Viewers of "The Glass House" (10 p.m., ABC) can judge for themselves just how similar it is to CBS' long-running summer time-waster "Big Brother."

Creative "borrowing" has been part of television from the beginning. "Imitation is the sincerest form of television," quipped radio wit Fred Allen at least 60 years ago. Was it just a coincidence that all of those "Jersey" shows erupted after the success of "Jersey Shore"? Was the eruption of "Cajun" programming entirely spontaneous? Remember all of those game shows that showed up after "Who Wants to Be a Mil lionaire" hit it big? OK, maybe you don't.

The folks at CBS are so convinced that their idea was "stolen" that they have sued ABC. (The suit has not been ruled on as of this writing.) I'm not a lawyer, but I would suspect that the legal wrangling will be more interesting than either program.

The new series "Hollywood Heights" (9 p.m., Nickelodeon) seems familiar in every way, from its generic title to its tales of teen talents soaring to superstardom. What sets the show apart is its open-ended duration. "Heights" will rattle on for 80 episodes, in the style of daytime soaps or Mexican telenovelas, following 18-year-old Loren Tate (Brittany Underwood, "One Life to Live") as she goes from gushing music fan to famous performer.

"Heights" will air every weeknight at this time. This isn't the only ongoing prime-time soap on Nickelodeon. It also airs "House of Anubis," an American-Belgian co-production set at an enchanted prep school.

It's an understatement to say that the documentary "One Nation Under Dog" (9 p.m., HBO) is difficult to watch. At times it seems expressly made to repel viewers as it sets out to explore how our individual and societal relationships with dogs bring out extreme devotion, emotions and indifference.

"Dog" is divided into three parts: "Fear," "Loss" and "Betrayal." "Fear" recalls a doctor in an upscale New Jersey suburb who went to disturbing lengths to keep people from reporting his vicious dog. "Loss" examines the outsized grief people feel for their departed dogs and the support groups they attend to cry. And "Betrayal" is an expose on the shocking number of dogs euthanized in shelters and pounds all over America.

Those who sit through the documentary to the bitter end can hear a group of dogs gassed to death and then catch a glimpse of their lifeless bodies before they are carted off to trash bins.

As I said, "One Nation Under Dog" is unique: It's almost perfectly unwatchable.

TONIGHT'S HIGHLIGHTS

---Atlanta becomes the setting for a new season of "Love & Hip Hop" (8 p.m., VH1).

---Don witnesses a pier demolition on "Off Limits" (8 p.m., Travel).

---Things go smoothly until they don't on "Bunheads" (9 p.m., ABC Family, TV-14).

---Relationship experts can't follow their own pearls of wisdom on the new reality series "Miss Ad vised" (10 p.m., Bravo, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE

Stacy Keach and Jeff Bridges star in the 1972 boxing drama "Fat City" (8 p.m., TCM), directed by John Huston.

SERIES NOTES

---Robin hides shocking news on "How I Met Your Mother" (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

---Auditions on "America's Got Talent" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

---The top 14 compete on "Hell's Kitchen" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

---Roses and hot tubs on "The Bachelorette" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

---Leading roles spark competition on "Breaking Pointe" (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG).

---Lessons in thrift store shopping on "2 Broke Girls" (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

---Berta moves in on "Two and a Half Men" (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

---"American Ninja Warrior" (9 p.m., NBC).

---The top 16 compete on "Mas terChef" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

---Too fabulous for words on "The Catalina" (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-14).

---Vince becomes jealous on "Mike & Molly" (9:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

---Sheldon plays paintball on "The Big Bang Theory" (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

---Alan worries about a girlfriend's past on "Two and a Half Men" (10:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT

---Parmy Olson is scheduled on "The Daily Show With Jon Stew art" (11 p.m., Comedy Central).

---Martin Short, Aubrey Plaza and Spring Standard appear on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS).

---Jeff Wild, Brad Wollack and Josh Wolf are booked on "Chelsea Lately" (11 p.m., E!).

---Denis Leary, Olivia Wilde and the Pierces appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS).

---Leno welcomes Steve Carell, Cory Booker and Glen Hansard on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC).

---Martin Short, Cee Lo Green and Goodie Mob appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (midnight, ABC, r).

---Joan Rivers, CM Punk and Fiona Apple visit "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC).

---Craig Ferguson hosts Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd on "The Late Late Show" (12:35 a.m., CBS).

Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.