1) “Despicable Me 3” (2017), 8 p.m., NBC. Facing that cascade of sports events, NBC offers a comedy refuge. First is this animated film; Steve Carell voices a former villain (shown here with minions), now in an Anti-Villain League duo with his wife, voiced by Kristin Wiig. That’s followed by “Saturday Night Live” reruns at 10 p.m. (Colin Farrell in 2004, with the Scissor Sisters) and 11:29. Read more…
1) “Grand Crew,” 8:30 p.m., NBC. Broken relationships are scattered all over this episode. Noah (Echo Kellem, left) has been in a funk since his girlfriend was deported … His sister Nicky has a romance that takes some big (and funny) turns … Anthony is nudged back into the dating scene … And Fay, celibate since her divorce, wants a bad-boy type. There are some good moments, especially when Nicky explodes. Read more…
1) Basketball tournament begins, 12:15 p.m. ET, CBS. The NCAA tourney begins with Maryland (shown here) and West Virginia. That’s followed quickly by games at 12:40 p.m. on TruTV, 1:40 on TNT and 2 on TBS. Each channel has four games today and Friday, wiping out other shows. For CBS stations, that means soap operas lose their spots for a couple days; so do some afternoon talk shows and such. Read more…
1) “Ted Lasso” (shown heere) season-opener, Apple TV+. Ted’s success coaching English soccer has been surprising … especially for an American football guy who knew nothing about soccer. Now that leads to a new problem: The team has been promoted to the top league, where it’s predicted to finish last; the owner is furious about the prospect of losing to her ex-husband’s team. The result skillfully mixes humor and drama, adding warmth as Ted’s son ends his summer visit. Read more…
1) “Gotham Knights” debut, 9 p.m., CW. In the opening moments, we know everything has changed. Batman is dead; young thieves have been framed. Now they’re part of a reluctant band of allies, including Batman’s adoptive son (shown here), the Joker’s estranged daughter and a new version of Robin. They have nothing in common except being young, angry and telegenic. It’s a great start (repeating at 9 p.m. Wednesday), delivering the CW’s usual taut visuals. Read more…
1) “The Good Doctor,” 10 p.m. today, ABC. Shaun, the autistic surgeon, faces a malpractice suit. His lawyer (Felicity Huffman) advises a settlement, but her researcher (beautifully played by Kennedy McMahon, shown here, the “Nancy Drew” star) disagrees. She’s also autistic and this is a pilot for a “Good Lawyer” series. We’re not sure it would work as a series, but it makes a strong and moving episode. Read more…
1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET, ABC. We can expect some laughs; Jimmy Kimmel is host and a few presenters (Melissa McCarthy, Mindy Kaling, Julia Louis-Dreyfus) know humor. There will also be music from Rihanna, Sofia Carson, David Byrne and the actors who did “Naatu Naatu,” plus Lennie Kravitz in the “In Memoriam” segment. We’ll also see clips of nominees, some of them well-known; that includes “Top Gun: Maveric” (shown here), “Avatar: Way of the Water,” “Elvis” and “Everything, Everywhere All at Once.” Read more…
1) “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (shown here), 6:35 p.m., Showtime. On the eve of the Academy Awards, we can catch some of the nominees. This fantasy tale – an ordinary soul (Michelle Yeoh) whisked through multiple lives – is the Oscar leader with 11 nominations. Ke Huy Quan has swept supporting-actor wins from the Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes and Critics Choice. Yeoh won best-actress from SAG and the Globes; the film won best picture from the critics. Read more…
1) “Grand Crew,” 8:30 p.m., NBC. In last week’s surprisingly good season-opener, Noah’s girlfriend married a friend, to avoid being deported to Canada. Now – no surprise – Noah’s relationship with his girlfriend’s husband gets complicated. Meanwhile, Noah’s sister Nicky (shown here) ponders her own romance. That follows a new “Lopez vs. Lopez,” going against CBS’ no-rerun night of “SWAT,” “Fire Country” and “Blue Bloods.” Read more…
1) “Poker Face” season-finale, Peacock. For nine episodes, this has been one of TV’s best shows – mixing clever mysteries and the unique persona of Natasha Lyonne (shown here). She’s Charlie, a decent soul who can tell when people are lying. In the opener, that put her in conflict with a crooked casino manager. He’s dead and she’s on the run, but now she faces his dad (Ron Perlman) and the security chief (Benjamin Bratt). “Poker Face” has a great finish … and will be back next year.
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