1) “9-1-1: Lone Star” series-finale, 8 p.m., Fox. The most-watched shows on Fox were also the most expensive. So “9-1-1” moved to ABC and this spin-off is ending after five seasons. At least, it ends big(shown here) — with an asteroid hitting Texas. Rob Lowe, the star, won’t be jobless: He hosts “The Floor,” which has its season-opener Sunday, after the Super Bowl. Read more…
In the first 58 years of the Super Bowl, a pattern was set.
There would be lots of repeat champions, but no team would even get a shot at a three-peat … until now.
At 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday (Feb. 9), the Kansas City Chiefs try for their third straight championship. Standing in their way are the Philadelphia Eagles, plus history.
The Super Bowl began (shown here) with the Packers winning comfortably against the Chiefs and then the Oakland Raiders; the third year, however, they didn’t make it to the game. Later, there were back-to-back wins by the Dolphins, Steelers (twice), 49ers, Cowboys, Broncos and Patriots. In each case, the team failed to reach the game in the third year. Now the Chiefs arrive, with Patrick Mahomes (of TV-commercials fame) at quarterback, Travis Kelce (of Taylor Swift fame) at tight end and a 17-2 record this season.
It should be fun. Here’s our casual fan’s guide to the day on TV: Read more…
1) Grammys, 8-11:30 p.m. ET, CBS. A busy night will include tributes to Quincy Jones and to fire-scarred Los Angeles. Performers include Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Brad Paisley, Lainey Wilson, Cynthia Erivo, Chris Martin, Sheryl Crow and some best-album nominees — Sabrina Carpenter (shown here), Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Charli xcs and Jacob Collier. Read more…
1) Super Bowl, 6:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Fox. Nine times, a team has won back-to-back Super Bowls. Until now, none has reached the game the next year. Now the Chiefs (shown here), 17-2, have a shot at the first three-peat. Their previous two Super wins – and this year’s previous game – were by only three points each. They face the Eagles, 17-3, who are fresh from a 55-23 win. Read more…
1) “Can You Feel the Beat: The Lisa Lisa Story,” 8-10 p.m., Lifetime. This is a Lifetime specialty – movies about real-life music stars. Next week is Gloria Gaynor; first, this views Lisa Velez (shown here), a former Hell’s Kitchen teen who soared. The real Velez, now 59, plays her own mother, a Puerto Rican native with 10 children. Bre-Z (“All American”) plays Velez’s friend and back-up singer. Read more…
(This is the second chapter of a book-in-progress, “Television, and How It Got That Way.” For the first chapter, scroll down in “stories.”)
In his busy life, Pat Weaver was involved in many fine creations. They included “Today,” “Tonight,” the Sid Caesar (shown here) comedies and Sigourney Weaver, his daughter.
(There’s a bit more on her at the end of this chapter.)
But he also fell far short of one goal. Television, he once said, could be “the shining center of the home.” Read more…
1) “Fire Country,” 9 p.m., CBS. After a six-week break, this is back to new episodes – starting with a big one: A blaze (shown here) is out of control; Bode and Audrey scramble to survive, while Eve tries to save her dad (Phil Morris) and his ranch. That’s followed by “SWAT,” with an enemy seeking revenge. Read more…
Oscar season often feels like a weird-but-worthy treasure hunt.
Often enough, it brings surprising gems. I was reminded of that now, when I saw “Emilia Perez” and “Conclave” (shown here) almost back-to-back.
Both are up for best-picture Academy Awards, but they’re wildly different.
One is in Spanish, with some English; the other in English, with some Latin and Italian. One sprawls across Mexico and beyond; the other is confined to two buildings. One is mostly female, the other mostly male. But the difference goes much deeper. Read more…
1) “Matlock,” 9 p.m., CBS. After six weeks of reruns , CBS’ splendid Thursday line-up is back to new episodes. Here, there’s a tough task – proving Elijah’s cousin was wrongfully terminated. In an excellent episode, Matty (Kathy Bates, shown here) also has disputes at home and reaches a turning point at work. Read more…
1) “Chicago Fire” (shown here), “Chicago Med,” “Chicago P.D.,” 8-11 p.m., NBC. One mega-story sprawls across all three hours. Switching the shows’ usual order, it starts with a gas-main explosion causing cave-ins; doctors and firefighters work at the site. Then “Med” treats victims (including firefighters) at the hospital. At 10, “P.D.” scrambles to find who’s responsible. Read more…
Best-bets for June 29: The July 4th build-up begins 
Best-bets for June 28: music, young comic, old Mel 
Best-bets for June 27: Swayze, spies, soccer 
