1) “The Masked Singer” season-opener, after football (about 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), Fox. In a burst of optimism, we could call this the start of the TV season. Pro football fills the afternoon on CBS and Fox and the evening (Cowboys-Giants) on NBC. And Fox uses its football double-header as a springboard to the “Masked Singer” (shown here in a previous year) season. Afterward, “Singer” will go back on the shelf, waiting for the rest of its season to start on Sept. 27.
2) “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” opener, 9-10:28 p.m., AMC. Dixon is the consummate survivor, after a dozen years of eluding (and eviscerating) bad humans and worse zombies. As he washes up on the French shore, he’s sort of in the spirit of the old cowboy heroes – a loner, forced into a mission. This opener mixes moments of quiet beauty and of fierce brutality.
3) “Ride With Norman Reedus” season-opener, 10:28 p.m., AMC. After seeing Reedus portray Dixon, we can catch his travel show. Tonight he and Keanu Reeves ride in the other-worldly setting of the Utah desert. They go from Bonneville Salt Flats to Canyonlands Natural Park and to a biker bash in the canyons of Moab.
4) “Van der Velk,” 10 p.m., PBS. Two things ripple through many mystery shows lately – lonely crimesolvers and stories that make us feel bad for everyone, including the killer. This hour – wrapping the first of three two-part tales – has lots of twists and then a deeply troubled villain. And Van der Valk, estranged from the beautiful doctor he was dating – is as grim as ever. That follows a clever (but grim) “Professor T” at 8 and the ongoing “Unforgotten” at 9.
5) “Dreaming Whilst Black” debut, 10 and 10:30 p.m., Showtime. British actor/comedian Adjani Salmon co-wrote this six-parter and stars as a struggling chap whose life could transform in two ways: His movie idea is received favorably and he meets a woman who may be way out of his league, financially and otherwise. That adds to a strong line-up that has “Billions” and “The Chi” at 8 and 9.