“American Experience” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-14, check local listings) recalls “The Riot Report.” The summer of 1967 saw violent eruptions and riots in 25 cities across America. Whole neighborhoods of Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, would burn to the ground and dozens of residents were killed as state police and Army National Guard units were deployed.
In the aftermath of the 1967 riots, the Johnson Administration tapped Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner to lead a study of the root causes of the riots and racial unrest. It also pondered what might be done to prevent future uprisings.
The report, officially known as the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders but remembered as the Kerner Commission report, took an unvarnished look at underlying conditions. It cataloged decades of discrimination in urban policing, banking, credit and mortgage policies, and the exclusion of urban Black communities from the electoral process.
It concluded with the harrowing phrase, “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal.”
Arguably, no government study had been as frank or as radical. Seeing it as political dynamite, President Johnson saw to it that the Kerner report was quietly shelved.
Despite official banishment, the report continues to resonate. It recalls a time when those in authority dared to ask the hard questions, even if they couldn’t abide the answers. And it stands in radical contrast to our own day when the very act of teaching “critical race theory” (the acknowledgment that racism is part of our past) has become tantamount to a criminal act.
— Paramount+ streams the MTV-produced documentary series “Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza.”
Planned in 1991 as a farewell tour for Jane’s Addiction, the festival spawned a musical tradition that has endured for a generation. Over the years since, it has become known for its wide variety of acts from multiple genres on multiple stages, its roving nature and various iterations. Among its firsts is its insistence on emphasizing the art scene, offsetting its carbon footprint, presenting family-friendly acts and atmosphere and embracing the electronic dance music scene often more associated with European festivals.
— Say what you will about either the glut or the bounty of streaming programming, it has offered American viewers a wealth of international options. Viaplay, the streaming platform featuring the best of Scandinavian drama and comedy, streams the six-part detective series “The Murderesses,” based on a Katarzyna Bonda’s bestselling true crime book about a rookie police officer investigating the fate of her missing father, an ex-cop surrounded by his own personal mysteries. Bonda ranks among Poland’s most popular writers.
TONIGHT’S SEASON FINALES
— The FBI springs a trap on “The Cleaning Lady” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— “The Voice” (8 p.m., NBC) glances back at the final performances before crowning a winner (9 p.m.).
— A terrorist nemesis returns on “FBI” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— Killers and sexual predators seem to be in cahoots on “Will Trent” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— A prisoner swap smells fishy on “FBI: International” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— Several cases begin to seem connected on “The Rookie” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— A terrorist cell targets Manhattan with a dirty bomb on “FBI: Most Wanted” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
— Self-absorbed surgeons complete a delicate procedure and ponder the future on the series finale of “The Good Doctor” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A woman living alone in an exotic marshland becomes a murder suspect in the 2022 drama “Where the Crawdads Sing” (7 p.m. and 9 p.m., FX, TV-14), based on the best-selling novel by Delia Owens.
— Life coaches counsel women with a particular problem on season three of “Help! I’m in a Secret Relationship!” (9 p.m., MTV, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
Written by Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss), the 1953 musical fantasy “The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T” (8 p.m., TCM, TV-PG) depicts a boy’s nightmare of a despotic piano teacher who forces children to practice on hundreds of pianos together, seemingly forever. In his only feature film, Geisel is credited with the story, screenplay and musical lyrics.
SERIES NOTES
Journalist Sunny Hostin and actor Jesse Williams discover their family heritage on “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr.” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings).
LATE NIGHT
Billie Eilish is booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Bill Maher, Rose Byrne, Andrew Jarecki and Zayn on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Taylor Tomlinson hosts Jim Rash, Rachael Harris and Nat Faxon on “After Midnight” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
