1) “The Hot Zone: Anthrax” conclusion, 9-11 p.m., National Geographic. On Monday, the mid-section of this three-night mini-series pulled a sudden detour. We’d been following FBI scientists Daniel Dae Kim and Dawn Olivieri (shown here) and Bruce Ivins, a microbiologist who said someone in his military-research unit might be responsible for the lethal anthrax mailings. But then came signs that Ivins (beautifully played by Tony Goldwyn) was oddly unhinged. Tonight, this strange-but-true story reaches its conclusion.
2) “La Brea” season-finale, 9 p.m. Tuesday, NBC. Here’s one that’s not even remotely a true story. After plunging into a netherworld that seems to be 10,000 BC, Eve desperately tries to take a boy to a mountaintop because … well, a portal to 1988 is closing soon and the boy must grow up to be Eve’s estranged husband Gavin; if he doesn’t, Eve’s children will disappear. Yes, this is a weird show. But it’s a ratings success and will be back next year
3) “The Bachelorette” 8-10 p.m., ABC. Most years, the show visits home towns of the final four guys. But now they bring their families to Michelle Young’s home, near Minneapolis. They tell hometown stories, on dates that include skateboarding, apple-picking and even a sort-of prom. There’s Joe Coleman, a real-estate developer in Minneapolis; Brandon Jones, from Portland, who recruits traveling nurses; and two sales guys – Nayte Olukoya from Texas and Rodney Matthews, from California.
4) “The Resident,” 8 p.m., Fox. Conrad is comfortably back at the hospital now and mentoring Trevor, who was nearly fired during his first day as a resident. Meanwhile, Conrad’s former protege, Devon, feels overwhelmed. And Leela (Devon’s loved one) must make choices for an indecisive patient.
5) “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977) and “Aliens” (1986), 5 and 7:30 p.m., Showtime. Here are two of the all-time science-fiction masterworks, with great directors at work. Steven Spielberg has outer-space aliens visit Earth; James Cameron has them confront Earthlings in space.