1) “The Masked Singer” opener, 8 p.m., Fox. Last season (shown here), this was a ratings hit – No. 12 in the overall Nielsen ratings and No. 3 – trailing only two football nights, among viewers 18-49. Now it’s the key to Fox’s makeshift fall schedule. It has all the usual oddities … plus, this time, a two-headed mask. Read more…
1) “Frontline: The Choice,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. Even “America’s Got Talent” finalists (shown here) can’t match the impact of the America’s-got-politics finalists. This is biography at its best, bouncing between the lives of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, and finding huge contrasts. Biden faced immense troubles, from boyhood stuttering to the death of his wife and two of his children; Trump was sent to military school, where he savored being in command. Biden made big mistakes, including plagiarism; he apologized and adjusted. Donald Trump had bankruptcies, divorces, rants and more; he admits no mistakes. Read more…
1) “L.A.’s Finest” debut, 8 p.m., Fox. The fall TV season gets off to a quick, slick start. “Finest” – which aired previously on the Spectrum system – is descended from the “Bad Boys” film and has a big-movie look. Gabrielle Union and Jessica Alba (shown here) play police detectives. The opener has clever dialog and big chase scenes and shoot-em-ups – so big that the show often strains believability. Read more…
1) Emmy awards, 8-11 p.m. ET, 5-8 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. PT, ABC. The sheer size of the TV world makes this a challenge. Producers Ian Stewart and Reg Hudlin (shown here) have sent camera kits to 130 nominees around the country (plus Tel Aviv, Berlin and more). There will be humor (Jimmy Kimmel does the opening monolog) and music, with H.E.R. singing during the “In Memoriam” segment. And others will help, including Oprah Winfrey, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Patrick Stewart, Anthony Anderson, RuPaul, and Count Von Count, of “Sesame Street” fame. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Will Ferrell spent seven years at “SNL,” doing silly things – cheerleader skits (shown here) and such – and them portraying George W. Bush and Alex Trebek and more. A 2014 poll named him viewers’ all-time favorite on the show. He and Adam McKay (a former “SNL” head writer) took a Bush show to Broadway, created the Funny or Die video channel and made movies, from “Elf” to “Anchorman.” Here’s a rerun of Ferrell’s fifth time as host; King Princess is the music guest. Read more…
1) “Great Performances: Now Hear This” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. For almost 30 years, Joseph Haydn worked for a mega-rich family in rural Hungary and Austria. The bad news was that he was a servant – wearing a uniform, traveling with the family, sometimes even pouring drinks. The good: He was the music-master and had his own small orchestra. Now violinist Scott Yoo (shown here) visits and plays in the rooms where Haydn molded string-quartet music; he also visits influences, from bagpipers to gypsy bands. Read more…
1) “The Masked Singer” preview, 9 p.m., Fox. After an awful summer, Fox hopes to start a big fall comeback next week, fueled by football, wrestling, cartoons, transplanted dramas and – especially – “The Masked Singer,” which was big last season (shown here). This is the second time it airs this preview of next Wednesday’s season-opener, offering a peek at clues, costumes and behind-the-scenes activity. Read more…
1) Academy of Country Music awards, 8-11 p.m., CBS. During a five-month delay, this ound ways to do lots of live, social-distanced music. That will be scattered into the Grand Ole Opry’s past and current homes and a nightclub. Keith Urban hosts, Taylor Swift (shown here) ends a seven-year absence and sings “Betty,” Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani do “Happy Anywhere” and Carrie Underwood does a medley of women’s hits. Also: Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Trisha Yearwood, many more. Read more…
1) “America’s Got Talent,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. Five spots remain in the 10-person finals; now 11 acts compete for them. There are lots of singers – Celina Graves (shown here), Cristina Rae, Kenadi Dodds, Daneliya Tuleshova, Voices of Our City – and two dance acts, BAD Salsa and W.A.F.F.L.E. Crew. Also, a magician (Max Major), a daredevil (Jonathan Goodwin), a sword-swallower (Brett Loudermilk) and acrobats (Bello Sisters). Tonight, viewers vote; on Wednesday, we’ll learn who survives. Read more…
1) “Dancing With the Stars” opener, 8-10 p.m., ABC. There’s a new host (Tyra Banks) and ew judge (Derek Hough, shown here with Bindi Irwin, one of his six championships). There’s also a new approach, with dancers being distanced from everyone except their partners. The line-up includes Carole Baskin, the animal activist from “Tiger King”; Kaitlyn Bristowe, a former “Bachelorette”; and skater Johnny Weir. Also, athletes (Charles Oakley, Vernon Davis), musicians (Nelly, A.J. McLean), actors (Jesse Metcalfe, Anne Heche, Skai Jackson, Justina Machado) and more. Read more…
