TV Best Bets

Sunday, Sept. 11: Remembering 9/11

Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
One World Trade Center (a.k.a. Freedom Tower) rises from the ashes of the 9/11 terror attacks

All Times Eastern.

Sunday, Sept. 11

ALSO SEE: Roundup Of Sept. 11 15th Anniversary Programs

9/11: Fifteen Years Later
CNN, 8pm
CNN acquired and co-produced this updated version of the Peabody and Emmy award-winning documentary 9/11. The film is directed, filmed, and executive produced by Gédéon and Jules Naudet, French-born filmmakers and brothers, and by retired New York City firefighter James Hanlon. CNN Films has worked with the team to update the film for this 2016 edition. Denis Leary will introduce the new anniversary edition of the film, reflecting upon the heroism of the firefighters who responded that day.

102 Minutes That Changed America: 15th Anniversary Edition
History, 8pm

History’s Emmy Award-winning, critically acclaimed documentary chronicled the terror of 9/11 in real time. It is a minute-by-minute account of the catastrophe unfolding, using footage from numerous sources. This anniversary edition includes interviews and perspectives from those featured in the film, and people who can speak to the events that followed the attack.

9/11: The Longest War
NGC, 9pm
This new two-hour special provides a comprehensive look at the past 15 years — from the buildup to the attacks as the devastating events unfolded, to the military response in the years that followed — leading up to the present day. 9/11: The Longest War draws from a wide range of sources, including over 40 original National Geographic interviews with survivors, first responders, experts, journalists, politicians and military leaders. Leading up to this premiere, NGC will air a day of encore programming related to the 9/11 attacks.

America’s 9/11 Flag: Rise From the Ashes
History, 10:30pm
Featuring best-selling author and History host Brad Meltzer, this program uncovers the mystery of and search for the iconic ground zero 9/11 flag. Captured in an iconic photo that galvanized America, the flag disappeared on 9/11. Along with key forensic and art crimes experts, Brad attempts to unravel the mystery.

Celebrity Family Feud: “Garrett Morris vs. Alfonso Ribeiro and Todd Chrisley vs. Sara Evans”
ABC, 8pm
The family of actor/comedian Garrett Morris, part of the original cast of Saturday Night Live, takes on America’s Funniest Home Videos host Alfonso Ribeiro and family. Then, the family of Todd Chrisley, star and executive producer of Chrisley Knows Best, competes against multi-platinum country singer Sara Evans and her crew.

Son of Zorn
FOX, 8pm
New Series!
This new comedy is a mix of animation and live action following Zorn (voice of Jason Sudeikis), a mighty warrior from the island of Zephyria, as he reunites with his family in Southern California after 10 years off at war. But Zorn has trouble adjusting to life in SoCal and the idea that his son Alangulon (Johnny Pemberton) is a mellow vegetarian. Cheryl Hines, Tim Meadows and Artemis Pebdani also star. The series premieres tonight and begins in its regular time slot Sept. 25.


Masterpiece Classic: “Churchill’s Secret”
PBS, 8pm
Michael Gambon stars as Winston Churchill in this dramatization of Churchill’s life-threatening stroke in 1953, when he was Britain’s prime minister. His illness was kept secret from the world. Romola Garai plays the remarkable nurse who cared for him.

NFL Football: New England at Arizona
NBC, 8:20pm Live
Sunday Night Football starts its regular season tonight with a matchup between two of last season’s conference finalists as the New England Patriots visit the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Patriots will be without quarterback Tom Brady, who is serving a four-game suspension for his role in the “Deflategate” scandal.

2017 Miss America Competition
ABC, 9pm Live
The annual celebration of beauty, poise and talent returns to the Atlantic City boardwalk. Cohosted by Chris Harrison and Sage Steele, the search for Miss America 2017 features Shark Tank’s Mark Cuban, actress and former model Sarah Foster, country music star Cole Swindell and former Miss America Sharlene Wells Hawkes as first-round judges.

Fear the Walking Dead: “Pablo & Jessica”
AMC, 9pm
Alicia (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and Madison (Kim Dickens) try to unite two competing factions. Nick (Frank Dillane) taps into skills from his past to score a new role at the colonia.

Manzo’d With Children
Bravo, 9pm
Season Premiere!
In the Season 3 premiere and the first of tonight’s back-to-back episodes, “A Family That Scares Together…,” Caroline and Chris take a midnight visit to a haunted prison. In the second episode, “A Class in Creativity,” Albie insists Vito take an etiquette class — and Caroline tags along.

