There are a hundred reasons to be sad that Philip Seymour Hoffman died, but one of them was that he never got to star in “Happyish” (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.). He shot the pilot and I saw an excerpt, and he would have been perfect as the middle-aged ad exec who rages against the young and social media silliness that has swallowed up the field.
Much as I love Steve Coogan, he’s still bit too put together to portray the lumpy mess that was the original Thom and having seen Hoffman in the role, it may be forever difficult to see him in it. It may be different for you, though the comedy by Shalom Auslander is filled with much more angst and vulgarity than need be. After giving such a nuanced performance in “Transparent”, Kathryn Hahn seems a little too blunt. Bradley Whitford and Ellen Barkin seem a bit wasted, and the fanciful takeoffs on Keebler elves, Coca-Cola and Geico seem bold, but unnecessarily excessive. I still get where it’s all coming from; I just wish it were all better (and Hoffman were alive to do it). Better at finding its tone of cynicism and heart: “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) whose final season is already in progress.
Here’s how far this event has fallen: The 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (Pop, 8 p.m.) is being held on the former TV Guide channel. Good luck looking for it. It may not be the most obscure awards show of the night, however, what with “The 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards” (Disney, 8 p.m.). And you thought you were out of it when you saw the Kids’ Choice Awards. Zendaya, for example, hosts. Zendaya. Nick Jonas and Becky G perform.
The makers of “Boomtowners” (Smithsonian Channel, 9 p.m.) hope to make a gold rush type reality show out of the fracking shale fields of North Dakota. But they can only find one foe of the practice, and she has a lot of cats.
The fifth season of “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” (CNN, 9 p.m.) begins in South Korea.
Cradle robbing Queen Margery consummates her marriage with the boy king on “Game of Thrones” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
I think “Mad Men” (AMC, 10 p.m.) has been pretty good so far this season. And we’re already halfway through it.
Chris Diamantopolos begins a stint on “Silcon Valley” (HBO, 10 p.m.) as an odious new funder.
Jonah shouldn’t be trusted to buy the fireworks on “Veep” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.).
Something different from the online service: “Chef’s Table” (Netflix, streaming), checking in on the work of top chefs across the globe.
“A.D.: The Bible Continues” (NBC, 9 p.m.) is like someone reading the New Testament really slowly.
Sorry Henry, Anne gives birth to a baby girl on “Wolf Hall” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings).
Sister Mary Cynthia returns to “Call the Midwife” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings). Yes, but when is Jenny Lee coming back?
Start the ovens; Paula Deen’s son Bobby hosts the “Spring Baking Championship” (Food, 9 p.m.).
Debbie Reynolds gets a double feature tonight with two very different movies, the 1971 horror film “What’s the Matter with Helen?” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and the 1952 musical that started her career, “Singin’ in the Rain” (TCM, 10 p.m.).
Later comes Lon Cheney in the 1921 silent “The Ace of Hearts” (TCM, midnight), and a Buster Keaton short, “The Scarecrow” (TCM, 1:30 a.m.).
NBA playoff games today include Cleveland at Boston (ABC, 1 p.m.), Clippers at San Antonio (ABC, 3:30 p.m.), Toronto at Washington (TNT, 6:30 p.m.) and Houston at Dallas (TNT, 9 p.m.).
Stanley Cup playoffs have St. Louis at Minnesota (NBC, 3 p.m.) and Montreal at Ottawa (NBC Sports, 6 p.m.).
Baseball includes Cleveland at Detroit (MLB, 1:30 p.m.) and Mets at Yankees (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Rep. John Delaney, author Peter Schweizer. CBS: Ohio Gov. John Kasich, New York Police Commissioner William Bratton, John Miller, Evan Wolfson, Tony Perkins. NBC: Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, lawyers David Boies and Ted Olson. CNN: Kasich, Sen. John McCain. Fox News: Schweizer.