This may have been a big event 30 years ago. And yet it may be again. “ACM Presents Lionel Richie and Friends in Concert” (CBS, 9 p.m.) features the 80s hit maker doing familiar tunes from “Lady” and “Say You Say Me,” retooled slightly for a country audience.
What’s more, on his new album “Tuskegee” and his special, he uses a number of Nashville artists to collaborate whth him, including Lady Antebellum, the Band Perry, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney (pictured), Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean. The big moment, I firmly believe, is when he reunites with Kenny Rogers. Although he does sing “Brick House” with Big & Rich. A two hour concert special on network TV is nothing to sneeze at, even if it is Friday.
“Art in the Twenty-First Century” (IPBS, 9 p.m., check local listings) rumbles back to life with portraits of Ghana sculptor El Anatsui and reknown Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei.
It’s paired with a replay of “The Titanic with Len Goodman” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings), which is about the ship, not the dance show.
Tavis Smiley, David Stockman, Matthew Continetti, Eric Dlinenberg and former Canadian Prime Minister Kim Campbell are all on a new “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
I prefer the alternate universe of “Fringe” (Fox, 9 p.m.) to that of “Grimm” (NBC, 0 p.m.).
They’re looking for Strauss on “Magic City” (Starz, 10 p.m.). Try Vienna, not Miami Beach.
With Joss Whedon’s new film a hit in theaters, cast your mind back to his first screenplay, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (IFC, 8 and 10 p.m.).
It’s the 70th anniversary of the classic “Casablanca” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and to accompany it, they’ve got some other World War II fare, “Forbidden Games” (TCM, 10 p.m.) and “Cape Fear” (TCM, midnight).
“Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids” (TLC, 9 p.m.) gets a season premiere.
The young couple in “The Iron Rose” (TCM, 2 a.m.) learn a valuable lesson: Don’t get locked in the cemetery at night. It’s followed by a woman about to give birth to Satan’s child in the 1975 “The Devil Within Her” (TCM, 3:30 a.m.) starring Joan Collins!
There’s a double bill of “Poltergeist” (Encore, 8 p.m.) with “Polterguist II: The Other Side” (Enore, 10 p.m.); “Scary Movie 2” (Showtime, 7:30 p.m.) and even “Scream” (Showtime, 9 p.m.). But reall? No “Friday the 13th” movies on Friday the 13th? How unlucky.
Stanley Cup action tonight includes Panthers vs. Devils (NHL, 7 p.m.), Flyers vs. Penguins (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.), Red Wings vs. Predators (CNBC, 7:30 p.m.) and Kings vs. Canucks (NBC Sports, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: John Slattery, Martha Plimpton, DJ Twist, Joel McHale. The View: Jeff Goldblum, Reza Farahan, Goinesa “GG” Gharachedaghi, Mercedes “MJ” Javid, Brian Presley, Erin Hershey Presley. The Talk: David james Elliott, Guy Fieri. Ellen DeGeneres: Sean Hayes, Gabrielle Union, Wayne Pacelle.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Keith Alberstadt, Bonnie Raitt. Jay Leno: Jason Segel, Anna Faris, Far East Movement. Jimmy Kimmel: Edie Falco, Jack Wagner, Amy Schumer (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Josh Brolin, Kiernan Shipka, Peter Farrelly, the Fray. Craig Ferguson: Sean Hayes, Lena Dunham. Tavis Smiley: Trita Parsi, Guy Pearce. Carson Daly: Michael Hastings, Leslye Headland, Bear Hands (rerun). Chelsea Handler: Amanda Seyfried, John Caparulo, Jen Kirkman, Whitney Cummings (rerun).