Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 24: Ten hours of family crises

1) “Web of Dreams,” 8-10 p.m., Lifetime. Now the Casteel saga is complete. Over five Saturdays, Lifetime has had adaptations of the V.C. Andrews novels. The first three starred young Annalise Basso as Heaven Casteel (shown here). In “Heaven” (rerunning at noon), her father sells her to a cruel family … In “Dark Angel” (2 p.m.), she finds her grandfather’s mansion … In “Fallen Hearts” (4), she’s lured back there… In “Gates of Paradise” (6), her daughter faces tragedy … Then “Web” flashes back to the family secrets. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 23: It’s time for some vintage fun

1) Movies, cable. To re-live some long-ago fun, catch the delightful “Ghostbusters” (1984) — shown here with Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd — at 7 p.m. on AMC. The fairly good “Ghostbusters II” (1989) follows at 9:35. For a newer hit, “Descendants 3” is at 8 p.m. on Disney; if you include delayed viewing, this bright musical drew an extraordinary 11.2 million viewers for its debut. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 22: Bye-bye, golf and “Baskets”

1) “Holey Moley” season-finale, 8 and 9 p.m., ABC. Each era, alas, has a different legacy. In 1969, we had the summer of Woodstock; in 2019, we have the summer when miniature golf (shown here) became a primetime, big-network sport. Now we get a champion, with sports stars dropping in. It’s golfer Michelle Wei in the first hour, gymnast Gabrielle Douglas in the second, basketball’s Steph Curry (who produces this show) in both. He even asks why there aren’t more mini-sports. Mini-basketball maybe? Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 20: Season ends for two potent dramas

1) “Animal Kingdom” season-finale, 9 p.m., TNT. For four seasons, this has been all about “Smurf” Cody (Ellen Barkin), guiding her sons (including Craig and Deran, shown here) and grandson in a brutal crime family. Now she’s gone – dying of cancer, she forced them to kill her – and the family is in limbo. “Smurf’s dead,” someone says. “Cody don’t mean (bleep) anymore.” That’s said twice in this hour – the second time met with vigorous dissent. Setting up next season, it’s a deeply emotional hour that returns people from Smurf’s past. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 19: Maxi-star, micro-musical

1) “Carpool Karaoke,” 10 p.m., CBS. You never know what kind of musician you’ll get at an English pub, but this exceeded all expectations: It was Sir Paul McCartney. That was one of the highlights, as James Corden – an English kid, born eight years after the Beatles broke up – joined him. They visited a Beatles statue (show here), McCartney’s childhood home and some places mentioned in “Penny Lane.” The result is nominated for five Emmys, including best variety special not done live. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 18: A righteous family wobbles

1) “The Righteous Gemstones” debut, 10 p.m., HBO. Danny McBride co-created and starred in two shows — “Eastbound & Down” and “Vice Principals” — that had a ragged, working-bloke feel. Now he goes way upscale; we’re at a mega-church, full of glitz and gimmicks. John Goodman is the pastor and patriarch, at a loss since the death of his wife (Jennifer Nettles, via flashbacks). In the fairly entertaining opener, their sons (McBride and Adam Devine, shown here) and and daughter (Edi Patterson) get in huge trouble. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 17: Bunkers are back (again)

1) “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons,” 8-9:32 p.m., ABC. Jimmy Kimmel was 4 when TV comedy was transformed by “All in the Family”; other Norman Lear shows followed, including “The Jeffersons.” This season, Kimmel had a live special, using two old scripts and new actors — Woody Harrelson and Marisa Tomei as the Bunkers (shown here), Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes as the Jeffersons. It drew10 million viewers, reran … and now re-reruns, with a “20/20” follow-up at 9:32 and Kimmel at 10. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 16: Wu is a reluctant TV star

1) “Fresh Off the Boat,” 8:30 p.m., ABC. Here’s a rerun of an episode that put more focus on Constance Wu (shown here), who became a movie star in “Crazy Rich Asians” … then grumbled when “Boat” was renewed for next season. She plays the mom, now an author; as she looks forward to a book-store reading, her husband is excited about a book tour and buys a recreational vehicle. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 15: Belatedly, “Baskets” is fun

1) “Baskets,” 10 p.m., FX. For four seasons, the life of Chip Baskets (Zach Galifianakis) has been a slow, downhill slide. Now comes a detour – a broadly funny trip to the state Capitol, to protest a bullet train that would buy the land his rodeo is on. Chip heads there with his twin Dale (also Galifianakis), and their mom. She’s played with subtle perfection by Louie Anderson (shown here), who’s already won an Emmy in the role. It’s a funny and warm episode; the descent resumes in next week’s series finale. Read more…