Two unusual and sad stories form Asia are standout documentaries tonight.
Valerie Veatch’s “Love Child” (HBO, 9 p.m.) is a cautionary tale about the dangers of total immersion into video games when a couple in South Korea who met in online games left their three month old baby to die of malnutrition while they were out at a gaming parlor. There they concentrated on a game where childlike avatars save warriors by giving their life, but can then be revived. The defense in the case was online addiction and actually worked, leading to some considering online addiction as an actual malady.
There is a youngster in “Fallen City” who also spends too much time on video games, but the result is that he disappoints his mother, fails his high school exams and ends up working in a factory. But he’s got some other pressures: His father was among the nearly 70,000 killed in the 2008 earthquake that wiped out their town Beichuan.
Qi Zhao’s film, premiering tonight on “POV” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) chronicles how survivors tried to continue with their lives, even as the government built a shiny replacement city within a couple of years. And the destroyed town itself? The rubble stayed and was turned into a museum.
“The Bachelorette” (ABC, 8 p.m.) makes her final choice and for Andi Dorfman, it’s between the jock Josh Murray and the benign Nick Viall, who got tie first impression rose so very long ago. After introducing them to her parents, she makes her choice. And then maybe everything unravels on “The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose” (ABC, 10 p.m.). It’s happened before.
We will be sure to be checking IDs at the 2014 Young Hollywood Awards (The CW, 8 p.m.) where the nominees are Ansel Elgort, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutherson. So maybe they should be wearing name tags as well. Also receiving attention: Kate Upton, Jennifer Lawrence and James Franco. Kelly Osbourne hosts and at 29, it might be the final year of eligibility.
The latest cable TV star jumps to broadcast networks on “Running Wild with Bear Grylls” (NBC, 8 p.m.) in which he treks around with celebrities. Tonight, it’s Zac Efron in the Appalachian Mountains. Still, it’s better than the “Wipeout” substitute “American Ninja Warriors” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
Julia becomes the leader of Chester’s Mill on “Under the Dome” (CBS, 10 p.m.). Unlike a lot of officials, she won’t be doing a lot of traveling to out of town conferences.
Before he starts in what looks like the most promising sitcom of the fall, “blackish,” Anthony Anderson begins a tour of food festivals where he competes as a chef in “Eating America with Anthony Anderson” (Food Network, 9 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies pays tribute to James Garner, who died July 19 at 86 with an all-day, 12-film salute that begins with his film debut in the 1956 “Toward the Unknown” (6 a.m.) and continues with “Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend” (8 a.m.), “Grand Prix” (9:30 a.m.), “Cash McCall” (12:30 p.m.), “The Wheeler Dealers” (2:15 p.m.), “Darby’s Rangers” (4 p.m.), “Mister Buddwing” (6:15 p.m.), “The Thrill of It All” (8 p.m.), “The Americanization of Emily” (10 p.m.), “The Children’s Hour” (midnight), “Victor Victoria” (2 a.m.) and “Marlowe” (4:30 a.m.).
Baseball includes San Diego at Atlanta (MLB, noon) and Toronto at Boston (ESPN, 7 p.m.).
In WNBA action it’s Indiana at Los Angeles (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Zoe Saldana, Bethany Mota. The View: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Tai Beauchamp, Sunny Hostin & S.E. Cupp. The Talk: Marlon Wayans, Ellen K, Fabio Viviani. Ellen DeGeneres: Ben Stiller, Steve Coogan, Brandon Niederauer, Bastille, Loni Love. Wendy Williams: Roseanne Barr, Mike Emerson & Skip Steele (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: John C. Reilly, Rachelle Lefevre, Conor Oberst. Jimmy Fallon: James Fanco, Chadwick Boseman, Jenny Lewis. Jimmy Kimmel: Andi Dorfman, Clayton Kershaw, Train. Seth Meyers: Carson Daly, Penn & Teller, Christina Perri. Craig Ferguson: Olivia Williams, Josh Wolf. Carson Daly: Jose Antonio Vargas, Kodaline, Cameron Esposito (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Ron Capps, Philip Bailey. Jon Stewart: Sonia Nazario. Stephen Colbert: Beck. Arsenio Hall: TGT (rerun). Conan O’Brien: Will Arnett, Melissa Rauch, Ryan Hamilton (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Justin Theroux, Bobby Lee, Fortune Feimster, TJ Miller.
A 90-year-old hotel in Longview, Wash., gets the once over on “Hotel Hell” (Fox, 9 p.m.) on an all-Gordon Ramsay night that begins with the Top 12 competing on “MasterChef” (Fox, 8 p.m.).