1) “NCIS” shows return, 8-11 p.m. Tuesday, CBS. After waiting for the Olympics, State of the Union and more, all three have new hours. Ellie (Emily Wickersham, shown here), now a suspected terrorist, returns to the original show. On “Origins” (9 p.m.), young Gibbs, already widowed, has married Diane; they ponder their future. On “Sydney” (10 p.m.), the team probes a murder in Antarctica.
2) “Nature: Parenthood” finale, 8 p.m. Wednesday, PBS. This terrific, five-week series has a globe-spanning finish. We see lions care for orphans … a crab carry her 1,000 eggs … an owl protect his burrow from a roadrunner … a gorilla cling to his patriarchy … and a changing world that helps lynxes, but endangers hippos. David Attenborough, 99, narrates.
3) World Baseball Classic. The U.S. has two games this weekend, both at 8 p.m. ET on Fox; it faces Brazil on Friday and Great Britain on Saturday. Fox also has Netherlands-Dominican Republic at noon Sunday. There are 23 more games this week, most of them on Fox Sports1. Things continue until the championship game, March 17 on Fox.
4) “St. Denis Medical” return, 8 p.m. today, NBC. After a three-week Olympic break, this returns with a hilarious opening bit, then tells funny stories dealing with squeaky shoes, a mushroom candy bar and more. Then a clever “Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” finds a problem: It’s hard to make a reality show about Reggie when he never does anything.
5) “Best Medicine,” 8 p.m. Tuesday, Fox. This is easily the best episode so far. That’s partly because Martin Clunes — star of the British “Doc Martin” this is based on — is a guest star. But it’s also because it finds that perfect balance between Dr. Best’s painful past and the weird world he wandered into. The result is a rich blend of comedy and drama.
6) “R.J. Decker” debut, 10 p.m. Tuesday, ABC. Readers and viewers savor the goofy Florida crime stories of Carl Hiaasen, Dave Barry and Elmore Leonard. Now Hiassen (“Bad Monkey”) has one of his characters move to TV. Scott Speedman (“Felicity,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) plays a photographer and ex-con, starting over as a private detective.
7) “America’s Culinary Cup” debut, 9:30-11 p.m. Wednesday, CBS. After 18 seasons on “Top Chef,” Padma Lakshmi knows a lot about food. Now she aims high — sleek kitchen, million-dollar prize and acclaimed chefs. One won the top international prize, another was his coach, five others have Michelin stars. The result is slick and entertaining.
8) “The Beauty” season-finale, 9 p.m. Wednesday, rerunning at 11, and “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bissette,” 9 p.m. Thursday, rerunning at 10:30; both are on FX and Hulu. “Beauty” has been compelling, smart (if repetitive) and gory. Now it has more thunderbolts, then waits for a second season. “Love Story,” however, has warm moments at an island wedding.
9) “Outlander” final-season opener, 8 p.m. Friday, Starz, rerunning at 9:05 and 10:08. It’s been a huge journey — eight seasons, sprawled over 12 years, telling a time-traveler tale of 200 years. Previous episodes rerun at 6 and 6:59, with Claire guiding Denzell through tough surgery. Then Jamie finds a disturbing truth; he returns Claire to the Ridge, for a surprise.
10) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Ryan Gosling is a fun guest anywhere — at the Oscars and on “SNL.” Now he’s the show’s host, three weeks before his “Project Hail Mary” movie opens. It’s his fourth time as host and the first for Gorillaz as the music guest. A week later, Harry Styles will have his second turn in both jobs.