Daily Best Bets

Best-bets for Aug. 14: Reality rules, including food finale

1) “Crime Scene Kitchen” finale, 9 p.m., Fox. For two summers, Fadi Odeh and T Lawrence-Simon (shown here) have brightened cooking showa. Last year, they were opponents in “The Great Chocolate Showdown”; T tied for runner-up, with Fadi finishing sixth. Now they’re together, in a season that started with 12 duos, half of them classically trained. Fadi and T are the only self-taught cooks in the final three. In fact, T also performs and teaches circus aerial acts. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 13: “Billions” starts, “1883” ends

1) “Billions” season-opener, 8 p.m., Showtime. When Damian Lewis (shown here) left, “Billions” scrambled for an entire season. His character — Bobby “Axe” Axelrod – had fled overseas to escape prosecution. Mike Prince – just as ruthless, but way less charming – took over. Now Prince plans to run for president and others are desperate to get Axe back; so are we. Stick with this hour, through some strong dialog and then a big finish. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 12: We can marvel at a new hero

1) “Ms. Marvel” conclusion, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Fresh from its Television Critics Association award for best family show, this mini-series – originally on Disney+ — wraps its two-week rerun. Last week, we met Kamala Khan, a teen who played videogames and wrote fan fiction, especially about Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel). Then a bangle from her grandmother unlocked her own powers. Now (shown here) she’s traveling the world to learn family secrets. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 11: Happy birthday, hip hop

1) Hip hop birthday, Showtime. Hip hop – with its surge of DJs, rappers, break-dancers and more – began on Aug. 11, 1973, historians say, with a West Bronx party. Now Showtime celebrates with a marathon. That includes highlights of “Video Music Box” at 10 a.m., followed by a film about Cypress Hill (11:30), mini-series about Supreme Team at 1 p.m. and Wu-Tang Clan (shown here) at 4 p.m. and then a film about rapper Biz Markie at 8. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 10: Tough reality shows arrive

1) “The Challenge: USA” opener, 10 p.m., CBS. This is the final piece in CBS’ August surge. Spun off of a long-running MTV show, it takes 24 reality-show alumni to Croatia (shown here). Nine started on “Big Brother” and seven on “Survivor, including winners Michele Fitzgerald and Chris Underwood.” The show follows “Big Brother” on Thursdays and (for the next three weeks) on Sundays. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 8: “Murders” starts; “Justified” continues

1) “Only Murders in the Building” season-opener, Hulu. The first two seasons have been terrific; each has drawn a ton of Emmy nominations, including ones for best comedy series and for Steve Martin and Martin Short as best actor. Along with Selena Gomez, they (shown here) play podcast buffs who find murders. This time, the victim was a theater star and Oliver (Short) dreams of reviving his own career. There are two episodes this week, with Meryl Streep in support. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 7: Reality shows are near their finales

1) “The Bachelorette,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. It’s “fantasy suite” night, when Charity Lawson (shown here) invites the final three guys to separately each spend a night with her. (Historically, guys tend to accept these invitations.) Last week, she visited four home towns, then ousted Aaron Bryant. That leaves Joey Graziadel, a tennis pro from Hawaii; Xavier Bonner, a biomedical scientist from Ohio; and Dutan Olubeko, a medical specialist from Fresno. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 6: strong dramas, arriving and departing

1) “Grantchester” season-finale, 9-11 p.m., PBS. The eighth season has been the best one yet, solving smart mysteries while dealing with deep personal problems. Will has wallowed in guilt, since killing a man who ran in front of his motorcycle. Geordie has an arrogant new boss; also, Bonnie (Will’s pregnant wife) and Leonard (his former assistant, shown here with Will, center, and Will’s housekeeper) despair. Now some of that is resolved, while two more mysteries are solved. Read more…

Best-bets for Aug. 5: Steve Martin, Harrison Ford and a young marvel

1) “Ms. Marvel” opener, 8-11 p.m., ABC. Here’s a surprise bonus – a Disney+ mini-series, jumping to ABC. Iman Vellani, a Pakistan native who grew up in Canada, plays Kamala Khan, who plays videogames and writes fan fiction, especially about Captain Marvel. Then she gets a bangle from her grandmother and (shown here) her life transforms. This six-part tale concludes next Saturday, setting up a movie (“The Marvels”), tentatively set for Nov. 10. Read more…