Mike Hughes on TV

1) “Shogun” finale, 10-11:30 p.m., FX; also, Hulu. Gorgeous visually, yet relentlessly morose, the finale ends solemnly. We see the lethal result of the castle raid and its aftershocks. We also learn of Toranaga’s long-range scheme and see hints of the fate of Blackthorne, the English mariner. Overall, the miniseries (shown here) could be considered masterful or merely a long monotone. Read more…

1) Earth Day fun. This is the day when TV shows us the Earth at its best. That’s led by the National Geographic Channel, with epic mini-series. There’s “Secrets of the Elephant” (shown here) at 9:50 a.m., “Queens” at 12:50 p.m. and the superb “Secrets of the Octopus” (which debuted Sunday) from 7:08 to 10 p.m. Disney+ has the NatGeo shows, debuts “Tiger” and has 15 previous nature epics. Read more…

1) “Secrets of the Octopus,” 8-10:52 p.m., National Geographic Channel. Ignored (or feared) for centuries, octopuses (shown here) are the new media stars. They deserve the attention. They can change color, shape and image; they can hide from a predator, befuddle a prey, befriend a scientist. This terrific three-parter reruns at 10:52 p.m. today and then at 7:08 p.m. Monday, in an Earth Day marathon. Read more…

1) Basketball playoffs begin. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers needed an extra game (via the “play-in” phase) to get here, but now they’re in the playoffs. At 8:30 p.m., ET on ABC, they visit the Denver Nuggets (shown here ina previous game. That wraps an opening day that has games on ESPN at 1, 3:30 and 6 p.m. in Cleveland, Minnesota and at the New York Knicks. Read more…

1) “Now Hear This,” 9 p.m., PBS. As a young violinist, Scott Yoo was “tortured” by the demands of Nicolo Paganini’s music. Now he explores the legends – some true, some not – surrounding the composer. He also has interesting (but fairly pointless) looks at the masters of other fields. That’s followed at 10 p.m. by splendid virtuosos – saxophonist Joshua Redman, his band, and singer Gabrielle Cavasso (shown here). Read more…

1) “9-1-1,” 8-11 p.m., ABC. The entire shipboard crisis reruns in one burst. After Bobby and Athena start their belated honeymoon, things unfold slowly: Late in the first hour, there’s a problem – and an explosion; late in the second, people onshore begin to suspect something’s wrong. Meanwhile, Bobby and Athena scramble to save lives (shown here). Read more…