Billy Bob Thornton returns to TV as a down and out lawyer who is drawn back into the profession in a wrongful death lawsuit against his old firm in the solid new leal drama “Goliath” (Amazon, streaming). William Hurt plays the head of the staid old firm and Maria Bello also stars in the series, in part from longtime TV writer David E. Kelley.
Also online today is a new series from somebody who not only rose from YouTube fame, but satirizes the process of trying to become famous online. Colleen Ballinger stars as her character Miranda Sings in “Haters Back Off” (Netflix, streaming), which plays like a female “Napoleon Dynamite.” Adding quite a bit are Angela Kinsley of “The Office” and Steve Little, who plays a character not so different than the one he did on “Eastbound and Down.”
They barely get a nod during the Grammys themselves, but for the first time a full concert honors the 10 lifetime achievement award winners this year — Ruth Brown, Celia Cruz, Earth Wind & Fire, Herbie Hancock, Run-DMC, John Cage, Jefferson Airplane, Linda Ronstadt, producer Fred Foster and Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz.
Among the performers included in the salute “Great Performances: Grammy Salute to Music Legends” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) are Patti Austin, Ry Cooder, Lila Downs, Andy Garcia, Kris Kristofferson, Naughty by Nature, Shelby Lynne, Martina McBride, the Magnolia Sisters JD Souther as well as some of the honorees: Hancock, what’s left of Earth, Wind & Fire and two guys from Jefferson Airplane. Don Was organizes a nifty backing band and it’s in many ways a better and more diverse musical night than the Grammys itself.
The new documentary “Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang” (Netflix, streaming) explores the artist who uses gunpowder in his work.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Sen. Bob Kerrey, Ann Coulter, Andrew Sullivan and Rebecca Traitor are on a new “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
The most realistic Brooklyn scene occurs on “High Maintenance” (HBO, 11 p.m.) — being held back because of production on “Girls.”
On “Quarry” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.), Mac gets a big assignment.
“MacGyver” (CBS, 8 p.m.) is now disabling Russian warheads.
Too soon after the hurricane to show “funny” weather videos on the third season premiere of “Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon” (NBC, 8 p.m.)?
“Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox, 8 p.m.) has a surf and turf competition.
On “Last Man Standing” (ABC, 8 p.m.), Boyd turns 10.
“Dr. Ken” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.) worries about divorce.
McGarrett and Alicia are kidnapped on “Hawaii Five-0” (CBS, 9 p.m.).
Wolves are a problem on “Z Nation” (Syfy, 9 p.m.).
Demons target innocents on “The Exorcist” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
Police and community relations aren’t much better on “Blue Bloods” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
If politics don’t kill the planet, it may be a rogue planet, according to “Doomsday: 10 Ways the World Will End” (History, 10 p.m.).
There are Halloween themes on “Girl Meets World” (Disney, 8:30 p.m.) and “Star vs. the Forces of Evil” (Disney, 10:30 p.m.).
“Terror Classic Movies” continues on Turner Classic Movies with horror comedies: “The Cat and the Canary” (8 p.m.), “The Fearless Vampire Killers” (9:30 p.m.), “Little Shop of Horrors” (11:30 p.m.), “Young Frankenstein” (1 a.m.), “Hillbillys in a Haunted House” (3 a.m.), “Spooks Run Wild” (4:30 a.m.) and “Ghosts on the Loose” (5:45 a.m.).
All day they have race car movies that begins and ends with “Speedway” (TCM, 6 a.m. and 6:16 p.m.), the first is from 1929, the second from 1968, with Elvis. In between are “Indianapolis Speedway” (TCM, 7:30 a.m.), “Red Hot Tires” (TCM, 9 a.m.), “Burn ‘Em Up O’Connor” (TCM, 10:15 a.m.), “Women in the Wind” (TCM, 11:30 a.m.), “The Pace that Thrills” (TCM, 12:45 p.m.), “Speed” (TCM, 2 p.m.), “Daredevil Drivers” (TCM, 3:15 p.m.) and “The Big Wheel” (TCM, 4:30 p.m.).
The American League Championship Series begins with Game 1 of Toronto at Cleveland (TBS, 8 p.m.).
Hockey has Chicago at Nashville (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
It’s Minnesota at Los Angeles (ESPN2, 9 p.m.) in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. So far the series is split 1-1.
In basketball, it’s Buenos Aires at Toronto (NBA, 7 p.m.) in an exhibition game; Cleveland at Chicago (NBA, 8p.m.) in a preseason game.
College football has Duke at Louisville (ESPN, 7 p.m.), Memphis at Tulane (ESPNU, 8 p.m.), San Diego State at Fresno State (CBS Sports, 10 p.m.) and Mississippi State at BYU (ESPN, 10:15 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: J.K. Simmons, Gavin DeGraw, Carrie Ann Inaba. The View: Wendy Williams. The Talk: Jane Lynch, Fred Willard, Rick Astley. Chelsea Handler: Kevin Hart, Jesse Ventura. Harry Connick: Jason Sudeikis. Ellen DeGeneres: Hillary Clinton, Bryan Cranston. Wendy Williams: Danielle Brooks, Carson Kressley. The Real: Kevin Hart.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Chris Pratt, Scott Bakula, Frederik the Great (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Sarah Jessica Parker, Daveed Diggs, Dan + Shay (Rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Jon Hamm, Colleen Ballinger, Kings of Leon. Seth Meyers: Sen. Bernie Sanders, Shailene Woodley, Young the Giant (rerun). James Corden: Zach Woods, Edgar Ramirez, Robert Winston (rerun). Carson Daly: William Shatner, Henry Winkler, Wolf Parade, Bruce Kalman (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Dr. Mehmet Oz, Norah Jones.