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…
There’s another step in TV’s transformation:
Next year, two broadcast networks will have weekly wrestling shows. One will even have minor-league (sort of) wrestlers.
Beginning next October, “WWE NXT” (shown here) will have a weekly spot on the CW network – the first time it’s been on a broadcast network, instead of cable. Meanwhile, the main WWE show continues on Fox.
NXT began 13 years ago, as a WWE launchng point. In the most recent “WrestleMania,” more than 90 percent of the people had been in NXT. 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…
In baseball terms, this is like having Ruth and Gehrig together in the batting order. Or Mantle and Martis. Or Matthews and Aaron.
It’s going from strength to strength. Today (Wednesday, Nov. 8), Apple TV+ has:
— The season-finale of “The Morning Show,” filled with schemes and obstacles.
— The debut of “Buccaneers” (shown here) filled with giddy possibilities. 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) Country Music Association awards, 8-11 p.m. Wednesday, ABC. A tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett will be performed by his friends – Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson (shown here with Buffett), Mac McAnally and the Zac Brown Band. Morgan Wallen 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), Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Ashley McBride and more. Read more…
Best-bets for July 4: lots of music, lots of fireworks 
Best-bets for July 3: The party starts a day early 
Best-bets for July 2: bison, “Bear,” baseball 
