Having done a kind of sloppy version on the decade before, “The ’80s: The Decade That Made Us” (National Geographic, 2 p.m., playing all six of its episodes), the network returns with a more formidable picture of the end of the 20th Century with “The ’90s” The Last Great Decade?” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.). The question mark in the title is important; they’re laying out the pieces of that fast moving period and posing the inquiry.
Narrated by Rob Lowe (retained from his playing JFK for the network last year), it succeeds in snaring a number of big players to comment on the 1990s, from Colin Powell to Monica Lewinsky, amid the usual stock news footage. In hoping to balance cultural events with political ones, there can be some jarring juxtapositions, spending as much time on Vanilla Ice as Clinton’s election, and somehow making the declarative statement that without “Roseanne” there would be no Clinton presidency.
It’s not easy to put in context a decade so recently passed, but they do it smartly, so that, say, the Persian Gulf War lays the ground for later war, or how the first bombing of the World Trade Center was nearly forgotten by the time of 9/11. The overall impression, though, is that you may have never realized how many songs Clinton played on Arsenio’s show.
“The Witches of East End” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) returns for a new season and one peek at the first episode shows that it’s still an unsatisfying mix of gossipy girls and unexplainable effects. Also, at one point they all have third eyes, which will increase their mascara budget by 50 percent. It precedes the equally disappointing “Devious Maids” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
With the concert special “Miley Cyrus: Bangerz Tour” (NBC, 10 p.m.), you can figure out, minus the tongue and the outfits, whether she actually has talent. Compare her singing with that on “Rising Star” (ABC, 9 p.m.) for example. Or is it better suited for “Wipeout” (ABC, 8 p.m.)?
It’s a slightly less depressing episode of “The Leftovers” (HBO, 10 p.m.), but just about anything would be following last week’s debut.
It’s marriage day for Alan and Celia on “Last Tango in Halifax” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). But she may shocked to see Alan later (the actor Derek Jacobi) in his secret life on “Vicious” (PBS, 10:30 p.m., check local listings).
In between, another new adventure for Endeavor on “Masterpiece Mystery!” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) to complete the all British night.
It’s a Ray Harryhausen festival on Turner Classic Movies tonight, with the pioneering effects master conjuring his magic on “Jason and the Argonauts” (8 p.m.) and “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (10 p.m.).
The all-season marathon of “The Walking Dead” (AMC) ends with an episode previewing the fifth season on “Talking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m.).
Cameron gets a breakthrough on “Halt and Catch Fire” (AMC, 10 p.m.). She changes her taste in music.
Without knowing anything about the show, I have to say I’m intrigued by the title of the show “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull” (CMT, 8 and 9 p.m.). (Episode one: Where did this come from? Episode two: Alas, poor Yorick).
The perverse presentation of Christmas movies in July continues with “Fir Crazy” (Hallmark, 6 p.m.), “The Best Man Holiday” (HBO, 7 p.m.), “Let It Snow” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) and “Christmas with Holly” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.).
It’s Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic in the men’s final at Wimbledon (ESPN, 9 a.m.).
Stage 2 of the Tour de France (NBC Sports, 6 a.m.) goes from York to Sheffield, England.
WNBA action includes Minnesota at New York (ESPN2, 2 p.m.) and Phoenix at Los Angeles (ESPN2, 4 p.m.).
Baseball nuclides New York at Minnesota (TBS, 2 p.m.) and Tampa Bay at Detroit (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
And they’ve made a program out of the 2014 MLB All-Star Selection Show (ESPN, 7 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Bishop Mark Seitz. CBS: Sens. John McCain, Lindsay Graham and Dick Durbin. NBC: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Rep. Raul Labrador, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. CNN: Rep. Henry Cuellar, Murrieta, Calif., Mayor Alan Long, Admiral Michelle Howard. Fox News: Sens. John Barrasso and Bob Casey; Rep. Darrell Issa, Israel ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer.