1) “Night Court” season-opener, 8:30 p.m., NBC. The opening scene is quick and brash – when was the last time you saw anyone smash Faberge eggs? — and goofy, but in a good way. The rest continues to have offbeat fun, giving Dan (John Larroquette) big questions: Why is his nemesis (Wendie Malick, shown here with Dan and a defendant) here? And could he be the father of Abby’s boyfriend? Read more…
The music world has plenty of people who flash and fade, who soar and then sag.
But occasionally, it has someone whose work seems eternal. That includes Patsy Cline, the subject of a PBS concert at 9 p.m. Friday (Nov. 25), under the “Great Performances” banner. (Shown here is one of the performers, Grace Potter, at a previous evet.)
“The fact that we’re here, 61 years after her passing, is a testament” to her impact, Julie Fudge — who is Cline’s daughter and a producer of the special — told the Television Critics Association.
Yes, 61 years. On March 5, 1963, Cline died in a plane crash. She was 30, with a husband, a daughter and son (ages 4 and 2) and a rising career. Read more…
1) “Leonardo da Vinci,” 8 p.m., PBS, rerunning at 10; concludes Tuesday. His mind in perpetual motion, da Vinci painted, sculpted, invented and more. He abandoned many projects, but the ones he finished – Mona Lisa, The Last Supper (shown here), etc. – are renowned. Like previous Ken Burns films, this is beautifully filmed; unlike them, it’s fairly impersonal. Read more…
1) “Landman,” 9:09 p.m., Paramount Network. Talented writer-producer Taylor Sheridan launches a series about Texas oilmen, starring Billy Bob Thornton (shown here with Ali Larter) and Jon Hamm. That follows Sheridan’s-”Yellowstone”: Last week’s episode reruns at 6:45 p.m., with the murder of Gov. Dutton disguised as a suicide; on a new one at 8, the investigation begins. Read more…
The world keeps showing us geniuses with tortured souls. We get a grumpy Beethoven, a dreary Poe, a troubled Michelangelo.
But then there was Leonardo da Vinci, resisting stereotypes.
“The sense we get … is that he was more-or-less a happy person,” said Sarah Burns, whose epic profile of him starts Monday (Nov. 18) on PBS. “That he was the life of the party, even, in some ways.”
He was a gifted painter (an example is shown here), in a vibrant time for eager thinkers.
“They’re in these bodegas, where they are learning math,” said David McMahon, Burns’ husband and filmmaking partner. “They’re reciting poetry. They’re playing music. It feels a little bit like Warhol’s Factory, without the (drugs).” Read more…
1) Country Music Association awards, 8-11 p.m. Wednesday, ABC. Luke Bryan and Lainey Wilson (shown here) host and sing;, Peyton Manning merely hosts. Also, George Strait gets a lifetime award. Post Malone links with Chris Stapleton for “California Sober,” Thomas Rhett with Teddy Swims for a mash-up. Others are Dierks Bentley, Ashley McBride, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church,, Brooks & Dunn and more Read more…
1) “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 6:27 p.m., TBS. One of the all-time great shows (shown here) arrives early – 12 days before Thanksgiving, 39 before Christmas. Chuck Jones’ animation turned Dr. Seuss’ tale into a mini-masterpiece, boosted by Boris Karloff’s narration and Thurl Ravenscroft’s booming song about a mean one, Mr. Finch. Read more…
During a long winter break, CBS will mess with success.
The network tends to dominate the Nielsen ratings. Still, it will shuffle some of its best nights, temporarily (Thursdays, Wednesdays) or longer (Sundays, Fridays).
In the process, it will return one drama (“NCIS: Sydney,” shown here) and debut another (“Watson,” with Morris Chestnut as Dr. Watson, setting up a medical clinic in Pittsburgh after Sherlock Holmes’ death). It will also add lots of game shows
The key changes are: Read more…
1) “Great Performances,” 9-11 p.m.,, PBS. Here’s a rerun of last year’s terrific special, celebrating the 80th anniversary of Rodgers and Hammerstein. There are great moments from theater stars in London (where it was taped), especially and Marisha Wallace (shown here at a different event) and Michael Ball, and from Broadway stars, including Audra McDonald, Aaron Tveit and Patrick Wilson. Read more…
ABC’s line-up – a patchwork creation this fall – will get some much-needed repairs for mid-season. That includes:
— “Abbott Elementary” will no longer be the network’s only comedy. It will be paired with a show starring Tim Allen, with Kat Dennings as his daughter.
— “Scamanda” will finally surface. Announced for the fall schedule and then pulled, it will be paired with another true-crime tale.
— There will eventually be two drama nights, instead of one. “Will Trent” (shown here) and “The Rookie” have season-openers in January, sandwiching “High Potential” on Tuesdays. The Thursday line-up (“9-1-1,” “Doctor Odyssey,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) returns in March. Read more…
Best-bets for March 30: man of passion, songs of faith 
Best-bets for March 29: Basketball sparks a busy day 
Best-bets for March 28: Ilia’s back, in huge sports day 
