1) “The Ten Commandments” (1956), 7-11:43 p.m., ABC. Each year, on the eve of Easter, ABC reruns this epic, with Charlton Heston (shown here) as Moses. It’s impressive and ambitious, landing seven Oscar nominations (including best picture) and winning for special effects. By modern standards, however, it’s slow and stiff; several more films will arrive today and Sunday,
2) More Easter-time shows, digital TV. Another epic – “The Robe” (1953) — is at 8 p.m. ET on Movies; it repeats at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Story TV, has biographies – Mary of Nazareth at 8 a.m. ET, Moses at 9, Mary Magdalene at 11 and Jesus from noon to 4; that repeats from 4 p.m. to midnight and midnight to 8 a.m. Also, the Tabernacle Choir performs Handel’s “Messiah,” from 2-4:30 p.m.
3) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Ramy Youssef has thrived with his own streaming comedy (“Ramy”) and stand-up specials (a new one is on HBO and Max). Now he hosts “SNL,” with Travis Scott as the music guest.
4) Basketball, 6:09 p.m. ET, TBS. Now we learn who will be in the tournament’s final four next weekend. There are two games tonight, with two more starting at 2:20 p.m. Sunday on CBS.
5) MORE: CBS reruns the delightful “Elsbeth” pilot at 8 p.m., getting us ready for the show’s return Thursday. Also at 8, CW repeats the “I Am Chris Farley” documentary (2015), HBO has the brilliant “A Star is Born” remake (2018) and Hallmark is cheery with “Easter in Bloom.” Also, Fox is into baseball now; at 7, it has (varying by region) Astros and Yankees or Giants and Padres.
— Mike Hughes, TV America