1) “The Bachelor” opener, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Following family tradition, Peter Weber is a Delta Airlines pilot: His dad and brother are pilots; his mother is a flight attendant. Now – after finishing third on “The Bachelorette” – Weber, 28, is in control. Among the 30 women (ages 22 to 31) to choose from are three flight attendants, a lawyer, a cattle rancher, a nurse, a radiographer. And, of course, there’s also an NBA dancer, a fashion blogger, Miss Texas USA and Kylie Ramos, an entertainment sales associate, shown here possibly suggesting some entertainment.
2) “American’s Got Talent: The Champions,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. Naturally, NBC isn’t going to make life easy for “The Bachelor.” It counters with this short-run show, featuring winners and other finalists from its summer ratings hit.
3) “Manifest” season-opener, 10 p.m., NBC. During the first season, Michaela had lots of problems. Her flight seemed like three hours to the passengers … but when it landed, five years had elapsed. More odd things happened. Then her old boyfriend (a cop, like her) waved a gun at her new one; a shot was fired. Now this season starts with a medical emergency, then adds new layers of sci-fi mystery. The result has plenty of flaws, but it’s hard to quit watching it.
4) “American Experience: McCarthy,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. It was easy to underestimate Sen. Joseph McCarthy. He was a plain-talking Wisconsin lawyer, with rural roots and no specific political beliefs. Then, in 1950, he announced there were 205 Communists in the U.S government. A wave of Red-hunting began; lives and careers were ruined, McCarthy’s own career soared … then crashed, amid two Senate probes and a censure. It’s a fascinating story that shows the sheer power of the audacious lie.
5) “The Brokenwood Mysteries,” any time, www.acorn.tv. “Steampunk” – the odd blend of history and science fiction – has fans in this small New Zealand town. As people celebrate, there’s a murder. The resulting mystery is intelligent and complex, albeit not very satisfying. That’s the first of four movie-length episodes that will air on consecutive Mondays.