Best-bets for Sept. 4: tough times in modern Chicago and olde England

1) “The Chi” season-finale, 9 p.m., Showtime. Otis Perry, the ex-mayor, keeps messing with other people’s lives. As this strong hour opens, he startles Victor, the earnest council candidate. Later, he ranges from tough-guy Bakari to Emmett, a good soul trying to run a business and to co-parent with his estranged wife Tiff. (Emmett’s shown here with her new boyfriend Rob.) The rough moments are early, but stick around for bits of season-ending joy. Read more…

1) “The Chi” season-finale, 9 p.m., Showtime. Otis Perry, the ex-mayor, keeps messing with other people’s lives. As this strong hour opens, he startles Victor, the earnest council candidate. Later, he ranges from tough-guy Bakari to Emmett, a good soul trying to run a business and to co-parent with his estranged wife Tiff. (Emmett’s shown here with her new boyfriend Rob.) The rough moments are early, but stick around for bits of season-ending joy.

2) “The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family,” 8 p.m., PBS. For the ambitious Thomas Boleyn, life is almost ideal. He married into money and privilege, then worked his way into King Henry VIII’s inner-circle; also, his daughter is the king’s mistress. The problem? It’s the wrong daughter – Mary, who is married and reluctant; Anne – single, ambitious, trained in royal manners – would be ideal. In this mid-section of a three-parter, she leans toward triumph and tragedy.

3) “Masterpiece: Guilt,” 9-10 p.m., PBS. After getting way too tangled in the first half of its four-hour tale, “Guilt” now is down to the basics: Max, out of prison and bitter, hates Roy Lynch, his former colleage. So does Erin, Roy’s daughter. This mutual hatred caused them to scheme together and (once) sleep together; Erin regrets the latter. Now the schemes expand, in a story (ending next Sunday) that has brilliant dialog and an impenetrable plot.

4) Sports surge. Starting next week, pro football will dominate each Sunday. Tonight, however, it’s college time: Louisiana State opens its season, hosting Florida State at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Both teams had losing records last year, but FSU opened this season by topping Duquesne in yards (638-164) and points (47-7). Meanwhile, Fox has soccer at 5:30 p.m and boxing from 8-9; at 7, Showtime has a documentary movie about tennis star John McEnroe.

5) “This is Spinal Tap” (1984), 11:30 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Here’s a tour of Christopher Guest’s clever, semi-improvised movies. Guest co-wrote and co-starred in Rob Reiner’s brilliant “Spinal Tap.” He went on to direct and co-write (with Eugene Levy) little gems: “Best of Show” (2000), set at a dog show, is 8 p.m.; “Waiting for Guffman” (1996), at a talent show, is 9:45.

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