Things should be quite different for the anticipated third season of “House of Cards” (Netflix, streaming, starting today). Frank Underwood has already become President (which is where “Veep” will start when it returns in April). His days of pushing someone in front of the Metro are probably over. His wife’s scheming no longer involves political climbing but perhaps political longevity and legacy. New is Kim Barnes, who plays a journalist with better instincts than Zoe Barnes. That the entire season is available at once means your weekend plans are filled.
All the action seems happening online where “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix, streaming, starting today) was first developed for NBC as a comedy vehicle for Ellie Kemper of “The Office.” That it’s from “30 Rock” producers Tina Fey and Robert Carlock may help make it one of the best pedigrees online.
What’s new on the old fashioned cable? Only the afterglow of “Sex Box” (WeTV, 10 p.m.), in which couples go in and do it (out of sight of the camera, but then come out in their robes and all but smoking cigarettes to talk how amazing it was or not.
There is no “Real Time with Bill Maher” tonight, to make way for an elongated premiere of “Vice” (HBO, 10 p.m.) that talks about the cutting edge ideas in cancer treatment, including a so-crazy-it-might-work ploy to use HIV to kill cancer.
“The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.) is already underway, having jumpstarted Wednesday alongside the season start of “Survivor.” Now in its regular time slot premiere, the dating teams are competing in Nagano, Japan.New Directions is down to playing bar mitzvahs on “Glee” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
“La Dolce Vita: The Music of the Italian Cinema” is the focus of “Great Performances” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), featuring Josh Groban, Renee Fleming, Joshua Bell and the New York Philharmonic doing music from Fellini, Sergio Leone and others.
A second season starts for Cesar Millian more urgent sounding show of dog training, “Cesar 911” (Nat Geo Wild, 9 p.m.).
The 31 Days of Oscar on Turner Classic Movies reaches the end of the 80s with “Running on Empty” (8 p.m.), “Gandhi” (10:15 p.m.), “Glory” (1:30 a.m.) and “A Cry in the Dark” (3:45 a.m.).
The plight of incarcerated women is investigated on a new “20/20” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Men’s college hoops include Sienna at Quinnipiac (ESPNU, 6 p.m.), Manhattan at Iona (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Ohio at Akron (ESPNU, 8 p.m.), Valparaiso at Cleveland State (ESPNU, 10 p.m.). In women’s games, it’s Boston College at Notre Dame (NBC Sports 1, 8:30 p.m.).
In college ice hockey, it’s Boston College at Notre Dame (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.).
NBA action includes Miami at New Orleans (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Oklahoma City at Portland (EPPN, 10:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Jason Biggs, Lana Parrilla, Echosmith. The View: Christine Brinkley, Ming-Na Wen, Stacy London, Samantha Ponder. The Talk: Josh Duhamel, Dean Winters, Rodrigo Santoro, Tienlyn Jacobson. Ellen DeGeneres: Channing Tatum, Nicki Minaj (rerun). Wendy Williams : Jennifer Lopez (rerun). Meredith Vieira: Scott Wolf, Anne Heche, Lauren Ambrose, Jason Isaacs, Alison Sudol.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jack Hanna, Sharon Jones and the Kings (rerun) Jimmy Fallon: Josh Hutcherson, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, Michael Schlow. Seth Meyers: Kathy Griffin, Peter Sarsgaard, the Mavericks (rerun). Late Late Show: Simon Helberg, Britt Robertson, Owen Benjamin, Kunal Nayyar. Carson Daly: Iliza Schlesinger, King Tuff, Jonny Weston (rerun). Tavis Smiley: Felicity Huffman.