Daily Best Bets

1) “Survivor” opener, 8-10 p.m, CBS. For its 40th edition, “Survivor” is bringing back 20 champions (shown here) … including Sandra Diaz-Twine, who’s won it twice. This goes as far back to Ethan Zohn, who won the third edition, in 2001 … and is as recent as the 2018 winners, Nick Wilson and Wendell Holland. It also includes Rob and Amber Mariano: He proposed (and she said yes) in 2004, when they were the two finalists. She won; seven years later, he won. Now they have four daughters, ages 5 to 10. Read more…

1) “For Life” debut, 10 p.m., ABC. Isaac Wright has a real comeback story: Convicted via New Jersey’s drug-kingpin law, he faced life imprisonment. As a paralegal, he helped 20 fellow inmates win freedom or reduced sentences … then won freedom for himself. Now he’s a defense lawyer and he’s the consultant for this solid series, which adjusts the story slightly: The protagonist (Nicholas Pinnock, shown here) becomes a lawyer, but remains in prison; with a progressive warden, he leaves with a guard and tether to argue cases. Read more…

1) “Bob (Hearts) Abishola,” 8:30 p.m., CBS. As Valentine week begins, this terrific show makes a quick detour. Last Monday, Bob was bitter when his mom resumed control of the company, with Abishola (her nurse, his loved one) as her assistant. He quit the job and the romance and had a drunken spree with a forklift. Now, cleaned up, he takes Abishola to dinner (shown here) … and is ready to say he loves her. Read more…

1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET, ABC. For the second straight year, here’s no host. Last year was salvaged by music from Queen and Lady Gaga, but it was still dull and humorless. This year? The music is promising again, with nominated songs done by Elton John, Randy Newman, Chrissy Metz and the immensely talented Idina Menzel and Cynthia Erivo. Viewers will recognize some of the nominated films (“Joker,” “Ford v. Ferrari,: “Once Upon a Time in America,” shown here with Brad Pitt) and actors (Pitt, Tom Hanks, Renee Zellweger, Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Pacino). Read more…

1) Oscar eve shows, On the night before the Academy Awards, cable offers past gems. Turner Classic Movies’ Oscar marathon is topped by “From Here to Eternity” (1953, shown here with Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr) – winner of eight Oscars, including best picture and (in support) Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed – at 5:45 p.m. ET.. FX has back-to-back best-picture nominees – the great “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (2017) at 5:30, had seven nominations, winning for Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell; “Hidden Figures” (2016), at 8 p.m., had three nominations. Read more…

1) “MacGyver” season-opener, 8 p.m., CBS. There’s an action surplus on CBS; “MacGyver” finally returns, nine months after its last new episode. Now the team can again tackle an impossible mission: At an elegant party (shown here), it team must slip off, find crucial information and transmit a copy without being noticed. There’s no Phoenix Foundation to help; our heroes are working with a quirky British ex-spy, played, by Henry Ian Cusick of “Lost.” Read more…

1) “Tommy” debut, 10 p.m., CBS. TV loves to show an outsider, tackling new turf. Here’s a prime example: “Tommy” Thomas, the new Los Angeles police chief, is female … and gay … and from New York. She’s an instant anomaly. In the wrong hands, this could have been riddled with cliches. “Tommy,” however, is written by Paul Attanasio, who drew Oscar nominations for “Donnie Brasco” and “Quiz Show” and then created “House.” It stars Edie Falco (shown here), a four-time Enmy-winner. Resisting cliches, they give us deeply layered characters. Read more…

1) “Chicago P.D.,” 10 p.m., NBC. A tough hour starts quietly. Earlier this season, we learned that Kim Burgess (Marina Squercian, shown here in a previous episode) is pregnant via Adam Ruzek, a fellow cop who is her ex-fiance. Assigned to light duty, she’s working the 9-1-1 calls. That’s when a plaintive call grabs her emotionally. What follows is a terrific hour – sharply and subtly written and played – that takes Burgess (and viewers) on an emotional roller-coaster. Read more…

1) State of the Union address and response, 9-11 p.m. ET, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, PBS and news channels. This is a unique time in history – a president preparing his speech while he’s been facing impeachment and planning a re-election push. People will probably be interested in Donald Trump’s comments and in the Democratic response by Michigan Gov.Gretchen Whitmer. If not? We’ll list some 9 p.m. alternatives, including (shown here) some CW time-travel. Read more…

1) “Some Like It Hot” (1959), 9:45 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. We’re in Oscar Week, leading into Sunday’s Academy Award ceremony. And TCM’s “31 Days of Oscar” has barely started. “Hot” (shown here in a color poster for the black-and-white film) won one Oscar (for costumes), but was nominated for five more, including Jack Lemmon in support; the American Film Institute named it the funniest American movie of all time. Lemmon stars with Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe … whose “Bus Stop” (1956) is at 8. Read more…