1) “Alert: Missing Persons Unit,” 9 p.m., ABC. After some fairly good episodes, “MPU” has a terrific one, mixing intense urgency and quiet warmth. The story gives depth to a teen runaway and the cops seeking her. Scott Caan is again excellent as Jason, but the bonus is Adeola Role (shown here, right) as Kemi. Once just a past-lives oddity, she now brings deep passion. Read more…
1) “The Bachelor” finale, 8 p.m.,, ABC,with follow-up at 10. Joey Graziadei, 28, is down to two choices, both 25: Kelsey Anderson (shown here wth hm) is from Louisiana; Daisy Kent grew up in Minnesota, but went to college in San Diego and works there. She wrote a children’s book; based loosely on her experience as a hearing-impaired kid who received a cochlear implant. Read more…
TV networks seem to be like many of us – suddenly remembering religion twice a year.
Now the Easter rush begins. In a three-day surge, TV ranges from Easter lite (bunnies and bonnets and such) to the intensity of “The Ten Commandments” and “The Passion of the Christ.”
Here’s a round-up, from Good Friday through Easter, March 29-31. Some of the channels (ABC, History, Hallmark, Turner Classic Movies) are easy to find; others have scattered availability, via cable, digital, satellite and online.
This skips some of the regular church services, but includes the rest. All times are ET; many of the channels – TCM, UpTV, INSP and more – only send one signal, so an 8 p.m. show listed here is 5 p.m. PT. Read more…
1) “Tracker,” 8 p.m., CBS. In a one-time switch, CBS moves this up an hour., for an episode that teams Colter (Jason Hartley) with his nemesis, a fellow tracker. She’s played by Hartley’s wife, Sofia Pernas (shown heere). A Morrocan natiive, she was Marisa on “The Young and the Restless” (where they met), Cataliina in “Jane the Virgin” and starred in CBS’ summer action show, “Blood & Treasure.” Read more…
1) “The Bachelor” finale, 8 p.m. today, ABC, follow-up at 10. Joey Graziadei makes his choice. He’s 28 and teaches tennis in Hawaii; now two women remain, both 25. Kelsey Anderson (right) is from Louisiana. Daisy Kent (center) grew up in Minnesota and went to school and works in San Diego; after longtime hearing troubles (apparently from Lyme disease), she received a cochlear implant. Read more…
1) Figure Skating, 3 p.m., USA Network, and 8 p.m., NBC. It’s the last competition day for the world championship. That has the pairs in the afternoon, men at night … and a clear change. NBC has always highlighted the women, but this time the top American contender is a guy, Ilia Malinin (shown here). The women’s finals were Friday, on cable. Read more…
1) Figure Skating, 8 p.m., USA Network. Approximately forever, women have been top-billed in American coverage of figure-skating. (Shown here is an Olympics skater.) Not this time. The best spot in the World Figure Skating Championships — Saturday night on NBC — goes to the men; women are relegated to tonight on cable. Peacock will start coverage of the women at 6 p.m.; earlier, it has rhythm dance at 11:20 a.m. Read more…
Amid last year’s strike-time scrambling, CBS emerged with at least one good thing:
“NCIS: Sydney” (shown here) was a ratings success; now it’s been renewed for a second season. Read more…
1) Basketball. The college tournament begin with perhaps the day’s best match-up – MSU vs. MSU. Michigan State (shown here) annd Mississippi State, seeded No. 9 and 8 in a 16-team quadrant, collide at 12:15 p.m. on CBS– which also has games at 2:45, 7:10 and 9:40. Other games are on TruTV (12:40, 3:10, 7:25 and 9:55); TNT (1:30, 4, 6:50 and 9:20); and TBS (2, 4:30, 7:25 and 9:55). Read more…
Even in an ordinary year, NBC tends to dominate the ratings. And Olympic years are quite extraordinary.
So the network will stick with what works this summer – “America’s Got Talent,” “American Ninja Warrior” (shown here) and three game shows – “Password,” “The Wall” and “Weakest Link.” It apparently won’t try anything new and won’t need to. Read more…
