1) Dolly Parton tribute, 9-11 p.m., ABC. There have been lots of tributes since Parton (shown here) died Aug. 25, at 80. But this is a huge one, organized by the Country Music Association. It has the Dolly-ish divas, older (Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood) and newer (Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson). It also has Brad Paisley, Kelsea Ballerini, Vince Gill and more. Read more…
1) Basketball opener, 3, 7 and 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC. The New York Knicks (shown here) host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7, trying to extend their amazing streak. The Knicks won 14 of their last 15 games last year, to take the championship. At 9:30, the runner-up San Antonio Spurs host the Oklahoma City Thunder; at 3, it’s the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. Read more…
Somehow, television has reached this point:
Making a network comedy seems like a bold adventure to unearth an artifact.
“There are so few made now,” said Ignacio Diaz-Silverio (shown here, middle), a young co-star of “Newlyweds,” debuting at 8:30 p.m. Friday (Oct. 23) on NBC. “It feels nostalgic in the most positive way.”
At the peak, one network had 18 situation comedies. And now? This fall, there will only be eight on all of broadcast TV. And only three will be done in the traditional way — taped live in front of a studio audience. Read more…
1) “FBI,” 8 p.m., CBS. Over four episodes last season plus this season’s opener, the team has been bedeviled by Anna Volpe (Claire Coffee) and her strike team. Now comes the push to finally stop her; OA (shown here) struggles with his part in this, working undercover. That’s followed by “CIA,” with help needed from an agoraphobic code-breaker. Read more…
A star-stuffed concert will rerun on cable-TV Tuesday (Oct. 20), exactly 25 years after it debuted.
“The Concert for New York City” was held in Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20, 2001, six weeks after the World Trader Center attack. Now it will air from 7 p.m. ET Tuesday to midnight on MTV, MTV2, VH1 and Logo, again raising money for Robin Hood, a New York charity.
The original was organized by Paul McCartney (shown here), who quickly gathered other British acts to express a love for New York. David Bowie opened the night by combining “America” and his “Heroes”; McCartney closed it with six songs, sandwiching his new “Freedom” with “Yesterday” and “Let It Be.” The Who drew raucous approval; other British performers include Elton John, Eric Clapton and a duo of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Read more…
1) “Maigret” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. Spotting a troubled young woman. Maigret (shown here) is propelled into a twisty mystery. There’s one flaw: The show takes to extremes the cliche of officials insisting there’s no case here. Still, this is a smart, intense story; it has a final jolt tonight, then concludes next week. Read more…
1) “Newlyweds” debut, 8:30 p.m. Friday, NBC. Two gifted actors (shown here) cover turf they know. Tim Daly and Tea Leoni, 70 and 60, married last year, after a decade together; now they play people who marry quickly. She’s bold and instinctive; he’s not. Their fun world is spiced by his ex-wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) and his assistant (Bill O’Neill, a hilarious newcomer). Read more…
1) Sports overload. The baseball playoffs have Game Five (if needed) of the best-of-seven series with Tampa Bay and Cleveland. That’s 8 p.m. ET on TBS and TruTV, during football’s day. At noon, Fox has a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship (shown here), with Ohio State and Indiana. ABC has Alabama-Tennessee at 3:30 and Notre Dame-Brigham Young at 7:30. Read more…
1) “Rainmaker” season-opener, 10 p.m., USA Network. The first season (shown here) had quick appeal, with Rudy jumping from law school to a ragged little firm, battling the giants. Now that he’s won a big case? The firm is still an underdog, Rudy isn’t and his ex-girlfriend is floundering. A new case is coming, but it doesn’t quite gel in this first hour. Read more…
A great movie career will soon be flashing before us.
That’s when Turner Classic Movies has an Eva Marie Saint marathon. From noon to midnight ET on Oct. 25, it will show five films — including “On the Waterfront” (shown here with Saint and Marlon Brando), one of the best-acted movies ever — and an interview.
And yes, it was a long life. Saint’s death –Oct. 6, at 102 — came 72 years after “Waterfront” drew raves and awards. Read more…
Best-bets for Oct. 21: Celebrating Dolly and Liberty 
Best-bets for Oct. 20: basketball starts, rock returns 
Best-bets for Oct. 19: busy night for crimesolvers 
