1) Basketball,” 9 p.m. ET, ABC, with previews at 8 and 8:30. Yes, a winter sport has sprawled into the second half of summer. Hockey has finished its season, but for basketball this is the fifth game of a best-of-seven series, with Milwaukee (shown here with Giannis Antetokounmpo) and Phoenix. The other games, if needed, will be Tuesday and Thursday … on the eve of the Olympics opening ceremony. Read more…
1) “Icon: Music Through the Lens” opener, 9 p.m., PBS. After a too-long introduction, we get great stories about photographing rock stars. Sure, some have been difficult; Kurt Cobain arrived four hours late, promptly asking for a vomit pale. But others — Beyonce and Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix and more – have shown a natural sense for great visuals. For one session, the photographer had only 30 minutes, a tiny apartment and – in lieu of catering – lollipops; Madonna turned them into sexy props. This is produced by Gered Mankowitz (see separate story), who photographed Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Marianne Faithfull (shown here) and more. Read more…
1) “Grown-ish,” 8 p.m., Freeform. Zoey’s grand plan – a Mexican resort party before the senior year – imploded last week. She and Aaron had a drunken wedding … then were arrested during beach sex. Ana raged at Javi, after reading his phone messages. Doug and Lucca (shown here) went with some “hot ladies” … and ended up at a 15th-birthday party. Now some of it gets settled, in a terrific episode. The A-to-Z (Aaron and Zoey) scenes ripple with humor, hurt and more, beautifully written and performed. Read more…
1) Basketball, 9 p.m. ET, ABC. It’s the fourth game of the best-of-seven championship series, with the Phoenix Suns leading the Milwaukee Bucks, 2 games to 1. The Bucks (shown here with Giannis Antetokounmpo) were champions a half-century ago, lost three years later, then didn’t reach the finals for 46 years. The Suns were there twice, losing in 1976 and ‘93. There’s a preview at 8:30 ET and a transplanted “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (hosted by Anthony Anderson) at 8. Read more…
1) “Miracle Workers: Oregon Trail” debut, 10:30 p.m., TBS. The third “Miracle Workers” season is unrelated to the others – except in everything that counts. It has the same stars, the same ceator (Simon Rich) and the same quirky and clever humor. This time, Daniel Radcliffe is a clergyman, floundering in the frontier; Geraldine Viswanathan is a zestful parishioner in a drab marriage. Steve Buscemi (shown here with Radcliffe) is the wayward guy who claims he can lead their wagon train west. Read more…
1) “The Beast Must Die” opener, 10 p.m., AMC. Americans know Cush Jumbo from “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight,” but now she’s back in England for a sensational performance. She plays a teacher whose 6-year-old son was killed by a hit-and-run driver. The cop working the case died; his replacement (well-played by Billy Howle) is sincere, but overwhelmed. With a new look (shown here), she’ll investigate, even infiltrating the world of the prime suspect. It’s a powerful, six-week series. Read more…
1) “Masterpiece: Unforgotten” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. For three seasons, this formula has worked well: Cassie (Nicola Walker, shown here) and her police team tackle a long-ago murder. We also meet some seemingly unconnected people; over six episodes, the connection becomes clear. This time, however, is different: Emotionally battered by previous cases, Cassie wants to retire; she has to stay three more months, or forfeit her pension. The result brings deep layers of emotion and, at times, pain. Read more…
1) “Espy Awards,” 8 p.m., ABC. At 29, Maya Moore (shown here) stepped away from a basketball career filled with triumph – two national titles in college, four in the WNBA, five overseas, plus two Olympic gold medals. Instead, she fought for a man who had spent 20 years in prison. Now he’s been exonerated, they’re married and she’ll receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. That’s in a night, hosted by actor Anthony Mackie, that also honors the year’s best athletes, teams and sports moments. Read more…
1) “Gossip Girl,” 8-9:30 p.m., CW. “Gossip” ran for six seasons on CW, stirring pop-culture buzz. Its sequel is just for HBO Max – except this opener, airing a day after its Max debut. We’re at the same upscale school (shown here), with a secret gossiper (again voiced by Kristen Bell) using social media. This time, however, we know from the start who it is. We meet deeply likable half-sisters, then see them behave in contrived ways. When was the last time you accidentally undressed in a street-view window? Read more…
1) “Grown-ish” season-opener, 8 p.m., Freeform. As her senior year of college nears, Zoey has a plan: She and Aaron will host a vacation at a Mexican resort; their friends (shown here with her in an earlier episode) will savor sun, sex and alcohol. Alas, the alcohol soon prevails. Secrets are blurted, friendships are trashed … and there’s a major plot twist. “Grown-ish” is basically a comedy (a “Black-ish” spin-off), but the humor is fairly sparse. Instead, we get sleek visuals, smart writing and characters worth rooting for, flaws and all. Read more…
