The “Downton Abbey” era began with two rejections. Then came the flip side, with soaring success.
That has included six PBS seasons, 69 Emmy nominations (with 15 wins) and three movies.
The third — “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” (shown here) — is in theaters now; “Downton” fans will love it, others will find it kind of interesting. It wraps up a splendid stretch that began with rejection. Read more…
1) CBS fall preview, 9 p.m., CBS. This is the one place that has much to preview. The other three big networks, combined, have only four new shows (only one of them scripted) this fall. But CBS has a sharp comedy (“DMV,” shown here), two cop dramas (the strong “Boston Blue” and so-so “Sheriff Country”) and a promising music competition (“The Road”). Read more…
1) “Law & Order” (shown here) and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” 8 and 9 p.m., NBC. Next week, these shows begin their 25th and 27th seasons. First, here are reruns of the season-finales, involving the murder of a model and sexual assaults on female psychiatrists. At 10, “L&O” reruns a January episode, focusing on the murder of a music mogul. Read more…
1) “MasterChef” finale, 8-10 p.m., Fox. Three-course dinners offer broad choices. We see shrimp, salmon, lobster, short ribs, torte, mousse and more. Stretched over two hours, this feel-good finale does gets repetitious. Still, the duos — Julio Figuerdo and Rachel Sanchez (shown here), Jessica Bosworth and Jesse Rosenwald, Aivan Tran and Tina Duong — are impressive. Read more…
1) “The 1% Club” season-finale, 8 and 9 p.m., Fox. This is a great way to end a terrific season. Each hour brings back 100 people who were ousted on a previous show — ranging all the way from early losers (missing a question that 90 percent of people got) to people who reached the finals. With fun contestants and banter from Joel McHale (shown here), it’s a delight. Read more…
1) “Celebrity Weakest Link” debut, 9 p.m., Fox. Celebrity versions may work for some games, but not this one. “Weakest Link” is a dog-eat-dog game, based on dumping the others and getting the money. It doesn’t work with friends playing for charity. (Tonight has former “Glee” co-stars including, shown here, Jenna Ushkowitz and Amber Riley.) Jane Lynch adds quips, but it feels forced, a variation on her “Glee” character. Read more…
1) Emmy Awards, 8-11 p.m. ET, CBS. Nate Burgatze hosts on CBS … which has few nominations, beyond reality shows and Stephen Colbert. Instead, streamers dominate: Apple TV+ has two best-comedy nominees (“The Studio, “Shrinking”) and two for drama (“Severance,” “Slow Horses”). HBO has “White Lotus” (shown here) and “The Last of Us,” plus two for HBO Max. Read more…
As TV networks scramble for their niches, CBS has found a big one — music, especially the kind that spans generations and continents.
Earlier, the network announced an “Earth, Wind & Fire” celebration for Sept. 21. Now it has added Cyndi Lauper one (shown here) for two weeks later.
Those specials, also on Paramount+, involve top music producers from different eras. The EWF one is from Ben Winston, 43; the Lauper one is from Ken Ehrlich, 82. Read more…
1) “A Grammy Salute to Earth, Wind & Fire: The 21at Night of September,” 8-10 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS. In 1978, an EWF song began “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” It hit No. 8 on the charts, one of the band’s seven singles (and seven albums) in the top-10. Now Sept. 21 is the night for a concert tribute to a rousing sound, with horns (shown here) guitars and more, bursting loose. Read more…
1) “The Groomsmen: Second Chances,” 8-10 p.m., Hallmark. Jonathan Bennett planned this three-week mini-series as a reflection of his own life — a guy who’s gay, with best friends who aren’t. In least week’s opener, Danny (Bennett, right) convinced a friend center) to pursue a woman he’d just met. Now Danny ponders telling his best friend Zach that he loves him. Read more…
Best-bets for March 25: End is here for “Fear,” near for “Singer” 
Best-bets fo March 24: Doc, Daredevil & 500th “NCIS” 
Best-bets for March 23: clever comedies, plus bowlers 
