It’s being called the biggest Sunday in the history of TV, with more good programming happening at once it will challenge the most sophisticated DVR; when broadcast winds up its premiere week with new seasons of some of its most anticipated shows; cable starting the seasons of a handful other shows, one of which is one of the best around, and one show ends its run with a much-hyped final episode.
In the run up to its final episode tonight, “Breaking Bad” (AMC, 9 p.m.) has amassed all manner of exaggerated praise, including best TV show ever. While it’s not quite that, it’s been a very good yarn, about a science teacher getting into the meth business to help his family and pay for his cancer treatment. That plan spun way out of control almost immediately and it’s been a fairly hard-nosed gangster story since, one set in the arid landscapes of New Mexico. Beautifully filmed, extremely well acted and with the occasional flash of humor (less so lately) it marches to a what looks like a final shootout tonight.
The excitement surounding that finale obscures everything else going on tonight in cluding what looks to be a very promising drama on cable. “Masters of Sex” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) also stands out because it doesn’t involve any guns. Instead, it’s based on something scarier to some people: human sexuality; specifically, the study of it by the groundbreaking team of Masters and Johnson.
The beginnings of their study is what’s followed here, from its beginnings on a skeptical college campus. And while the two doctors were not quit as good looking as the two leads, Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan, the science is probably right. And their focus on copulation may stop those trolling for such fare on their way to Cinemax. The camera may linger a bit long on such scenes, but it is the subject of their study, after all, as Sheen grows slowly out of his inhibited shell and Kaplan is a revelation from the start – brash, bold, beautiful, smart, she’s hard to take one’s yes off of. Which is what you want in a TV star after all.
It accompanies the third season return of “Homeland” (Showtime, 10 p.m.), which begins like one season of “24” once did — at a Congressional hearing wondering what the hell led to the disaster at the end of season two, which looms over the proceedings. Carrie is paranoid and off her meds; Brody is missing for at least a couple of episodes; Saul is trying to run the bureau and is confronted by a melting down Carrie; and Dana is seeking treatment. But you don’t want to know any of this; you want to jump right into the story and hang on, one more time.
Too bad that the parody of the Showtime drama that opens the 25th (!) season of “The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m.) doesn’t quite live up to its title, “Homerland.” Kristin Wiig provides the voice of the Carrie-like agent.
A great comedy that premieres tonight, “Hello Ladies” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.) is from Stephen Merchant, the lanky sidekick of Ricky Gervais for so long you never realize how much he brought to the comedy they did together. It’s all on sometimes painful display here, with the self-effacing humor, the wince-inducement of trying too hard with the women and all the little traps that reveal a well-meaning character for the weasel he is. With a fine ensemble, Merchant excels as a Brit in L.A. doing the wrong things to meet women. It’s a rocky start, but soon hits its stride in a few episodes.
It accompanies the unlikely return of “Eastbound and Down” (HBO, 10 p.m.) in which Kenny Powers is out of baseball, trying to be a productive family man and supporter of household income as a rental car agent. The clean living doesn’t last long and he tries to find his way into a confrontational sports talk TV show. Funny that this comedy survived and a lower-key, similarly aspirational comedy was canned, “Enlightened.”
With networks packing their Sunday night schedules with old favorites, there’s room for just one new show, “Betrayal” (ABC, 10 p.m.), a surprisingly sparkless story of a female photographer who flirts and falls for a guy she meets at a party. That he is also the lawyer who is trying to bring down her husband’s shady business dealings is the ABC part of the story. That the lover and husband look exactly the same doesn’t reflect well on the skinny girl at the center of the triangle.
It accompanies, and was given a very similar name to, the returning “Revenge” (ABC, 9 p.m.) whose story has already lasted one season too long at two.
The one network show you’ll want to catch is the still very strong “The Good Wife” (CBS, 9 p.m.), which will rely less on guest stars this season to concentrate on its own very good ensemble.
It’s the 23rd season start for “The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.). Normally a big event, this one is caught between the other new shows and the likely football overrun.
Is “Bob’s Burgers” (Fox, 8:30 p.m.) now the dominant cartoon on Fox’s Friday night? It may be, considering the solid season opener about a family camping trip that goes all wrong. From a screener I can confirm that “Family Guy” (Fox, 9 p.m.) is by far the worst show on network television — crude, unfunny and thinking its funny. The network didn’t even bother sending a screener of “American Dad” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.), likely just as bad.
Foyle is keeping his eye on an ex-Nazi working at MI-5 on a new “Foyle’s War” on “Masterpiece Mystery” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings)
“Once Upon a Time” (ABC, 8 p.m.) returns for a new season but not before its recap “Once Upon a Time: Journey to Neverland” (ABC, 7 p.m.). Also new tonight on network TV: “The Mentalist” (CBS, 10 p.m.)
Do you realize what will get the biggest ratings tonight? Sunday Night Football with New England at Atlanta (NBC, 8:20 p.m.).
Earlier, Alan and Celia are stranded on “Last Tango in Halifax” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings).
All the buzz in the world for its lead in show hasn’t helped the ratings for the not-terrible “Low Winter Sun” (AMC, 11:15 p.m.) that follows “Breaking Bad.” I guess prefer watching the Sun Belt to the Rust Belt. Mostly, it gets between the popular show and the often gushing talk show after it, “Talking Bad” (12:15), which meets for the last time tonight (but they’ll take an hour).
The month-long Sunday focus on Alfred Hitchcock on Turner Classic Movies winds up with “Rich and Strange” (10 a.m.), “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (noon), “Suspicion” (2 p.m.), “Strangers on a Train” (4 p.m.), “Dial M for Murder” (6 p.m.), “Rebecca” (8 p.m.) and “Notorious” (10:15 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Former President Bill Clinton, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. CBS: Sens. Dick Durbin and Rand Paul, Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Marsha Blackburn. NBC: Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Raul Labrador, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. CNN: Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Sen. John Barrasso, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, former Rep. Artur Davis. Fox News: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Sens. Mike Lee and Tim Kaine, former Sen. Evan Bayh.