TV Best Bets

‘9/11: The Legacy’ Millions of kids awoke on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, anticipating a Tuesday much like any other. By the end of that fateful day, though, eight had died and more than 3,000 had lost a parent. This poignant new documentary shares extraordinary personal stories of how that tragedy affected the lives of some of those children and set a life course for the young adults they are today. (TV-14) 7 p.m. on HIST.

‘The Smurfs’

Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy and other beloved characters (plus their evil nemesis Gargamel) come to life again in this new CGI-animated reboot, which is in many respects a “true-blue” salute to the 1980s original, with one important change: The cast of characters now includes a tribe of girl Smurfs, led by Willow, their wise matriarch. In the premiere, when Smurfette rescues Brainy from a giant snake, the other Smurfs ask her to teach them “Smurf-Fu.” Later, Handy decides to invent a robot to change Baby Smurf’s diapers. (TV-Y7) 7:30 p.m. on NICK.

‘Burden of Truth’

Meegwun Fairbrother, who plays Owen Beckbie on this legal drama, co-wrote the new episode “Where the Shadows Lie Waiting …,” which opens just one day before the disciplinary hearing. As the final hours tick down, Joanna and Billy (Kristin Kreuk, Peter Mooney) redouble their efforts to finish building their case against the mine. Meanwhile, Luna (Star Slade) looks for a link between the mine and the trafficking ring, while Taylor (Anwen O’Driscoll) vows to protect Dee (Victoria Turko) from her volatile ex-boyfriend. (TV-14) 8 p.m. on 22.1.

‘Rise and Fall: The World Trade Center’

Incorporating an unprecedented architectural and engineering perspective, this new two-hour documentary chronicles the conception, construction and – ultimately – the destruction of the towers of New York’s World Trade Center. The visionary planners and architects intended for this imposing structure to stand as a symbol of American strength and ambition. The film includes a look at an early terrorist attack on the WTC in 1993, then presents a timeline of how and why the building fell during the horrific 2001 assault. 8 p.m. on HIST.

‘Dynasty’

In the new “A Good Marriage in Every Sense,” Fallon (Elizabeth Gillies, who also directed this episode) discovers all is not what it may seem to be as she continues looking into Amanda (guest star Eliza Bennett), with help from an old friend and a decidedly reluctant Adam (Sam Underwood). Meanwhile, as Blake (Grant Show) focuses on his fledgling Senate bid, Cristal (Daniella Alonso) gets a surprise visit that leads to life-changing results. Jeff and Dominique (Sam Adegoke, Michael Michele) once again find themselves at odds. (TV-PG) 9 p.m. on 22.1.

‘The Help’

Surely one of the box-office “sleepers” of 2011, given its sustained success, this engrossing adaptation of Kathryn Stockett’s bestseller finds a would-be author (Emma Stone) interviewing Southern housekeepers about their experiences. Viola Davis and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer are superb as two of the most prominent interviewees. The excellent cast also includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Sissy Spacek, Cicely Tyson, Aunjanue Ellis and Mary Steenburgen. 9 p.m. on USA.

‘Detainee 001’

This new documentary from Emmy-winning filmmaker Greg Barker unpacks the mysteries surrounding John Walker Lindh, the young American man who was found on a battlefield in Afghanistan alongside people who were supposed to be his designated enemy. From that battlefield to the courtroom, Barker’s film confronts unresolved issues concerning Lindh, who played a role in the Taliban prisoner uprising that led to the first American casualty of the war in Afghanistan: CIA officer Johnny Micheal Spann. (TV-MA) 9 p.m. on SHOW.

Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis in “The Help.”