If you haven’t seen it before, good luck trying to figure out what is going on in “Orphan Black” (BBC America, AMC, IFC, Sundance and We, 9 p.m.) as the third season begins. Suffice to say there’s a young woman who discovers a whole set of herself, apparently cloned, and she wants to understand it all, even as she has to imitate others to find the clues.
By now, there’s a solid reference point — “The Island of Dr. Marnau” — and Tatiana Maslany is pretty comfortable with some well discerned variations — her original Sarah, but also the wild Ukranian Helena (currently a kidnap victim), the political minded mom Alison and the quirky scientist Cosmina.
Now there is a whole other set of cloned young men, too, most of them unhinged intense types played by Ari Millen. In between, there are creepy scientists with nobody’s best interests at heart. It still has some good intrigue, and seems on better footing than it did at the start of season two. But if Tatiana calls in sick one day to the set, the whole thing’s off. To get the widest possible audience, it’s being shown simultaneously on five sister cable networks.
It’s accompanied — on one network anyway — by “Tatau” (BBC America, 10 p.m.) a murder mystery involving young Londoners in the Cook Islands. But the South Pacific doesn’t take warmly to the group, especially one why with a tattoo that offends them.
Terry Crews hosts the 11th annual TV Land Awards (TV Land, 9 p.m.) which this year honors “The Wonder Years,” “Ally McBeal,” “Parenthood,” “Freaks and Geeks,” Betty White, Donny and Marie Osmond and Joan Rivers, posthumously.
The NBA Playoffs begin their long run with Washington at Toronto (ESPN, 12:30 p.m.), New Orleans at Golden State (ABC, 3:30 p.m.), Milwaukee at Chicago (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and Dallas at Houston (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.).
There are a lot of sports in primetime including that most rare thing: A Saturday night network hockey broadcast — Pittsburgh at Rangers (NBC, 8 p.m.) — in the Stanley Cup first round. Other Stanley Cup matches today include Detroit at Tampa Bay (NBC, 3 p.m.), Minnesota at St. Louis (NBC Sports Network, 3 p.m.) and Winnipeg at Anaheim (NBC Sports, 10:30 p.m.).
Otherwise there’s a lot of boxing with light heavyweights Chaves vs. Fonfara (Showtime, 10 p.m.), and junior welter weights Matthysse vs. Provodnikov (HBO, 9:45 p.m.). In the UFC, it’s Machilda vs. Rockhold (Fox, 8 p.m.) with other bouts.
It was 70 years ago this year that Anne Frank died, so here is a film about her life “Anne Frank: Beyond the Diary” (American Heroes Channel, 10 p.m.).
“The Ride” (VH1, 9 p.m.) is a new series in which stars look back at their journey to success. First up: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
Better catch “Sabado Gigante” (Univision, xxx) while you can. Don Francisco announced the 53 year old tradition will end in September.
In the made for TV movie department, an architect is suspected of the disappearance of a former girlfriend in “Deadly Revenge” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.).
Claire and Geillis are put on trial for witchcraft on “Outlander” (Starz, 9 p.m.). Better have a good lawyer.
“Good Witch” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) reaches its first season finale with Cassie learning that she may lose her store.
Filming of the 1955 epic “Giant” was a turning point in the tiny West Texas town of Marfa, particularly for Mexican-Americans, according to an episode of “Voces on PBS” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
Turner Classic Movies plays three films directed by Robert Rossen, “The Hustler” (8 p.m.), “The Brave Bulls” (10:30 p.m.) and “All the King’s Men” (12:30 a.m.).
“Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who” (ABC Family, 7 p.m.) is paired with another animated film from 2008, “Kung Fu Panda” (ABC Family, 9 p.m.).
Baseball today includes White Sox at Detroit (MLB, 1 p.m.), Yankees at Tampa Bay (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.) and Texas at Seattle (MLB, 9 p.m.).
And this season has started: arena football with Cleveland at Philadelphia (ESPN2, 7 p.m.).
Stanley Tucci, Kim Cattrall, Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse are on a new episode of “The Graham Norton Show” (BBC America, 11 p.m.).
The Shins and Dr. Dog are on a replay of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 11 p.m., check local listings).
The James Franco/Nicki Minaj episode of “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) is rerun.