1) “Academy of Country Music Honors,” 8-10 p.m., Fox. This is a night to honor generations of country stars. There are the veterans – Clint Black, Tim McGraw, Mary Chapin Carpenter and the late Charlie Daniels – and newer arrivals, Kane Brown, Chris Stapleton (shown here) and Breland. Carly Pearce hosts; the line-up has Keith Urban, Lady A, Lee Brice, Trisha Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, Priscilla Block, Chris Janson, Anne Wilson, and more.
2) “American Ninja Warrior,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. The show’s regular season ended last week with a surprise: Vance Walker, 18 – who needed braces in his early years, because of cerebral palsy – became the show’s 15th winner and only its third to get the top prize of $1 million. Now “Ninja” adds this special: The duos (who are couples in real life) tackle the obstacle course, relay-style.
3) Talk-show openers, today. Daytime shows are starting their seasons, facing all the rules imposed by two strikes – no written marterial, no actors discussing their movies or TV shows. CBS’ “The Talk” and the syndicated Drew Barrymore, Sherri Shepherd and Jennifer Hudson shows all start today; ABC’s “The View” and the syndicated Tamron Hall and “Kelly & Mark” – started early. But Kelly Clarkson’s show remains locked in reruns.
4) “Comics Unleashed,” 12:37 a,m., CBS. The latenight asows – Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, Michaels – remain in reruns, with one exception: James Corden has ended his run and his final reruns were last week. CBS planned a low-cost replacement, but that’s been delayed by the strikes. Now it has reruns, mostly from 2006-7; in each half-hour, four stand-up comics do bits. This was produced and hosted by Byron Allen, who now heads a $4.5-billion company.
5) Mysteries, www.acorn.tv. One British mystery ends and another begins, each with a season of four movie-length (90-minute) stories. In some ways, though, they’re opposites: “The Chelsea Detective” focuses on smart mysteries; this season-finale is a good one, with Ella Bruccoleri (Sister Frances in “Call the Midwife”) excellent as Rena. “Mrs. Sidhu Investigates” has so-so mysteries, but fun sub-plots populated by a crimesoving caterer and others.