Trying to rekindle the spark of wonder the space program once brought, the two hour “Live from Space” (National Geographic Channel, 8 p.m.) will emanate from the International Space Station 250 above the Earth’s surface. Because it orbits the planet every 90 minutes, viewers worldwide will get to see the whole Earth during the special from sunrise to sunset, shooting stars, lightning storms and city lights.
In addition astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Koichi Wakata will answer questions from viewers from inside the space station; a third astronaut Mike Massimino will be at the NASA Mission Control in Houston with host Soledad O’Brien.
The special “Amy Winehouse: One Shining Night” (Smithsonian, 10 p.m.) is built around a small but great October 2006 performance in Ireland so that it also includes interviews and glimpses of her inspirations from Sarah Vaughan and Ray Charles to the Shangri-Las.
The intrepid reporters of “Vice” (HBO, 11 p.m.) return for a second season, with Shane Smith reporting on Afghanistan’s reconstruction and Ben Anderson goes to Rio de Janeiro to take a look at clean-up efforts for the upcoming Olympics.
It comes after a new “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.) with Salman Rushdie, Andrew Sullivan, Seth MacFarlane, Alan Weisman and Amy Chua.
An ultimate battle between Lucas and Rabbit marks the second season finale of “Banshee” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.).
“Rake” (Fox, 8 p.m.) finds a new time slot.
The current season of “Raising Hope” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.) will be its last, it was announced last week. So savor it while you can.
Paint-on bandages are one of the pitches on “Shark Tank” (ABC, 9 p.m.).
Is it me or are the plots on “Hannibal” (NBC, 10 p.m.) and “The Following” getting awfully close together?
Brazilian emeralds are sought on “Game of Stones” (Discovery, 10 p.m.).
ATF agents turn contract killers in a report on “20/20” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
It’s date night on “The Neighbors” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.) and Rachel Dratch guest stars as a babysitter.
The CEO becomes dodgeball ref on a new “Undercover Boss” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
The brothers see their possible future on a new “Enlisted” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
Soon to star next week in another new season of the revived “Who’s Line is It Anyway?” (The CW, 8 and 8:30 p.m.) Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood put on a comedy special: “Colin & Brad: Two Man Group” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
“Fashion Police” (E!, 9 p.m.) look to the sports world.
The Friday night salute to food in movies continues with the otherwise out of season “Christmas in Connecticut” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “A Christmas Story” (TCM, 10 p.m.), which has a memorable duck dinner, before moving into “My Dinner with Andre” (TCM, midnight), which has way more talk than food, and and “The Public Enemy” (TCM, 4 a.m.) which has a breakfast scene with a grapefruit.
Men’s college basket tournament action includes Big Ten quarterfinals with Michigan vs. Illinois (ESPN, noon) and Nebraska at Ohio State (ESPN2, 2 p.m.); ACC quarterfinals with Virginia vs. Florida State (ESPN, noon), North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh (ESPN, 2 p.m.), and Syracuse vs. N.C. State (ESPN, 7 p.m.). Atlantic 10 quarterfinals include Saint Louis vs. St. Bonaventure (NBC Sports, noon), Saint Joseph’s vs. Dayton (NBC Sports, 2:30 p.m.) and Virginia Commonwealth vs. Richmond (NBC Sports, 6:30 p.m.); SEC quarterfinals for Florida vs. Missouri (ESPNU, 1 p.m.) and Tennessee vs. South Carolina (ESPNU, 3 p.m.). It’s Iowa State vs. Kansas (ESPNU, 7 p.m.) in the Big 12 semifinal and Louisville vs. Houston (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) in the AAC semifinal.
Spring baseball includes St. Louis at Houston (MLB, 1 p.m.) and Arizona at Milwaukee (MLB, 4 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Drew Carey, Miss Piggy. The View: Bryan Cranston, Bob Pfeifer & Larry Hummel, Erin Andrews. The Talk: Priscilla Presley, Jon Shook. Ellen DeGeneres: Wanda Sykes, Jordana Brewster, Cirque du Soleil. Wendy Williams: Krysten Ritter, Perez Hilton (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Bill O’Reilly, Nick Griffin, the Dough Rolers. Jimmy Fallon: James Franco, Andy Cohen, Jake Bugg. Jimmy Kimmel: Lil Wayne, Willie Nelson, Los Lonely Boys. Seth Meyers: Christian Slater, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Andy Daly. Craig Ferguson: Amy Smart, Denise Mina. Tavis Smiley: Teller, Robert Hilburn. Arsenio Hall: Kid Cudi, Jason Brown, Tiffani Theissen. Chelsea Handler: Allison Janney, Whitney Cummings, Fortune Feimster, Brad Wollack, Mary McCormack (rerun).