The new episode “Venom: Nature’s Killer” follows two scientists who risk life and limb to track down and catch some of the deadliest creatures in the world to retrieve their venom in this new episode (9 p.m. KOCE).

I Shouldn’t Be Alive: An Australian climber fulfills a lifetime dream at 50, reaching the peak of Mt. Everest, but on the way down he is stricken with cerebral edema and begins a fight for survival in this new episode (9 p.m. Animal Planet).

Ghost Hunters: The TAPS crew investigates a town allegedly overrun by paranormal events in the unscripted series’ season premiere (9 p.m. Syfy).

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Countess LuAnn de Lesseps of “The Real Housewives of New York” guest stars as an art patron who discovers a gruesome work of art that leads gallery visitors to the corpse of a woman in the apartment upstairs in this new episode (10 p.m. NBC).

Nova scienceNOW: Host Neil deGrasse Tyson ponders “What’s the Next Big Thing?” in this new episode (10 p.m. KOCE).

Top Chef: For the quick-fire challenge, the remaining chefs must use a deep fryer to prepare a dish that will pass muster with chef Paula Deen in this new episode (10 p.m. Bravo).

SPORTS

Basketball: The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the San Antonio Spurs (4 p.m. ESPN), the Clippers visit the New Orleans Hornets (6:30 p.m. ESPN and FS Prime), and the Lakers visit the Portland Trail Blazers (7:30 p.m. KCAL).

Hockey: The Kings visit the Ducks (7 p.m. KDOC and FSN).