The struggles of the first openly gay person elected bishop in Christianity is profiled in a new film on “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).“Love Free or Die” by Macky Alston looks at the gentle and thoughtful Eugene Robinson, Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire, and how he was shunned by others in the Anglican tradition, interrupted at sermons and receives death threats. “The opposite of love is not hate,” Robinson says. “It is fear.”
Some of the footage, only a few years old, seems old considering the changes in recent years in acceptance of same gender unions.
In a strange coincidence, they scheduled the first of the three part miniseries
“Stephen King’s Storm of the Century” (Encore, 8 p.m.) tonight, when you could spend all our time watching the current storm of the century on the Weather Network, CNN or just about any other network.
The King work was written in 1999 about his fictional Maine island of Little Tall Island, the setting of his other work “Dolores Claiborne.” Unlike other Stephen King movies, this one wasn’t based on a past novel, but was an original screenplay.
It concerns a big blizzard in Maine that coincides with the visit to the island of a stranger played by Colm Feore. Townspeople, led by the constable Timothy Daly have to deal with the situation.
“The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.) moves from three weeks of battle rounds to something new this season — the knockout rounds. Once more, singers from each team go up against another, with one declared the winner and the other going home. But this time instead of a duet, they sing solos that are given them just before their performances.
It plays opposite more singing — a replay of the full two-hour episode of “X Factor” (Fox, 8 p.m.), in which judges pick who will be on their team. it’s been shown in two separate episodes previously, including one that was marred by a postseason baseball rain delay. The only reason the replay is running today is that the World Series suddenly ended Sunday, leaving Fox with three unexpected nights to program this week.
The third two hour reality talent competition tonight, “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC, 8 p.m.) embarks on country week, with Little Big Town and Big & Rich performing.
Hurricane Sandy has made a landfall on TV schedules. Not only is there wall to wall coverage in affected area (for those who have not lost power or are on generators), but there are changes such as an hour long version of “The CBS Evening News” (CBS, 6:30 p.m.) to begin with.
Both The CW and CBS have switched to airing reruns of its scheduled shows instead of planned new episodes (we are in sweeps after all). And a News Special (CBS, 10 p.m.) on the storm to cap the night, replacing “Hawaii Five-0” (whose Halloween episode will have to wait until another year).
Most of the live talk shows originating in New York have canceled today as well with “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.) and “The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m.) reverting to reruns. The first night of a weeklong run in Brooklyn by “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC, 12:05 a.m.) has been postponed for a night at least. There are reports that “Late Night with David Letterman” (CBS, 11:35 p.m.) and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” (NBC, 12:37 a.m.) intend to go on with their scheduled tapings, albeit to an empty audience. Which ought to be interesting.
Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has been making the TV guest star rounds, first on “30 Rock” and now on “90210” (The CW, 8 p.m.).
If all the stuff on “Hoarders” (A&E, 9 p.m.) is junk, why does this lady have stuff stolen?
“All on the Line with Joe Zee” (Sundance, 9 p.m.) ends its third season with advice to Nicole Richie’s new fashion line.
“The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia” (HBO, 7 p.m.), by James Redford (Robert’s son) looks at how the disorder has affected well known figures as Charles Schwab and Richard Branson.
Danny meets General Monroe on a new “Revolution” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
The monthlong Monday night salute to Spencer Tracy concludes with “Inherit the Wind” (TCM, 8 p.m.), “Judgment at Nuremberg” (TCM, 10:15 p.m.), “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (TCM, 1:30 a.m.) and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” (TCM, 3:30 a.m.).
Other than the Monday Night Football game of San Francisco at Arizona (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.), there are no other sports on TV tonight — baseball’s over, hockey is on strike and basketball doesn’t start until Tuesday.
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Don Cheadle, Reba McEntire. Katie Couric: Judge Judy Sheindlin, Kristin Chenoweth. The View: Rachel Held Evans. The Talk: Jeanne Tripplehorn, Jamie Krell, Regis Philbin. Ellen DeGeneres: Madonna.
Kelly & Michael: Don Cheadle, Reba McEntire. Katie Couric: Judge Judy Sheindlin, Kristin Chenoweth. The View: Rachel Held Evans. The Talk: Jeanne Tripplehorn, Jamie Krell, Regis Philbin. Ellen DeGeneres: Madonna.
Daytime Talk
David Letterman: Denzel Washington, Pauley Perrette, Paul Banks. Jay Leno: Simon Cowell, Britney Spears, Billy Gardell, Two Door Cinema Club. Jimmy Kimmel: Chris Rock, Kelly Ripa, Alicia Keys. Jimmy Fallon: John Goodman, Padma Lakshmi, Imagine Dragons. Craig Ferguson: Tom Hanks, Phil Handley. Carson Daly: Chris Elliott, the Goon, the Jezabels. Tavis Smiley: Dana Milbank. Daily Show: Bob Woodruff. Stephen Colbert: Malcolm Gladwell. Conan O’Brien: Krysten Ritter, Blake Griffin, Bob Mould. Chelsea Handler: Halle Berry, John Caparulo, Ali Wong, Kurt Braunohler.