1) “Now Hear This,” 9 p.m., PBS. Violinist Scott Yoo did great work in a dozen previous episodes, often visiting old European sites (shown here) where classical music was formed. But here’s his best hour yet – a dazzling visit to Buenos Aires and the life of tango master Astor Piazzolla, We see superb musicians and dancers; then Yoo and his wife (gifted flutist Alice Dade) join in – hesitantly on the dance floor, brilliantly with the music.
2) “Tiny Beautiful Things” debut, Hulu. In real life, Cheryl Strayed spent her teen years in a Minnesota cabin that lacked water or electricity. She became a star writing student, imploded when her mother died of cancer, then righted herself in the hike she described in “Wild.” This superb series is sort of what she would have been without the hike. Kathryn Hahn is perfect as a 49-year-old mess, becoming (as Strayed later did) an unpaid advice columnist.
3) “Transatlantic,” Netflix. Varian Fry rescued Jewish artists (including Marc Chagall) and others from Nazi-held France. His story has been told in a William Hurt movie and several documentaries; now it’s a seven-part mini-series. That wraps up a streaming week that launched two vibrant musical series (“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” and the second “Schmigadoon” season). Also, theatrical movies: “Bros” on Amazon Prime, “80 for Brady” on Paramount+.
4) “Fire Country,” 9 p.m., CBS. It’s a big CBS week for Kane Brown. On Sunday, he co-hosted a country-music awards show and sang a duet with his wife. Now he makes his acting debut, as an enigmatic train-hopper who helps the injured after a tcrash.
5) ALSO: “The New York Times Presents” (10 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11:38), profiles J Dilla, an esteemed hip hop producer who died at 32, from lupus and other ailments. Also, UpTV marks Good Friday with movies – “The Passion of the Christ” (2004) at 6 and 8 p.m. ET and “Mary, Mother of Jesus” (1999) at 10. Several channels, including UpTV, will have Easter-oriented shows Saturday.
— Mike Hughes, TV America