TV Best Bets

Monday, Sept. 11: Saints at Vikings, Chargers at Broncos in ‘MNF’ Doubleheader

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🏈 ALSO SEE: Complete 2017 NFL TV Schedule 🏈

All Times Eastern.

Monday, Sept. 11

NFL Football
ESPN, beginning at 7pm Live
ESPN’s Monday Night Football kicks off its season with a Week 1 doubleheader featuring the New Orleans Saints at the Minnesota Vikings, followed by the newly relocated L.A. Chargers at the Denver Broncos.

Newton’s Law
Acorn TV
New Series!
From the team behind the international hit Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries comes this new Aussie legal drama. Claudia Karvan stars as a suburban solicitor (lawyer) who attempts to return to her briefly glorious career at the Bar.

Sister Circle
TV One, 9am Live
New Series!
A panel of four female hosts — Quad Webb-Lunceford, Syleena Johnson, Rashan Ali and Kiana Dancie — headline this new daily, hourlong news and lifestyle series designed to empower and inspire African-American women.

I Am Frankie
Nickelodeon, 7:30pm
New Series!
Frankie Gaines (Alex Hook) looks like any other human girl, but harbors a big secret — she’s actually a high-tech computer. After escaping from a tech company to avoid being used for evil purposes, Frankie enrolls in high school in an attempt to pass as a typical teenager. While she keeps her true identity a secret, Frankie navigates best friends, mean girls, homework, boy crushes and other teen drama.

So You Think You Can Dance: “Top 6 Perform”
FOX, 8pm
The top six dancers perform for the judges and America’s votes in the hopes of moving on in the competition and ultimately being named America’s favorite dancer.

Preacher
AMC, 9pm
Season Finale!
The trio prepares for a whole new life, but Jesse (Dominic Cooper) questions the path before them. Meanwhile, Tulip (Ruth Negga) uncovers a dangerous secret, and Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) grapples with a difficult truth.

Hooten & the Lady: “The Caribbean”
The CW, 9pm
Series Finale!
Alex (Ophelia Lovibond) puts her wedding in jeopardy when she follows Hooten (Michael Landes) to an idyllic island in the Caribbean to hunt for the long-lost pirate treasure.

Counting On
TLC, 9pm
Season Premiere!
The baby-making juggernaut that is the Duggar family returns for a third season with Joe courting, Joy Anna planning a wedding, Jill on the move and — of course — more babies.

Meet the Putmans
TLC, 10pm
New Series!
The super-sized Putman family (Bill and Barb, their four adult children and their spouses, and 15 grandchildren) live together under one roof and share one bank account — and two bathrooms! This season, the tight-knit family begins construction on a massive family compound with room for everyone, and welcomes the 26th member of the Putman clan.

POV: “My Love, Don’t Cross That River”
PBS, 10pm
Spouses 89-year-old Kang Gye-yeol and 98-year-old Jo Byeong-man have shared a home for 76 years. While they spend every day together like a newlywed couple, they now must face the reality of their aging romance.

Tuesday, Sept. 12

The Mindy Project
Hulu
Season Premiere!
The sixth and final season of the comedy finds Mindy (Mindy Kaling) wondering if “having it all” is really all she ever wanted in the wake of her impulsive elopement with boyfriend Ben (Bryan Greenberg). The series also stars Ed Weeks, Ike Barinholtz, Beth Grant, Xosha Roquemore and Fortune Feimster.

Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief
ABC, CBS, CMT, FOX and NBC, 8pm Live
Members of the entertainment community, including George Clooney, Jamie Foxx, Tori Kelly, Karlie Kloss, Beyoncé, Matt Lauer, Rob Lowe, Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Julia Roberts, Kelly Rowland, Adam Sandler, Ryan Seacrest, Michael Strahan, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Barbra Streisand, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and more, come out to help raise funds for those devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

Face Off: Game Face: “Stone Cold Superheroes”
Syfy, 9pm
The artists must create beautiful plant-human hybrids, superheroes inspired by Marvel’s Infinity Stones, and bogeymen based on their own childhood fears.

Frontline: “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail”
PBS, 10pm
Hear the little-known story of the only U.S. bank prosecuted after the 2008 financial crisis. Director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) chronicles the Chinese immigrant Sung family’s fight to clear their names.

