1) “American Ninja Warrior” season-opener, 9-11 p.m., NBC. The 18th season starts with people who are easy to root for. A teen farmgirl works out by chasing chickens … a cowboy sometimes carries his disabled wife … Kathy Zimmerman (shown here) and her family have a homemade, backyard course. Now re-designed obstacles have all of them swinging and scrambling. Read more…
1) Tony Awards, 8-11 p.m, ET, CBS. The night will be stuffed with big musical numbers. There are the nominated new musicals — “Schmigadoon” (shown here), “Titanique,” “The Lost Boys” “Two Strangers” — and revivals (“Ragtime,” “Rocky Horror,” “Cats”), plus the original “Book of Mormon” cast. And Pink, who hosts, joins a 30th-year tribute to “Chicago.” Read more…
1) Band of Brothers,” 9 a.m. to 11:19 p.m., Sundance. On the anniversary of the D-Day invasion, we can re-see a superb mini-series (shown here) about an Airborne company that was there. The first episode involves training, but the second (at 10:41 a.m.) sees men parachute behind enemy lines on June 6, 1944. The story continues through the end of the war and beyond. Read more…
1) “Dutton Ranch,” Paramount+. Here’s a pivotal episode in what has quickly become a great series. Last week, a tragedy shattered the cattle ranch. Now Rip (shown here) and Beth take surprising steps to rebuild their life. Also, their adopted son had found a hot lover and a chatty friend; now he, too, confronts tragedy. Read more…
1) “The Americas” return, 8 and 9 p.m. NBC. Next week, NBC starts filling Thursdays with big, British-American documentaries — the new “Surviving Earth” at 8 p.m. and reruns of the splendid “Americas” at 9. Filling those spots this week are “fun facts” variations of two hours: We visit the warmth of Mexico (shown here), then reach the frozen Arctic. Read more…
1) “Brilliant Minds,” 8 p.m., NBC. For its final six episodes, this wades into heavy turf. Sofia seems real to Dr. Wolf, but others feel he’s imagining her. Now he’s admitted himself into a psych institution, while his colleagues (shown here) handle a tough case at the hospital. Pivotal and emotional events follow. Read more…
1) “America’s Got Talent” season-opener, 8-10 p.m., NBC. A Nigerian-born engineer dances without music; a Chinese engineer (shown here) dances without humans; Canadians dance with dogs. There’s much more, including a Cuban-born rapper, a French comedian and also some Americans who, like the others, have talent. It’s an impressive (and sometimes emotional) start. Read more…
1) “Bring Me the Beauties” opener, 9 p.m., HBO. Hoyt Richards is a Princeton grad who was called the first male supermodel. He worked for elite brands (Versace, Lauren, Cartier, etc), made a fortune … and gave it to a cult. This three-parter starts on a busy documentary day: At 8 and 9, ABC reruns films on Richard Simmons and on Kennedy conspiracy theories. Read more…
1) “The Audacity” season-finale, 9-10:29 p.m., AMC, repeating at 11:06. At a tech showcase, Duncan (shown here) plans to unveil his data-mining scheme, PINATA (Privacy Is Not A Thing Anymore). At the same time, his wife and daughter have a big school event. There are pivotal moments here, especially after a school stunt goes bad. It adds up to a great (but incomplete) finish. Read more…
1) “Beverly Hills Cop” (1984, shown here) and its sequel (1987), 6 and 8:15 p.m., Sundance. On Sunday, Netflix will add this year’s ceremony, with the America Film Institute giving Eddie Murphy its Lifetime Achievement Award. First, here are two of his best films, skillfully mixing action, intensity and big, Murphy-style humor. Read more…
