Daily Best Bets

1) “Chicago P.D.,” 10 p.m., NBC. Easily the best of NBC’s three Chicago dramas, “P.D.” sometimes surprises us with a great episode. It did that at the end of last season, when Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins, shownhere) reported on a bad cop; now it finds a way to isolate him with Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) and a White cop arrested for shooting a Black student. Here are the show’s best characters – one Black, one White, both fiercely honest but with differing perspectives. The result is beautifully written and acted. Read more…

1) “New Amsterdam,” 10 p.m., NBC. Last week’s season-opener took us to a post-pandemic time, with remnants of the tragedy. Now Dr. Kapoor (shown here with Max in a previous episode) lingers near death, while Elia (his son’s ex-girlfriend) nears the birth of her baby and his grandchild. Meanwhile, Iggy bares his pain and Max’s opioid rules have backfired. It’s a busy – sometimes too busy – hour that stumbles, but ends with steong emotions. Read more…

1) “Snowpiercer,” 9 p.m., TNT, rerunning at 10. Most humans have already been killed by the bitter cold. Now the few survivors – on a thousand-plus-car train – have added to the toll; Till and Layton (shown here in a previous episode) investigate the latest murders. This hour is dark and downbeat – even for an apocalyptic thriller – but sharply crafted. It also finds people worrying about Miss Audrey: Ostensibly on a date with Mr. Wilford, she planned to plant a listening device. Now she hasn’t returned. Read more…

1) “Oprah With Meghan and Harry,” 8-10 p.m., CBS. Exactly a year ago, Meghan Markle had her last official duty in the royal family. She and her husband, Prince Harry (they’re show here), have since moved to the U.S. and become financially independent. Their son Archie turns 2 on May 6; their third anniversary is May 19. This Valentine’s Day, they announced that Markle is pregnant. Now this special – scheduled for 90 minutes, then expanded – has her conversing with Oprah Winfrey; then they’re joined by Harry. Read more…

1) “Gandhi” (1982), 8 p.m. to midnight ET, Turner Classic Movies. This richly crafted movie remains relevant, showing the power of protest, especially when done non-violently. It won Academy Awards for best picture, director Richard Attenborough, star Ben Kingsley (shown here) and five more. Read more…

1) “MacGyver,” 8 p.m., CBS. Murdoc (shown here) has been Mac’s prime villain forever … and now he’s showing up more often. In the original show (which started in 1985), he did seven episodes in seven year; now, midway through its fifth season, the reboot has its 11th Murdoc episode. He links with Andrews (Joe Pantoliano) to hack devices and steal secrets from Mac and friends. Read more…

1) “Clarice,” 10 p.m., CBS. This richly crafted series has had one persistent flaw: It uses the cliché of higher-ups who ignore evidence and just get in the way. That’s been especially true of Clarice’s FBI boss, Krendler; a terrific actor (Michael Cutlitz, shown here) has been stuck in a one-note role. Now the remedy begins by a simple means – bringing in someone much worse. As Krendler is investigated, he adds much-needed depth. It’s a good episode – in a darkly Gothic way – but ends with the story in limbo. Read more…

1) “Resident Alien,” 10 p.m., Syfy. This clever gem seemed simple at first: An alien (shown here) arrived to kill all Earthlings, but lost parts of the device he needs. To buy time, he killed Harry (a reclusive doctor) and assumed his human form; the mayor’s son is the only one who sees through his disguise. Then the twists began: Last week, Harry’s wife arrived; now we meet the town’s new doctor, plus an obsessive general (Linda Hamilton of “Terminator” fame). There’s humor, as usual, and then a dramatic finish. Read more…

1) “New Amsterdam” season-opener, 10 p.m., NBC. Filming in New York, where the pandemic peaked early, this hospital drama abruptly ended its season. Now, almost a year later, it’s back. First, a terrific montage takes us through the crisis; then we’re in a post-pandemic time, with emotions still raw for Max (Ryan Eggold, shown here with Freema Agyeman) and one of the doctors near death. And then … well, a plane crashes. It’s a strong hour. Read more…

1) “Debris” debut, 10 p.m. , NBC. When an alien spacecraft exploded, it scattered debris over the hemisphere. Those chunks have an other-worldly power to manipulate physics (including a floating body, shown here) and feelings. Now officials, working in secret, try to find and suppress the debris; bad guys want to harness the energy. “Debris” faces an eternal problem: Networks often cancel sci-fi shows abruptly, leaving crises in limbo. Still, this one can tell a self-contained story with each piece found; the opener packs strong emotions. Read more…