Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Sept. 11: Jolts from fiction and from fact

1) “Snowfall” season-finale, 10 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11. The last two weeks have delivered fierce jolts. First, Franklin killed Andre, the honest neighborhood cop. Then Melody – Andre’s daughter, Franklin’s former girlfriend – shot Franklin three times, leaving him for dead. Will he survive? Where does the show go from here? Viewers will have to wait until the final minutes to find out. Much of this hour – frustrating, yet fascinating – is a “what if” detour. Then key questions are answered. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 10: Who’s the funniest?

1) “Bring the Funny” finale, 10:01 p.m., NBC. This started with 40 acts – stand-up comedians, sketch groups, even offbeat “variety acts.” Now it has a final five going for $250,000. One, announced tonight, is the “save” by viewers’ vote; the others are two stand-ups (Taccara Williams, shown here, and Ali Siddiq), plus a sketch act (The Chris & Paul Show) and a musical singing trio called Lewberger. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 8: Country at its best

1) “Country Music: Live at the Ryman,” 8-10 p.m., PBS. Next Sunday, Ken Burns’ brilliant “Country Music” begins. First, here’s a great concert — country’s best songs, done superbly. Many are jet-paced: Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Vince Gill and other gifted instrumentalists go high-octane. But there are also ballads, sung with heartbreaking passion – a Johnny Cash one by his daughter Roseanne … a Hank Williams one by his granddaughter Holly (shown here in a previous concert) … “Crazy,” sung with stunning power by Rhiannon Giddens. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 7: A Halsey triumph

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. As a first-time host, Halsey reflected on when she was a Jersey girl named Ashley Frangipane, watching “SNL” every week. Now, at 24, she’s a mono-named star – and an impressive one. As music guest(shown here) in this rerun, Halsey had some Gaga-esque moments, offering visual and vocal splendor. And as host, she blended into sketches well. It was a night that had a so-so start, then soared, including some clever satires of politicians with blackface pasts. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 6: Greece gets classy, Sheen gets laughs

1) “Live From Lincoln Center,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. OK, this isn’t live AND it isn’t from the Lincoln Center; other than that, the title is quite accurate. We follow the Chamber Music Society, as it visits and performs in iconic Greek settings (shown here). Classical pieces flow from the Ancient Amphitheater of Larissa, the Church of the Taxiarchon in Pelion and more. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 5: Pro football starts 100th season

1) Pro football season-opener, 8:20 p.m. ET , NBC. In 1920, the Decatur Staleys were 10-1-2, almost becoming the first champions of what’s now the National Fooball League. They became champs the next year … then changed their name to the Chicago Bears. The ’21 season was also when the Green Bay Packers joined, creating a fierce rivalry. Now the NFL’s 100th season begins with the 199th game between them. The Packers (led by Aaron Rodgers, shown here) lead 97-95-6, but the Bears, who host, are coming off a 12-4 season. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 4: Chefs go global

1) “MasterChef,” 8 p.m., Fox. Two weeks from its finale, this is down to the final six home chefs. There are four men, ranging from Nick DiGiovanni, 22, to Subha Ramiah (shown here), 54, and two women – a stay-at-home mom (Shari Mukherjee, 34) and a former Army interrogator (Sarah Faherty, 31). Now — in the show’s first global episode – they’re flown to Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant in London, where they serve 36 guests, including his family. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 3: Mayans return; Conan buys Greenland

1) “Mayans M.C.” season-opener, 10 p.m. FX. Three weeks before the big networks start their season, one of the most popular cable shows is back. It’s tough, taut and often brutal (especially tonight); it also has complex characters with sparse words and deep layers of emotion. At the core is EZ Reyes (JD Pardo), a probationary member of the motorcycle club; his brother hates him and his father (Edward Olmos, shown here with Pardo) has dark secrets. Meanwhile, the feds try to wipe out the rebel leader … unaware she has a deal with the cartel. Read more…

Best-bets for Sept. 2: “Big Bang” nears its end (again)

1) “The Big Bang Theory,” 8:30 p.m., CBS. Next week, “Big Bang” starts rerunning its terrific, one-hour finale over two Mondays. To set that up, here’s an excellent rerun that highlights supporting characters: Leonard ‘s mom (Christine Baranski) visits, seeming suspiciously warm and nice. Also, Stuart (shown here with Denise) has finally overstayed his welcome at the home of Howard and Bernadette. Read more…