TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE: “Glee,” 7:58 p.m., Fox.
This wonderful hour arrived in May – fresh, original and beautifully done.
Now it reruns in the “director's cut.” That's expected to add a few things – including a sweet solo by Matthew Morrison – that were trimmed for time.
Morrison plays a teacher, determined to revive the glee club. That's not easy; the school obsesses only on its champion cheerleaders and their tyrannical coach (Jane Lynch).
Still, there's hope. Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) has talent and passion; the football quarterback (Cory Monteith), tricked into joining, sings well.
There's a wicked sense of humor here, as shown with a cheery version of Amy Winehouse's “Rehab.” But there's also idealism and skill: Morrison and Michele are Broadway stars; others sing beautifully. “Glee” balances its cynicism with gleeful music.
TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE II: “So You Think You Can Dance: Top 15 Dances,” 7 p.m., Fox.
Next week, “Dance” starts its sixth season and “Glee” starts its first. Before that, we re-visit the best “Dance” numbers so far.
Those come from great choreographers, including Emmy winners (Wade Robson, Mia Michaels) and nominees – Tyce Diorio, Dmitry Chaplin, Mandy Moore, Shane Sparks, Tabitha and Napoleon D'Umo.
TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: “American Masters: Trumbo,” 8 p.m., PBS (check local listings).
Dalton Trumbo was a top movie writers when he was plunked onto the anti-Communist blacklist. He would later write (at low pay) under 13 pseudonyms.
This tells the story mainly through his letters, which his son assembled into a play. There are moving ones here, beautifully read by Brian Dennehy, Michael Douglas, Josh Lucas, Liam Neeson and Donald Sutherland; there are also fiercely funny ones, read by Nathan Lane and Paul Giametti.
Other choices:
– “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” 7 p.m., CBS. Christine uses her expertise as a gym-owner, to bring weight-loss for her brother and, to her surprise, herself.
– “CBS Fall Preview,” 7:30 p.m., CBS. Neil Patrick Harris offers peeks at the new shows. There's one exceptional series (“The Good Wife”) and three comfortably middle-of-the-road ones (“Three Rivers,” “Accidentally on Purpose,” “NCIS: Los Angeles”). This also includes “Medium,” moving from NBC.
– “America's Got Talent,” 8 p.m., NBC. After a recap hour at 8 p.m., we learn which four acts will survive to the next round.
– “Wide Angle,” 10 p.m., PBS (check local listings). Every three years, this ambitious project checks on the progress of the same seven kids in seven countries. This six-year report finds life varying sharply: In Afghanistan, a girl beats the odds and hopes to be an engineer; in India, a girl did housework by day and school at night, never getting past 2nd grade. A Japanese boy savors his school life; a Brazilian boy is sent to after-school programs, in hopes he'll duck the drug culture.