ESPN, 11:00 a.m. ET
Yesterday’s downpour in New York postponed the day’s play at the U.S. Open, both trying to reach the final in Queens for the first time, begin the day’s contests at 11 am. ET, televised on ESPN. When that match is over, No. 1 seed (and No. 1 headline-generator) Serena Williams faces Roberta Vinci. As for the men’s semifinals, they start at 5 p.m. ET with No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 9 Marin Cilik – and that’s followed by No. 2 Roger Federer vs. No. 5 Stan Wawrinka. Quite a lineup, for one day of tennis – and one day of TV tennis viewing.
History, 8:00 p.m. ET
This prime-time documentary doubleheader is part of History’s all-day acknowledgment of 9/11, the terrorist attacks that occurred on U.S. soil 14 years ago today. Both documentaries are good, and on occasion understandably emotional, and both are worth watching. It’s also worth taking the time and space to commend the History channel: On this very solemn occasion, History is actually paying attention to… history.
Starz!, 8:00 p.m. ET
There’s an awful lot of talent in this 2014 film version, directed by Rob Marshall, of the insanely clever Stephen Sondheim musical. It’s a rather good adaptation, mostly because the songs and music are rendered faithfully, and often touchingly, by such players as Meryl Streep as the witch, Anna Kendrick as Cinderella, and James Corden (now host of The Late Late Show on CBS) and Emily Blunt as the baker and his wife.
PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET
MINISERIES CONCLUSION: Ken Burns' documentary series, replayed in prime time after 25 years, in a restored version, concludes tonight, with things ending poorly for Gen. Robert E. Lee, and even more poorly for President Abraham Lincoln. (Spoiler Alert: Lincoln suffers a very bad night at the theater.) Check local listings.
HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET
Alexandra Pelosi, a former Real Time special correspondent, is one of Bill Maher’s guests tonight, along with, among others, favorite David Simon TV series cast member Wendell Pierce (The Wire, Treme) and, as part of the night’s discussion panel, author Salman Rushdie.