I’m no “Scandal” fan, but it seems like “West Wing” compared to “State of Affairs” (NBC, 10 p.m.) the latest in the strong-woman in Washington trend that began with “Homeland” and continues with “Madame Secretary.” Here, Katherine Heigl of “Grey’s Anatomy” plays the person who prepares the CIA briefing for the President each day. Except that she was going to marry the President’s son, who just got killed in Afghanistan. Her private life now is all out of control, with drinking and bar pickups even if she has to go to work at 2 a.m.
More than that, she’s deciding policy, telling troops to help save a doctor who looks like her fiancé rather than go after a main terror target. And she keeps the President out of the loop, in part by jumping trucks in her high heels and breezing into the Oval Office. It goes one step beyond preposterousness and would be a good comedy except for its dull parts and how it wraps itself in patriotism to justify everything. (Here’s a story I wrote about the series for the Courant).
“Banksy Does New York” (HBO, 9 p.m.) entertainingly chronicles October, 2013, when the celebrated and shadowy graffiti artist Banksy unveiled a new work for every day of the month, sending art fans scurrying to edges of boroughs they hadn’t known to capture it on their phones. The wealth of such public documentation — and Banksy’s own running commentary on Instagram, made the task easier for filmmaker Chris Mourkabel, because certainly the artist had no involvement in the movie.
Half the time, though, by the time followers got to the works, they were already erased, scribbled over or stolen by brash entrepreneurs hoping to make thousands in resale. Some of the fascination of “Banksy Does New York” is seeing how people react — how some are delighted by the middlebrow scavenger hunt, how snobbish art press chose not to cover it at all, how New York thugs were allowed to operate openly without any challenge from passerby (except to video it on their phones). Many of the Banksy pieces, though, were also thoughtful and clever commentaries that deserve our attention again even if they couldn’t survive long in the city.
In another documentary tonight on “Independent Lens” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) called “Happiness” examines the effect of sudden electricity in a village in the Himalayas.
Tommy Chong is the viewers’ favorite on this season’s “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC, 8 p.m.). He still hasn’t been voted off despite an average judges’ score six points lower than the last person booted, Lea Thompson — and 13 points lower for last week’s dance alone. The semifinals begin tonight for the final five with a theme of “Plugged/Unplugged.”
The Top 12 perform live on “The Voice” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Rogelio’s twin teenage stepdaughters make life rough on “Jane the Virgin” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
Monday Night Football has Pittsburgh at Tennessee (ESPN, 8:15 p.m.).
The month long Monday night salute to silent film stars on Turner Classic Movies with Oscar winners Emil Jannings in “The Last Command” (8 p.m.) and Janet Gaynor in “Sunrise” (10 p.m.), followed by child stars — Jackie Coogan in “The Rag Man” (11:45 p.m.) and Baby Peggy (the child star who is now 96) in “Captain January” (1 a.m.). The evening ends with sisters Norma Talmadge in “Kiki” (3:15 a.m.) and Constance Talmadge in “Her Night of Romance” (5 a.m.).
Two pro basketball games: Denver at Cleveland (NBA, 7 p.m.) and Chicago at Clippers (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
In college hoops, there’s Maryland-Eastern Shore at Villanova (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), Miami at Florida (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Binghamton at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m.), Georgia State at Iowa State (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), SMU at Georgia (ESPN2, 10 p.m.) and Detroit at Oregon (ESPNU, 11 p.m.).
In women’s games, it’s Baylor at Kentucky (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) and Connecticut at Stanford (ESPN2, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Benedict Cumberbatch, Allison Janney. The View: Steve Harvey, Brooke Shields. The Talk: Matthew McConaughey, Jaymes vaughan, Jessica Collins. Ellen DeGeneres: Noah Ritter, Elizabeth Banks, Kuna Nayyar. Wendy Williams: Julie Alexandria. Meredith Vieira: Andy Cohen. Queen Latifah: Jamie Foxx, Quvenzhane Wallis.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jason Sudeikis, Allison Janney, Damien Rice. Jimmy Fallon: Benedict Cumberbatch, Allison Williams, U2. Jimmy Kimmel: Elizabeth Banks, John Mulaney, Nickelback. Seth Meyers: Steve Harvey, Robin Lord Taylor, Ellie King. Craig Ferguson: Metallica, Max Greenfield. Carson Daly: Eliza Coupe, Michaela Watkins, King Tuff. Tavis Smiley: Cristina Saralegui. Jon Stewart: Laura Poitras. Stephen Colbert: Sen. Bernie Sanders. Conan O’Brien: Key & Peele, Natalie Dormer, Real Estate.