The 55th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS, 9 p.m.) tries to maintain its reputation as music’s biggest night on TV. How it comes off depends on how music is doing these days.
Right now there’s a lot of newcomers and middling genres, certainly nobody who will dominate, as Adele did last year. S
Still, it’s an night for performances, with the opportunity for unusual collaborations: Bruno Mars with Rihana and Sting; Alicia Keys with Maroon 5; and a salute to Levon Helm featuring Elton John, Mavis Staples, Zac Brown, Alabama Shakes and Mumford & Sons. That comes in the In Memorial section, which makes you wonder: How many times were The Band or Helm otherwise featured on the show when he was alive? LL Cool J hosts.
“The Walking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m.) resumes its third season with the impending clash between Rick and the Governor, who may now be known as Eyepatch Guy. Wariness of actual mass murder in its hiatus has made this show much less appealing.
“Battlestar Galactica” Blood & Chrome” (Syfy, 8 p.m.) is one of the lesser variations of the franchise, moving from abandonment to internet fodder to now, full-length release.
Relieving herself from directing duties for once, Lena Dunham presents a perfectly realized, stand-alone, all-Hannah episode of “Girls” (HBO, 9 p.m.), in which she finds herself considering a different life with an older guy who comes in to Grumpy’s with a complaint, played by Patrick Wilson.
Bates gets his freedom on this week’s “Downton Abbey” on “Masterpiece Classic” (PBS, 8 p.m.).
Zooey Deschanel returns as the voice of Bart’s girlfriend on a new episode of “The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m.), part of a night of new Valentines-themed animated shows on Fox.
Matt Damon guest stars as himself on a new “House of Lies” (Showtime, 10 p.m.). It returns with new episodes of “Shameless” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) and “Californication” (Showtime, 10:30 p.m.) after taking last week off to avoid competition with the Super Bowl on its sister network.
WHole lot of Giants roaming around these days, on the big screen and small, as Jorge Garcia resumes the role on “Once Upon a Time” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Another wedding on a new “Revenge” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
The rundown of Oscar winning and nominated films from 20th Century Fox on Turner Classic Movies winds up with “Hello, Dolly!” (8 p.m.), “Zorba the Greek” (10:45 p.m.), “The Flight of the Phoenix” (1:15 a.m.) and “The Stunt Man” (4 a.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Reps. Tom Cole and Keith Ellison, strategists Nicolle Wallace and Stephanie Cutter. CBS: Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jack Reed, Rep. Mike Rogers, foremr Rep. Jane Harman. NBC: Rep. Eric Cantor, Sen. Dick Durbin, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Atlnta Mayor Kasim Reed, strategist Mike Murphy. CNN: Sens. Rand Paul and Angus King, former Defense Sec. Robert Gates, former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Fox News: Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Tom Cotton, Sen. John McCain.