Aliens meet high-cheekboned heartthrobs as the CW launches “Roswell, New Mexico” (9 p.m., TV-14). Like the old UPN-CW series “Roswell,” it’s based on the series of “Roswell High” novels by Melinda Metz. It’s not giving too much away to reveal that we’re not alone in the universe and that intelligent life from any galaxy might find this a tad derivative, tired and contrived.
A reboot I’m not convinced anybody asked for, “Temptation Island” (10 p.m., USA, TV-14) returns. A reality show that documents frisky men and women of dating age, stranded together under palm fronds, the original “Temptation” ran for a couple of weeks in January 2001 before Fox pulled the plug. The original host, “the other” Mark Walberg, returns to his task.
— Draining the swamp did not begin with Individual 1. “American Experience” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) presents “The Swamp,” a documentary history of efforts to drain, develop, exploit and otherwise “tame” Florida’s Everglades.
The story begins in the 1880s, when Hamilton Disston, heir to a Philadelphia fortune, literally sunk his savings into efforts to drain four million acres of swampland. After Disston’s death, a governor with the stranger-than-fiction name of Napoleon Bonaparte Broward continued efforts to turn swampland into a business and real estate bonanza. By the 1920s, the notion of Florida real estate had become a punch line. It was a place where you could buy worthless “land by the gallon,” went one joke.
The history of 20th-century Florida would be an ongoing effort to drain and develop a “worthless” swamp.
This “American Experience” explores changing notions of development, nature and progress. Nineteenth-century developers like Disston truly believed they were doing God’s work by reclaiming soggy acreage for agriculture and tourism. It would take some time for others to argue that man was paving paradise and destroying a unique ecosystem and source of pure water. Marjory Stoneman Douglas’ landmark 1947 book, “The Everglades: River of Grass,” made a powerful moral argument to save the Everglades, not just for the benefit of wildlife, but that of humanity.
— “Bird vs. Plane: Miracle on the Hudson” (9 p.m., Smithsonian) reminds viewers that bird strikes by airliners are a very common event, occurring more than 40 times a day.
— Will Ferrell and Seth Rogen appear on the sixth season opener of “Drunk History” (10 p.m., Comedy Central, TV-14), about Mary Shelley and the authorship of “Frankenstein.”
Shelley will also be the subject of the third installment of National Geographic’s “Genius,” a historical drama series that has already profiled Einstein and Picasso.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— Ebony and ivory on “The Conners” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
— Actors Felicity Huffman and Michael K. Williams uncover family secrets on “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings).
— Judge not, lest ye be murdered on “FBI” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— Set design on “The Kids Are Alright” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
— Bootees and bassinets on “This Is Us” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— Matt tries to avoid an office romance on the second season premiere of “Corporate” (10:30 p.m., Comedy Central, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
— A wartime romance (Gene Kelly and Kathryn Grayson) offers a backdrop to a really big show for the troops, featuring Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and much of the MGM firmament in the 1943 musical “Thousands Cheer” (8 p.m., TCM, TV-G).
SERIES NOTES
Gibbs takes a road trip on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … “Ellen’s Game of Games” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … Ultimate fighting can be murder on “Lethal Weapon” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Thawne of the dead on “The Flash” (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG).
Mutant nightmares on “The Gifted” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … Shadows and light on “blackish” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) … Mae or maybe not on “Splitting Up Together” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
Pride takes down a rogue team on “NCIS: New Orleans” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … Max needs distraction on “New Amsterdam” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … Officers pair up on “The Rookie” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
Jimmy Fallon welcomes Lin-Manuel Miranda on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … James McAvoy, D’Arcy Carden, Janelle James and Jason McGerr visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Terry Crews and Jack & Jack appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
