Month: November 2021

1) “A Picture Perfect Holiday,” 8 p.m., Lifetime. We’re still 12 days from Thanksgiving, but Christmas movies abound. The Hallmark Channel started new ones before Halloween; at 8 p.m. today, it has “My Christmas Family Tree” and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries has “Christmasin My Heart.” Now others jump in. At 7 and 11 p.m. ET, UPtv debuts “A Snowy Christmas.” At 8, Lifetime has Tatyana Ali (shown here) of “Fresh Prince,” as a fashion photographer; on a reluctant vacation, she meets a willdlife photographer. Read more…

1) “Great Performances,” 9-10:15 p.m., PBS. Yes, we know John Williams as the guy whose music propels “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and many more. But he’s also a gifted conductor and classical composer. Williams, 89, conducts the debut of his 32-minute violin concerto for violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter (shown here in a previous concert). They stay for a “Star Wars” love song, then depart; the Boston Symphony carries the rest of a strong musical evening. Read more…

1) “Station 19” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” 8 and 9 p.m., ABC. After a two-week break, these dramas are back, big-time: An explosion jolts Seattle, personally affecting people on both shows, especially Dr. Hunt (shown here; see next item). Meanwhile, other stories continue. On “Station 19,” Vic ponders her feelings about Theo and commitment; also, Andy take refuge in Dean’s home. On “Grey’s Anatomy,” Meredith and Amelia – working on their study in Minnesota – get help from a familiar face. Read more…

1) Country Music Association awards, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Luke Bryan hosts and performs, in a star-stuffed night. Performing are all five Entertainer of the Year nominees – Eric Church and Chris Stapleton (who lead with five nominations each), Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert (three each) and Carrie Underwood (one). Also performing: Gabby Barrett (shown here, four nominations, including best new artist), Blake Shelton, Jennifer Hudson, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Mickey Guyton, Thomas Rhett and more. Read more…

1) “The Resident,” 8 p.m., Fox. The two-week baseball break was perfectly timed for this show’s transition. It returns by jumping ahead a few years; the widowed Conrad has changed his life, so he can be with his pre-school daughter. Now, at least for a day, he’s back in his old hospital (shown here, right). With one exception (out-of-character behavior for Bell and Austin), it’s a terrific episode. Read more…

1) “Dexter: New Blood” debut, 9 p.m., Showtime. In its eight seasons, “Dexter” drew four best-drama Emmy nominations, plus five best-actor ones for Michael C. Hall (shown here), as a police technician who secretly killed bad guys. Now here’s the solid start of a 10-part mini-series: For a decade, Dexter has been hiding in upstate New York. In public, he’s cheerful, dating the police chief; in private, he argues with images of his late sister. He meets someone from his past and worries that his old ways may return. Read more…

1) “The Lost Symbol” opener, 10 p.m.. NBC. In three Ron Howard movies, Tom Hanks played Robert Langdon, a master of ancient symbols and codes. Now this prequel has young Langdon (Ashley Zukerman, shown here) trying to save his mentor (Eddie Izzard). The nine-week first season concludes Thursday on Peacock, where you can find the other episodes. To get us in the mood, NBC shelved a rerun of “Ordinary Joe” (which returns next week) and inserted this hour, a robust blend of peril and mystery. Read more…