“Foo: Fighters Sonic Highways” (HBO, 11 p.m.) grew out of the band’s desire to do something different for an album marking its 20th year. Rather than go to one city to record, they’ll go to 10, and along the way they’ll try to soak up as much music history and lore in each one.
The travels begin tonight in Chicago, for the series whose each episode culminates in the recording of a track whose lyrics reflect what they’ve learned from their visit (each with Butch Vig, though they meet other producers along the way).
Why start in Chicago? Well there’s Buddy Guy and the blues legacy there, but it’s also the place he saw his first live show when his punk rock cousin took him to see Naked Raygun at the Cubbie Bear. They get Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick to play on the track they play in the studio of Steve Albini, whose impressive work is also noted, both in his band Big Black and as a producer, whose impressive roster of albums have included Grohl when he was in Nirvana.
Next week will be more nostalgic for Grohl, returning to his Washington, D.C. environs and recording at Shirlington, Va., Inner Ear Studio, which Grohl calls “the one studio that produced the entire soundtrack of my youth.”
Grohl cut his teeth in film doing his 2013 documentary “Sound City” and he’s turned into quite an effective documentarian with a lively eye. And few would have such a feel for his deeply felt subject. That each tour stop ends with a performance of the cut from the new album that they recorded in that city may seem self-serving. But it’s the best music series on TV in quite a long while. A story I wrote about the series earlier appears here.
Elsewhere tonight, Foo Fighters end a weeklong residency on “Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS, 11:35 p.m.), where they band has covered Black Sabbath, Heart, Tony Joe White and Cheap Trick mostly with members of those acts.
For music of another kind there’s “The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess from San Francisco Opera” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), starring bass baritone Eric Owens and soprano Laquita Mitchell with John DeMain conducting the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Francesca Zambello directs the production that includes such standards as “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “Summertime.”
The new “Welcome to Fairfax” (Pivot, 10 p.m.) following rappers, street wear designers and other strugglers along Los Angeles’ Fairfax Avenue, home of musicians, skateboarders and fashion designers. young people looking for some success s entrepreneurs in the L.A. neighborhood. It’s accompanied by “Freestyle Love Supreme” (Pivot, 10:30 p.m.) a new comedy improv series from Thomas Kail and Lin-Manuel Miranda, creators of “In the Heights.”
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Barbara Lee, David Miliband of the International Rescue Committee and David Frum are on a new “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.), back from a one week absence.
“The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.) moves to Copenhagen and the pair with the save card from week one find they may have to use it. Of course, those boastful, out-of-breath Boston firefighters were eliminated last week.
“Christela” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.) tries online dating.
“The Birthday Boys” (IFC, 11:30 p.m.) is back with an episode that goes to great lengths to prove women are funny, after “Comedy Bang! Bang!” (IFC, 11 p.m.) which has Steven Yeun of “The Walking Dead” as guest.
When “America’s Next Top Model” (The CW, 9 p.m.) invades New York’s Fashion Week, I hope they run into the crew from “Project Runway.”
The people on “Utopia” (Fox, 8 p.m.) should stop worrying about the future of their little tribe and start worrying about the future of the struggling show.
The “Orange is the New Black” star looks at life for seven transgender young people on the special “Laverne Cox presents: The T Word” (MTV, Logo, 7 p.m.). The discussion continues with SuChin Pak on “Trans Forum” (Logo, 8 p.m.).
Same week replays come for the premieres of “Jane the Virgin” (The CW, 8 p.m.) “Marry Me” (NBC, 8 p.m.) and “About a Boy” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
“Dane Cook: Troublemaker” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) is the latest comedy special from the faded stand-up attraction.
George Clooney’s “The Monuments Men” (Starz, 9 p.m.) gets a premium cable debut.
The Friday night spotlight on Africa continues on Turner Movie Classics with “King Solomon’s Mines” (8 p.m.), “Trader Horn” (10 p.m.), “Mountains of the Moon” (12:15 a.m.), “The Macomber Affair” (2:45 a.m.) and “Mogambo” (4:30 a.m.).
Preseason basketball includes Dallas at Cleveland (NBA, 7:30 p.m.) and Utah at Clippers (NBA, 10:30 p.m.).
In college football, it’s Fresno State at Boise State (ESPN, 8 pm.) and Temple at Houston (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Jason Schwartzman, Bridget Moynahan, David Muir. The View: Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick. The Talk: Selena Gomez, Elizabeth Henstridge, Gesine Bullock-Prado. Ellen DeGeneres: Channing Tatum, Zoe Saldana, Diego Luna, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jessie J. Wendy Williams: Megan Mullally, Lilliana vazquez. Meredith Vieira: Jordin Sparks. Queen Latifah: Zoe Saldana.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jessica Chastain, Lenny Marcus, Foo Fighters. Jimmy Fallon: Bradley Cooper, Neil Diamond. Jimmy Kimmel: LL Cool J, Michael Pena, Tinashe with School Boy Q (rerun). Seth Meyers: Jeffrey Tambor, Retta, Impractical Jokers (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Sean Hayes, Weird Al Yankovic. Carson Daly: Megan Boone, Self (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Melissa Etheridge.