1) Skating, 1 p.m. ET, USA Network; 8 p.m., NBC. Ilia Malinin (shown here) had a long string of victories and one miss — in, alas, the Olympics. Now seeks his third title in the World Figure Skating Championships. You can catch the finals live on USA or wait for NBC. It will have highlights of the entire weekend; the women’s finals (including Amber Glenn) were Friday Read more…
1) “Martha Graham Dance Company: We Are Our Time,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. The opener, a three-minute gem, sets up a terrific film that sprawls across two Fridays. Tonight, we see Graham dance in her 30s (including a 1929 film) and coach in her 90s. We hear her words (via Meryl Streep) and see her current company (a performance is shown here), in its 100th season, with immensely gifted dancers. Read more…
1) “iHeartRadio Music Awards,” 8-10 p.m., Fox. Amid a sports surge, we also get pop music. Performers are Ludacris, who hosts, and John Mellencamp (shown here), who gets a special award, plus Alex Warren, Kehlani, Raye, Lainey Wilson and, for the first time, a linking of three classic girl groups — TLC. En Vogue and Salt-N-Pepa. Also getting a special award is Miley Cyrus. Read more…
1) “The Masked Singer,” 8 p.m., Fox. We’re a week from the finale, with five people left, (One, viewers know, is Kylie Cantrall, shown here in Disney’s “Rise of Red” movie, as “Cat Witch.”) This edition has dumped some singers — Billy Ray Cyrus, Jack Wagner, Tone Loc — and others. Last week it unmasked actor-singer Evan Ross (Diana Ross’ son) and Greg Mathis, of “Judge Mathis” fame. Read more…
1) “NCIS” 500th episode, 8 p.m., CBS. Yes, 500 episodes. That’ s below “The Simpsons”(805) and the “Law & Order” shows (588 and 538), but it’s 499 above “Turn-on,” “South of Sunset” and others. This episode (shown here) has concocted a way to get everyone involved: A Marine’s son is desperate for help; the fractured team links for an off-the-books operation. Read more…
1) “St. Denis Medical,” 8 p.m., NBC. Three stories pair the main characters neatly. Bruce (shown here) and Matt are on ambulance runs … Joyce and Alex are hiring a head midwife … and Ron and Serena battle over a pen, seemingly the only thing at the hospital that works. It all blend into a slick, funny episode. Read more…
1) “The Forsytes” opener, 9 p.m., PBS. It’s PBS’ third time telling the massive story of wealth, greed and romance in the early 1900s. This time it has all the modern skills to create a visually gorgeous show(as shown here) … plus a modern emphasis on the women. This six-Sunday story is just the first season, but it also works beautifully as a stand-alone mini-series. Read more…
1) Basketball. A new round of the college tournament begins, with Thursday’s winners colliding. CBS has games at noon, 2:30, 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET, with more games on TBS. TNT and TruTV. By late Sunday night, the tourney will have its “sweet 16” for next week’s games. Meanwhile, other networks have films (shown here) for the basketball-averse. Read more…
1) “Doc,” 8 p.m., Fox. Here’s a rerun of one of the show’s best episodes. It has three strong stories, including a powerful one centering on Joan (Felicity Huffman, shown here, right, in a previous episode), a skilled surgeon covering up her progressive ailment. That’s followed by an OK “Best Medicine,” focusing on a hunky loner. Read more…
1) College basketball. The 64-team tourney starts its three-week marathon. For CBS, that means tip-offs at 12:15 (Ohio State, shown here, and Texas Christian), 2:50, 7:10 and 9:45 p.m. ET, wiping out soaps, comedies and mysteries. That will be the same time Friday (wiping out cops and firefighters at night). There’s more on TBS, TNT and TruTV … and a new round will be Saturday and Sunday. Read more…
