It is a testament to their singular personalities that, despite many tries there have been few successful tries at recreating Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, involving actors from Sherilyn Fenn to Lindsay Lohan in the case of Liz alone.
The casting for the new TV movie “Burton and Taylor” (BBC America, 9 p.m.) seems at first wrong as well. Dominic West seems too tall; Helena Bonham Carter too much her own identifiable character to portray her.
But by focusing on a single chapter in their long relationship – a late career 1983 Broadway run of Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” the film, written by William Ivory, succeeds in bringing the two icons to life.
West accomplishes his magic largely with his voice; Carter with a kind of neediness and faded glamor that matches the Liz of 1983. In preparing for the financially successful but artistically questionable project, their deep feelings for one another – love and hate – manifest in their new lives with other new partners. Still they maintain utter respect for the other’s craft and the bittersweet knowledge they can never really get along despite their deep connection.
The action on “Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.) must be all on Redemption Island where the villain Brad Culpepper has been sent to camp among the couple he sorely irked, Candice and John. Will the depleted Tadhana tribe ever win a competition?
“American Horror Story: Coven” (FX, 10 p.m.) got off to a strong start with viewers, drawing 5.5 million viewers. Episode two makes a good stab at a Frankenstein story and better explains how the historical characters played by Kathy Bates and Angela Bassett will work going forward.
The fascinating work of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, rehabilitating abandoned or distressed baby otters and getting them back to the wild is the subject of a new episode of “Nature” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). The young otters are pretty cute.
Baseball is back in prime time with game four of the American League Championship Series of Boston at Detroit (Fox, 7:30 p.m.), which has become mostly a pitchers’ duel.
Earlier, it’s game five of St. Louis at Dodgers (TBS, 4 p.m.).
Say goodbye to Richard Belzer’s character Sgt. Munch, who in his career has appeared in nine series on five networks since his debut 20 years ago in “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Tonight, he bids farewell after his longest gig, on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
Contestants on “Top Chef” (Bravo, 10 p.m.) have to make something good out of items place on worst-food lists.
Josh Gad goes to Central Park on the latest edition of “The Getaway” (Esquire, 9 p.m.).
New York Times writer David Pogue returns to investigate advances in his “Making Stuff” series on “Nova” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings). And while most of what he looks at are fascinating, his innate hamminess insists that he be in the middle of all the action, while mugging to the camera and doing imitations.
Rayna bags the rest of her tour with Juliette on “Nashville” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Tyrone Power is featured tonight on Turner Classic Movies, with “Rawhide” (8 p.m.), “Nightmare Alley” (9:45 .m.), “The Mark of Zorro” (11:45 p.m.), “The Black Swan” (1:30 a.m.) and “Marie Antoinette” (3 a.m.).
In hockey, Rangers at Capitals (NBC Sports Network, 8 p.m.) gets a national audience.
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Elton John, Matt Czuchry. The View: The cast of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” TLC, Soleil Moon Frye. The Talk: Tony Goldwyn, Edward Lee. Ellen DeGeneres: Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez. Wendy Williams: Al Sharpton.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Bill O’Reilly, the Head and the Heart. Jay Leno: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ron Paul, Little Big Town (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Danny McBride, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Franti. Jimmy Fallon: Steve Harvey, cast of “Duck Dynasty,” Kanye West (rerun). Craig Ferguson: Robin Williams. Carson Daly: Greta Gerwig, Molly Crabapple, Pierce the Veil (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Robbie Robertson. Jon Stewart: Bill O’Reilly (rerun). Stephen Colbert: Paul Giamatti (rerun). W. Kamau Bell: Colin Quinn. Arsenio Hall: Jackie Chan, Judy Greer, Gary “G-Thang” Johnson. Conan O’Brien: Ke$ha, Jesse Bering, Leven Rambin, Fitz and the Tantrums. Chelsea Handler: Melissa Arnot, Jeff Wild, Sarah Colonna, Ian Karmel, Josh Wolf.