Almost quarterly, you can count on a juicy, torn-from-the-headlines TV movie peopled by favorites from other shows, thoroughly enjoying doing something different.
The star tonight is Rob Lowe, who takes on the big, off-putting title character of “Drew Peterson: Untouchable” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) as the Illinois sheriff who was suspected in the killing of his third and fourth wives and laughed it off with big network TV appearances.
To prepare for the role, Lowe needed to nothing more than to look to current “Parks and Recreation” fellow cast member Nick Offerman. By pasting on a mustache, he adds misogyny and self-assurance: He’s Ron Swanson knocking off the Tammys.
Kaley Cuoco of “Big Bang Theory” plays one of the wives, and seems to be having as much fun doing something (though mostly she has to fret about a husband becoming a controlling, paranoid monster).
Drama is promised as the results of the South Carolina Primary (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, 8 p.m.) consume cable news networks.
Fleet Foxes play a new “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send Karl Pelkington on another global trip, this time to do all the things he’s never done before in “An Idiot Abroad 2: The Bucket List” (Science, 10 p.m.).
What happens when a downhome Louisiana family cashes in on its mineral deposits and becomes rich. In the case of the “Bayou Billionaires” (CMT, 9 p.m.), they certainly don’t have time to think about the environmental ramifications. Still, when they go to the country club, they don’t look so different than the other members, who also wear shorts and ballcaps.
It comes alongside another Shreveport-based “Beverly Hillbillies” update, “My Big Redneck Vacation” (CMT, 10 p.m.), in which a group of good old boys in camouflage and crossbows and their families invade the Hamptons.
A timely new sci-fi flick, “Snow Beast” (Syfy, 9 p.m.) makes its premiere.
New movies on premium cable include “Sanctum” (HBO, 8 p.m.) and “Priest” (Starz, 9 p.m.).
A new standup special from the man Larry David calls the funniest around: “JB Smoove: That’s How I Playz It” (Comedy Central)
The films on Turner Classic Movies tonight all involve key work by the postal department – “A Letter to Three Wives” (8 p.m.), “Love Letters” (10 p.m.), “The Letter” (midnight), “A Letter for Evie” (2 a.m.) and , stretching it a bit, “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (3:45 a.m.).
Tons of college hoops today, with Alabama at Kentucky (CBS, noon), Purdue at Michigan State (ESPN, noon), Michigan at Arkansas (CBS, 2 p.m.), Missouri at Baylor (ESPN, 2 p.m.), Florida State at Duke (ESPN, 4 p.m.), Syracurse at Notre Dame (ESPN, 6 p.m.), and Louisville at Pittsburgh (ESPN, 9 p.m.).
Emma Stone hosts in a rerun of “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with Coldplay.