1) Presidential debate, 9-10:30 p.m. ET, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS, BET and news channels. It’s a high-stakes night at the Constitution Center (shown here) in Philadelphia, under firm rules. David Muir and Linsey Davis ask the questions; Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have two minutes each to reply, and are muted otherwise. Trump won a coin flip and goes last in closing remarks.
2) Pre-debate, 8 p.m., ET. Most channels will have hour-long debate previews. A possible exception is PBS, which has tentatively set a “Finding Your Roots” rerun with Glenn Close and John Waters – two people who grew up amid prosperity and complications.
3) “The Conners,” 8-10 p.m., CW. As the only big broadcast network skipping the debate, CW offers four reruns. The first two wrap up the third season, including two proposals. The third started the fourth (in 2021); it was done live, including surprise phone calls to fans.
4) Movies. There are strong choices for debate-skippers: At 8 p.m,, FX’s “Free Guy” (2021), AMC’s “Goodfellas” (1990), HBO’s “Straight Outta Compton” (2015) … At 8:25, Freeform’s “Mulan” (2020) … At 9, E’s “When Harry Met Sally” (1989).
5) “Only Murders in the Building,” Hulu. In the third episode of a terrific season, the crimesolvers have lots of “help” – from a police detective who’s off the case (Oscar-winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph) and the people who will portray them in a movie. They also have fresh suspects (Richard Kind, Kumail Nanjiani) in the next building.
— Mike Hughes, TV America