Every year on this date the past dozen years, I’d chide networks for their programming choices and its any tone-deafness to the solemn anniversary of 9/11. Everybody’s apparently over that by now, seeing that, for example, it’s Jerry Lewis night on Turner Classic Movies with the original “The Nutty Professor” (8 p.m.) making way for “The Caddy” (10 p.m.), “Three on a Couch” (midnight), “The Big Mouth” (2 a.m.) and “At War with the Army” (4 a.m.).
There’s scarcely a national prime time special marking the 13th anniversary of the terror attacks except “9/11 Rescue Cops” (Discovery, 8 p.m.). Meanwhile, the time lapse “Rebuilding the World Trade Center” (History, 6 p.m.) gets a very early evening slot. It’s about the agonizing slow process of rebuilding a too-tall building in lower Manhattan.
The feature documentary “The Hornet’s Nest” (American Heroes Channel, 9 p.m.), about journalists embedded in Afghanistan has a peripheral connection to 9/11 (as did the war there).
“The Quest” (ABC, 8 p.m.) never caught on as planned; scarcely over 1 million are watching the relatively big budget, high(er) production value reality competition played out over a theatrical fantasyscape.
Still, they play to the end tonight in a two hour episode that crowns a winner. Somebody should remind the finalists, especially since some of them might have quit their jobs to do this, that there is no cash prize. Andrew Frazer, 24, the guy from West Hartford, is still in is as well as Lina Carollo, 27 of Delran, N.J.; Shondo Blades, 30 of Houston; and Patrick Higgins, 40, of Joliet, Ill.
Thursday Night Football (CBS, 8:25 p.m.) makes its overhyped debut with Pittsburgh at Baltimore. But because of the Ray Rice incident and the disreputable way they run the whole bloated league, I’ve put the NFL games on suspension for the season.
The former American Gladiator named Phoenix goes back to her real name Jennifer Widerstrom to be one of the new trainers on “The Biggest Loser” (NBC, 8 p.m.). The other is Jessie Pavelka. Among the 20 contestants is a former Super Bowl champ Damien Woody and tennis Olympian Zina Garrison.
Things are getting heavy as “The Honorable Woman” (Sundance, 10 p.m.) approaches its finale.
The 12-day marathon of every episode of “The Simpsons” (FXX, 8 p.m.) was such a success, they’ve got another, much shorter, music-themed one featuring eight episodes that were notable for their score.
The fifth season begins for “Haven” (Syfy, 8 p.m.) minus Audrey, who has turned into the evil Mara.
Kim thinks about more plastic surgery on “Don’t Be Tardy…” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
“E! from Fashion Week” (E!, 8 p.m.) summarizes the runway action from New York the past few days.
The mother who hypnotizes closes out the first season of “Extreme Guide to Parenting” (Bravo, 10 p.m.).
It’s the prematurely Halloween episode on “Married” (FX, 10 p.m.). A flashback on “You’re the Worst” (FX, 10:30 p.m.) looks back at Jimmy and Gretchen before they met.
“Garfunkel and Oates” (IFC, 10 p.m.) get their medical marijuana cards.
“Game of Crowns” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) shows leftover footage.
Designers are asked to construct some sturdy garments on “Project Runway” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
A week before the referendum on Scotland’s independence is held, here’s “Braveheart” (IFC, 6:15 p.m.).
Baseball today includes St. Louis at Cincinnati (MLB, 12:30 p.m.) and Tampa Bay at Yankees (MLB, 7 p.m.).
In college football, it’s Louisiana Tech at North Texas (CBS Sports Network, 8 p.m.) and Houston at BYU (ESPN, 9 p.m.).
In international basketball, it’s U.S. vs. Lithuania (ESPN, 3 p.m.) in a semifinal.
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Katharine McPhee, Taraji P. Henson. The View: Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Joy Behar, Debbie Matenopoulos, Lisa Ling, Rosie O’Donnell, Elisabeth Hasselbeck (rerun). The Talk: Duff Goldman, George Lopez, Tony Gonzalez. Ellen DeGeneres: David Spade, Meghan Trainor.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jason Bateman, Billy Eichner, Ryan Adams. Jimmy Fallon: Jessica Chastain, Jeffrey Tambor, Chris Brown. Jimmy Kimmel: Morgan Freeman, Julianne Hough, Ingrid Michaelson. Seth Meyers: Harry Connick Jr., Josh Charles, Nick Jonas. Craig Ferguson: Ben Mezrich. Carson Daly: Marc Webb, the Colourist (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Ed Harris. Jon Stewart: Tavis Smiley. Stephen Colbert: Lonn Taylor. Conan O’Brien: Kunal Nayyar, Ben Schwartz, Garfunkel & Oates.