1) “Murder in a Small Town” season-opener, 8 p.m., Fox. This was one of last season’s best surprises, filled with subtlety and humanity. There’s a soft-spoken police chief, his librarian lover (they’re shown here) and diligent deputies. The second season starts with a domestic dispute gone bad. With the exception of an out-of-sync character (the mayor), it’s an excellent hour.
2) “America’s Got Talent” finale, 9-11 p.m., NBC. The final 10 acts get one more more chance to gather votes There are seven music acts (including an improv rapper and a school choir), plus dancers, acrobats and a projection act. Their performances will be recapped Wednesday, leading into the finale.
3) “Alien: Earth” season-finale, 8 p.m., FX. This has deftly juggled opposite stories — one fierce (outer-space predators breaking free) and one warm (the minds of dying children inserted into synthetic bodies). The finale seems mostly on the nasty side, but stick around: In the final minutes, both stories merge brilliantly.
4) “The Lowdown” debut, 9 and 10:30 p.m., FX. Two terrific talents link. There’s writer-producer Sterlin Harjo and Ethan Hawke, who guested in one of the best episodes of Harjo’s “Reservation Dogs.” Now Hawke plays a guy who writes for ragged Tulsa publications, inflaming the powerful. The first episode is a delight; the second gets a bit too chaotic.
5) ALSO: At 8 p.m., NBC continues the opening week of “The Voice.” At 9, “Doc” moves into its regular spot on Fox; it had a great first season, but a disappointing post-football debut this year. And at 10, “High Potential” sees Morgan suspect that The Game Maker is responsible for a string of crimes.