Sometimes TV can be as basic as a football game, a long-distance police chase or a guy walking on a wire.
When Nik Wallenda walked across the Niagara Falls for ABC it was a big event, but he had to wear a harness. For cable, no such problem. So he walked over a gorge near the Grand Canyon last year for the highest ratings in Discovery history. Tonight, he walks between two towers across the Chicago River. For the first part of “Skyscraper Live with Nik Wallenda” (Discovery, 7 p.m.), he’s to cross more than two city blocks, 50 stories up, uphill on a wire at a 15 degree angle. For the second part of the walk, he’ll be blindfolded. The whole thing is expected to run two hours and twenty minutes — on a 12 second delay, just in case anything goes wrong.
For more down to earth city-based physical achievements: The New York City Marathon (ESPN2, 9 a.m.).
There’s a few Yanks among the honorees of The Britannia Awards 2014 (BBC America, 9 p.m.) including Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo. Others being awarded include Emma Watson, Mike Leigh and Dame Judi Dench. They’re holding the whole thing in Los Angeles.
“The Affair” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) takes a day trip to Block Island for an episode with some sex and even more lighthouses. The storytelling from both sides of the affair, cover not the same ground as it has in previous episodes, but consecutive action.
David Hyde Peirce is the latest guest star on “The Good Wife” (CBS, 9:30 p.m.).
Sunday Night Football has Baltimore at Pittsburgh (NBC, 8:30 p.m.). Earlier NFL action includes Washington at Minnesota (Fox, 1 p.m.), San Diego at Miami (CBS, 1 p.m.) and Denver at New England (CBS, 4:25 p.m.).
The latest episode of the occasional “Craft in America” (PBS, 9:30 p.m., check local listings) salutes service people with a look at the origin of the Army Arts & Crafts Program and showcasing several contemporary soldiers and veterans in ceramics, paper and leather.
In a Peggy Lee double feature, it’s “The Jazz Singer” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “Pete Kelly’s Blues” (10 p.m.).
An explosion in India separates mother from daughter on a new “Madam Secretary” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.).
Diane von Furstenberg looks for a new brand ambassador from 10 candidates on the new series “House of DVF” (E!, 10 p.m.).
Tonight would be normally when the “Treehouse of Horror” episode would premiere on “The Simpsons” (Fox, 7 p.m.) Tonight, having premiered a couple of weeks ago, here’s a repeat of it, followed by a new episode at 8 p.m., with Jane Fonda as guest.
Tinas boyfriend is a ghost in the basement on “Bob’s Burgers” (Fox, 7:30 p.m.).
Saul’s gone missing and the kid is loose on “Homeland” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) and all Carrie can do is watch on her agency screens.
It’s always disturbing when it’s the other bands of survivors, not the zombies, that are the biggest threat on “The Walking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m.).
Behind the golden mask, life was not so golden for King Tutankhamun, the boy king of Egypt. Researchers on the special “King Tut’s Final Mystery” (Smithsonian, 8 p.m.) finds that he was sickly, a product of incest and likely died during an epileptic seizure at 19.
After failing to take other cities, their new series is titled “Kourtney & Khloe Take the Hamptons” (E!, 9 p.m.). That means a lot going on in the Hamptons on Sundays, with “The Affair” and “Revenge” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
The stately and clever “Death Comes to Pemberley” reaches its conclusion on “Masterpiece Mystery!” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
On the new series “The Water Brothers” (Pivot, 10 p.m.) the siblings and “eco-adventurers” Alex and Tyler Mifflin talk about climate change, drought, flooding and other problems in California.
Hallmark Channel is all in with its Christmas movies, and it’s only Nov. 2. They play all day including, tonight, “The Christmas Ornament” (Hallmark, 6 p.m.), “Angels Sing” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) and “Fir Crazy” (Hallmark, 10 p.m.).
In basketball, it’s Charlotte at New York (NBA, 7:30 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. CBS: Sens. Rand Paul and Amy Klobuchar. NBC: Paul. CNN: Paul. Fox News: Mitt Romney.