If timing were a little better, they could have shown the documentary “Weiner” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) in late August, about the time of his last sexting indiscretion of the former Congressmen, the one that caused the separation to his wife. But that one is still in the news — last week feds were interviewing a 15 year old on the receiving end of those transmissions.
But there’s enough in the previous downfalls of the congressman to make for compelling viewing in the documentary by a couple of people Josh Kriegman and Elyse Sternberg to chronicle the innermost tragedies of the last indiscretion, when his comeback race for Mayor of New York was suddenly undone. Fascinating political watching. And like his own bad habits, the movie also repeats at 10:35 p.m.
It runs opposite a new documentary “Rats” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) from Morgan Spurlock. Sparked by Robert Sullivan’s best seller in 2004, it aims to scare you into the predominance of the rodents in cities, to the point where they’ll crawl up your toilet. Watching this may change your seat-down habits for life. The two hour documentary is prefaced by a special episode of “Naked and Afraid” (Discovery, 8 p.m.) set in Thailand where the two have to fight off rats and monkeys for food.
Elijah Wood is pretty good in roles where he’s trying to figure out what’s going on. The latest such role is as an assistant to “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” (BBC America, 9 p.m.). Unfortunately, Gently, as played annoyingly by Samuel Barnett, is the biggest detraction to the series, adapted from the novels of Douglas Adams that means to solve crimes by the supposed interconnectedness of all things. The series, which clumsily blends humor and gore, is meant to fill in on Saturday nights until “Doctor Who” returns. It’s one of the first original series from the U.S. offshoot of the BBC.
Prime time college football has Ohio State at Penn State (ABC, 8 p.m.) and Oklahoma at Texas Tech (Fox, 8 p.m.).
More interesting, perhaps, will be Game 6 of the National League Series Championship of Dodgers at Cubs (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m.).
Ludo LeFevbre does fast food on “The Mind of a Chef” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Roselyn Sanchez of “Devious Maids” stars as murdered dancer Debbie Flores-Narvaez in the made for TV movie “Death of a Vegas Showgirl” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.). Danso Gordon plays the partner who killed and dismembered her in the lurid 2010 case.
On the latest new “Good Witch: Secrets of Grey House” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) a book’s launch party has some haunted touches — and some romance. Catherine Bell, James Denton and Bailee Madison star.
A beast invades spring break in the TV horror flick “Shadows of the Dead” (Syfy, 9 p.m.).
They celebrate Halloween on “School of Rock” (Nickelodeon, 8:30 p.m.).
“Gods of Egypt” (HBO, 8 p.m.) with Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, makes its premium cable debut. Also on tonight: “San Andreas” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.) with Dwayne Johnson and Carla Cugino and “Fathers and Daughters” (Starz, 9 p.m.) with Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Aaron Paul and Diane Kruger.
Boo hoo for the lottery winner with a life in shambles on “Iyanla: Fix My Life” (OWN, 9 p.m.).
“Ghost Adventures” (Travel, 9 p.m.) goes to Sacramento.
“Deadly Women” (Investigation Discovery, 9 p.m.) come after the “Deadly Doctors” (Investigation Discovery, 8 p.m.).
The last month of school brings pressure at “Life at Vet U” (Animal Planet, 10 p.m.).
Way too early for “Typer Perry’s A Madea Christmas” (USA, 9 p.m.).
Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Chris O’Dowd and Lady Gaga ae on a new episode of “The Graham Norton Show” (BBC America, 10:15 p.m.).
“Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (OWN, 10 p.m.) looks in on Aaron Carter, Jim J. Bullock and Victoria Rowell.
I’ve seen this on other networks but not Turner Classic Movies. At least there will be no commercial interruption with the presentation of “Jaws” (8 p.m.), “Jaws 2” (10:15 p.m.) and “Jaws 3” (12:15 a.m.). Later will be another 70s film and sequel, Toshiya Fujita’s “Lady Snowblood” (TCM, 2 a.m.) and “Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance” (TCM, 3:45 a.m.).
College football begins today at noon with games that include North Carolina State at Louisville (ABC), Wisconsin at Iowa (ESPN), Texas at Kansas State (ESPN2), Oklahoma State at Kansas (Fox Sports 1), Rutgers at Minnesota (ESPNU), North Texas at Army (CBS Sports) and Central Florida at Connecticut (ESPNews).
Games at 3:30 include Memphis at Navy (CBS Sports), Texas A&M at Alabama (CBS), Purdue at Nebraska (ESPN2), TCU at West Virginia (ABC) and Tulane at Tulsa (ESPNU).
Later comes Utah at UCLA (Fox, 4 p.m.), Arkansas at Augurn (ESPN, 6 p.m.), Houston at SMU (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), East Carolina at Cincinnati (CBS Sports), Tennessee State at Vanderbilt (ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.), Mississippi at LSU (ESPN, 9 p.m.), Fresno State at Utah State (CBS Sports, 10:30 p.m.) and Wyoming at Nevada (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m.).
Florence + the Machine and Andra Day play a new “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
Tom Hanks returns to host a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.). Lady Gaga is musical guest.