Two divas — generations apart — will be on the Christmas-week “Saturday Night Live.”
Ariana Grande (shown here), 32, will host for the third time. Cher, 79, will be the music guest for only the second time; the first was in 1987 … six years before Grande was born.
That’s part of the latest batch of new shows “SNL” announced today. After a two-week rerun break (Nov. 22 and Nov. 29), it has: Read more…
1) CMA Awards, 8-11 p.m., ABC. There are familiar stars here, including Lainey Wilson (who hosts), Kelsea Ballerini (shown here), Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and Kenny Chesney. But there are also new-artist nominees — Stephen Wilson Jr. (alone and with Shaboozey) and Trent Wetmore. And Luke Combs links with rapper BigXthaPlug. Read more…
1) “Murder in a Small Town,” 8 p.m., Fox. Beautifully directed by Amanda Tapping (the “Stargate” star), this is as gorgeous visually as it is nasty emotionally. Short on sleep, Sid crashed his police car into a woods; Karl (left, the police chief), fresh from an argument with Cassandra, is in Seattle to confront the artist/serial killer (center) he arrested. The rest is grimly compelling. Read more…
1) “The Paper,” 8:30 p.m., NBC. In last week’s opener, Ned took over a sagging Toledo newspaper, planning to slowly nudge along its makeshift staff. Now Esmeralda sabotages that by canceling the wire services; these novices (shown here with Ned) must learn quickly. It’s a funny start for the show, which has already streamed on Peacock. Read more…
(Here are the five TV best-bets for Sunday, Nov. 16; feel free to use in any form — all or some, print and/or web)
1) “The American Revolution” opener, 8 p.m. PBS; repeats at 10. Ken Burns’ masterful film opens with 13 colonies having little in common — until they’re linked by a hatred of British taxes. This first (of six) chapters takes us through Lexington, Concord and the siege of Boston. Some Englishmen expected a quick, easy war; it would take eight brutal years. Read more…
1) CMA Awards, 8-11 p.m. Wednesday, ABC. There’s a new-music feel here, including rapper/country singer duos — BigXthaPlug with Luke Combs plus Shaboozey with Stephen Wilson Jr. There will be music by new-artist nominees Wilson and Trent Wetmore, plus Lainey Wilson (shown here, who hosts), Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney and more. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Glen Powell hosts, with his career in overdrive. His “Running Man” action film opened Friday in theaters — where he scored with “Twisters” and (shown here) “Anyone But You.” He also has the Hulu comedy series “Chad Powers” and the Netflix drama “Hit Man.” Olivia Dean is tonight’s music guest. Read more…
1) “Stumble,” 8:30 p.m., NBC. In last week’s opener, an intense cheer-team coach (Jenn Lyon) was fired from Sammy Davis Senior Junior College, where her husband is the football coach. She went to a nearby school and assembled a makeshift team, which collapsed (literally). Now (shown here), she shares a media event with her old school. Sight gags — some of them quite funny — abound. Read more…
When the second half of the TV season starts in January, Fox will rediscover the notion of scripted shows.
This fall, it only had two of them (animation excluded). Soon it will have five (incliuding a “Doc Martin” reboot, shown here) … plus a three-Sunday mini-series … plus restocking its cartoons.
The two scripted non-cartoons this fall are “Murder in a Small Town” (with only a 10-episode season) and “Doc,” which will rest for a month, then return Jan. 6. It will be joined by: Read more…
1) Elsbeth,” 10 p.m.. CBS. Tony Hale, a familiar chump on “Arrested Deveolpment and (with two Emmys) “Veep,” plays a tech billionaire who frets about an uprising of the masses. He builds a home bunker … then finds nasty uses. Elsbeth (shown here with her police colleagues) probes the case, in a fairly good episode that also sees her deal with the widow of her nemesis, Judge Crawford. Read more…
Best-bets for Dec. 7: near the end of “The Road” 
Best-bets for Dec. 6: big games and big laughs 
Best-bets for Dec. 5: Battles begin, Rudolph returns 
