Some programming is so boring, derivative, predictable and trite that my mind tends to wander, and thoughts erupt rather sporadically, loosely inspired by the series under consideration. Pardon the non sequiturs.

Money is what we talk about when we have nothing else on our minds. In a culture defined by shopping, only those with money matter. If there is anything worse than laughing at the poor, it is rendering them invisible. Six new extroverts share their time in the sun on “The Real Housewives of Miami” (9 p.m., Bravo).

This cast includes a self-described “Cuban Barbie,” a so-called “Brazilian bombshell,” a PR powerhouse, a politically connected fundraiser and the ex-wife of one NBA star and the current wife of another.

For all of their self-involvement, these women have to know that fans of this show could just as easily skip across the dial to a “Hoarders” marathon. Hurricane season cannot come fast enough.

• There are few things more difficult than plumbing the emotional depths of a cultural icon. “Independent Lens” (9 p.m., PBS, check local listings) presents “William S. Burroughs: A Man Within.”

As “Man” makes clear, “Beat” writer Burroughs was a rebel on many levels. He was openly gay when it was socially inconceivable, physically dangerous and legally problematic to admit that in public. He was also brazenly up front about his unorthodox attitudes and drug use. His novel “The Naked Lunch” is one of the last pieces of major literature to be officially banned by the U.S. government.

The whiff of the notorious made Burroughs’ works a cultural touchstone. Many popular artists and bands from Soft Machine to Steely Dan took their names from Burroughs’ works.

“Man” argues that despite Burroughs’ role as a rebel and hipster icon, he was very much a victim, if not a prisoner, of the social and sexual attitudes of his time. Interviewed here are former friends and lovers and a who’s who of artists and admirers from Laurie Anderson to Patti Smith and John Waters. Actor Peter Weller (“RoboCop,” “Naked Lunch”) narrates, and Sonic Youth provides the soundtrack.

• “American Treasures” (9 p.m., Discovery) takes a page or two from “Antiques Roadshow” and “History Detectives,” celebrating interesting artifacts and providing some stories and historical context to every item discovered. Along the way, hosts Dr. Jason De Leon and Dr. Kirk French look at a trumpet that may have belonged to Louis Armstrong, Al Capone’s papers and a steam whistle some claim was salvaged from Pearl Harbor.

Tonight’s other highlights

• A lesson about underage drinking on “Glee” (7 p.m., Fox).

• Violence erupts at a convenience store on “NCIS: Los Angeles” (8 p.m., CBS).

• Amy Sedaris guest stars on “Raising Hope” (8 p.m., Fox).

• Joan returns to New York on “Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best?” (8 p.m., WE).

• Kurt needs a good lawyer on “The Good Wife” (9 p.m., CBS).