Dropped randomly in the middle of the week and given scarcely any publicity, the purchase of a three-episode British miniseries “The Casual Vacancy” (HBO, 8 p.m.) seems somewhat of an afterthought for HBO. Yet the adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s non-Potter novel of a bucolic British village has a lot to offer, from its rich array of characters to its amusing battle for a tiny local political seat to its tougher questions of the rich and poor which strikes more directly at modern life than most TV dramas.
The vacancy in the title occurs when a key member of the community, who advocates for the poor and for the center that serves them, suddenly dies. That leaves the door open for the bullying old couple who want to rid the town of riffraff and start a high-end spa at the center. The opposition props up a headmaster wracked with his own feelings of inadequacy, and the hateful half-brother of the deceased decides to cash in on the political opportunity as well.
Someone is impersonating the dead, though, online, in a series of messages that discloses their secrets. Meanwhile, there is a very real drama with a tough teen trying to keep her family together despite a drug-addled mother.
Michael Gambon — Dumbledore himself from the Potter films, who was most recently seen in the series “Fortitude” — and Julie McKenzie, the recent Miss Marple, are quite good, particularly McKenzie’s conniving but cheery role. Rory Kinnear isn’t seen long enough as the good guy with the aneurysm, but newcomer Abigail Lawrie makes a strong impression in her TV debut. Two episodes air tonight and it concludes tomorrow. Definitely worth a watch.
“Nature” (PBS, 8 p.m.) follows the odd looking Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys with huge lips that look like they just came out of some Beverly Hills lip-plumping salon and were only first discovered in the snow mountains of the Chinese Himalayas in the 1980s.
Minus her sister, the new “Tina Mowry at Home” (Cooking, 9 p.m.) puts the “Instant Mom” star in the kitchen. It precedes another celebrity-hosted cooking show tonight with Tiffani Thiessen in “Dinner at Tiffani’s” (Cooking, 10 p.m.), in which she invites friends over.
Since there are only four left on “American Idol” (Fox, 8 p.m.) judge Harry Connick Jr. decides to perform as well.
A crossover episode of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC, 10 p.m.) involves cast members of “Chicago P.D.” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and vice versa.
“Ripper Street” (BBC America, 10 p.m.) begins its third season four years ahead, in 1894, when a train heist turns into a train crash.
“Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman” (Science, 10 p.m.) looks at the origins of stereotyping to see how deep-seated prejudice can be.
Aisha Tyler pops up on the bar stools on “Best Bars in America” (Esquire, 9 p.m.).
Waiting for things to shake up on “Survivor” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
It would seem like “Bigfoot in America” (Destination America, 10 p.m.) would be threatened by “Shooting Bigfoot” (Destination America, 9 p.m.). And there’s yet a third Yeti show: “Survivorman: Bigfoot” (Discovery, 10 p.m.).
The month-long Wednesday night salute to Anthony Quinn ends with “The Wild Party” (8 p.m.), “The Naked Street” (9:45 p.m.), “Flap” (11:30 p.m.), “The Secret of Santa Vittoria” (1:30 a.m.) and “Tycoon” (4 a.m.).
One more game seven in the Stanley Cup first round: Detroit at Tampa Bay (NBC Sports, 7:30 p.m.).
NBA playoff games have Brooklyn at Atlanta (TNT, 7 p.m.) and Portland at Memphis (TNT, 9:30 p.m.).
Baseball today includes Tampa Bay at Yankees (MLB, 1 p.m.) and Philadelphia at St. Louis (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Josh Groban, Cobie Smulders. The View: Morgan Freeman, Atticus Shaffer, Chris Carmack & Aubrey Peeples, Christela Alonzo. The Talk: Jane Lynch, Cheryl Hickey, Sandra Lee. Ellen DeGeneres: Sean Combs, Shawn Mendes. Wendy Williams: Tia Mowry, Brian Balthazar. Meredith Vieira: Stacey Dash, Kevin O’Leary. Queen Latifah: Gladys Knight, Gloria Steinem (rerun).
Late Talk
David Letterman: Jack Hanna, John Popper. Jimmy Fallon: Kristen Wiig, Thomas Middleditch, Josh Groban. Jimmy Kimmel: Billy Crystal, Dave Salmoni, Modest Mouse. Seth Meyers: Chelsea Handler, John Slattery, Shakey Graves. James Corden: Russell Crowe, Kathryn Hahn, Eddie Izzard, Kodaline. Carson Daly: Jamie Chung, J. Mascis, Chris Garcia. Tavis Smiley: T.C. Boyle, Jason Isaacs. Jon Stewart: Judith Miller. Conan O’Brien: Matthew Perry, Rose McIver, Shawn Mendes.