BrainDead
CBS, 9pm
Season Finale!
BrainDead’s first season comes to a close with two new episodes. In “Talking Points Toward a Wholistic View of Activism in Government: Can the Top Rebel?”, Laurel (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) discovers that a bill is not what it appears, and she implores Luke (Danny Pino) to help, leading to a dramatic Senate sit-in. Then in “The End of All We Hold Dear: What Happens When Democracies Fail: A Brief Synopsis,” Laurel discovers the secret to driving the bugs out of a person’s brain and tests the tactic on her father. Armed with new knowledge, Laurel and Gareth (Aaron Tveit) attempt to expel the queen bug out of Red’s (Tony Shalhoub) head once and for all.

Big Time RV
Travel Channel, 9pm
Season Premiere!
An auctioneer family is sold on buying a new RV; artists are looking for a camper that’s a real beauty; and an Elvis impersonator needs an RV fit for the King.

Masterpiece Classic: “Indian Summers Season 2”
PBS, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Three years have passed since last season. Aafrin is secretly fighting for Indian independence from inside the civil service. Does Ralph suspect his disloyalty?

Masters of Sex
Showtime, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Beginning the season at odds and burdened by lies, William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) slowly switch roles in both their work and the bedroom. Guest stars this season include Beau Bridges, Sarah Silverman, Niecy Nash, Betty Gilpin, Andre Royo, David Walton, Alysia Reiner, Jeremy Strong and Ashley Zukerman.

Geeking Out: “Antoine Fuqua/DC Toys/Blizzard Entertainment”
AMC, 12:01am (Late-night)
Kevin tours the home base of DC Direct toys. Later, he and Greg talk with producer/director Antoine Fuqua, and Tiffany explores the world of video games at Blizzard Entertainment.

Monday, Sept. 12


Harry
Syndicated
New Series!
Singer/actor Harry Connick Jr. hosts this daytime talk and variety show that includes man-on-the-street interviews, live musical performances and parodies, stunts and audience participation segments.

T.D. Jakes
Syndicated
New Series!
The afternoon talk show led by Dallas-based pastor, author, producer and businessman T.D. Jakes will discuss socially relevant news topics, and will feature celebrity guests and everyday people.

The Robert Irvine Show
The CW, 3pm
New Series!
Celebrity chef Robert Irvine is setting aside his chef hat and tackling topics that need tough love and conflict resolution. His show will feature people facing a variety of problems that he’ll try to help solve. Tune in to see Irvine go from kitchen to couch on this hourlong talk show.

NFL Football
ESPN, beginning at 6:55pm Live
ESPN’s Monday Night Football makes its regular-season debut with a doubleheader tonight, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams at the San Francisco 49ers.

Dancing With the Stars
ABC, 8pm
Season Premiere!
With its first ever pro/star marriage under its garter belt (congrats, Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec!) the family-friendly favorite enters its 23rd — yes, 23rd — season.

So You Think You Can Dance
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
After weeks of heart-stopping performances, the final four dancers show the judges and the country what they’ve got one last time before one talented young performer between the ages of 8-13 is named America’s Favorite Dancer.

CBS Fall Preview
CBS, 8:30pm
Kevin James hosts this preview special looking at the six new fall CBS series: Kevin Can Wait, Bull, MacGyver, Man With a Plan, The Great Indoors and Pure Genius.

The $100,000 Pyramid: “Jon Lovitz vs. Deion Sanders and Rosie O’Donnell vs. Kathy Najimy”
ABC, 10pm
Season Finale!
Actor Jon Lovitz competes against former NFL star Deion Sanders. In game two, Rosie O’Donnell and Kathy Najimy make a return appearance to compete for a shot at making it to the winners circle and scoring the ultimate prize of $100,000.

JonBenét: An American Murder Mystery
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Nearly 20 years after 6-year-old beauty pageant contestant JonBenét Ramsey was murdered in her own home just after Christmas, the crime remains one of the most notorious unsolved murders. This three-part series seeks to rip the cold case open by chronologically reexamining the evidence to challenge long-held beliefs at the center of this enduring mystery.

Running Wild With Bear Grylls: “Marshawn Lynch”
NBC, 10pm
Plucked from a medieval tower along the Corsica coastline, Bear and Super Bowl Champion Marshawn Lynch are dropped deep in a rugged mountain range where they navigate cliffs and dark chasms. Along the way, Marshawn details his upbringing in Oakland, his “beast” mentality on the field, and his unexpected retirement.

POV: “All the Difference”
PBS, 10pm
Accompany two African-American teens from the South Side of Chicago on their journey to achieve their dream of graduating from college. Follow the young men through five years of hard work, sacrifice, setbacks and uncertainty.

