Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Jan. 17: Doctors end, judge begins

1) “Night Court” debut (shown here), 8 and 8:30 p.m., NBC. This blends key pieces of past comedy hits: There’s “Night Court” and John Larroquette, who won four Emmys as Dan Fielding, before withdrawing from consideration. And there’s Melissa Rauch, who was Bernadette on “The Big Bang Theory.” Now she plays the daughter of Judge Harry Stone, taking over his courtroom … and luring Fielding back. The result is big and broad and, often enough, quite funny. Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 16: Bob, Brady and Ben the bounty hunter

1) “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” return, 8:30 p.m., CBS. After missing last week (because of the all-night “NCIS” crossover), one of TV’s best comedies has its first new episode in six weeks. When we left it, Abishola was fretting: Bob mortgaged the house to finance a risky step, moving sock-production back to Detroit. Now there’s a new dispute on whether Dele (shown here with Bob) should be driving. Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 15: awards, debuts and (of course) football

1) Critics Choice Awards, 7-10 p.m., CW. Five days after the Golden Globes, here’s another show honoring the best in movies and TV. This one is hosted by Chelsea Handler, with Jeff Bridges getting a lifetime award. Best-movie nominees include the “Top Gun” and “Avatar” sequels. plus “Elvis” (shown here), “Tar” “Fabelmans,” “Glass Onion,” “Babylon,” “RRR,” “Women Talking,”“The Banshees of Inishien” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 14: heroes of fact, fiction & football

1) Football, 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox; and 8:15 p.m., NBC. The college season has finally finished, but the pros are just starting their play-offs. That starts now with San Francisco (shown here) hosting Seattle and then Jacksonville hostingh the Los Angeles Chargers. There are three more games Sunday, plus Monday Night Football. The six winners will then join the two top-seeded teams; all will be two wins from the Super Bowl. Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 13: Bode, blazes, “Blue Bloods”

1) “Fire Country,” 9 p.m. CBS. A quick success, this is near the top 10 in the Nielsen ratings and has been renewed for next season. At the core is Bode (Max Thieriot, shown here), trimming his prison sentence by fighting fires; his unit was sent to his home town, renewing old troubles. Now his ex-girlfriend and his mother face medical emergencies, after a crash creates a power outage and starts a blaze. Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 11: RuPaul leads a fun-and-games night

1) “Lingo” debut, 9 p.m., CBS. When this game show debuted in 1987, its host seemed to fit the times. Michael Reagan was a white guy in a suit and tie; most hosts were. Also, his dad was president. That version only lasted a year, but now there’s a host that fits the current times. RuPaul Charles (shown here) is bright and unique; as the leader of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” he’s won four Emmys for best competition show and seven in a row for best host. Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 10 movies — great, good, golden

1) Golden Globe awards, 8-11 p.m., NBC. After a one-year pause (addressing diversity and ethics issues), the telecast is back, with Jerrod Carmichael hosting and some box-office hits nominated. The drama-movie category has “Top Gun” and “Avatar” sequels (the latter shown here) plus “Elvis,” “Tar” and Steven Spielberg’s “Fabelmans.” Comedy movies are “Glass Onion,” “Babylon,” “Triangle of Sadness,” “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Read more…

Best-bets for Jan. 8: warm wedding, cold crimes

1) “All Creatures Great and Small” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. For two seasons, we’ve rooted for two sweet-natured people (shown here, center0: James is a veterinarian, working with the stern Siegfried and his cheery brother Tristan; Helen is a diligent farmer, working with her widowed dad. She almost married a rich guy, then backed out; now she and James are ready to marry … if they overcome late obstacles. The result has humor, warmth and flowing green landscapes. Read more…