1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. After missing some weeks because of the writers’ strike, “SNL” is busy. This is its fourth new episode in five weeks, with a fifth one (Jason Mamoa hosts) next week. Tonight is the second time as host for Timothee Chalamet, 27, whose “Wonka” (shown here) is coming Dec. 15. The music guest is the three-woman indie group, Boygenius. Read more…
1) “Salute to Service,” 9 p.m., PBS. On Veterans Day eve, Jon Stewart offers a warm tribute. There’s great music from Amanda Shires, Mickey Guyton and Mandy Gonzalez (shown here in a previous performance) … and from soldiers. We hear military people who are gifted musicians, singers and (yes) rappers. Stewart also meets Evelyn Kandel: At 18, she was the pretty blonde chosen to represent her fellow Marines; 72 years later, we meet a helicopter pilot, one of four sisters who are West Point grads. Read more…
1) “Big Brother” finale, 8-10 p.m., CBS. Three people still have a shot at being the show’s 25th winner. There’s Matt Klotz (shown here), 27, a gold-medal swimmer in the Deaflympics … “Jag” Bains,” 25, a truck-company owner who was rescued from eviction by Klotz on Aug. 31 … and “Bowie Jane” Ball, 45, a lawyer and DJ. The show has ousted 14 others; now one of the three will win $750,000. Read more…
1) Country Music Association awards, 8-11 p.m., ABC. The late Jimmy Buffett had lots of country friends; now some of them – Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Mac McAnally, Zac Brown Band — will perform his songs. Morgan Wallen (shown here) will do a country medley with Hardy and Post Malone, then return with a surprise guest. Also performing: Luke Bryan (who hosts with Peyton Manning), Dan + Shea, Kelsea Ballerini, Jordan Davis, Ashley McBride and more. Read more…
1) “Dolly Parton – From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll,” 10 p.m., ABC. On the eve of the Country Music Association awards, Robin Roberts interviews Parton (shown here). She ranges from Parton’s early years to her new album, linking with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pat Benatar, Steven Tyler and more. Read more…
1) “Kitchen Nightmares.” 8 p.m., Fox. At a restaurant called Juicy Box, Gordon Ramsay logically orders juice. “The juicer is kind of like broken,” the cheery waitress (shown here) says. So is a walk-in refrigerator; it should be 38-40 degrees, but is now 74. Also, there are no printed menus and the opening time has been switched from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. This hour – set for Oct. 23, then delayed because of baseball – is a good one, with likable people making major mistakes. Read more…
1) “The Simpsons,” 8 pm., Fox. Once a year, “Treehouse of Horror” offers tales that are sometimes witty, sometimes gory, always wonderfully bizarre. Now – a week later than usual – we get a new batch. The first two are fairly good and a bit gruesome: Marge plunges into the game universe (shown here) to save Bart; Lisa solves a crime. The third one is the real gem, offering a world full of Homer-ic people. Read more…
1) “Planet Earth III” opener, 8-9:09 p.m., BBC America. At 31, David Attenborough led a TV voyage to Raine Island (shown here), a 79-acre speck near Australia that is vital to green turtles. Now, 66 years later, the opener of this eight-week series (which he narrates) includes a returns to Raine. That’s in an episode filled with great footage and smart narration. Previous “Planet Earth” episodes rerun all day. Read more…
1) “Great Performances,” 9 p.m., PBS. Kate Prince is a gifted choreographer, creating vibrant blends of hip hop and other contemporary dance styles. Now she’s crafted a show (shown here), backed by the music of Sting. The story tells of a family that must flee its country, then finds pain and joy as refugees. Backed by such songs as “Roxanne” and “Every Breath You Take,” the result is emotional and involving Read more…
1) “SEAL Team” return, 10 p.m., CBS. After years on CBS, this show slid over to the Paramount+ streamer. It aired the first four episodes of the fifth season on CBS, then made the jump. Now it’s back, filling a strike-time void. It starts with the two-parter that opened that fifth season: The crew members (including David Boreanaz, shown here, center, in a previous episode) get at-home time, starts a “training exercise” … and learn it’s a real (and dangerous) rescue mission. Read more…