Chrisley Knows Best
USA Network, 10pm
New Episodes!
Season 5 of USA’s reality hit picks up with new episodes tonight. USA has also added 18 additional episodes to the season, bringing its total to 26 episodes that will culminate in a two-part Christmas special later this year. Directly following tonight’s new episode will be the debut of a new Chrisley after-show, According to Chrisley.

Wednesday, Sept. 13

Foreman
EPIX, 8pm
This documentary shows how legendary boxer George Foreman underwent an unparalleled personal transformation from reviled street bully to beloved teddy bear, especially after his in-the-ring comeback in 1994 at the age of 45. The film is directed by Chris Perkel (Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives) and executive produced by Gary Cohen (Catching Hell).

MasterChef: “Something Fishy/The Semi-Finals”
FOX, 8pm
In this week’s mystery box challenge, the top six home cooks get a special treat as their family members join them in the MasterChef kitchen. The contestants will then have to cook a dish inspired by their families before competing in an elimination test that will send one or more of them home. Then, the remaining home cooks will face a series of skills tests that will determine who will make it to the season finale.

Salvation: “The Wormwood Prophecy”
CBS, 9pm
In the new episode “The Wormwood Prophecy,” Grace (Jennifer Finnigan), Harris (Ian Anthony Dale) and Darius (Santiago Cabrera) join forces to prove the president was murdered.

Marlon
NBC, 9pm
Season Finale!
The first season of Marlon Wayans’ semiautobiographical comedy series ends with two back-to-back episodes tonight.

Suits: “Donna”
USA Network, 9pm
Mike (Patrick J. Adams) and Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht) power move is countered, putting their backs up against the ropes. Rachel (Meghan Markle) fears her father’s judgment is clouded by the past. Louis (Rick Hoffman) aids Alex (Dulé Hill) when his client comes under fire.

South Park
Comedy Central, 10pm
Season Premiere!

After South Park’s 20th season spoofed the election of President Trump with Mr. Garrison’s rise to the highest office in the land, expect Season 21 to return to the show’s roots and rely less on topical humor. As co-creator Trey Parker told the Los Angeles Times, “That’s the bread and butter of South Park: kids being kids and being ridiculous and outrageous, but not ‘Did you see what Trump did last night?’ Because I don’t give a @#$% anymore.”

The Sinner: “Part VII”
USA Network, 10pm
Cora (Jessica Biel) journeys into the past, finally remembering the night in question.

Broad City
Comedy Central, 10:30pm
Season Premiere!

The fourth season of Broad City finds Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana (Ilana Glazer) experiencing New York City in the dead of winter, getting new jobs, celebrating their “friendiversary,” receiving a visit from Abbi’s mom, tripping on mushrooms, discovering their witchdom and traveling to Florida.

Thursday, Sept. 14

Riviera
Sundance Now
New Series!
Streaming service Sundance Now has acquired this 10-part U.K. series, a thriller that debuted there to impressive numbers. Set in the south of France, it stars Julia Stiles (the Bourne movie series) as a woman newly married to a billionaire. When he is killed in a yacht explosion, she is shocked to learn that his fortune is tainted with dishonesty, double-dealing, crime and, ultimately, murder. Lena Olin, Iwan Rheon and Anthony LaPaglia also star in the series, which comes from Oscar winner Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, The Borgias).

Beat Shazam
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
Teams of two race against the clock and each other to identify hit songs and then, one team faces off against the song identification app Shazam. Tonight, Jamie Foxx hosts a mother-son team from Los Angeles, music teachers from Maryland, and Massachusetts lunch ladies in an episode that features the music of Elton John and Shakira.

NFL Football: Houston at Cincinnati
NFL Network, 8:25pm Live
Thursday Night Football heads to Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati as J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans take on Andy Dalton and the Bengals.

Love Connection: “Secret Billionaire”
FOX, 9pm
Season Finale!
Singleton (and billionaire) Sergio Rizzuto keeps his family’s immense wealth a secret from his three dates — a store manager, a content creator and a charity manager — until it’s revealed to them on the show. Also, driver and waitress Jessica-Lee Korkes dates a P.E. teacher, a bartender and a business analyst in her search for a love connection.

