Fox continues rolling out its new season, alone among networks, with a show tonight that is indicative of the new fall season as a whole, “Dads” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
That is to say: It’s a comedy, it’s not very funny or well made, nonetheless includes a top dollar cast, involves targeted young people living unwillingly with their parents.
“Dads,” from some of the makers of the crass movie “Ted,” stars Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi as video game makers who both happen to have their fathers move in with them. That they are played by veterans Peter Riegert and Martin Mull is the best news about the show, though they are not given much to do except act as gross old men. There’s some racial humor in the pilot as well, but it doesn’t stand a chance against the usual potty humor.
Much better by comparison is “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (Fox, 8:30 p.m.), which looks designed as being a vehicle for Andy Samberg as a wiseacre cop who comes up against a by-the-rules new captain played by Andre Braugher. They spend an inordinate time actually solving crimes, which seems superfluous.
What looks like will actually happen is that it will turn into a decent ensemble piece, with a cast that includes Terry Crews, Melissa Fumero, Joe Lo Truglio, Stephanie Beatriz and Chelsea Peretti. That’s what happened with “Parks & Recreation,” and this show is from the same people, Michael Schur and Dan Goor.
It took a while, too, for “The Mindy Project” (Fox, 9 p.m.) to become what it is: A sharp and effective modern ensemble comedy, starting its second season with Mindy out in Haiti and her office taken by a new doctor played by James Franco.
It accompanies the third season start for “New Girl” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.) which begins where the last one ended, after Cece’s canceled wedding. Jess and Nick vacation in Mexico while Schmidt has to decide between Cece and Elizabeth.
It’s down to the final six on the season eight finals of “America’s Got Talent” (NBC, 9 p.m.) among them are singers Cami Bradley and Jimmy Rose, magician Collins Key, comedian Taylor Williamson, dancer Kenichi Ebina, and an operatic tenor group called Forte. Would you pay to see any of them in Vegas?
The ambitious and eye-opening “Latino Americans” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings) is the first major exploration of the topic on TV. Benjamin Bratt narrates the three-part, six-hour work by Adriana Bosch that starts in 1500, when the Spanish, we are reminded were the first Europeans to settle on the continent and continues through the American expansions, when Mexican territory was taken and its settlers were treated like outsiders in their own line. The series continues on subsequent Tuesdays the next two weeks.
Playing opposite it tonight, oddly, is a “Hispanic Heritage Month Special” (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
The rise and fall of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is covered on a new “Frontline” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
“The Million Second Quiz” (NBC, 8 p.m.) continues in its third to last night. Anyone still watching?
“The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) has given two two new spinoffs that begin tonight, “I Dream of NeNe: The Wedding” (Bravo, 9 p.m.), about her remarrying her husband, and “The New Atlanta” (Bravo, 10 p.m.), which follows younger people who come to the Georgia city to find their success, or at least their own reality show.
The odd thing about this world is that some people believe “The Amish Mafia” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) is real and the basis of “The Secret Life of Evolution” (Science, 8 p.m.) is not.
October is coming closer and the remaining contestants on “Face Off” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) reimagine classic Halloween characters as “Heroes of Cosplay” (Syfy, 10 p.m.) reaches a season finale.
Please talk them out of eyelid tattoos they plan on getting on “Ink Ink Master” (Spike, 10 p.m.).
The Keno twins, Leigh and Leslie, who became celebrity appraisers on “Antiques Roadshow,” get a new show where they make house calls to appraise stuff on the new “Buried Treasure” (CNBC, 10 p.m.).
Film history continues on Turner Classic Movies with the documentary “The Story of Film: An Odyssey: 1918-1932 The Great Rebel Filmmakers Around the World” (3 a.m.) with the silent films “La Roue” and “Umarete Wa Mita Keredo” (1 a.m.) along with “Osaka Elegy” (4:15 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Taye Diggs, Mindy Kaling, Miss America Nina Davuluri. The View: Dr. Mehmet Oz, Allyson Hannigan, Jamal Harrison & Aaron Arias, Paula Patton. The Talk: Thomas Gibson, Duff Goldman. Ellen Degeneres: Chris Hemsworth, Ciara. Wendy Williams: Anthony Anderson.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Bill Murray, Leny Kravitz, Gladys Knight (rerun). Jay Leno: Neil Patrick Harris, Demi Lovato, Five for Fighting. Jimmy Kimmel: Amy Poehler, Stephen Merchant, Bastille. Jimmy Fallon: Orlando Bloom, Elvis Costello. Craig Ferguson: Queen Latifah, John Lloyd, Laura Mvula. Carson Daly: Kal Penn, Shane Carruth, the Neighbourhood (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Mark Leibovich. Jon Stewart: Jake Gyllenhaal. Stephen Colbert: Arne Duncan. W. Kamau Bell: Gilbert Gottfried. Conan O’Brien: Diane Kruger, Atlas Genius. Chelsea Handler: Sharon Osbourne, John Caparulo, Cameron Esposito, Dov Davidoff.