1) “The Joe Schmo Show” finale, 9 p.m., TBS. This has been a grand spoof – a fake reality show, with lots of actors and a real guy who isn’t in on the joke. And it’s been better than expected, because the guy (Ben from Baltimore, shown here) is open and likable. Now he’s competing with his best friend on the show, for $100,000. The result combines humor and warmth.
2) “American Experience,” 9 p.m., PBS. After decades seeking a disabled-rights bill, protesters left their wheelchairs at the base of the Capitol and crawled up the 83 steps. Congress relented; the American Disabilities Act cleared the Senate, 91-6. Now, 35 years later, that has transformed public transit, restaurants and lives. It’s a powerful story.
3) “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” season-opener, 9 p.m., Fox. A solid show in its first two seasons, this starts its third one well. At an upscale college, the entire women’s crew team vanished; Jason (Scott Caan) and colleagues probe a case that treads the line between villain and victim.
4) “The Cleaning Lady” season-opener, 8 p.m., Fox. It’s been a wild ride for Thony. A Filipino surgeon (with Cambodian roots), she moved to the U.S. to find medical help for her son; she did cleaning jobs and was entangled with drug cartels. Two protectors (an FBI guy and a cartel guy) were killed; now come more shifts, in a pivotal — and crowded – hour.
5) ALSO: NBC starts and ends the night with fairly good episodes: At 8, “St. Denis Medical” has a doctor-nurse dispute; at 10, the “Irrational” season-finale nudges Alec into diplomacy and spies. Also, at 8:30, “Night Court” brings back Brent Spiner’s oft-troubled Wheeler family. At 9, the “Deal of No Deal Island” finale reportedly includes a record-high prize.
— Mike Hughes, TV America