Kevyn Aucoin: Beauty & the Beast in Me
Logo, 9pm
This documentary chronicles renowned celebrity makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin, who fought his way from rural Louisiana to become the most sought-after artist of his time. The film includes plenty of never-before-seen archival footage, shot by Aucoin himself throughout his life and career. Intimate and uncensored moments with celebrated paragons of ’80s and ’90s fashion and culture include Naomi Campbell, Cher, Cindy Crawford, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson and many others.

Zoo: “West Side Story”
CBS, 10pm
In the new episode “West Side Story,” Dariela (Alyssa Diaz) and Tessa (guest star Hilary Jardine) set out on a rescue mission to save the team after their plane suffers a catastrophic accident in the hybrid zone.

Better Things
FX, 10pm
Season Premiere!
The misadventures of single mom and working actor Sam Fox (Pamela Adlon) return for Season 2 tonight.

Friday, Sept. 15

American Vandal
Netflix
New Series!
This true-crime satire explores the aftermath of a costly high-school prank that leaves 27 faculty cars vandalized with phallic images. Over the course of eight half-hour episodes, an aspiring sophomore documentarian investigates the controversial and potentially unjust expulsion of troubled senior Dylan Maxwell (Jimmy Tatro).

Strong Island
Netflix
This documentary chronicles the arc of a family from the racial segregation of the Jim Crow South to the promise of New York City, and into the maelstrom of an unexpected, violent death. When William Ford Jr., a young black teacher, was killed by Mark Reilly, a young white man, in 1992, Ford — though unarmed — somehow became the prime suspect in his own murder. This film asks what one can do when the grief of loss is entwined with historical injustice.

First They Killed My Father
Netflix
Original Film!
Angelina Jolie directed this original film that also hits select theaters the same day as its Netflix debut. It’s an adaptation of Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung’s memoir of surviving the deadly Khmer Rouge regime from 1975-78. The story is told through her eyes, from the age of 5, when the Khmer Rouge came to power, through the age of 9, as her family struggled to stay together during those brutal years.

The Quick and the Dead
Sony Movie Channel, 8pm
A female gunfighter returns to a frontier town in order to avenge her father’s death by entering a dueling tournament. Stars Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman and Russell Crowe.

11th Annual ACM Honors
CBS, 9pm

Kelsea Ballerini, Vince Gill, Toby Keith, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Thomas Rhett, Hillary Scott and George Strait are among the performers taking to the stage at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for this special honoring winners from the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards.

Two Degrees: The Point of No Return
History, 10pm
This special presentation explores Earth’s increasing temperatures. As the planet’s average temperature rises each year, experts warn that we are nearing a fatal tipping point. If the temperature rises two degrees Celsius above the norm, it will set into motion a cascade of natural disasters that will devastate America and the world. From raging fires to epic superstorms, volcanic blasts and rising seas, will human existence be pushed to the brink?

Saturday, Sept. 16

College Football
ABC, ESPN, CBS & FOX, beginning at 12pm Live

Highlights of Week 3 of the college football season include Notre Dame at Boston College (ESPN), Tennessee at Florida (CBS), Army at Ohio State (FOX), Miami at Florida State (ABC) and Texas at USC (FOX).

Major League Baseball: Kansas City at Cleveland
FS1, 4pm Live
FS1’s Saturday MLB game has the Kansas City Royals at the Cleveland Indians in the third game of a four-game set at Progressive Field.

JFK Declassified: Tracking Oswald
History, beginning at 8pm
In 2017, the final government documents from the JFK assassination will be declassified. More than 2 million files have already been released. No one has analyzed them until now. In this series, 21-year CIA veteran Bob Baer and former police Lt. Adam Bercovici launch an independent investigation into Lee Harvey Oswald to find out, once and for all, if he had accomplices who aided his mission to murder the president. Tonight History presents three new hourlong back-to-back episodes (the last of which is the season finale). The first episode, “Oswald Goes Dark,” finds Bob and his team focusing their efforts on Louisiana, where Oswald lived in the months prior to Kennedy’s murder.

The Essentials: “The Band Wagon”
TCM, 8pm
Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse headline Vincente Minnelli’s 1953 musical comedy about an aging musical star (Astaire) who hopes a Broadway show will revitalize his career.

Oprah’s Master Class: Shaquille O’Neal
OWN, 10pm
Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal sits down with Oprah for an intimate conversation.