1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. Sunday, ABC. The bad news is that there will again be no host; at times (including this year’s Emmys), the result can be drab and dreary. And the good? It’s a wide-open field, with no sure winners … and the music should be great. We’ll hear some powerhouse voices – Cynthia Erivo (shown here) will do a song she co-wrote for “Harrie”; Idina Menzel will do a song from “Frozen II.” We’ll also hear Elton John (“Rocketman”), Randy Newman (“Toy Story 4”) and Chrissy Metz (“Breakthrough”).
2) Oscar warm-up, all week. Turner Classic Movies is filling the month with Academy Award movies. “Some Like It Hot” (1959) is 9:45 p.m. today; No. 1 on the American Film Institute’s list of funniest movies, it stars Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe. Lemmon returns Wednesday in “The Apartment” and “China Syndrome,” at 8 and 10:15; on Friday, Woody Allen’s “Interiors” and “Annie Hall” are at 8 and 10. And at 5 p.m. Saturday on IFC, the Independent Spirit Awards will honor small films; wisely, it has a host, Aubrey Plaza.
3) “Tommy” debut, 10 p.m. Thursday, CBS. The new Los Angeles police chief doesn’t fit expectations. “Tommy” Thomas is female … and gay … and – this is the biggest jolt – a New Yorker. After a sex-abuse scandal, a judge ordered the city to hire a woman as chief; now this outsider takes over. This could have easily been overwrought – sort of like Fox’s “Deputy” – but it’s in the hands of the right people. Edie Falco, a four-time Emmy-winner, stars. Paul Attanasio, an Oscar-nominee for “Donnie Brasco” and “Quiz Show,” wrote the excellent script.
4) State of the Union address, 9 p.m. Tuesday, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and news channels. This is a key time – a president giving his address while he faces both impeachment and an election campaign. It could be of high interest … or you could be searching for a 9 p.m. alternative. CW has “Legends of Tomorrow,” with the time-travelers chasing Bugsy Siegel in 1947 Hollywood. Pop has a funny “Schitt’s Creek,” as Alexis plans a local premiere for her mom’s movie. It’s a learning experience; she learns why crows aren’t invited to elegant events.
5) “Nova: Polar Extremes,” 8-10 p.m. Wednesday, PBS. Kirk Johnson goes to the ends of the Earth – both ends. Johnson, a paleontologist, visits Antarctica, where the temperature has gone to minus-128 and beyond, and to the Arctic. He finds moments of splendor – a Canadian cave seems like an ice palace worthy of “Frozen” – and human impact. In an Inuit town at the northern edge of civilization, the villagers combined to pull a house away from the sagging shoreline. He also finds signs of the past, when dinosaurs roamed warm forests on both poles.
6) “The Masked Singer” and “Lego Masters,” 8 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Fox. After the big Super Bowl splash, “Masked Singer” settles into its routine. On Sunday, we met six singers behind elaborate masks; that group continues on Wednesdays, until it’s down to three; then two more groups of six have their turn. And another offbeat reality show follows: Will Arnett hosts a competition that has people trying to build elaborate Lego creations. At various times this season, they’ll be helped by Mayim Bialik, Terry Crews and even R2-D2.
7) “Indebted” debut, 9:30 p.m. Thursday, NBC. Sports people know this problem: A great – a Ruth or Gehrig or such – retires and Joe Schmo must take his place. That’s what we have here: The brilliant “Good Place: has left and the relentlessly ordinary “Indebted” takes over. Abby Elliott and Adam Pally play parents whose lworld transforms when the grandparents (Fran Drescher, Steven Weber) show up, broke and clueless. It’s a so-so comedy, preceded by better ones: “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” starts its season at 8 and 8:30, with “Will & Grace” at 9..
8) “MacGyver” season-opener, 8 p.m. Friday, CBS. “MacGyver” fans need patience; it’s been nine months since the last new episode. They also need to suspend disbelief, as their heroes keep tackling impossible missions. This time, they must go to a party, slip off to find crucial information, then transmit a copy without being noticed. And they don’t have the Phoenix Foundation; they’re on their own, working with a quirky British ex-spy, played, by Henry Ian Cusick (“Lost.” “The 100”). This nudges Hawaii Five-0” to 9 p.m.; “Magnum P.I.” will be back later.
9) “Power” finale, 8-9:23 p.m. Sunday, Starz. For six seasons and countless schemes, this has followed James St. Patrick. Now we can watch — or record – everything that’s happened so far. At 5 a.m. Friday, the first episode reruns: We see James in quiet splendor; he has a gorgeous penthouse, a sleek wife, three kids … and a drug empire, where he’s known only as Ghost. Then he spots his long-ago love, now a federal attorney, and his life wobbles. Reruns will continue throughout the next three days; the “Power Confidential” talk show follows at 9:23.
10) “And more: At 9 p.m. Saturday, Investigation Discovery debuts “In Memorium,” a moving film about survivors of multiple-shooting disasters. And on Sunday, Showtime has star-powered season-openers. At 9 p.m., Claire Danes is brilliant (as usual) in “Homeland:; still recovering from torture, Carrie plunges into a dangerous mission. At 10 and 10:30, “Kidding” reaches another odd extreme: Jeff (Jim Carrey), a kids-show strar, has intentionally bashed his car into his estranged wife’s lover; remarkably, that brings moments of warmth and sharp humor.