As many times as he’s hosted other such events, it’s the first time Neil Patrick Harris gets to do the Oscars. So he’ll do the opening and then pretty much disappear, unless he decides to try and shoot a selfie with stars in the good seats. Performers at The 87th Annual Academy Awards (ABC, 8:30 p.m.) include Common and John Legend, Tegan and Sara with Lonely Island, Rita Ora, Tim McGraw, Adam Levine, Anna Kendrick, Jennifer Hudson and Lady Gaga. There will be a lot of stars presenting and receiving awards. And it will go on and on.
But you can start early with “Live from the Red Carpet: The 2015 Academy Awards!” (E!, 5:30 p.m.), with Khloe Kardashian joining the hosts that include Ryan Seacrest, Giuliana Rancic, Ross Mathews and Kelly Osbourne. IT’s even earlier with the “Entertainment” crew of Nancy O’Dell and Kevin Frazier on “ET at the Oscars: Live on Pop!” (Pop, 5 p.m.), which is the former TV Guide Network. The official “Oscars Opening Ceremony: Live from the Red Carpet” (ABC, 7 p.m.) with Robin Roberts, Jess Kagle, Michael Strahan and Lara Spencer is longer than ever — 90 minutes. And another network gets involved in the celebrity pile-on with KTLA’s feed on “Live from the Oscars” (The CW, 6 p.m.) with Sam Rubin.
A bigger deal for a whole other crowd is the Daytona 500 (Fox, 1 p.m.).
Better use for your red carpet time is the overview of Bob Simon’s work on a special 90 minute tribute on “60 Minutes” (CBS, 7 p.m.).
Hannah finds a new career path on “Girls” (HBO, 9 p.m.). Patrick throws a Halloween party on “Looking” (HBO, 10 p.m.)
Besides zombies, the people on “The Walking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m.) have to worry about storms, like anybody else.
Lady Rose’s latest beau is another controversial choice on “Downton Abbey” (PBS, 9 p.m.).
Mary Steenburgen appears as a strange spiritual being on a new “Togetherness” (HBO, 9:30 p.m.).
“Shameless” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), “House of Lies” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) and “Episodes” (Showtime, 10:30 p.m.) are all reruns tonight, going back to new episodes next week.
Turner Classic Movies continues to plow through the Oscar winners and nominees, going back 40 years to 1975 and 76 with “The Man Who Would Be King” (8 p.m.), “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (10:30 p.m.), “Dog Day Afternoon” (1 a.m.), “Network” (3:15 p.m.) and “Bound for Glory” (5:30 p.m.).
Men’s college Hoops tonight include Lafayette at Lehigh (CBS Sports, noon), Ohio State at Michigan (CBS, 1 p.m.), Memphis at UCF (CBS Sports, 2 p.m.), La Salle at St. Louis (NBC Sports, 2:30 p.m.), Utah at Oregon (Fox Sports 1, 3 p.m.), Evansville at Wichita State (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), Tulane at Connecticut (CBS Sports, 4 p.m.), William and Mary at Hofstra (NBC Sports, 4:30 p.m.), Temple at Tulsa (CBS Sports, 6 p.m.) and Washington at Washington State (ESPNU, 8:30 p.m.).
Women’s games include Duke at North Carolina State (ESPN2, noon), Temple at South Florida (ESPNU, noon), Rutgers at Michigan State (ESPN2, 2 p.m.), LSU at Arkansas (ESPNU, 2 p.m.) and California at Stanford (ESPN2, 4 p.m.).
NBA action today includes Denver at Oklahoma (NBA, 7 p.m.) and Boston at Lakers (NBA, 9:30 p.m.).
Hockey action has Washington at Philadelphia (NBC, 12:30 p.m.), Boston at Chicago (NBC, 3 p.m.) and Dallas at Minnesota (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Sens. Bernie Sanders and Lindsey Grahem, Rep. Keith Ellison, Shelby Steele, Ta-Nehisi Coates. CBS: Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, David Axelrod. NBC: Johnson, Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Rep. Charles Dent, former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. CNN: Ohio Gov. John Kasich, former Deputy secretary of Dreense Paul Wolfowitz, former gobs. George Pataki and Tom Ridge. Fox News: Johnson, former CIA directory Micharl Jayden, retired Army Gen. Jack Keane, Indidna Gov. Mike Pence.