Tuesday, Sept. 13


America’s Got Talent: “Live Finale”
NBC, 8pm Live
The top 10 acts compete one last time live for the chance to win $1 million and be voted the most talented act in America. The results air live tomorrow night.

Bad Girls Club: Social Disruption
Oxygen, 8pm
In a one-hour casting special, meet this season’s bad girls.

The Contenders — 16 for ’16
PBS, 8pm
New Series!
Future historians will tell us how the 2016 presidential election ranked in terms of memorable campaigns, but this series reveals what history has already told us about past campaigns — it looks at the twists of fate and surprising mistakes behind 16 of the most compelling and tumultuous presidential campaigns in modern history (with “modern” being the past 50 years).

Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove
Discovery Channel, 9pm
New Series!
This spinoff of Discovery’s hugely popular reality series explores the lives of crab fisherman in Newport, Ore. Newport is one of the last remaining fishing towns along the edge of the notoriously violent “Graveyard of the Pacific” that stretches from Oregon to British Columbia. Dungeon Cove goes aboard the vessels that navigate this stretch of sea, and also follows those left behind: the families who make sacrifices to survive.

Dance Moms: “Nia & Kendall Face Off”
Lifetime, 9pm
Abby challenges Nia and Kendall with tough head-to-head trios. but the group tribute to Madonna leaves the moms wanting more. Holly suspects Abby has a hidden agenda for Nia but when she brings Nia’s manager to the studio to investigate, her strategy backfires. When talk of the girls’ technique erupts at competition, Abby abandons the team.

Frontline: “A Subprime Education”
PBS, 9pm
Examine reports of predatory behavior and fraud in the troubled for-profit college industry and the implosion of Corinthian Colleges. Also, “Omarina’s Story” tells how a program to stem the high-school dropout crisis has affected one girl’s journey.

Halt and Catch Fire: “Yerba Buena”
AMC, 10pm
Donna and Gordon decide to treat themselves to a staycation instead of going camping. Bos and Cameron return to Texas. Ryan and Joe have a revelation.

Ed Gordon
Bounce TV, 10pm
New Series!
This series of quarterly hourlong specials is Bounce TV’s first primetime news magazine show. Presented by award-winning journalist Ed Gordon, the show will not only feature top headline makers, entertainers and pop-culture icons, but also include investigative pieces and current-events segments.

Taking Fire
Discovery Channel, 10pm
New Series!
This series is the story of a band of brothers deployed to defend one of the United States’ farthest-flung outposts at the gateway to one of the deadliest places on earth: the mouth of the Taliban-held Korengal Valley in northeast Afghanistan. Told by the men who fought on the front lines themselves and illustrated with real combat footage shot on helmet cameras and Handycams, this material, never before seen on television, takes viewers along for a visceral experience not witnessed in news reports or traditional documentary portrayals of war.

Atlanta: “Go for Broke”
FX, 10pm
In the new episode “Go for Broke,” Earn (Donald Glover) is light on cash, which puts a damper on his dating life. But things might be looking up as Paper Boy’s (Brian Tyree Henry) rap career gains steam.

Better Late Than Never: “A Thai Goodbye”
NBC, 10pm
Season Finale!
The Asian adventure for Henry Winkler, William Shatner, George Foreman, Terry Bradshaw and Jeff Dye concludes in Thailand.

TED Talks: “Education Revolution”
PBS, 10pm
Explore innovative approaches to education with hosts Baratunde Thurston and Sara Ramirez. Speakers — including Anna Deavere Smith and Sal Khan — discuss the school-to-prison pipeline, micromanaging kids and turning struggling students into scholars.

Wednesday, Sept. 14

MasterChef
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
With help from some familiar home cooks, the final three contestants have 60 minutes to prepare an amazing appetizer dish. Then, in Part Two of the season finale, the contestants have one hour to create entrees and an hour to create a dessert before host/judge Gordon Ramsay and judge Christina Tosi reveal the winner and that deserving home cook walks away with a MasterChef trophy, a book deal and the $250,000 grand prize.

Forces of Nature
PBS, 8pm
New Series!
This four-part series, coproduced with the BBC, explores the fundamental forces that shape our very existence — from the ways that gravity manifests itself, to the weird and wonderful properties of light and color and how they make life possible, and more.

The Million Dollar Duck
Animal Planet, 9pm
This delightful film takes a look at the long-running annual competition to create the Federal Duck Stamp — a stamp purchased by hunters, with proceeds going toward procuring and preserving national wetlands (you may recall this contest as a subplot featured in the 1996 film Fargo). Ever since the ’30s, artists have vied to have their duck portrayals on the stamp in what has become known as “the Olympics of wildlife art.” The documentary follows six artists competing during the 2013 Duck Stamp competition, and it is a quirky lot, all with different reasons, passions and dreams for wanting to win.

Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition
Food Network, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Do celebrities really cook for themselves? Well, in case they do want to break out the pots and pans, mentors Anne Burrell and Rachael Ray take yet another group of cooking-averse famous folks through a rigorous culinary boot camp. The ladies only have eight weeks to turn these kitchen disasters into kitchen masters — and in the end, one special student will earn $50,000 for the charity of their choice.

NOVA: “School of the Future”
PBS, 9pm
In a new age of information, rapid innovation and globalization, how can we prepare our children to compete? Discover how the new science of learning can help us reimagine the future of education for all children.

Suits: “P.S.L.”
USA Network, 9pm
Season Finale!
Jessica and Rachel fight to save Leonard Bailey’s life. Meanwhile, Harvey and Louis must keep P.S.L.’s clients from abandoning ship by convincing their oldest and most loyal client to stay.

The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands
AXS TV, 10pm Live
Season Premiere!
Season 7 of the weekly live concert series kicks off tonight with a special 90-minute tribute to Prince. Katie Daryl produces and hosts the series, which airs from the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood.

Don’t Be Tardy
Bravo, 10pm

Season Premiere!
Brushes with death are often followed by a new lease on life, and the former Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak-Biermann is no exception. After her second dance on Dancing With the Stars, she suffered a mini-stroke, which in turn led to major heart surgery. As a result of that ordeal, this mother of six is ready to take on any challenge, including a new addition to the family. While her hubby Kroy Biermann may have gotten snipped after the twins, Kim is hopeful that a little one-two-switcharoo could put them back in the baby-making fast lane. As for the rest of her clan, both daughter Brielle and Kim’s personal chef Tracey are single and spend most of their time swiping left and right all over the internet. Ariana is finishing up eighth grade while the four little ones spend their days terrorizing their big siblings. Kim loves her ever-expansive, crazy brood and doesn’t see any harm in adding one more fresh face into the mix.

American Horror Story
FX, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Ryan Murphy and Co. finally answer the summer’s biggest question: Will cryptic posters, purposely misleading trailers and an overall aura of maddening secrecy draw viewers to the anthology drama for Season 6?

Documentary Now!
IFC, 10pm
Season Premiere!
This is serious stuff. Really! The Bill Hader/Fred Armisen mockumentary series Documentary Now! returns for Season 2 with “The Bunker,” a parody of The War Room, an acclaimed 1993 film that trailed Democratic campaigners James Carville and George Stephanopoulos as they helped win the presidency for Bill Clinton.

Blindspot
NBC, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Before moving to its regular, earlier time slot next Wednesday, NBC’s sophomore hit kicks off its new season tonight. Speaking to the new time slot, creator/executive producer Martin Gero told reporters recently, “We don’t want it to be the type of show where if you haven’t seen the first season and you start watching because we’re on early … that it will be just as fun for you. We want to reward our loyal viewers and not alienate our casual ones.” And those loyal viewers will be rewarded right off the bat, as Gero explained that “not only are you going to find out Jane’s first name in the first episode, you’re going to find out what Orion is, who Shepard is, what’s the plan of this organization, who Jane really is, outside of her name.” Former The Good Wife costar Archie Panjabi joins the cast this season, and she said she loves playing a more action-oriented role. For those Good Wife fans who miss Kalinda’s boots, don’t worry — Panjabi said that she does wear a pair of knee-high boots on Blindspot.

Queen Sugar: “Thy Will Be Done”
OWN, 10pm
Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner), Nova (Rutina Wesley) and Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) learn the contents of their father’s will and explore the idea of running their newly inherited farm together as a family. Though Ralph Angel fights to fulfill his late father’s dream, he faces resistance from his siblings. The pressure on Ralph Angel pushes him to his limit when someone attempts to repossess one of his late father’s belongings.

Legends of Chamberlain Heights
Comedy Central, 10:30pm
New Series!
This new animated comedy series, rife with social commentary, centers on three high-school freshman basketball benchwarmers who always stay positive in the face of failure. The series has already been renewed for a second season.

Thursday, Sept. 15


College Football: Houston at Cincinnati
ESPN, 7:30pm Live
ESPN’s Thursday night American Athletic Conference college football matchup has the Houston Cougars at the Cincinnati Bearcats from Nippert Stadium.

