1) “For the People,” 10 p.m., ABC. After a terrific season-opener last week, the show tops itself tonight. One story has surprisingly funny moments … especially for a murder case. It’s fun to see Kate Littlejohn – accustomed to winning – be ignored. The other packs fierce emotion: A prosecution witness is grabbed by immigration officials, leaving his son in limbo. Some of this is contrived, but mostly it’s deeply moving. For Anna Deavere Smith (as the courts clerk) and others, it’s a brilliant hour.
2) “Project Runway” season-opener, 8-9:30 p.m., Bravo. Fans had every reason to fret: Lashing out at then-owner Harvey Weinstein, Lifetime cancelled “Runway.” But now, 15 months after the last new episode,the show has new owners; it’s back on Bravo, where it started in 2004. Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn are gone, creating a new Amazon show; Karlie Kloss, 26, and Christian Siriano, 33, are the new host and mentor. The 16 contestants are from 11 states, plus Samoa, Syria and Colombia.
3) “iHeartRadio Music Awards,” 8-10 p.m., Fox. It’s the sixth year (and third network) for this show, which uses radio’s impact to line up top stars. Performing are Ariana Grande, Garth Brooks, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Halsey, Kacey Musgraves and more. This honors those with the most airplay. Up for song of the year are Drake’s “God’s Plan,” Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” and Post Malone’s “Better Now,” plus “Girls Like You” (Maroon 5, Cardi B) and “The Middle” (Zed, Maren Morris and Grey).
4) “Better Things,” 10 p.m., FX. It’s a typical episode (low-key, but very engaging), except for the guest stars — Sharon Stone, Kevin Pollak and a monkey. Two of them were good ideas, said producer-director-star Pamela Adlon. “We were all so excited about the monkey, and then the monkey handlers came in and brought down the room with the safety meeting.” After three hours of warnings, said young Olivia Edward said, “Some of us were scared to talk.”
5) “Fam,” 8:31 and 9:30 p.m., CBS. Before watching Adlon, catch her daughter twice. The fictional version of her middle daughter is Frankie, on “Better Things”; the real one, Gideon Adlon, is on “Fam” as Shannon – a wayward teen who lives with her sister Clem and future brother-in-law Nick. In the first episode, she tries to help Nick with his wedding dance; in the second, it’s an open house at her school. Those follow good reruns of “Big Bang” (paint-ball time) and “Young Sheldon” (Sheldon’s sick).
— Mike Hughes, TV America