9 P.M. (Showtime) PHILOMENA (2013) With the help of a former political journalist (Steve Coogan), an Irish Roman Catholic woman (Judi Dench, in an Oscar-nominated performance) seeks the son who was taken from her 50 years earlier, when she became pregnant as a teenager and was forced to live in a convent, in this drama directed by Stephen Frears. Their sleuthing takes them to Washington after they discover that the boy — sold for 1,000 pounds — was adopted by an American couple and worked for the Reagan administration as an adult. “Ms. Dench’s Philomena Lee glows with the radiance of someone serene in her faith despite inhumane treatment by the church,” Stephen Holden wrote in The New York Times. “That she makes you believe her character has the capacity to forgive provides the movie with a solid moral center.” Her dignified performance and the screenplay — adapted by Mr. Coogan and Jeff Pope from Martin Sixsmith’s 2009 nonfiction book, “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee” — “stabilize a volatile blend of ingredients,” he added. “In less confident hands, the film could have been a mawkish, rambling tear-jerker.”

8 P.M. (Fox) GLEE After failing as a television actress, Rachel (Lea Michele) returns to Lima, Ohio, to figure out what to do next in this two-hour final-season opener. But there’s only one obvious choice — reinstate the Glee Club — after learning that Sue (Jane Lynch) has ejected the arts from McKinley High. Meanwhile, Blaine (Darren Criss), his relationship with Kurt (Chris Colfer) behind him, has moved home to lead the Warblers, while Will (Matthew Morrison) is directing their rival, Vocal Adrenaline. And Sam (Chord Overstreet) is the assistant coach of the football team. The rest of the gang arrives in time for homecoming, and to help Rachel and her new recruits achieve sweet harmony.

8 P.M. (El Rey) DARK ANGEL TAKEOVER Jessica Alba stars as a genetically enhanced supersoldier trying to live a normal life — and elude capture — after escaping from a secret government biotech facility in this marathon featuring all 43 of the show’s episodes, introduced by Ms. Alba and Robert Rodriguez, the network’s creator.

9 P.M. (13) AMERICAN VOICES WITH RENÉE FLEMING In November “Great Performances” traveled to the Kennedy Center in Washington to attend the American Voices festival, a weekend of performances and educational events created and hosted by Ms. Fleming. Emerging artists received coaching from Eric Owens in classical, Dianne Reeves in jazz, Alison Krauss and Thomas Cleveland in country, Ben Folds and Sara Bareilles in pop, Sutton Foster in musical theater and Kim Burrell in gospel. They were later joined in concert by Kurt Elling, Josh Groban, Norm Lewis and the National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Steven Reineke.