The underrated “Halt and Catch Fire” (AMC, 10 p.m.) begins what looks to be another strong season; one that’s easy to jump into even if you didn’t see the first season of the well-wrought tale of the early computer building in the 1980s. By now, it’s 1985 and Donna (Kerry Bishe) and Cameron (Mackenzie Davis) have thrown in together on an online gaming company run out of a house full of programmers. Less is sure about Lee Pace’s Joe or Scoot McNair’s Gordon, though both line up to get shareholder’s checks from the demise of their old company Cardiff.
The animal house living quarters that leads to a power outage is an awful lot like a scene that’s already played on the contemporary set “Silicon Valley” (HBO, 10 p.m.), but that all might be coincidence.
I like to think that the authoritative TV Critics award each year is the 30-year TV Critics Association Awards, probably because I am a member. We purposely decline to broadcast our annual awards. But the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (whose acronym BTJA they pronounce “betcha”) has been putting its upstart awards show on TV for five hears, hence the Critics’ Choice Television Awards (A&E, 8 p.m.) that thinks, for example, that Seth MacFarlane is a genius and will give him an award as such.
Hey, they may give awards to shows that haven’t even been seen yet. Yes, nominees for “The Most Exciting New Series” category is based in part on just trailers for shows. Really? you might say. You betcha.
After 46 years with the network at 24 years anchoring “Face the Nation” (CBS, 10:30 a.m.), Bob Schieffer finally retires at 78 following today’s program, where the guests include former Gov. Jeb Bush, CIA Director John Brennan.
A new addition to the Sunday night Fox animated schedule, “Golan the Insatiable” (Fox, 9:30 p.m.) features the voice of Aubrey Plaza whose new friend is a giant from space whose voice is provided by Rob Riggle, from the people behind “Axe Cop.” The graduate from the late night Animation Domination Hi-Def block of toons is also the only new scripted show on broadcast TV.
Sounds like a good enough joke: “3 Scientists Walk into a Bar” (Weather, 7 p.m.). In this case they’re an astrophysicist, a statistician and a science fan, looking at weather, lightning, tornadoes and flying frogs in three consecutive episodes.
For Keanu Reeves’ latest documentary, he joins up with his old “Bill and Ted” costar Alex Winter to look at the dark corners of the internet in “Deep Web” (Epix, 10 p.m.).
Arya continues to train and Sansa faces an old foe on “Game of Thrones” (HBO, 9 p.m.), but Jon Snow may’ve the hardest time, explaining his idea.
The former “Veep” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.) takes ill, as her Families First Bill falters.
A millennial invades the agency on “Happyish” (Showtime, 9:30 p.m.).
As Norwegians begin to take over the hospital, “Nurse Jackie” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) is more in demand.
A voodoo doll on “Penny Dreadful” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) is life sized, or at least mannequin sized.
Joe DiMaggio finally shows up in “The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.), but he can’t save it, or her. Increasing her breathy slur, Kelli Garner impersonation becomes more and more annoying in the conclusion of the four-hour, two-night slog.
Pretty sure the spinoff “Naked and Afraid: Uncensored” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) will be. Likewise a in a two hour “Finding Bigfoot” (Animal Planet, 9 p.m.), they won’t.
Often burned by the superior satire on “The Daily Show,” Fox fights back with its a new stab at satire, “The Greg Gutfield Show” (Fox News, 10 p.m.). Odds of it being funny are worst than those for finding bigfoot.
A John Wayne double feature has “The Cowboys” (TCM, 8 p.m.) and “North to Alaska” (10:30 p.m.).
Sunday night baseball has Tigers at Angels (ESPN2, 8 p.m.).
The French Open (Tennis, 5 a.m.) reaches the round of 16.
Sunday Talk
ABC: Former Gov. Martin O’Malley, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Ben Carson. CBS: Former Gov. Jeb Bush, CIA Director John Brennan. NBC: Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Sen. Rick Santorum, Gov. John Kasich. CNN: Former Gov. George Pataki, Sens. Angus King and Mike Lee. Fox News: Carly Fiorina.