Titanic: Blood and Steel
Bringing up the rear in the spate of programming tied to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, this 12-part miniseries eschews the story of the ship’s doomed maiden voyage and instead dramatizes its construction, mixing real and fictional characters. Set mostly in the northern Irish city of Belfast, it features careful period detail and some fine performances, particularly Derek Jacobi as shipbuilder Lord William Pirrie and Chris Noth as financier J.P. Morgan. Monday–Saturday, Oct. 8–13, at 8 p.m., Encore
Independent Lens: As Goes Janesville
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After Gayle Listenbee lost her job in 2008, when GM closed its plant in Janesville, Wis., she remarked, “Maybe on the outside it was prison-like, but inside it afforded you a lot of freedom.” As this documentary details, nearly 11,000 area residents lost their jobs and their footholds in the middle class, spurring local business leaders to blame the unions and back Gov. Scott Walker’s efforts to ban collective bargaining. Monday, Oct. 8, at 10 p.m., PBS; check local listings
Frontline: The Choice 2012
Dozens of interviews and vast caches of archival footage help paint contrasting, in-depth biographical portraits of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. An exhaustive undertaking, this two-hour Frontline special was written and produced by the show’s co-founder Michael Kirk, who recently created the Frontline series Money, Power & Wall Street. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 9 p.m., PBS; check local listings
Chicago Fire
Taut, well-produced scenes of firefighting highlight the debut episode of this new ensemble drama, executive produced by Law & Order creator Dick Wolf. Centered on a Windy City firehouse that’s been roiled by a death in the unit, the show is less compelling when the team is back at home base, but Jesse Spencer of House and Eamonn Walker of Oz deliver strong performances. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 10 p.m., NBC
The Good Wife
Romantic entanglements add to the tension at struggling law firm Lockhart Gardner, but financial relief may soon arrive by way of a suit against the creator of a popular search engine. “Two Girls, One Code” spotlights the talent of this legal drama’s outstanding cast, as regulars Julianna Margulies, Christine Baranski, Josh Charles, Archie Panjabi, and Alan Cumming are joined by first-rate guest stars Nathan Lane, Dominic Chianese, and Rita Wilson. Sunday, Oct. 14, at 9 p.m., CBS
Other highlights
To Catch a Smuggler
In this new docuseries, cameras follow federal agents as they hunt for drugs and other contraband at JFK Airport. Monday, Oct. 8, at 9 p.m., National Geographic Channel
Vice Presidential Debate
Joe Biden and Paul Ryan face off for 90 minutes in a policy discussion that will be moderated by ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz and broadcast from Centre College in Danville, Ky. Thursday, Oct. 11, at 9 p.m., various networks
The Walking Dead
As Season 3 of this series begins, the survivors of a zombie apocalypse struggle to secure a possible haven. Sunday, Oct. 14, at 9 p.m., AMC
