Mike Hughes

1) “Wellington Paranormal” season-opener, 9 and 9:30 p.m., CW. You’d expect Americans to ignore this – a micro-budgeted New Zealand show with thick accents and unknown stars (shown here). But it’s from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waiti (the “What We Do in the Shadows” creators); filled with their slow, dry wit. Clement wrote and directed the second episode, with his “Flight of the Conchords” colleague, Rhys Darby, as a park ranger. The first episode has an invisible man – an elusive target.; the second has a woods creature. Both have funny moments. Read more…

1) “Mark Twain Prize,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. After skipping two years, this comedy prize returns with a gem. Jon Stewart is honored with a cascade of warmth, ribbing and large laughs. Stewart led “The Daily Show” (shown here) for 16 years, winning 10 straight best-variety-show Emmys (which, we’re told, he kept in a cardboard box). We hear from his former correspondents (Steve Carell, Olivia Munn, Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Ed Helms), fellow comics (Pete Davidson, Dave Chappelle, Jimmy Kimmel) and more, including Bruce Springsteen. Read more…

1) Hockey, 8 pm. ET, ABC. After two games in Colorado, the best-of-seven finalsl move to Tampa Bay. There, the local team (the Lightning,,shown here in blue) is used to this; it’s going for its third straight Stanley Cup championship. Getting in the way is a team (the Avalanche) that has dominated lately. After its win in the first game of the finals, it had a stunning 13-2 record in this year’s play-offs. The action will stay in Tampa Bay on Wednesday; then (if needed) it’s Friday in Colorado, Sunday in Tampa Bay and June 28 in Colorado. Read more…

1) “Hotel Portofino” (shown here) opener, 8 p.m., PBS. On a gorgeous stretch of the Italian Riviera, Bella has spiffed up a little hotel. She hopes to draw her fellow Englishmen; she may even find a match for her son, a handsome lad who barely survived the world war. On the surface, this is classic PBS, “Downton” meets “Durrells.” But it’s set in the 1920s and Fascism is rising; also, Bella’s husband is a jerk, some guests are iffy and romance rarely goes as planned. At times, this six-parter is too soapy, with cliché characters; at others, it’s a sweet summer pleasure. Read more…

1) “After Jackie,” 8-10 p.m., History. Yes, Jackie Robinson (shown here) transformed baseball by breaking its color barrier. But it was 12 more years before every team was integrated … and 16 years after that before the first Black manager. This richly detailed film views three greats – Bill White, Curt Flood and Bob Gibson – at the St. Louis Cardinals. Facing segregated housing (in spring training) and a bigoted manger, they prevailed, winning two World Series titles. Read more…

1) Watergate documentaries, 6 p.m. to midnight, History; 9-11 p.m., CBS. It was 50 years ago today that five men were arrested for a break-in at Democratic headquarters in the Watergate complex. The cover-up and investigation brought the end (shown here) of the Nixon presidency. Now CBS has a new documentary and History repeats its film by Oscar-winner Charles Ferguson. Both interview reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. CBS has past interviews with Nixon, John Dean and H.R, Haldeman; History has Dean, John McCain, Dan Rather and more. Read more…