1) “American Masters,” 9 p.m., PBS. At 21, Marlee Matlin was the youngest best-actress Oscar-winner (for “Children of a Lesser God,” shown here) and the first deaf winner. She began a torrid and toxic romance, faced some rough times …. then settled into a long acting career, long marriage and more. This film starts poorly (34 minutes before the chronology begins), then becomes compelling.
2) “The Lowdown,” 9 p.m., FX, rerunning at 10:08. For Peter Dinklage, the four-time Emmy-winner for “Game of Thrones,” here’s a superb guest spot. He plays the friend, enemy and former business partner of Lee (Ethan Hawke). They snipe, laugh, brawl and face danger. Two gifted actors get the most out of some great writing.
3) “Murder in a Small Town,” 8 p.m., Fox. This sweet-spirited town keeps having troubled visitors. Now it’s a pop singer, trying to revive her career, alongside lots of hangers-on. The crimesolving (mostly by computer) isn’t that interesting this week, but the people are.
4) “NCIS: Origins” season-opener, 9 p.m., CBS. Last season ended fiercely, with Lala’s car crashing and flipping. Now we jump ahead four months, to see the aftermath. Also, Gibbs and Franks look for a young Marine who is linked to a mysterious compound with a charismatic leader.
5) More season-openers, CBS. “NCIS” (8 p.m.) starts a two-parter, with Parker (Gary Cole) raging for vengeance on the Mob boss (Rebecca De Mornay) who killed his father; Nancy Travis plays his sister, an admiral. “NCIS: Sydney” (10) has Navy aviators adrift in the Coral Sea.