There have been so many documentaries these past 13 years on Sept. 11, 2001 and its aftermath, they have almost run out of angles come anniversary time. So here’s one about Sept. 10, 2001. What was going on the day before the planes hit the towers? Not so much it turns out.
In “9/10: The Final Hours” (National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.) we are reminded that it was the day before the New York Mayoral primaries that ended up being postponed a couple of weeks, the local news was full of stupid stuff and the Yankees game was rained out. And the towers were still standing. So an hour of the documentary is spent on people who visited them that day, or photographed them. It was a normal day in other words and the tragedy that happened the next day fails to inject that much meaning into the day before.
Eventually, the action moves to the hijackers checking in at the airport, the people who were behind them in the parking lot line or the guy checking them into the flight. Some appear guilty they didn’t do anything to stop the march of history, though it’s unclear what they could have done.
Similarly, the last episode of “The Leftovers” (HBO, 10 p.m.) two weeks ago explored the world before the weird disappearance of people. Action presumably jumps to the present in tonight’s first season finale, where the police chief has gotten himself into a jam and has been blacking out quite a bit. Unlike so many people in the show, the series won’t disappear; it will be back for a second season.
It’s preceded by the fifth and final season of “Boardwalk Empire” (HBO, 9 p.m.), which has jumped to 1931. Nucky Thompson is in Cuba trying to nail down a deal with a rum manufacturer, looking to become legitimate once prohibition crumbles. Chalky White is on the chain gang. The Depression is happening, and it affects Margaret directly. New York mobsters are looking to grab power following the death of Arnold Rothstein. And there are a number of lyrical flashbacks to Nucky’s boyhood life before the turn of the century that will continue through future episodes. Revel in this finely-wrought, well-acted series while you can.
Another 9/11 special tonight is “Crowning New York” (Smithsonian, 8 p.m.) about the building of the new One World Trade Center.
Today’s the first big onslaught of NFL of the season, so in addition to the prime time Indianapolis at Denver (NBC, 8 p.m.), we have Washington at Houston (Fox, 1 p.m.), Cincinnati at Baltimore (CBS, 1 p.m.) and San Francisco at Dallas (Fox, 4:25 p.m.).
The new reality series “Utopia” (Fox, 8 p.m.) follows 15 people from various walks of life, put together and set down in some isolated land, where they have to set up their own society.
Fifteen teenagers grab cameras and advice from filmmakers like Alex Gibney, Alexandra Pelosi and Sam Pollard to help document their lives in a new series “Edge of Eighteen” (Al Jazeera, 9 p.m.).
It’s never too early to salute the comedian who died Thursday, so TV Land organizes a bunch of episodes that include her guest role on “Hot in Cleveland” (TV Land, 6 p.m.), an episode of her interview show “How’d You Get So Rich?” (TV Land, 6:30 p.m.) and a special edition of “20/20” (TV land, 7 p.m.) titled “Joan Rivers: Living for the Laughs.”
Chandra Wilson of all people hosts a look back to the animated education series in the special “The ABC’s of Schoolhouse Rock” (ABC, 7 p.m.).
Betsy Brandt’s condition is examined on “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
Chuck Todd makes his debut as host of “Meet the Press” (NBC, 10:30 a.m.), scoring an interview with Barack Obama at the White House. It won’t be all that different.
“Wipeout” (ABC, 8 p.m.) has its season finale.
Some new twist occurs on “Big Brother” (ABC, 8 p.m.) that may upend the head of household choices.
Who called for a double feature of the original “Planet of the Apes” (TCM, 8 p.m.) with “Beneath the Planet of the Apes” (TCM, 10 p.m.)?
Baseball today includes Kansas City at Yankees (TBS, 1 p.m.) and San Francisco at Detroit (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
It’s Chicago at Phoenix (ABC, 3:30 p.m.) in the WNBA finals.
And in Canadian football, it’s Saskatchewan at Winnipeg (ESPN, 4 p.m.).
The U.S. Open (ESPN2, 12:30 p.m.; ABC, 4:30 p.m.) holds its men’s doubles final early this afternoon and the women’s singles final this afternoon between Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki.
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sen. Ted Cruz, Reps. Peter King and Adam Smith. CBS: Sen. Marco Rubio, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. NBC: President Barack Obama. CNN: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Mike Rogers, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. Fox News: Mitt Romney, Sen. Robert Menendez, Rep. Mike McCaul.