Jimmy Kimmel hosts The 68th Annual Emmy Awards (ABC, 8 p.m.), anointing favorites and ushering in the fall TV season (which begins Monday). He’ll be good, droll and dry and knowing that the announcement of winners won’t carry much meaning. And yet: broadcast networks who dominated the event for more than a half century are now apparently satisfied with being on the sidelines as cable and even streaming services take the spotlight with their more innovative shows.
“Game of Thrones” has the most nominations, with 23; “The People vs. O.J. Simpson” is right behind it with 22, a boost for its network FX, which has its most nominations ever, 56.
How to get a broadcast audience to tune in? Load it up with stars, and parade to the event down an endless red carpet, which will be depicted in shows like “Countdown to the Red Carpet” (E!, 4:30 p.m.), “Live from the Red Carpet” (E!, 6 p.m.), the official “Countdown to the Emmy Awards” (ABC, 7 p.m.) and evan an “After Party” (E!, 11 p.m.).
Three other networks have already jumped the gun with their own special examinations and a TV movie is in the works. But the project that got the whole thing going, “The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) begins its run. Already it’s been undercut — the big CBS series that was originally three nights has now been cut back to two, two-hour evenings, concluding Monday. By assembling original investigators and a couple of new profilers from the FBI and Scotland Yard — and at one point rebuilding key rooms from the Benet home to dramatize the unsolved murder of a six-year-old on Christmas night 1996, the original project was called “Case Closed.” The name change suggest they didn’t definitively figure it out. Here’s an interview I did with one of the chief forensic investigators in the case, Dr. Henry Lee.
Sunday Night Football has midwest rivals Green Bay at Minnesota (NBC, 8:30 p.m.), in a brand new stadium. Earlier NFL action has Baltimore at Cleveland (CBS, 1 p.m.), Dallas at Washington (Fox, 1 p.m.) and Indianapolis at Denver (CBS, 4:25 p.m.).
The always interesting Gina McKee plays Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American woman for whom Edward VIII relinquished the British throne in “Royal Wives at War” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). Emma Davies plays the Queen Mother in the BBC production, based on monologues made nearly 30 years after the events.
Expect typically explosive season finales from both “Ray Donovan” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), involving the Russian mob and the FBI, to close the fourth season; and “Vice Principals” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.), capping a first season of unearned retribution. Its second season has already been written and shot. 4
Bruce Springsteen begins what’s expected to be a string of interviews to discuss his first autobiography “Born to Run” on “CBS Sunday Morning” (CBS, 9 a.m.). No performances are expected.
On a new “Indian Summers” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings), Aafrin saves Naresh’s life.
Masters and Johnson seek to expand the clinic on “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
In the six-part “WWII’s Most Daring Raids” (Smithsonian Channel, 9 p.m.) the different strategies that defeated Adolf Hitler are examined.
Libertarian candidates Gary Johnson and Bill Weld are interviewed on “60 Minutes” (CBS, 7:30 p.m.).
The behind the scenes special “Poldark Revealed” (PBS, 9 p.m.) leads up to the premiere of its second season next week.
A new phase emerges for the infection on “The Strain” (FX, 10 p.m.).
One of the hotel residents gets violent on a new “Fear the Walking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m.). Then they spend an hour discussing it on “Talking Dead” (AMC, 10 p.m.).
Angela seeks the mole and Ghost tries to regain the club on a new “Power” (Starz, 9 p.m.).
“Ozzy and Jack’s World Detour” (History, 10 p.m.) finally makes it to Washington, D.C.
Cam deals with the fallout of uncovering family secrets on “Survivor’s Remorse” (Starz, 10 p.m.).
A music video causes a few fights on “Basketball Wives LA” (VH1, 8 p.m.).
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) is now accompanied by the spinoff “Manzo’d with Children” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
The final three teams on “The Great Food Truck Race” (Food, 9 p.m.) compete in sweltering Palm Springs.
Kevin’s fiancee arrives on “Chesapeake Shores” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.).
Shipwrecks on the ocean floor are found on “Drain the Ocean: WWII” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.).
Pneumonia and a fruitless visit to Dr. Oz are covered on “The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth” (Showtime, 8 p.m.).
It’s Debbie Reynolds and Sandra Dee, not Melissa McCarthy, starring in the pairing of “Tammy and the Bachelor” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “Tammy Tell Me True” (9:45 p.m.). The weekly Sunday night silent movie at midnight is “The Red Lily” (TCM, midnight). Then comes the samurai epic “The 47 Ronin” (TCM, 2:15 a.m.).
Baseball today includes Detroit at Cleveland (TBS, 1 p.m.), St. Louis at San Francisco (MLB, 4 p.m.) and Yankees at Boston (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
WNBA action includes Dallas at Indiana (ESPN2, 4 p.m.) and Chicago at Seattle (NBA, 7 p.m.).
Final rounds are played in golf’s Evian Championship (NBC, noon).
In the World Cup of Hockey, it’s Sweden at Russia (ESPN, 3 p.m.) and Team North America vs. Finland (ESPN2, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Vice presidential candidates Tim Kaine, Mike Pence. CBS: Kaine, Conway, Republican chair Reince Priebus, Rep. John Lewis. NBC: Kaine, Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, Gov. John Kasich. CNN: Kaine, Gov. Chris Christie. Fox News: Kaine, Christie.