1) “American Masters,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. Jerry Brown kept defying traditions. He was California’s youngest governor (36) and its oldest (80 when his term ended). He was a Catholic seminarian, a student of Buddhism, a rock-type star who dated Linda Ronstadt (they’re shown here). He had three failed runs for president and one for Senate – then rebounded. But he was consistent in some areas, especially climate. It’s a fascinating story that (after a bumbling start) is well-told.
2) “Secret Celebrity Renovation,” 8 p.m., CBS. Wendy Raquel Robinson has had a busy acting career, ranging from playing the principal on “The Steve Harvey Show” to a high-power agent/manager in both versions of “The Game.” During that time, however, she’s also run a performing arts conservatory.
Now her friend Niecy Nash surprises her with a major renovation of the building.
3) “Fire Country,” 9 p.m., CBS. This show keeps getting squeezed out – first by a reality show and, last week, by a transplanted streaming show, “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.” But now it’s back, with a rerun that sees units combine to fight an unpredictable wildfire.
4) Streaming. Sometimes, love works out; “Love at First Sight” has travelers meet by accident, then scramble to re-connect. And sometimes it doesn’t; “Wilderness” has Jenna Coleman (“Victoria,” “Doctor Who”) exploring national parks with her husband, when she learns he’s been cheating again. They arrive today on Netflix and Amazon Prime, respectively. Also, Disney+ adds “Lang Lang Plays Disney,” with the pianist backed by the Royal Philharmonic.
5) Movies. If you’ve been skipping summer superhero movies, you can catch up on HBO. This year’s “The Flash” is at 8 p.m., with last year’s “The Batman” at 5. Other films range from the animated gem “Coco” (2017, 8 p.m., Disney Channel) to the sharply crafted horror film “Halloween” (1978, 7:30 p.m., IFC). Also at 8, Pop has “A Few Good Men,” with Rob Reiner directing Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson in a potent Aaron Sorkin script.
— Mike Hughes, TV America