NFL Football: N.Y. Jets at Buffalo
CBS & NFL Network, 8:25pm Live
Thursday Night Football makes its regular-season debut tonight on CBS, NFL Network and Twitter (yes, Twitter) as the N.Y. Jets visit the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Beauty and the Beast: “Au Revoir”
The CW, 9pm
Series Finale!
Vincent (Jay Ryan) and Cat (Kristin Kreuk) are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to rid the world of beast makers once and for all.

Project Runway
Lifetime, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Project Runway is back in style! After a lackluster 14th season, Tim Gunn promises a return to form for the fashion design competition’s latest round. “The designers [from Season 14] were not hungry enough,” says the Emmy-nominated mentor. “They just didn’t have the fire. It drove me to despair. For Season 15, we’re back!” The premiere kicks off with the designers — who range in age from 22 to 55 — scrambling to put together looks using only materials found at what they thought was just a Season 15 launch party. Throughout the competition, they’ll have to impress some A-list talent: Priyanka Chopra, Nina Dobrev and Savannah Guthrie all help judge the runway looks alongside Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Zac Posen. For Gunn, Runway’s backstage glimpse at the creative process is what keeps fans coming back even after 15 seasons: “And that’s what keeps me so enthusiastic about it.”

Time for School: 2003-2016
PBS, 9pm
Meet five children from five countries, struggling to get what Americans take for granted: a basic education. Combining current-day footage with material shot over more than a decade, the film reveals who made it through, despite daunting obstacles.

Better Things: “Period”
FX, 10pm
In the new episode “Period,” Sam (Pamela Adlon) has to deal with … um … you know … lady stuff.

Friday, Sept. 16


College Football
ESPN & ESPN2, beginning at 8pm Live
Friday night college football features the Baylor Bears at the Rice Owls (ESPN) and the Arizona State Sun Devils at the UTSA Roadrunners at the Alamodome in San Antonio (ESPN2).

Z Nation
Syfy, 8pm
Season Premiere!
Season 3 debuts tonight with a two-hour movie, before the series moves to its regular, later airtime next Friday. Actually taking place during Season 2, this movie finds the gang protecting the town against a new enemy.

Penn & Teller: Fool Us: “Can Penn & Teller Fool Penn & Teller”
The CW, 9pm
Season Finale!
Magicians Anthony Asimov, Angela Funovits, Ivan Amodei and Vince Charming try to stump Penn & Teller and earn the right to perform with the celebrated duo in their show at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Art in the Twenty-First Century
PBS, 9pm
Join host Claire Danes for access to creative minds at work in contemporary art. Each episode, set in a different city, presents four artists creating works that engage with the world around us and allow us to see it in new ways. Tonight’s back-to-back episodes visit artists Nick Cave, Chris Ware, Theaster Gates and Barbara Kasten in Chicago and Damián Ortega, Pedro Reyes, Minerva Cuevas and Natalia Almada in Mexico City.

Quarry: “Figure Four”
Cinemax, 10pm
Things get even darker in Cinemax’s new series that is based on the novels by Max Allan Collins. In tonight’s episode, Mac (Logan Marshall-Green) looks to pay down a debt, as Joni (Jodi Balfour) is queried by detectives following the death of a coworker.

High Maintenance
HBO, 11pm
New Series!
Based on a web series of the same name, this scripted comedy follows “The Guy” (Ben Sinclair), a Brooklyn pot dealer who makes deliveries by bicycle and runs into some of the city’s most eccentric characters.

Saturday, Sept. 17


The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — The Touring Years
Hulu
Ron Howard directs and produces this documentary look at the first part of the Beatles’ career (1962-66), when the iconic band was touring and performing in front of fevered crowds before concentrating later on more studio-based work.

College Football
ABC, CBS, ESPN, FOX, FS1 & NBC, beginning at 12pm Live
Saturday features a full slate of college football action from around the country. Highlights include Florida State at Louisville (ABC), Iowa State at TCU (FS1), Oregon at Nebraska (ABC), Alabama at Ole Miss (CBS), Pittsburgh at Oklahoma State (ESPN), Michigan State at Notre Dame (NBC), Ohio State at Oklahoma (FOX) and USC at Stanford (ABC).

Sister Cities
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Based on the internationally acclaimed stage play of the same name, the film features an impressive cast headlined by Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook), Stana Katic (Castle), Jess Weixler (The Good Wife), Michelle Trachtenberg (Gossip Girl) and Troian Bellisario (Pretty Little Liars), and tells the story of four estranged sisters who reunite to mourn their mother’s passing, only to discover a secret that could tear them apart. The movie also stars Amy Smart (Justified), Tom Everett Scott (Scream: The TV Series), Emmy nominee Alfred Molina (The Normal Heart) and Kaia Gerber in her acting debut.