Casey Donovan might only be 32, but she has a lot upon which to reflect, having been thrust into the spotlight at 16 when she won Australian Idol. Her formative years in Bankstown, NSW, before that event are the subject of compassionate discussion with Julia Zemiro, as they sit in Donovan’s high school music room and later, in the school hall where the latter performed, yet oddly, never on the stage. Donovan shares with great insight the cost of early fame and her path to self acceptance.

WHO GETS TO STAY IN AUSTRALIA?

★★★½

8pm, SBS

Amanda Vanstone conveys her sympathy for the “poor suckers” at the Immigration Department. After hearing about the protracted stress that applicants endure as red tape agonisingly unwinds, it’s easier to direct sympathy to those whose lives are impacted, or indeed threatened, by departmental decisions. However, it’s important to understand the bureaucratic process, which, by all accounts here, has worsened for those facing deportation, including the Bhutan family, the Afghan man and the Indonesian mother featured in this episode.

AMERICA’S GOT TALENT

★★★½

7.30pm, Seven

It’s not that this talent quest doesn’t have the tearful backstories of its local counterparts, just that they are used selectively. For the most part, this is a highly enjoyable variety show, featuring brilliant busking acts and breathtaking gimmicks. Occasionally, there’s a misstep, like that of tonight’s stand-up comic. Like the sword swallower, but for very different reasons, you’ll want to watch that one through your fingers. The swift and decisive monochrome-clad judges are very kind.