1) American Music Awards, 8 p.m, ABC. Taylor Swift (shown here) will perform and be crowned artist of the decade. But Post Malone leads this year, with seven nominations; he’ll perform with Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott and WATT. Ciara hosts a strong night for women: Selena Gomez has her first TV performance in two years; Shania Twain has her first AMA one in 16 years. Also performing:Billie Eilish, Thomas Rhett, Christina Aguilera, Green Day, Camila Cabello, Dua Luppo, Lizzo, Kesha, more.
2) “Masterpiece: The Chaperone,” 9 p.m, PBS. This feels a tad like the “Downton Abbey” movie – same writer (Julian Fellowes), director (Michael Engler), star (Elizabeth McGovern) and era. But it’s from a novel, built around a bit of real life: In 1922, Louise Brooks (a future movie star) was 16; she left Wichita to study modern dance. As usual, Fellowes creates empathy for the repressed – an upper-class woman (McGovern), a gay man, a German native. The result is rather bland, but interesting.
3) “Back to Life” finale, 10 and 10:30 p.m., Showtime. This has been a model of storytelling efficiency. Just two weeks (and four half-hour episodes) ago, we met Miri, returning to her seaside home after 18 years in prison for murder. Now everything implodes, during a hectic town-hall meeting. There’s humor, drama and the truth about what happened. It’s a great ending to a terrific little series … except Showtime announced this week that there will be a second season anyway.
4) “Madam Secretary,” 10 p.m., CBS. We’re just two weeks from the series finale, which will be stuffed with guest stars, including Peter Frampton, Cicely Tyson and the U.S. Women’s soccer team. For now, Elizabeth has duo worries – getting a tech CEO safely back to America and the fact that her husband and daughter are testifying before the House.
5) And more: This was supposed to be the start of a Garth Brooks profile on A&E; that’s been switched to Dec. 2-3, so try a movie. The splendid “Roman Holiday” (1953) — winner of Oscars for Audrey Hepburn, its script and its costumes – is 8 p.m. ET on Turner Classic Movies. And there are two family gems – “Home Alone” (1990), 6:45 p.m., Freeform; “A Christmas Story” (1983), 7 and 11 p.m., TBS.