For a guy who spent time as an editor at “Frontline” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings), filmmaker Ken Dornstein has a surprisingly undisciplined approach to his personal documentary about trying to find those responsible for the 1988 crash of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people including his older brother.
The way “My Brother’s Bomber” stretches out in the first of its three (!) hours, we get to hear fromDornstein’s kids about what they think of his plans — an approach most documentarians avoid. Going to Libya during the fall of Quaddafi adds some excitement, but there’s a lot of visits with old investigators of the crash in the half-baked first episode. His worst influence may be the “Serial” podcast, as it both stretches out the investigation and, if we are to believe publicity, leads to subsequent episodes that are still being worked on. Better that he would have completed his reporting before completing his film.
One of the few highlights of the new fall season is the meta comedy “The Grinder” (Fox, 8:30 p.m.) in which Rob Lowe plays a former TV laser who returns home to his family’s practice and tries to dazzle juries there as well, to the consternation of his brother, played by Fred Savage.
It comes after a much more conventional new comedy, “Grandfathered” (Fox, 8 p.m.), starring John Stamos as a bachelor restauranteur who suddenly learns that he not only has a son (Josh Peck), he’s got a grandchild as well.
In lieu of its new fall season, two nights this week will be spent recapping the “iHeartRadio Music Festival” (The CW, 8 p.m.) from Las Vegas, a two night event featuring Kanye West, Sam Smith, Sam Smith, Kenny Chesney, Duran Duran, Puff Daddy, Coldplay, Demi Lovato and the Killers. among others. It concludes Wednesday.
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (ABC, 9 p.m.) returns for its second season, as does “Beyond the Tank” (ABC, 10 p.m.), the “Shark Tank” spin-off that looks back at past investments.
On the new series “Adam Ruins Everything” (truTV, 10 p.m.), Adam Conover looks into the truth of everyday assumptions, a kind of “Mythbusters” on a smaller scale.
It’s not funny as it thinks it is, but “The Muppets” (ABC 8 p.m.) is kind of interesting.
“Scream Queens” (Fox, 9 p.m.) might be more palatable as an hour-long show. Two hours seemed enough for a lifetime last week.
A search is begun for a wounded lion cub as part of tonight’s “Gorongosa Park: Rebirth of Paradise” (PBS, 8 p.m.).
Eddie gets a broken heart on a new “Fresh Off the Boat” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.).
“The Agent” (Esquire, 10 p.m.) prepares for the 2015 NFL draft.
“Limitless” (CBS, 10 p.m.) is a police procedural that plays like a drug series.
The Tuesday night Five Came Back series this month on Turner Classic Movies about directors during World War II closes with “The More the Merrier” (8 p.m.) and “The Diary of Anne Frank” (12:30 a.m.) as well as a newsreel he directed, “That Justice Be Done” (10 p.m.) and the documentary “The Nazi Plan” (10:15 p.m.). There’s also one last Private Snafu cartoon, “Censored” (9:55 p.m.).
Baseball includes Red Sox at Yankees (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and A’s at Angels (ESPN, 10 p.m.).
It’s Indiana at New York (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) in the deciding game of the WNBA Eastern Conference playoffs.
Preseason hockey has Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh (NBC Sports Network, 7:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cindy Crawford, Dr. Wendy Bazilian. The View: Sen. Lindsey Graham. The Talk: Luis Guzman, Marcia Gay Harden, Raza Jaffrey, Bonnie Somerville, Kevin Frazier. Ellen DeGeneres: Matt Damon, Natasha Lyonne. Wendy Williams: Sophia Bush, Fred Mwangaguhunga. The Real: The Game. Meredith Vieira: Goldie Hawn, Alan Cumming.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Ellen Page, Jesse Eisenberg, Dominic Wilcox. Jimmy Kimmel: Viola Davis, Michael Pena, Slightly Stoopid. Jimmy Fallon: Julianne Moore, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, DNCE. Seth Meyers: Kenan Thompson, Maura Tierney, Chef John Besh. James Corden: Matt Damon, Zachary Levi, Nitro Circus Live. Carson Daly: Meagan Good, Lagwagon, Joy-Ann Reid. Tavis Smiley: James Taylor. Trevor Noah: Whitney Wolfe. Conan O’Brien: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ike Barinholtz, Andrew McMahon.