1) “Joan Rivers: A Dead Funny All-Star Tribute,” 10 p.m., NBC. Rivers (shown here) carefully catalogued 70,000 jokes on note cards. There were four on Hitler, 34 on Nixon, 866 on Elizabeth Taylor. There were also 218 on death. Now, 11 years after her death at 81, people read from those cards; some (especially Nikki Glaser) add clever bits of their own. Read more…
1) “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Here’s a tribute to Gene Hackman, who died in February at 95. He had supporting roles in this film and “Hoosiers” (1986, midnight), both gems. He starred in the bracing “French Connection” (shown here, 1971, 10 p.m.), “Mississippi Burning” (1988, 2 a.m.) and “Night Moves” (1975, 4:15.). Read more…
1) “Tracker” season finale, 8 p.m., CBS. This season — a good one — keeps pointing to the pain in Colter’s family. As last week’s episode ended, he had a box that may contain secrets. Now Colter(shown here, left) uncovers a decades-old kidnapping and a secret from his family. Read more…
1) “The Judd Family: Truth Be Told,” 8 p.m., Lifetime, also 10:03 p.m. and midnight. Here’s the start of a documentary (concluding Sunday) with a great story. Naomi Judd, a nurse and single mother, formed The Judds (shown here) with her daughter Wynonna; they had 14 No. 1 country songs. It’s told by Wynonna and Ashley (a movie star), with clips of their late mom. Read more…
1) “Next to Normal,” 9-11:30 p.m., PBS. A four-Friday Broadway series starts with a stunning musical — a roller-coaster through grief and a fractured mind. Some viewers will consider this too painful; more will find it deeply moving. In its original version (shown here), it won a Pulitzer Prize for drama and Tonys for its music. Now cameras can add the subtlety behind quaking emotions. Read more…
1) “Elsbeth” season-finale, 9 p.m., CBS. It’s a real stretch to plunk Elsbeth into prison, alongside eight people she helped convict. But it’s worth it, to see them again. Several are good singers (Gina Gershon, Retta, Alyssa Milano (shown here), Elizabeth Lail), so there’s even a dream scene of a song from “Chicago.” And there’s a clever, in-prison murder mystery. Read more…
1) “Nature,” 8 p.m., PBS. This gentle gem flows with quiet joy. Injured or orphaned hummingbirds are taken to the massive Beverly Hills home of Terry Masear. She feeds and nurtures them, then nudges them back into the world. The photo here isn’t from the movie, but the hour is beautifully filmed. Read more…
1) “Night Court” season-finales, 8 and 8:30 p.m., NBC. These may be the final new episodes for a once-strong show has seemed headed to cancellation. Abby (shown here) has been the “fun judge,” as was her dad; now another judge gets the title. In the second episode, she’s in charge of two runaway teens. Read more…
1) “The Neighborhood” season-finale, 8 p.m., CBS. It’s graduation time for Malcolm and Grover, so their moms plan a double party (shown here). That’s in the first half-hour; in the second, Malcolm heads into a new world – but still in Los Angeles. This fall, “Neighborhood” returns for its eighth and final season. Read more…
1) “Miss Austen” opener, 9 p.m., PBS. Facts and fiction blend neatly in a four-parter. A decade after the death of novelist Jane Austen, another death forces her sister Cassandra (Keeley Hawes) into action, hoping to preserve Jane’s legacy. Her goals are iffy, but the terrific Hawes keeps us rooting for her, amid a sea of speculative flashbacks (shown here with the three Austen sisters.) Read more…
