Like a lot of boomer children, David Holbrooke, a producer at the “Today” show didn’t begin to fully appreciate the work of his father until after his dad died. He heard from others at the memorial service and started going through his papers.
Since his father was the esteemed diplomat and former United Nations ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke, his interview subjects included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Al Gore and top negotiators from several countries. Holbrooke, who learned his skills during the Vietnam war, applied them when he helped forge peace in Bosnia and Kosovo; yet he had trouble getting his points across during the Obama administration, according to voice memos he left behind.
Though it starts a big mawkishly, “The Diplomat” (HBO, 8 p.m.) shows the power of careful negotiation in an age when people would rather just talk about boots on the ground.
After watching it develop, nearly disastrously, on every episode of the revived “Project Greenlight,” it’s no surprise that the resulting movie by Jason Mann, “The Leisure Class” (HBO, 10 p.m.), is a general failure. That Mann talked them into letting him shoot an expanded version of his own short film rather than the script they were planning, and his fits about using film rather than video (for what is, let’s face it, a TV movie) makes the result even worse: The movie about a British grifter who tries to marry his way into a powerful family in Connecticut, and whose plan is upended by his wedding party-crashing brother, takes some seriously unrealistic turns, and then more unrealistic twists as it tries to make things right at the end. In the end Mann seemed the grifter, cheating HBO into making his movie.
Despite all the hubbub about her retirement a couple of years back, here’s “Barbara Walters Presents American Scandals” (Investigation Discovery, 10 p.m.) in which the former ABC newswoman revives cases that have already been done to death. The first: Jon Benet Ramsey.
Returning for new seasons tonight are the reliable cop show “Major Crimes” (TNT, 9 p.m.) and the second season of “Legends” (TNT, 10 p.m.), the spy caper that moves to Europe.
With Nashville’s big event coming later this week (on the same network), “Countdown to the CMA Awards: Country’s Greatest Crossover Hits with Robin Roberts” (ABC, 10 p.m.) is the longwinded title covering mostly recent songs by Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum, Brett Eldridge and Darius Rucker. So: No “Islands in the Stream”?
The new “Apres Ski” (Bravo, 10 p.m.) looks at a ski resort staff the sam way they’ve followed a ship’s crew on “Below Deck.”
On her second week in the job, “Supergirl” (CBS, 8 p.m.) goes after an escapee from the Kryptonian prison.
A runaway subway train bedevils “Scorpion” (CBS, 9 p.m.).
Hayes Grier was the last person to be eliminated from “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC, 8 p.m.), maybe because he wasn’t a star. Next to go? Statistically, Alek Skarlatos. The theme is Icons Night.
The first season finale of “I’ll Have What Phil’s Having” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) visits favorite places in Los Angeles.
t’s the fourth season of “Vanderpump Rules” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
A Gephardt family decision is made whether to go with the Kansas City syndicate on “Fargo” (FX, 10 p.m.).
By “Geofiction Comedies,” I guess Turner Classic Movies means those that have to do with relations between made up nations. So: “The Mouse That Roared” (8 p.m.), “Romanoff and Juliet” (9:30 p.m.), “Duck Soup” (11:30 p.m.), “The Great Dictator” (1 a.m.) and “Don’t Drink the Water” (3:15 a.m.).
Monday Night Football has Indianapolis at Carolina (ESPN, 8:15 p.m.).
In basketball, it’s Oklahoma City at Houston (NBA, 8 p.m.) and Memphis at Golden State (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
Hockey has Los Angeles at Chicago (NHL, 8:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Allison Janney, Steve Martin & Edie Brickell, Andrea Arden. The View: Barbara Walters. The Talk: Melissa Benoit, Calista Flockhart, Mechad Brooks, Jason Derulo. Ellen DeGeneres: David Spade, Giada De Laurentiis, Brett Eldridge. Wendy Williams: Deborah Norville. The Real: Rachel Dolezal. Meredith Vieira: Brie Larson.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Allison Janney, Colin Quinn, Margaret Cho. Jimmy Kimmel: Mark Ruffalo, Constance Wu. Jimmy Fallon: Bryan Crystal, Rachel Maddow, Andrea Bocelli. Seth Meyers: Jon Hamm, Jalen Rose, Bryan Adams, Jon Theodore. James Corden: Dennis Quaid, Mamie Gummer. Carson Daly: Bruce Campbell, Luna, Jesse Joyce. Tavis Smiley: Gloria Steinem. Trevor Noah: Fareed Zakaria. Conan O’Brien: Steven Ho, Brittany Snow, Incubus (rerun).