“Who Wants to Be A Millionaire” began as a multi-night extended run meant to trigger greed. That’s the same idea behind “The Million Second Quiz” (NBC, 8 p.m.) in which Ryan Seacrest promises big cash pay out to those who can handle an 11 1/2 day trivia challenge. (Can I phone a friend?). The interactive quiz continues every night through next Thursday at 8. And Seacrest comes closer to his dream of becoming the dude who hosted “The Million Dollar Pyramid,” Dick Clark.
With the season finale of “Mistresses” (ABC, 9 p.m.), let’s chalk it up as another decent British series completely messed up in the American adaptation.
When the first commercial space shuttle is hit by a solar storm, the consequences could trigger a new stone age. More likely, it sparks an odd miniseries, “Exploding Sun” (Reelz, 8 p.m.) starring David ames Elliott, Anthony Lemke, Natalie Brown and Julia Ormond.
The short season of “Breaking Pointe” (The CW, 9 p.m.) ends on closing night of the ballet “Cinderella.” Everybody turns into a pumpkin.
It’s Philadelphia at Washington (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and Houston at San Diego (ESPN, 10:15 p.m.) in the season’s first Monday Night Football.
Earlier, it’s the U.S. Open (CBS, 5 p.m.) men’s tennis final.
But the people really having fun are the ping pong players over 80 profiled on “P.O.V.” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
The dreaded “Crossfire” (CNN, 6:30 p.m.) is back with a new cast, Newt Gingrich, Stephanie Cutter, S.E. Cupp and Van Jones.
New in daytime is “Bethenny” (check local listings), a talk show starring the onetime “Real Housewife of New York City” and runner up of “The Apprentice Martha Stewart,” Bethenny Frankel. Her first guests: Nick Cannon, Flo Rida.
Also on daytime, “Katie” (check local listings) begins a second season, and Jenny McCarthy joins the panel on “The View” (ABC, 11 a.m.). And the new “The Test” (syndicated, check local listings) covers the usual paternity, pregnancy and lie detector tests, hosted by Kirk Fox.
Dean Norris is on the verge of arresting his brother in law and he gets stuck under glass on “Under the Dome” (CBS, 10 p.m.), still not over.
Returning to late night TV for the first time in 19 years with a nightly syndicated show is “The Arsenio Hall Show” (11 p.m., check local listings). First guest: Chris Tucker.
Later “AC360 Later” (CNN, 10 p.m.) is a panel discussion show about news and pop culture, perhaps following up on whatever “Anderson Cooper 360” (CNN, 8 p.m.) was reporting earlier.
To kick off the new all-female anchor team of Judy Woodruff and Gwen Ifill on “The PBS NewsHour” (PBS, 7 p.m., check local listings), the latter lands an interview with President Obama.
The widely quoted weekend interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad runs in full on a special edition of “The Charlie Rose Show” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings). For the occasion, Charlie wears a tie and a gas mask.
The Las Vegas finals continue for four contestants on “American Ninja Warrior” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
High school kids get schooled in jazz from “Wynton Marsalis: A YoungArts Masterclass” (HBO, 7:30 p.m.).
The Story of Film continues on Turner Classic Movies with part two of the documentary “The Story of Film: An Odyssey: 1918-1928 — The Triumph of American Film and the First of Its Rebels” (10 p.m.) in the middle of some great silent comedies: Buster Keaton in “One Week” (8 p.m.), “The Three Ages” (8:30 p.m.) and “The General” (11:15 p.m.); Charlie Chaplin in “The Kid” (12:45 a.m.) and “City Lights” (1:45 a.m.) and Harold Lloyd in “Never Weaken” (3:30 a.m.) and “Safety Last!” (4:15 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Katie Couric, Stacy Keibler. The View: Donnie Wahlberg, Michael Buble. The Talk: Simon Baker, June Shannon & Sugar Bear, Cat Cora. Ellen DeGeneres: Leah Remini. Wendy Williams: Brandy Norwood, Judge Lynn, Steve Wilkis, Carey Riley (rerun). Bethenny Frankel: Nick Cannon, Flo Rida. Katie Couric: Lil Wayne.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Rahm Emanuel, Ricky Gervais, Janelle Monae. Jay Leno: Martin Short, Meghan McCain, Backstreet Boys. Jimmy Kimmel: John Stamos, Cedric the Entertainer, Holy Ghost! Jimmy Fallon: Steve Harvey, cast of “Duck Dynasty.” Craig Ferguson: Alice Eve. Carson Daly: Georges St. Pierre, Awkward Black Girl, Golssary (rerun). Arsenio Hall: Chris Tucker. Jon Stewart: Sheri Fink. Stephen Colbert: Billie Jean King. Conan O’Brien: Patton Oswalt, Robert Reich, Tony Deyo. Chelsea Handler: William H. Macy, Michael Yo, Arden Myrin, Jen Kirkman.