1) “Yes, Chef” finale, 10 p.m., NBC. We’re down to three chefs. Zain Ismail, only 28, has links to Mauritius, India, Texas and Los Angeles. Lee Frank, 46, is descended from Holocaust survivors. Emily Brubaker (shown here), 44, once vowed not to work with her husband (right) again. Now they do link; each finalist has two aides, for a high-stress, three-course dinner. Read more…
1) “Nautilus” opener, 9 p.m., AMC, rerunning at 11:23. This starts well — a richly crafted series, loosely based on Jules’ Verne’s fantasy classic. There’s a rogue captain (shown here), a clever damsel, an invincible enemy and a great ship. By the second hour, however, we see the show’s limits. We’re stuck in a big ship in a (really) big ocean, with endless crises ahead. Read more…
For 70 years, the military life of Josh Turner’s grandfather was tucked away in a drawer, unseen.
For 10 more, it was in a songbook, unrecorded. “Everything happens for a reason,” Turner said, and there’s a right time for things.
Now is the time. At “A Capitol Fourth” (8 p.m. July 4 on PBS, rerunning at 9:30), he’ll sing “Unsung Hero,” a tribute to one guy — or to millions.
Turner (shown here) will also do “Firecracker,” which amuses him. “That song has nothing to do with fireworks,” he said, but people like to hear it on the holiday.
“A Capitol Fourth” is like that, mixing some serious moments with lots of festive ones. This year, it will have the Beach Boys and Temptations, plus gospel great Yolanda Adams, contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle, jazz’s Trombone Shorty, and two country acts, LoCash and Turner. Read more…
1) “A Capitol Fourth,” 8 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, PBS. Blending vibrant music, stories and fireworks (shown here in a previous year), this is an annual delight from Washington, D.C. This year has the Beach Boys and the Temptations, plus “American Idol” winner Abi Carter and stars from country (Josh Turner, LoCash), Christian music (Yolanda Adams, Lauren Daigle) and jazz (Trombone Shorty). Read more…
1) Cartoons, cable. There are lots of them — even on HBO. It has “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie” (2024), shown here, at 8. The Disney Channel has “Encanto” (2021) at 6:15 and “Phineas and Ferb” episodes, new (10 p.m.) and old (5:25, 5:50, 10:30). Freeform goes all day, from the “Cars” trilogy at 7 a.m. to the “Monsters” films at 6:55 and 9 p.m. Read more…
1) “My Mom, Jayne,” 8 p.m., HBO and Max. Jayne Mansfield(shown here) was a brainy beauty with a chaotic life. She posed in Playboy, did a nude scene in a movie, starred on Broadway, had three husbands and five children. At 34, she died in a car crash. Now Mariska Hargitay — the Emmy-winning actress who was 3 when her mom died — has made this documentary. Read more…
1) “CMA Fest,” 8-11 p.m., ABC. The night will be stuffed with 30 country songs, from hosts Ashley McBryde (shown here) and Cody Johnson and others. There’s Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Ella Langley. Darius Rucker, Trace Adkins, Riley Green and more, including Shaboozey with Jelly Roll. Read more…
1) NBA draft, 8 p.m. ET, ABC and ESPN. Chances are, we’ll be hearing the same teams over and over. Duke? It has three likely first-rounders — Cooper Flagg (shown here), expected at No. 1, plus Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. Rutgers? Despite a losing record, it may have two (Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey) in the top five. And Brooklyn (prior to trades) has four first-round picks. Read more…
1) “Age of Innocence” (1993), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Some 88 years after her death, Edith Wharton’s tales thrive. A gorgeous (but way too soapy) version of “The Buccaneers” is on Apple TV+; now here’s Martin Scorsese’s masterful take on her Pulitzer-winner,starring Michelle Pfeiffer (shown here), Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis. It won an Oscar for its costumes and drew four more nominations. Read more…
1) “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything,” Hulu. Walters (shown here) reached “Today” in 1961, when it was still a male domain. She was the latest of the “Today girls” … and then was much more. She dominated mornings, created “The View,” drew huge ratings for primetime specials and led a complicated personal life. Here’s a profile, starting a big week for streamers.
Read more…
Best-bets for Feb. 7: First full day of Olympics 
Best-bets for Feb. 6: The games begin 
Best-bets for Feb. 5: fun chefs, serious sports 
