Civilisations
9pm, BBC Two
We begin with Khaled al-Asaad, the impossibly brave Syrian archaeologist beheaded by Isis after refusing to lead them to Palmyra’s antiquities. As Simon Schama says: “When its opposite shows up, we know what civilisation is.” Schama launches this history-spanning series (Mary Beard and David Olusoga will also take turns) in engaging and awestruck fashion, looking at cave paintings, mosaics and cities reclaimed by deserts. This looks likely to be one of those self-consciously emphatic epics that the BBC still does better than anyone else. Phil Harrison
Serial Killer With Piers Morgan
9pm, ITV
Piers Morgan heads to Missouri to meet Lorenzo Gilyard, better known as the Kansas City Strangler. Gilyard has never publicly spoken of his crimes before, but does so to Morgan, who, in a disturbing encounter, uncovers some of Gilyard’s apparent reasons for murdering 13 women and girls between 1977 and 1993. Ben Arnold
Married at First Sight
9pm, Channel 4
Richard and Harriet depart for a honeymoon, though Cupid seems to have missed the flight. As they prepare to move in together, can Richard engineer a romantic spark? Ben and Stephanie’s marriage is seemingly fizzing like freshly popped champagne, but sharing a home proves a little flat. Mark Gibbings-Jones
From Ice to Fire
9pm, BBC Four
Physicist Dr Helen Czerski presents the final part of her look at temperature. Tonight it is all about “mastering the spark”, as she puts it – how the discovery of fire and humankind’s ability to harness heat has powered our advances. A trip to Alderley Edge mines (4,000 years old) uncovers a great leap forward. John Robinson
The Job Interview
10pm, Channel 4
This is a simple but compelling conceit. It is an intimate study of actual people applying for actual jobs – a bit like a version of The Apprentice in which you don’t want to slap every contestant with a big fish. In this episode, Hilton is seeking a new conference manager for its hotel in Burton upon Trent. Andrew Mueller
American Dad!
10pm, Fox
The animated sitcom centred on big-chinned CIA man Stan and his chaotic family celebrates its 14th series by sending up The X-Files. Socially awkward alien Roger is staging a conspiracy meet-up for whiffy malcontents, but self-medicating Francine struggles to wake up and smell anything that isn’t a mimosa. Graeme Virtue
Film choice
Aliens: Special Edition (James Cameron, 1986), 11.10pm, Film4
Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley, lone survivor of the Nostromo, confronts a whole nestful of the Alien critters. She has a platoon of interstellar SAS on her side, which boosts the body count no end. But once again a woman’s gotta do what a woman’s gotta do, in an extended version of the sci-fi action masterpiece. Paul Howlett
Live sport
Test cricket: South Africa v Australia The first day of the keenly awaited series. 8am, Sky Sports Main Event
Cycling: Track World Championships Coverage of day two. 5.30pm, Eurosport 2
Premier League football: Arsenal v Manchester City A rerun of the League Cup final. 7pm, Sky Sports Main Event
