1) “The American Revolution” opener, 8 p.m. Sunday, PBS; repeats at 10. Here is Ken Burns at his best — epic in scope (shown here), yet intimately human. Beautifully written by Geoffrey Ward, it sprawls over six nights, catching the complexities of giants (from George Washington to Benedict Arnold) and of regular people, their everyday lives surrounded by warfare. Read more…
1) “I Am Chris Farley” (2015), 8-10 p.m., CW. Farley was compared to one of his comedy idols, John Belushi. They were large men and gifted comedy actors, creating memorable characters. Both starred on “Saturday Night Live” for five years; both died of a drug overdose at 33. Farley created memorable characters, including his overwrought life coach, shown here. Fired from “SNL,” he was building a movie career; here’s a profile. Read more…
ABC will again go into holiday overdrive. The four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas will be stuffed with music, movies and more.
Some things, of course will simply be re-re-reruns. We’ll get double Julie Andrews (“Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music”), plus “Home Alone,” “The Santa Clause” and some familiar cartoons.
But alongside that are:
— New specials. A third “Prep & Landing” (shown here) arrives, filling out a three-hour animation block. Also, the “Dancing With the Stars” people will have a holiday hour. Read more…
It will be a rerun Christmas on the CW network, ranging from Dolly Parton to Yogi Bear.
The Hollywood Christmas Parade (Dec. 12) is new each year, but it will be alongside a sea of shows that have been somewhere before. They include:
— CARTOONS (all at 8 p.m.): “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” is Nov. 28, repeating Dec. 10. The 1980 movie “Yogi’s First Christmas” is Dec. 19. Read more…
1) “Great Performances,” 9 p.m., PBS. A dancer since she was 2, Tiler Peck (shown here) became the New York City Ballet’s prima ballerina. Then came a divorce, an injury and her father’s death. Filmed over six years, this sees Peck, now 36, rebuild her life. It closes with gorgeous excerpts from her choreography debut, an NYCB piece set to a Poulenc concerto. Read more…
1) “Wicked: One Wonderful Night,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. The second “Wicked” movie is still two weeks away, but here’s a special. The Dolby Theatre becomes an Emerald City set, where a 37-piece orchestra backs Ariana Grande (shown here), Cynthia Erivo, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh and more. There are also interviews, dance numbers and film clips. Read more…
Some New Yorkers, we’re told, hate moving to Los Angeles.
There’s all that annoying warmth and sunshine and open space. They can’t wait to get back to real life.
They might go west, Rachel Sennott said, with their “guard up, being, ‘I hate it here. I’m going back to New York; I miss how cold I was …. I want to carry my laundry up the stairs.’ Then you slowly relax into it.”
At least, she did. Now she writes, produces, stars in and sometimes directs the comedy “I Love LA” (shown here), at 10:30 p.m. Sundays on HBO and Max. Read more…
1) “Nature,” 8 p.m., PBS. Pigeons (shown here), it seems, are the ultimate urban survivors. They’re gifted physically — they can zoom vertically from the ground, like a helicopter — and mentally. They learn how to ride subways and escalators; they know which discarded bags have the best snacks. This delightful hour follows them in London and New York City. Read more…
1) “The Lowdown” finale, 9 p.m., FX, rerunning at 10:17. A great show (shown here) ends in unexpected ways. “Lowdown” has built a complex plot, with murder, schemes and a land-grab. All of that is wrapped up quickly, leaving more time for the rest — a beautifully written and played portrait of a truth-teller (Ethan Hawke), scrambling to re-assemble his makeshift life. Read more…
1) “St. Denis Medical” season-opener, 8 and 8:30 p.m., NBC. Back from a sunny vacation, Alex (shown here) vows to retain her joy; that’s not easy. It’s a funny episode — as is the second one, with a security issue. After opening the season with no primetime comedies, NBC bounces back. It has two Friday (“Happy’s Place” and “Stumble”) and another next Monday. Read more…
Best-bets for Nov. 8: “SNL,” old (with Farley) and new 
Best-bets for Nov. 7: soaring dance, stumbling cheers 
Best-bets for Nov. 6: a wickedly musical night 
