You can't spell "ABC" without the "B" word. The Disney-owned network has fallen in love with the vulgar term, hinting at it in the title of the "GCB" and returning to form with "Don't Trust the B-------- in Apartment 23" (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-14). If last summer's hit "Bridesmaids" set out to prove that movies for the ladies could be just as raunchy as Judd Apatow bromances, shows like "Apartment 23" are here to say that Charlie Sheen's character from "Two and a Half Men" has no monopoly on depressingly casual sex and crude disdain for human emotion.

"Apartment 23" is no more saturated with illogical dirty talk and witless innuendo than "Men" or "The Big Bang Theory." It's just now coming from the female characters. And some find this threatening. Just last week, "Men" co-creator Lee Aronsohn went on a Twitter tear, knocking the rise of sitcoms directed at female audiences that emphasize sexually frank dialogue. His outburst resulted in a furious backlash, most notably from "Raising Hope" star Martha Plimpton. In a half-hearted apology, Aronsohn tweeted, "Women, please look up 'irony.'"

Has a sitcom gender war erupted?

For the record, "Apartment 23" stars Dreama Walker as June, a naive newcomer to New York. Convinced that her life and career are on track, she arrives at her dream job only to see it get shut down by federal agents for fraud. Kicked out of her company apartment, she answers a roommate want ad placed by Chloe (Krysten Ritter). Only she doesn't know that Chloe makes her living by charming new roommates, demanding first-month and last-month rents and then behaving like a psychopath so they'll flee and leave her the money.

Without giving too much away, Chloe meets her match in June, paving the way for wacky adventures filled with R-rated dialogue -- not unlike the antics on "2 Broke Girls." In one odd twist, Chloe claims to be best friends with James Van Der Beek of "Dawson's Creek" fame. At first it seems like just another one of her lies, but "The Beek" does show up, ensnared in Chloe's web.

In addition to the obscenity in its title, "Apartment 23"

includes pixilated moments of total nudity and several allusions to masturbation. Help yourself!

---Tired of watching people bid on abandoned storage

lockers? Thanks to "Baggage Battles" (10 p.m., Travel), you can now watch folks attend the auction of unclaimed luggage from a Florida airport. It's almost as exciting as it sounds.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

---Peter O'Toole discusses his film career "Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival" (8 p.m., TCM). His films, including "The Lion in Winter" (9 p.m.) and "Lawrence of Arabia" (12:30 a.m.), follow.

---Two hours of performances on "American Idol" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).

---A new pastor inspires Frankie on "The Middle" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

---Claire faces the voters on "Modern Family" (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

---A convicted killer gets another spin at the revolving door on "CSI" (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

---An old case may be reopened on "Law & Order: Special Vic tims Unit" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).

---Back to basics on "Revenge" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE

Mr. Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) takes a licking and keeps on ticking in "Rocky II" (7:45 p.m., CMT), "Rocky III" (10:30 p.m.) and "Rocky IV" (12:45 a.m.). What this has to do with country music is anybody's guess.

SERIES NOTES

---Candid camera pranks on "Betty White's Off Their Rock ers" (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

---A trip to Canada on "Amer- ica's Next Top Model: British Invasion" (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-14).

---An unintended phone call on "Best Friends Forever" (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV- 14).

---Dallas worries George on "Suburgatory" (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).

---A prodigal cousin returns on "Criminal Minds" (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).

LATE NIGHT

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

---Lena Dunham appears on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS).

---Guy Pearce, Josh Wolf, Jen Kirkman and Dov Davidoff are booked on "Chelsea Lately" (11 p.m., E!).

---Michelle Obama sits down on "The Colbert Report" (11:30 p.m., Comedy Central).

---Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and the Kaiser Chiefs appear on "Late Show With David Letterman" (11:35 p.m., CBS).

---Jay Leno welcomes Albert Brooks, Austin Russell, Corey Harrison and Neon Trees on "The To night Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC).

---Ashley Judd, Morgan Spurlock and the Civil Wars appear on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (midnight, ABC).

---Joel McHale visits "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (12:35 a.m., NBC).

---Craig Ferguson hosts Adam Goldberg and Robbie Montgomery on "The Late Late Show" (12:35 a.m., CBS).

Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin.tvguy@-

gmail.com.