ALL CREATURES GRATE ON FOX’S ‘HOUSEBROKEN’ – The Republic

Lisa Kudrow, recently seen on HBO Max in its long-awaited Friends reunion, can only be heard in the animated comedy HouseBroken (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

Loosely organized around group encounter therapy sessions conducted by Honey (Kudrow), a slightly neurotic poodle who speaks in the slightly halting, delusionally self-actualized manner that Kudrow employed as Phoebe on Friends. Her sessions are a shambles, as she tries to corral the egos and eccentricities of mangy cats, dim-witted dogs, a pig, some kind of rodent and a superannuated turtle, voiced by a raft of talent including Tony Hale, Will Forte, Clea DuVall and Jason Mantzoukas.

Therapy allows this menagerie to riff sporadically without listening to each other or respecting boundaries, a cacophony that rarely adds up to actual conversation. HouseBroken also explores Honeys dream life, where she is haunted by visions of her recently deceased friend. Her dreams take place underwater, where Honey sees herself as a mermaid, or mer-dog, a word she says so often, it sounds like Murdoch. Then again, I may be hearing satire that was not intended.

Honey is clearly depressed after the departure of her friend, and slightly less than stimulated by her partner, an aggressively dimwitted sheepdog. So shes more than ready for a change when a rogue coyote arrives in the neighborhood.

While HouseBroken is hardly saddled with what you might call a plot, there is certainly a lot going on. In addition to Honeys therapy and rich interior life, HouseBroken occasionally alludes to the critters human owners, other relationships altogether.

Kudrows presence, or rather her voices star billing, demonstrates how celebrity culture has invaded all aspects of entertainment. A generation ago, The Simpsons made voice stars of complete unknowns whose talent spoke for itself. What would the world be like had Dan Castellaneta and Nancy Cartwright not emerged as the voices of Homer and Bart?

The Titans that Built America (9 p.m., History) offers impressive, cinematic reenactments of events in the lives of historic characters including Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler, J.P. Morgan Jr., Pierre Du Pont and William Boeing. The focus is on the years between the World Wars, as the United States emerged as an economic colossus and the forces of industry clashed with the government and organized labor before collaborating to defeat the Axis during World War II.

Some of the chronology is out of sync. While clearly a visionary when he launched the Model T, Ford had become a bit of a crank by the 1920s, when he began to resent a car-buying market that wanted anything better than his black and basic model.

The hero worship is extreme. In the 21st century, the word Titans takes on a kind of superhero aura, presenting giants among us who created our world. To anyone who actually reads history, it comes off almost as camp, a parody of a comic book view of the past written by Ayn Rand.

Three specials recall the racist massacre that consumed Tulsa, Oklahoma, a century ago. Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings), Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street (9 p.m., CNN) and Tulsa 1921: An American Tragedy (10 p.m., CBS).

TONIGHTS OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Gordon Ramsay hosts the 20th season of Hells Kitchen (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

The 2009 cartoon The Princess and the Frog (8 p.m., ABC, TV-G) sets the fable in Louisiana.

A tough federal case on Bull (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).

In Treatment (9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., HBO, TV-MA) continues.

Toys in the attic on Duncanville (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).

Lil Rel Howery hosts the game show Small Fortune (10 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).

A mission of mercy on The Good Doctor (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).

CULT CHOICE

For some, director William Wellmans 1949 drama Battleground (8 p.m., TCM, TV-PG) marked a turning point in movies about World War II, a departure from patriotic propaganda and a move toward realistic portrayals of men in combat.

SERIES NOTES

Noise gets out of hand on The Neighborhood (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) American Ninja Warrior (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) begins its 13th season The truth hurts on All American (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) A possible bad influence on Bob Hearts Abishola (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) Illusionists audition on Penn & Teller: Fool Us (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG).

LATE NIGHT

Lisa Kudrow is booked on Conan (11 p.m., TBS, r) Billy Crystal, Tiffany Haddish and the Black Keys appear on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) Denis Leary, Cristin Milioti and Patrick Radden Keefe visit Late Night With Seth Meyers (12:35 a.m., NBC, r).

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ALL CREATURES GRATE ON FOX'S 'HOUSEBROKEN' - The Republic