Off the Wall: Ninjas, doctors and a 'Life' marathon

Off the Wall happily visits the doctor when he's as hunky as the latest Time Lord.

NEW NINJAS Competitors tackle the latest obstacle course of "Ninja Warrior" (Saturday 6-9, G4), in 12 fresh episodes that continue next weekend. Unleash your inner ninja at g4tv.com/ninjawarrior.

THE DOCTOR IS IN Lovin' that bow tie on Matt Smith, the 11th and youngest incarnation of "Doctor Who" (Saturday at 9, BBC America), TV's immortal, humanity-saving Time Lord.

SYFY GOES TO HELL The afterlife is eerie in "Riverworld" (Sunday 7-11 p.m., Syfy), where the recently deceased (Tahmoh Penikett, Laura Vandervoort) run into citizens like Mark Twain, a female samurai and a peculiar blue caretaker (Alan Cumming). Plunge into this new miniseries at syfy.com/riverworld.

AWARDS ALERT Performers galore for "The 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards" (Sunday 8-11 p.m., CBS / 2) - Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, John Fogerty, Toby Keith with Dave Koz, and more. Site at acmcountry.com.

UNSCRIPTED PREMIERES Emeril's back but, thank goodness, not in another sitcom. "The Emeril Lagasse Show" (tomorrow, 8 p.m., ION / 31) offers up weekly food, celebrity guests and music from Dave Koz's band. "Masterclass" (Sunday at 5:30 p.m., HBO) puts 50 young aspiring arts students together with top talent like opera's Placido Domingo, architect Frank Gehry and playwright Edward Albee. Queer Eye guy Thom Filicia hosts "Tacky House" (Wednesday at 11 p.m., Style), helping redesign dreadful decor.

THE BIRDS AND THE BEES? Nope, not that particular making of life. Discovery's special "The Making of Life" (Sunday at 10 p.m., Discovery) explores the filming of the jaw-dropping docuseries, right after the event concludes with "Plants" and "Primates." Or tune in earlier tomorrow to watch / record all 10 episodes, starting at noon. Video online at discovery.com/life.

A TERRORIST TALKS They aren't just from someplace else. Homegrown terror gets a voice in "The McVeigh Tapes: Confessions of an American Terrorist" (Monday 9-11 p.m., MSNBC). Interviews recorded during the since-executed bomber's imprisonment take us inside both the attack's planning and the attacker's descent into his deadly Oklahoma City act of 15 years ago to the day. More at msnbc.msn.com/id/36135258.

SCRIPTED START-UPS Alyssa Milano returns to sitcommery in "Romantically Challenged" (Monday at 9:30 p.m., ABC / 7), benefiting from a nice juicy "Dancing With the Stars" lead-in. Also getting a head start is "Gravity" (Friday at 10:30 p.m., Starz), a suicide survivors' dramedy with Krysten Ritter and Ivan Sergei, which follows the season 2 return of cater-waiters cult fave "Party Down." Man meets machine in the mutant heroism of teenage "Generator Rex" (Friday at 8:30 p.m., Cartoon). Preview at cartoonnetwork.com.

FINALES Season wrap-ups are starting to stack up. Glenn Close climaxes her deadly drama on "Damages" (Monday at 10 p.m., FX). Unscripted season-enders include "Prison Wives" (Wednesday at 10 p.m., ID) and "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" (Friday at 9 p.m., ABC/7). Catch up to "Damages" at fxnetwork.com/damages.