The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching

Children of 9/11

More than 3,000 children lost a parent in the Sept. 11 attacks. This special follows 11 of them over a year, including the daughter of a police officer who aided in rescue efforts, the son of a Cantor Fitzgerald trader, three children of one of the passengers who fought the hijackers of Flight 93, and the first child born to a 9/11 widow. Monday, Sept. 5, at 10 p.m., NBC

Frontline: Top Secret America

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In the aftermath of Sept. 11, a vast network of clandestine agencies sprang up to combat terrorism—but has it made us any safer? Washington Post reporter Dana Priest, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her investigation of the CIA’s “black site” prisons, teams with Frontline for this report on the multibillion-dollar “terrorism-industrial complex,” which includes almost a million Americans who’ve been granted top-secret security clearances. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 9 p.m., PBS; check local listings

CNN Presents: Footnotes of 9/11

Buried in the 1,742 footnotes of the 9/11 Commission Report are the dramatic stories of many people who played pivotal roles that day. CNN correspondent Drew Griffin profiles a number of them, including airline ticket agents who checked in some of the terrorists, a technician who intercepted a call from a plane under attack, and an Air Force reservist who faced the possibility of having to shoot down one of the hijacked passenger planes. Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 11 p.m., CNN

NOVA: Engineering Ground Zero

Interviews with architects, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and other key players highlight this inside look at the rebirth of the World Trade Center and construction of the 9/11 Memorial. Experts explain the special features designed to resist a terrorist attack, which may set a new standard for skyscraper safety around the world. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 9 p.m., PBS; check local listings

America Remembers—9/11

A special edition of PBS NewsHour will include coverage of three major Sept. 11 memorial events, a report from Tennessee on American Muslims, and a look at a small town that has lost many young people to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Following at 9 p.m., the New York Philharmonic marks the anniversary with a performance of Mahler’s “Resurrection” Symphony. Sunday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m., PBS; check local listings

Other highlights

The Closer

As a civil case against its chief takes a new turn, L.A.’s Major Crimes Unit probes the disappearance of a singer’s stage father. Kyra Sedgwick is the series’s star. Monday, Sept. 5, at 9 p.m., TNT

Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again

The comedy filmmaker and the talk-show host trade showbiz anecdotes before a live audience. Friday, Sept. 9, at 9 p.m., HBO

Unleashed by Garo

“Counter-couture” designer Garo Sparo has crafted unconventional fashions for such celebrities as Madonna. This six-part docuseries has been following him as he performs various “design therapy” makeovers. Friday, Sept. 9, at 9 p.m., Sundance Channel