What was once the fastest growing city of the country is now the fastest shrinking. Many American cities are having a crisis in manufacturing and jobs, but nowhere quite like Detroit, where the epic collapse of economy and hope has led to blocks of empty fields (or worse: neighborhoods with a handful of houses), crumbling buildings of former grandeur, from ornate theaters to the landmark train station.
The photos of decay are so epic they’ve already spawned haunting photo essays, and by the time Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grandy made their film “Detropia,” which makes its premiere tonight on “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings), there were groups of people with cameras jumping fences to chronicle for themselves the great urban collapse.
What makes the film better than just stills is that it also profiles a few of the city’s flinty citizens, who stay put knowing things have to get better, if only because they can’t get any worse.
Being dropped by a former Bachelor is the only way they come up with a new candidate for “The Bachelorette” (ABC, 8 p.m.). In this case, it’s Desiree Hartsock, who has a perfect name for a heartbroken girl, who gets to choose from her own pool of 25 men, only a couple of whom seem suitable in tonight’s opening. The others are in it for a gag: dressing in armor, taking off a shirt or doing a magic trick. The guy who keeps asking her to go to the fantasy suite is quickly asked to leave.
One of the strongest new series from last summer, “Longmire” (A&E, 10 p.m.) returns for a new season, accompanied by the decent cop yarn “The Glades” (A&E, 9 p.m.).
The Top 8 on “The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.) perform in a two hour episode.
Once vocal judge herself, Jewel stars tonight as June Carter Cash in the new TV movie “Ring of Fire” (Lifetime, 8 p.m. with Matt Ross as the Man in Black.
A special edition of “20/20” (ABC, 10 p.m.) is about the impending royal baby. Because there isn’t anything else going on in the news world, is there?
Among the marathons today is the one for “South Park” (Comedy Central, p:30 p.m.), topped by the “Imaginationland” trilogy at 10p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Heather Graham, Desiree Hartsock, Demi Lovato. The View Wayne Brady, Arsenio Hall, Roger Daltrey, Jackie Hance (rerun). The Talk: Blake Shelton, Lulu Kennedy-Cairns (rerun). Ellen DeGeneres: Cat Deeley, Mike O’Malley, Ryan Wang. Wendy Wilson: Alison Sweeney, Lisa Rinna, Lil Jon (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Regis Philbin, cast of “Cinderella.” Jay Leno: Rebel Wilson, Jackson Galaxy, Hanson (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Jason Bateman, chadwick Boseman, Alice in Chains (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Tom Cruise, Jordana Brewster, Shuggie Otis (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Ben Kingsley, Alia Shawkat. Carson Daly Steven Rinella, Fidlar (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Jared Diamond. Jon Stewart: David Sedaris (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Dr. Daniel Lieberman (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Zooey Deschanel, Ben McKenzie, Japandroids (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Mandy Ingber, Nico Santos, Loni Love, Kurt Branohler.