Daily Best Bets

1) “Fargo” opener, 10 and 11:20 p.m., FX. This is “Fargo” at its best – weird and wild one moment, slow and droll the next, but always fascinating. A Minnesota mom (Juno Temple,shown here) accidentally gets in a fight, sparking events. There’s death, destruction and her claim that nothing happened. We meet her sweet husband, his disturbing mom and, in the 11:20 episode, a villain (Jon Hamm). The result is beautifully written and, at times, fiercely violent. Read more…

1) “The Late Show,” 11:35 p.m., CBS. David Letterman (shown here) finally visits his old domain. For 12 years, he hosted “The Late Show” in the Ed Sullivan Theatre, sometimes getting huge ratings. But he left in 2015 and Stephen Colbert took over. Letterman, now 76, has confined himself to a one-on-one interview show for Netflix. He did 22 episodes over four years, but the last was almost a year ago. Now he visits Colbert’s show. Read more…

1) “Hotel Portofino” and “World on Fire” season-finales, 8 and 9 p.m., PBS. Two continuing dramas, each wtih World War II as a key factor, offer deep characters and strong emotions. The pre-war “Portofino” (shown hre in a previous episode) finds hope for saving the hotel, but agony for people near Lucian — his wife, his lover and his friend. For the wartime “Fire,” Harry is back from the front, but his wife is re-joining the Resistance and his mother is, as always, abominable. Read more…

1) “A Merry Scottish Christmas,” 8-10 p.m., Hallmark. For six years, Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf (shown here) were “Party of Five” siblings. Now they do it again, in her domain; this is at least Chabert’s 17th Christmas movie. This one, filmed in Scotland, has them visit their estranged mother, who has a secret. Read more…

1) “Making Shakespeare: The First Folio,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. When Shakespeare died in 1616, about half of his 36 plays had been published. The rest – including “Macbeth,” “The Tempest” and “Julius Caesar” – could have faded away. But two friends, using stage copies and more, made the era’s biggest and most expensive book. This documentary has fascinating details … plus, oddly, long looks at “Hamlet” (shown here), which is not one of the shows that was rescued. Read more…

1) “Ghosts U.K.” debut, 9 and 9:30 p.m., CBS. Here’s the show CBS’ “Ghosts” is based on. Its concept is clever; its execution is adequate. As in the U.S. version, a new homeowner died briefly, was revived and could see the ghosts in her mansion. The American woman adjusted nimbly and liked these folks; the British one (shown here) spends much of this hour quaking. Then again, the American ghosts are more likable; the British ones are merely kind of amusing. Read more…

1) “Quantum Leap,” 8 p.m., NBC. After pausing last week for a debate, NBC returns to its Wednesday strength – new drama hours that are slickly entertaining. “Leap” has an especially good one: Ben time-travels to Princeton, shortly after the death of his hero, Albert Einstein. For the first time, he meets someone (shown here) he met in a previous leap; she was a waitress then and he helped tranform her life. Read more…

1) “NCIS: Sydney” opener, 8 p.m., CBS. Lots of cop cliches are bundled here, but they’re done with crisp skill. The two main cops — an Australian man and an American woman — are loose cannons, tough and cocky and (of course) terribly attractive. They battle each other, until an authority figure tries to take over; reluctantly, they work together. Olivia Swann and Todd Lasance (shown here) lead a first-rate blend of action, drama and occasional humor. Read more…

1) “Blackberry,” 10 p.m., AMC. At its peak, we’re told, Blackberry had 45 percent of the cell-phone market; now it has zero. That story was told in a movie that (with scenes added) is now this mini-series (shown here), continuing Tuesday and Wednesday. Jay Baruchel, Matt Johnson (who wrote the script) and Glenn Howerton (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) star in a story that includes one scheme to move the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team to Canada. Read more…

1) “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” 9 and 10 p.m., CBS. After escaping from slavery during the Civil War, Reeves farmed in Indian country. A decade later, the U.S. marshal heard about his skill with native languages; Reeves became the first Black deputy west of the Mississippi, a job he held for 32 years. Now his story is a Paramount+ series starring David Oyelowo (“Selma”), shown here, and produced by Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”); the first episodes air here. Read more…