The photojournalist who was kidnapped on Thanksgiving Day 2012 and went missing for two years before his execution video by ISIS is the subject of the documentary “Jim: The James Foley Story” (HBO, 9 p.m.), directed by his childhood friend Brian Oakes.
With a wealth of interviews with colleagues in the field and family back in New Hampshire, it’s a good picture of contemporary freelance journalists in combat zones at first and a deep look at what captivity was like, from his fellow pen mates. By the end, it gets quite emotionally devastating. But while there are plenty of brutal combat shots in Libya and Syria, Foley’s beheading is not shown.
Lest you forget it’s some kind of football holiday weekend, there are a couple of specials to remind you. “NFL Honors” (CBS, 9 p.m.) treats the season, awards show style. But Conan O’Brien hosts. I could swear there was another two hour commercial special; here’s another one: “Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials All-Star Countdown” (CBS, 8 p.m.), a countdown hosted by Kevin Frazier.
The field for the latest Republican Presidential Debate (ABC, 8 p.m.) is down to seven, but still they left Carly Fiorina out of the lineup for tonights three hour prime time event ‘s St. Anselm’s College in Manchester — the last event being held before the nation’s first primary vote Tuesday in New Hampshire. David Muir and Martha Raddatz moderate.
Vane faces defeat in one of the many battles on this week’s “Black Sails” (Starz, 9 p.m.).
“Doctor Who” (BBC America, 9 p.m.) has to save an underwater base in a two hour episode.
Liam Neeson stars in the thriller “A Walk Among the Tombstones” (HBO, 7 p.m.), making its premium cable premiere.
The season opener gets a replay on “The X-Files” (Fox, 8 p.m.) instead of this week’s amusing episode three.
Think of them as appendixes to the current FX dramatization: “The Secret Tapes of the O.J. Case: The Untold Story” (A&E, 8 p.m.) and “O.J. Speaks: The Hidden Tapes”( A&E, 10 p.m.).
The story of Linda Kasabian and women who had more colorful nicknames as part of Charlie Manson’s cult are recounted on the new TV movie “Manson’s Lost Girls” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), which features a number of daughters of Hollywood stars such as Kelsey Grammar, James Brolin and Michael Madsen (Greer Grammar, Eden Brolin and Christian Madsen respectively). It’s followed by the documentary “Behind the Headlines: Manson’s Lost Girls” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
It’s a little weird that just about every Hallmark romance movie is about a woman who is a harried executive until she finds some old boyfriend from a simpler time. It happens again with a restaurant theme tonight on the new “Appetite for Love” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) starring Taylor Cole and Andrew Walker.
What are the most dangerous home experiments? They count they down on “Outrageous Acts of Science” (Science, 9 p.m.).
Weapons for a zombie apocalypse are tested on “MythBusters” (Discovery, 8 p.m.), all of them unnecessary on “Zombie House Flipping” (FYI, 10 p.m.).
L. Ron Hubbard’s former Scientology lab in Los Angeles gets a once over on “Ghost Adventures” (Travel, 10 p.m.).
Linda Blair, Chaz Bono and Nichelle Nichols are tracked down on a new “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (OWN, 10 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar replays its documentary “And the Oscar Goes To…” (10:30 p.m.) amid the films “Broadcast News” (8 p.m.), “Easy Rider” (12:30 a.m.), “Rebel Without a Cause” (2:15 a.m.) and “The Star” (4:15 a.m.).
A day full of men’s college basketball games today begin with the following at noon: Kansas at TCU (ESPN), Cincinnati at Memphis (ESPN2), Temple at Central Florida (ESPNU), Marquette at Xavier (Fox Sports 1) and George Washington at VCU (CBS Sports).
Then comes Davidson at Duquesne (NBC Sports, 12:30 p.m.), Iowa State at Oklahoma State (ESPN2, 2 p.m.), Michigan State at Michigan (CBS, 2 p.m.), North Carolina State at Duke (ESPN, 2 p.m.), Rutgers at Nebraska (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Northern Iowa at Drake (CBS Sports, 2 p.m.), Delaware at William and Mary (NBC Sports, 2:30 p.m.), Villanova at Providence (Fox Sports 1, 2:30 p.m.), Florida at Kentucky (ABC, 4 p.m.), Stanford at California (ESPN2, 4 p.m.), Purdue at Maryland (ESPN, 4 p.m.), New Mexico at San Diego State (CBS Sports, 4 p.m.), South Carolina at Texas A&M (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), Arizona at Washington (Fox, 4:30 p.m.), Mississippi State at LSU (ESPN2, 4:30 p.m.), Mississippi State at LSU (ESPN2, 6 p.m.), Oklahoma at Kansas State (ESPNU, 6 p.m.), North Carolina at Notre Dame (ESPN, 7 p.m.), Baylor at West Virginia (ESPN2, 8 p.m.), Vanderbilt at Mississippi (ESPNU, 8 p.m.), Georgetown at Seton Hall (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.), Wichita State at Illinois State (ESPN2, 10 p.m.) and Hawaii at Cal Poly (ESPNU, 10 p.m.).
In women’s games, it’s Texas at Iowa State (Fox Sports 2, 2:30 p.m.).
NBA action includes Lakers at San Antonio (NBA, 8:30 p.m.) and Oklahoma City at Golden State (ESPN, 9 p.m.).
Leon Bridges plays a new “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings) as does Nathaniel Ratliff and the Night Sweats.
Larry David hosts “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) in which his doppleganger Bernie Sanders also appears. The 1975 is musical guest. At 10 p.m., a cut-down rerun from 2007 is hosted by Peyton Manning and Carrie Underwood is musical guest.