The Week’s guide to what’s worth watching

Lafayette: The Lost Hero

Why did the Marquis de Lafayette, a wealthy young French aristocrat, risk his life in both the American and French revolutions? Dramatizations, interviews with historians, and Lafayette’s correspondence with his wife and with George Washington reveal surprising facts about the warrior and diplomat who was once the most famous man in the world. Monday, Sept. 13, at 10 p.m., PBS; check local listings

Fashion’s Night Out 2010

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

This special goes behind the scenes of Fashion’s Night Out, an international celebration of couture that was launched last year to help the industry counteract the economic slump. This year the party includes a large-scale public fashion show at New York’s Lincoln Center and related events in more than 100 cities in 17 countries. Oscar de la Renta, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Anna Wintour are among the fashion luminaries spotlighted; actor Neil Patrick Harris hosts. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 10 p.m., CBS

POV: In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee

In 1966, 8-year-old Cha Jung Hee became one of thousands of Korean children adopted by Americans after the Korean War. But she was not an orphan; she had been switched with another girl. Her film documents an odyssey to Korea to untangle her own identity and learn the fate of the real Cha Jung Hee—a quest that illuminates the troubled legacy of the war. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 10 p.m., PBS; check local listings

Redlight

Hidden-camera footage and harrowing testimonials document the stories of Cambodian children who have been victimized by the illegal sex market in Southeast Asia. The documentary marks Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and also spotlights the efforts of Nobel Peace Prize nominees Mu Sochua and Somaly Mam on behalf of child sex slaves. Lucy Liu narrates. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 11 p.m., Showtime

The Fence (La Barda)

In 2006, the U.S. built a $3 billion fence along the border with Mexico—but, as documentarian Rory Kennedy points out, the fence extends only 700 miles along a 2,000-mile border. Kennedy’s film features interviews with Border Patrol guards, ranchers, and the illegal guides known as “coyotes.” Her mordant narrative uses the fence as a metaphor for a national immigration policy that is similarly full of holes. Thursday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m., HBO

Other highlights

Tourette’s Uncovered

Cameras follow four children with various forms of Tourette’s syndrome, including the rare strain that triggers outbursts of profanity. Monday, Sept. 13, at 9 p.m., Discovery Health

Outlaw

Jimmy Smits returns to prime time as a playboy judge who resigns from the Supreme Court to devote himself to representing underdog defendants. Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 10 p.m., NBC

Horse Sense and Soldiers

“Horse whisperer” Monty Roberts aids traumatized veterans by helping them bond with wild horses. Sunday, Sept. 19, at 10 p.m., Military Channel