Monday’s TV Highlights: ‘Scorpion’ on CBS

SERIES

The Big Bang Theory Time is of the essence as Sheldon, Leonard and Howard (Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg) race to meet the deadline for their government project. Kaley Cuoco, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch also star. 8 p.m. CBS

Dancing With the Stars The couples perform dances inspired by a “Cirque du Soleil” show, with acrobats, aerialists, dancers and fire stick performers performing alongside them. 8 p.m. ABC

Gotham Benedict Samuel plays another classic “Batman” villain, Jervis Tetch – alias the Mad Hatter. He’s looking for his sister (Naian Gonzalez Norvind), and he seeks Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) help. Richard Kind also guest stars. 8 p.m. Fox

Independent Lens In 1968, William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal were hired by ABC News to engage in televised debates, and as seen in the documentary series’ season premiere episode, “Best of Enemies,” these encounters were verbal prize fights. 9 p.m. KOCE; 10 p.m. KPBS

Halloween Baking Championship Host Jeff Dunham and Walter, his cranky puppet sidekick, welcome seven accomplished bakers as this seasonal unscripted competition series opens a new run. 9 p.m. Food

Scorpion Team members don’t get much time to resolve romantic threads left hanging at the end of last season as the adventure-drama returns with a two-hour season premiere. Guest stars include Max Gail (“Barney Miller”) and Spencer Grammer. Elyes Gabel and Katharine McPhee star. 9 p.m. CBS

Timeless In this new fantasy-drama, a villain (Goran Visnjic) steals a time machine to alter history, and a specially selected trio (Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, Malcolm Barrett) is sent back in time after him. In the premiere, they land in 1937 New Jersey, setting of the Hindenburg disaster. 10 p.m. NBC

Conviction Hayley Atwell stars in this new series as a smart but wayward lawyer and member of a former first family, who avoids jail time by joining a New York district attorney (Eddie Cahill) in his crusade to overturn apparent wrongful convictions. 10 p.m. ABC

Yours, Mine or Ours In this new unscripted real estate/home makeover series, real estate agent Reza Farahan and interior decorator Taylor Spellman help couples currently living in separate homes decide whether they need to remodel one of their places and live there together, or pool their resources and buy a new home. 10 and 10:30 p.m. Bravo

SPECIALS

Willie Velasquez: Your Vote Is Your Voice The title of director Hector Galan’s new documentary was the rallying cry of Velasquez, a Mexican American activist who was determined to involve Latinos in the U.S. political process. 9 p.m. KPBS and 10:30 p.m. KOCE

MOVIES

Class Divide Filmmakers Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson examine income inequality in Chelsea, N.Y., which serves here as a microcosm for what’s going around around the United States, in this 2015 documentary. 8 p.m. HBO

TALK SHOWS

CBS This Morning (N) 7 a.m. KCBS

Today Abigail Spencer; Adam Richman; Haley Bennett; Breast Cancer Awareness; Melissa Etheridge performs. (N) 7 a.m. KNBC

KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA

Good Morning America (N) 7 a.m. KABC

Good Day L.A. Freda Gatz (“Empire”). (N) 7 a.m. KTTV

Live with Kelly Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”); Chris Gethard; Jerry O’Connell. (N) 9 a.m. KABC

Today James Patterson; Abigail Spencer. (N) 10 a.m. KNBC

Rachael Ray Ted Allen. (N) 10 a.m. KCAL

The Doctors A 300-pound weight-loss transformation leaves saggy skin; massager delivers unexpected benefit. (N) 11 a.m. KCAL

The Wendy Williams Show (N) 11 a.m. KTTV

The Dr. Oz Show (N) 1 p.m. KTTV

Steve Harvey Nicole Byer (“Girl Code”); Tess Holliday; Dascha Polanco (“Orange Is the New Black”). (N) 2 p.m. KNBC

The Real Jay Ellis (“Insecure”). (N) 2 p.m. KTTV

Dr. Phil Lynn Hartman, the fiancee of “Making a Murderer” subject Steven Avery. (N) 3 p.m. KCBS

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs; Milo Vetimiglia (“This Is Us”); Stevie Nicks performs. (N) 3 p.m. KNBC

Harry Jason Derulo; Carol Burnett. (N) 4 p.m. KTTV and 9 p.m. KCOP

Charlie Rose (N) 11 p.m. KVCR; midnight KOCE; 1 a.m. KLCS

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Season Premiere) James Marsden. (N) 11 p.m. Comedy Central

StarTalk High-wire artist Phillipe Petit. (N) 11 p.m. National Geographic

Conan Kevin Nealon; Mike Colter; Amos Lee performs. (N) 11 p.m. TBS

Tavis Smiley (N) 11:30 p.m. KOCE

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Emily Blunt; Mario Batali; Chance the Rapper performs. (N) 11:34 p.m. KNBC

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Mindy Kaling; Gary Owen; Sum 41 performs. (N) 11:35 p.m. KCBS

The Late Late Show With James Corden Jamie Lee Curtis; Kumail Nanjiani; Skylar Grey performs. (N) 12:37 a.m. KCBS

Late Night With Seth Meyers Martha Stewart; Haley Bennett; Stanton Moore. (N) 12:37 a.m. KNBC

Nightline (N) 12:37 a.m. KABC

Customized TV Listings are available here: www.latimes.com/tvtimes

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TV listings for the week of Oct. 2 - 8, 2016 in PDF format

This week’s TV Movies