Daily Best Bets

1) “Peacemaker” opener, 10:15 p.m., HBO. Chris (John Cena, shown here) is a superhero, but not the modest sort. He has a pet eagle, a red-white-and-blue car and a weird helmet he even wears in a restaurant. He’s also a survivor; in the second “Suicide Squad” movie (8 p.m. on HBO), he was shot and a building fell on him. Now he’s out of the hospital; the result – launching an HBO Max series – leaps between fierce action and sharp wit, beautifully written by director James Gunn and perfectly played by Cena. Read more…

1) “Ray Donovan: The Movie,” 9 and 10:40 p.m, Showtime. The “Ray Donovan” series ended a year ago, with lives shattered. Ray’s daughter was widowed, his half-brother was wanted by police and his dad was running loose with $20 million in stolen stock. Now Ray (Liev Schreiber, shown here) phones his therapist to say he’s killed his father. Then the story backs up a little – and a lot; flashbacks show the rift that sent the dad to prison for decades. This is beautifully acted and sharply crafted, but it’s also a tough, bleak ride. Read more…

1) “Call Me Kat,” 9 p.m., Fox. Low-key and kind of goofy, this is also oddly enjoyable. In the season-opener (after football on Sunday), Kat (Mayim Bialik, shown here in a previous episode) was in the unfamiliar position of choosing between two guys. She chose Oscar; now the show settles into its regular slot as they try to celebrate and their friends, Randi and Carter, build their own romance. The result, as usual, is light and likable. Read more…

1) “Nature,” 8 p.m., PBS. Many teens might be expected to walk the dog or feed the cat; Laurel Scheel may have been the only one to feed and play with the octopus. Her dad, David, is a professor at Alaska Pacific University. After years of standard research, he went a step further – keeping an octopus named Heidi (shown here) in a tank in his house. Heidi surprised him by solving some obstacles, bonding (especially with Laurel) and watching TV. This rerun is light and entertaining, but also has nuggets of information. Read more…

1) “Naomi” debut, 9 p.m., CW. We kind of expect teen superheroes to be quiet Read more…

1) Football, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN and ESPN2. Five weeks ago, two powerhouse teams collided; Alabama beat Georgia, 41-24, for the SEC championship. Now they do it again, for the national title, with no clear-cut favoite. Outside of that game, Georgia is 13-0, with an average score of 48-7; Alabama (shown here) is 12-1, with a 41-18 average. Tonight, one will become champion. Read more…

1) “All Creatures Great and Small” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. This gentle, seven-episode season gets off to a great start. James is back home in Scotland, helping a local veterinarian; returning to England, he faces instant drama. There’s his unspoken love for Helen (they’re shown here),  who called of her wedding with Hugh, a rich land-owner; plus a fresh crisis involving her little sister. At the vet office, there’s humor (involving a dead bird) and trouble: Siegfried is hiding the fact that Tristan hasn’t yet graduated from vet school. Read more…

1) Football. The college season ends today … but the pros are just starting their month-long trek to the Super Bowl. First is the college championship game (8 p.m.ET today on ESPN and ESPN2), which is simply a rematch of the SEC championship game. Alabama beat Georgia 41-24 in that one; in the rest of the season, Georgia is 13-0, with an average score of 48-7; Alabama (shown here) is 12-1, with a 41-18 average. Then the NFL takes over. It has two games Saturday, three more on Sunday and one next Monday. Read more…

1) “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Here’s a sweeping adventure, with deep characters and the true story of an Englishman who led Arab revolutionaries. The film won seven Oscars, including best picture and director (David Lean).It also drew nominations for Peter O’Toole and Omar Sharif (they’re shown here) and for the script, written by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson — who was then anonymous, because of blacklisting. The American Film Institute puts it at No. 7 on its all-time list. Read more…

1) Figure skating,” 8-11 p.m., NBC. The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are in Nashville this week, with Olympic spots at stake. Here’s the women’s free-skate, with no clear-cut favorite. Current champion Bradie Tennell has had injuries; others include two-time champ Alysa Lieu (shown here) and 2018 Olympian Karen Chen. NBC also has coverage at 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, with Olympic choices announced. There’s more on the USA Network and on Peacock. Read more…