Can’t count the number of times the hottest acts of the UK have failed to make a spark in the U.S. Groups in general have had a problem. But in recent years there has been One Direction and the Wanted, so maybe there’s a chance in the girl group followed in the new “Chasing the Saturdays” (E!, 10 p.m.).
Yes, you’re supposed to be thinking of the Spice Girls. But there isn’t much that arresting about the group, whose music is scarcely heard in the premiere. Instead, they’re fretting about their trip to the U.S. and going to the VMAs and playing Perez Hilton’s party (they are under the delusion he discovered Lady Gaga and Katy Perry). Mostly they’re nice English girls, two of them are married, one has depression, one is about to go on a bender, and just about one, the blonde, is the only spokesman of the group.
They will be getting a promotional push from the season premiere of “Kourtney & Kim Take Miami” (E!, 9 p.m.) which some people are still interested in.
All kinds of drama flares up in the latest hour of “Downton Abbey” (PBS, 9 p.m.). The biggest question may be: are the Bates having a problem? But some new staffers are hired downstairs as well.
Big day for the NFL Playoffs with San Francisco vs. Atlanta (Fox, 3 p.m.) in the NFC Championship and Baltimore vs. New England (CBS, 6:30 p.m.) in the AFC Championships. Winners go to the Super Bowl.
Great that they got Dougie into the loop on “Enlightenment” (HBO, 9:30 p.m.). Shall we think of “Girls” (HBO, 9 p.m.) differently now that it won two Golden Globes? Not after Hanna calls the cops on Adam.
Don’t forget that the winner for best actor in a comedy, Don Cheadle, is also in a Sunday premium cable series, “House of Lies” (Showtime, 10 p.m.).
“Shameless” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) had the biggest numbers of any of the returning cable series last Sunday.
Maggie Grace is a sight for blurry eyes when Hank chekcs into rehab on “Californication” (Showtime, 10:30 p.m.).
Hook had an accident on “Once Upon a Time” (ABC, 8 p.m.). Because you’re not supposed to drive with a hook.
There’s a new episode of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” (TLC, 9 p.m.) after a rerun. It’s followed by “Plastic Wives” (TLC, 10 p.m.).
They take up the harpoon to catch some bluefish on a new “Wicked Tuna” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.).
Circle of life: “The Lion King” (ABC Family, 8 and 10 p.m.) plays twice (and I repeat this joke).
There’s a whole lot of “Extreme Cheapskates” (Discovery Fitness, 8 p.m.) on tonight; the truly cheap don’t get cable though.
It’s the 100th anniversary of Danny Kaye’s birth, so Turner Movie Classics celebrates with 11 movies and two TV episodes — one of “The Danny Kaye Show” (6 a.m.) and another of his appearance on “The Dick Cavett Show” (10:30 a.m.). Also: “Up in Arms” (7 a.m.), “Merry Andrew” (8:45 a.m.), “The Kid from Brooklyn” (noon), “The Inspector General” (2 p.m.), “Me and the Colonel” (4 p.m.), “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (6 p.m.), “Hans Christian Andersen” (8 p.m.), “The Court Jester” (10 p.m.), “A Song is Born” (midnight), “Wonder Man” (2 a.m.) and “The Man from the Diners’ Club” (4 a.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: White House adviser David Plouffe, Eva Longoria, Rick Santorum, Jennifer Granholm, Matthew Dowd. CBS: Plouffe, Condoleezza Rice, Rep. Joaquin Castro, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, Dee Dee Myers. NBC: Sens. Chuck Schumer and Ted Cruz, David Axelrod, Doris Kearns Goodwin. CNN: Plouffe, Sen. John Barrasso, Newt GIngrich, Russ Feingold, former speechwriters Don Baer, Michael Gerson.