TV Lookout for Nov. 11-17

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007 | 5 a.m.

Science or religion? The debate (or would it be more apt to say battle?) goes on surrounding the theory of intelligent design. PBS' "Nova" explores the question in "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial."

This two-hour program revisits the federal case of Kitzmiller vs. Dover School District, which became the first legal test of intelligent design (the idea that life is too complex to have evolved naturally) as a scientific theory opposing evolution.

The 2005 trial arose from a lawsuit filed by parents in Dover, Pa., after the school board a year earlier ordered science teachers to read a statement to their biology students suggesting intelligent design as an alternative to Darwin's theory of evolution. The parents accused the school board of violating the constitutional separation of church and state. (The landmark case was decided in favor of the plaintiffs.)

Featuring trial re-enactments, "Judgment Day" presents the arguments of lawyers and expert witnesses, as well as addressing issues such as "What is evolution?" and "Is intelligent design a scientifically valid alternative?"

It airs 8 p.m. EST Tuesday (check local listings).

Other shows to look out for:

- Submerge yourself in a 12-hour "SpongeBob Squarepants" marathon, starting Monday at 9 a.m. First: the 2004 theatrical film, "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie," followed at 10:30 by favorite "SpongeBob" episodes airing all day. Then, at 8 p.m., SpongeBob and the gang find the lost city of Atlantis in a new special, "Atlantis SquarePantis," with guest star David Bowie. And, as if all that weren't enough, at 8:45 p.m., Nickelodeon premieres a behind-the-scenes special that uncovers the process of making a cartoon, from writing, storyboarding, drawing and animation to the voice-recording sessions.

- This isn't exactly a game. A group of weekend "warrior knights" in Baltimore (which they re-imagine as a make-believe medieval world name Darkon) take combat on their live-action "battleground" very seriously. These costumed role players combine the physical drama of historical re-enactments with story lines inspired by such epics as "Braveheart" and "Lord of the Rings." The result: real-life adventures, however much heightened by fantasy. They are captured in the heroic documentary "Darkon," making its TV premiere on Independent Film Channel at 9 p.m. Monday.

- Is this a tip or a warning? It's up to you. But be advised that "Kenny vs. Spenny" premieres this week with none-too-refined competitions between best friends Kenny Hotz and Spencer Rice (co-creators of this reality-comedy series). Future challenges include: "Who Can Stay Naked the Longest?" and "Who Can Eat More Meat?" But in a special sneak peek, the debut episode pits the pals in a blow-by-blow contest to determine who's flatulence champ. It airs 12:30 Wednesday night, with the series' regular slot 11:30 p.m. Sundays on Comedy Central.

- In the new Lifetime film, "More of Me," Molly Shannon plays a woman whose busy life leads to a novel solution: She splits into three. Her emotional self is focused on being the perfect wife to her husband (co-star Steven Weber); her rational self takes control of her career as an environmental activist; and her conscience is in charge of being the ideal mom. But the plan falters when these three distinct versions of herself stop managing the chaos in her life, and start making it worse. The lighthearted comedy airs 9 p.m. Saturday.

- "Baghdad Diary" is really two film diaries, an intimate dual view of wartime conditions in Iraq as captured by two bold observers. Iraqi taxi driver Fadil Kadom struggles to maintain a life for his family while documenting the civilian fight for survival around him using a small video camcorder. And American television cameraman Craig White, working for NBC News, embeds with the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division on the front lines of the march to liberate Baghdad, then remains as troops try to control the bombings and lawlessness that follow. Airing 10 p.m. Saturday on the History Channel, the two-hour program is hosted by ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who was seriously injured in Iraq in January 2006.

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EDITOR'S NOTE - Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore(at)ap.org