Daily Best Bets

1) “Snowpiercer” season-finale, 9 p.m., TNT; rerunning at 10:03. For three seasons, this mega-train has spanned a frozen world, holding the only survivors. But now comes the confrontation: On one side is Wilford (Sean Bean), the train’s creator and despot; on the other are Layton (Daveed Diggs, shown here) and the rebels. Layton feels a New Eden micro-climate is livable; Melanie, a master engineer, disagrees. A final face-off looms, in an hour that is beautifully written and executed. Read more…

1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET, ABC. The bad years – with no host, no music and little fun – are apparently behind us now. This will have three hosts — comedians Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes and actress Regina Hall. The best-song nominees, exiled to the pre-show last year, will be performed by Beyonce (shown here), Billie Eilish, Reba McEntire and Sebastian Yatra. And eight of the 23 categories will be handled before the telecast, leaving more time for entertainment. Read more…

1) “Dune” (2021), 8 p.m., HBO. On the eve of the Academy Awards, we can catch some of the best-picture nominees. “Dune” (shown here) repeats at 6:15 p.m. Sunday (overlapping the Oscars, at 8 p.m. ET) and is on HBO Max, which also has “Drive My Car” and shares two others – “Nightmare Alley” (with Hulu) and “West Side Story” (with Disney+). Netflix has “Don’t Look Up” and “The Power of the Dog,” Apple TV+ has “Coda” and the others are video-on-demand. Read more…

1) “Great Performances: Conductor,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. “I’ve never been good with a lot of rules,” Marin Alsop (shown here) says. She quit a stern music school and created String Fever – 14 women doing swing music on orchestral instruments. She resisted the idea that conductors must be men; at one point, she led orchestras in three cities (Baltimore, Vienna, Sao Paolo), on three continents, in three languages. It’s a great story, told with surges of soaring music. Read more…

1) “Atlanta” season-openers, 10 and 10:49 p.m., FX; then 11:34 p.m. and 12:34 a.m.; 1:08 and 1:58 a.m. After a four-year pause, “Atlanta” returns with an odd (but interesting) episode – a 5-minute dream scene, followed by a half-hour memory … with Donald Glover (the show’s star) not appearing until the final minute. It follows with an episode that’s semi-strange and sometimes quite funny. Earn and two friends are with Big Boi (they’re shown here), who’s on his European tour. Read more…

1) “Snowfall,” 10 p.m., FX. Until now, we thought Franklin (shown here) was fearless. Not so; lock him up next to an angry tiger – yes, a TIGER – and he becomes very concerned. The problem started last week, when he and colleagues were attacked while hauling $3 million. Now they must escape the tiger and more gunmen, then ponder the aftershocks. It’s a fierce hour, with way too much brutalizing of defenseless people, but also potent and well-made. Read more…

1) “iHeartRadio Music Awards,” 8-10 p.m., Fox. The Grammys were pushed back to April 3, but here’s a temporary substitute. It even has LL Cool J – a five-time Grammy host – as host and performer. Also performing: Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Charlie Puth, Jason Aldean, Maneskin and more; Jennifer Lopez gets a special award. Justin Bieber and Olivia Roderigo (shown here) lead with nine and eight nominations, including male and female artist of the year. Read more…

1) “American Song Contest” debut, 8-10 p.m., NBC.  For 65 years, the Eurovision contest has been big in Europe. Now we get an American version, an eight-week tourney (hosted by Kelly Clarkson and Snoop Dogg) with 56 acts –one for each state, plus five territories and D.C. Most are unknowns, but the field includes Michael Bolton (Connecticut), Macy Gray (Ohio), Jewel (Alaska), Sisqo (shown here, Maryland) and “Voice” champion Jordan Smith (Kentucky). Read more…

1) “Masterpiece: Sanditon” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. More than two years ago, the first season ended with Charlotte’s life in flux. Her true love, Sidney Parker, had left to marry a rich woman, rescuing the finances of his brother’s shaky resort project. And now? Sidney isn’t back … nor is his sister … or James Stringer, who loved Charlotte from afar. But Charlotte is bringing her giddy sister and there are plenty of new guys, include redcoat soldiers (shown here). It’s a great start. Read more…

1) “Great Chocolate Showdown” (shown here) finale, 8 p.m., CW. Three pleasant-enough things – chocolate, Canada and reality-TV – combine. This Canadian show started with 10 people – half of them Americans – crafting chocolate goodies. Now it’s down to Casey Hallen from New York City, Renu Matthew from Alberta and T. Lawrence-Simon from Massachusetts. Each gets a previous contestant as an assistant, then fills a shop window with various temptations. Read more…