HBO Family, 8:45 p.m. ET
This 1983 Oscar-winning movie was directed by James L. Brooks, who wrote the screenplay based on the book by Larry McMurtry. Brooks won Oscars for both his screenplay adaptation and his direction, and statuettes also went to Shirley MacLaine as Best Actress and Jack Nicholson as Best Supporting Actor. Next year, Terms of Endearment will be 30 years old – so think of that when you think that a current HBO star, Jeff Daniels of The Newsroom, was featured here as Debra Winger’s husband, Flap. These days, Daniels is un-Flappable.
ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET
As usual, the latest installment in Terence Wrong’s medical documentary series will get you involved – and keep you in a firm grip once it has you. This week’s real-life story standout is Lyndsey McLaughlin, a vivacious young woman in a race to find new lungs before her body succumbs to cystic fibrosis. Watch this show, then ask yourself: Why does anyone make, or watch, so-called “reality TV,” when this kind of reality television is possible?
HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET
Here’s a reality show in which actual reality definitely intruded. Last week, when the latest season of this behind-the-scenes NFL Films series began, one of the central figures was Chad Johnson – formerly Chad Ochocinco – who had joined the Miami Dolphins as a wide receiver. He was shown flirting and bantering with his new wife, Evelyn Lozada, to whom he had gotten married on July 4. Well, whether or not there were fireworks that day, there certainly were this past Saturday, when an argument resulted in them butting heads, literally, and leaving her with a 3-inch gash on her forehead – after which she called police and filed charges. Lozada, already an attention-getting veteran of another TV reality series (VH1’s Basketball Wives, shining light on a previous relationship), may or may not walk away from Johnson, but the Dolphins, and new coach Joe Philbin, already have. Tonight’s question is: How will this play out on prime-time TV? And another question might be: Given the head-butting charges, isn’t Hard Knocks just too ironic a title?
Oxygen, 10:00 p.m. ET
SEASON FINALE: Season 2 ends tonight, making room not only for Chris Colfer as the final visitor from Glee, but for previous competitors not making it all the way to tonight’s winner-announcing finale.
Comedy Central, 10:30 p.m. ET
SERIES PREMIERE: When Seth Green took a shot at fellow dais member Jeff Ross on Sunday’s Comedy Central Roast of Roseanne, Green joked, “Jeff Ross is an old friend. He’s got a new show on Comedy Central where he roasts the news. It’ll be perfect for people who find Jon Stewart too handsome and funny.” Ouch. Tune in, if you like, to see if Green was being a clever friend – or just an honest TV critic.