Though it starts as if it is an extension of AMC’s “Turn: Washington’s Spies,” the handsome new entry on “Masterpiece” (PBS, 9 p.m.) is “Poldark.” The remake of the 70s series stars Aidan Turner as the dashing guy who has returned from the failures of fighting the American Revolutionaries to find that his girl is about to marry his brother; that his father is dead; and the family plot has gone to seed.
There’s a lot of work to do once back, and things are not made easier when he defends one local urchin, who turns out to be a young woman he hires – the romance comes later. Smartly cast, with a lot of familiar faces from this kind of thing, “Poldark” is also beautifully lit and photographed and has the bursts of occasional violence that will satisfy those who will otherwise be missing “Game of Thrones.”
It’s accompanied by another, presumably even more bloody, British import, this one about a World War I field hospital, “The Crimson Field” (PBS, 10 p.m.).
Speaking of lesser old HBO series, what would “Arli$$” look like if it was on today? Probably a lot like “Ballers” (HBO, 10 p.m.), the new series starring the Rock as an ex-NFL player who is now something of a financial adviser. He’s good in the role, and more likable than expected, but from the first episode it doesn’t look all too much different than other attempts at NFL series, that try to tap into the perceived big money glamor and excess of the sport and share it as entertainment.
It’s not a terrible series, though, and may actually prove itself if it addresses some of the many issues the NFL is facing (or chronically ignoring).
The two hour special “Anne Frank’s Holocaust” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.) imagines what happened to the young diarist to cause her book to come to an end.
The 74th Annual Peabody Awards (Pivot, 9 p.m.) finds a home on TV, albeit a hard to find one. Still it’s winners will be a more impressive bunch than the Broadcast TV Critics Choice were.
Two new shows that won’t win Peabodys next year: “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC, 8 p.m.), making its prime time debut, with Steve Harvey; and “Battlebots” (ABC, 9 p.m.), which is just what it sounds like.
In “Big Crazy Family Adventure” (Travel, 9 p.m.) a couple jumps around the globe with two sons, ages 7 and 3, tagging along. Their goal is to get to the Himalayas not using planes.
Caligula is not a popular guy on “A.D. The Bible Continues” (NBC, 9 p.m.).
The second season of “The Last Ship” (TNT, 9 p.m.) begins with a two hour episode.
The creature unleashes his rage on a new “Penny Dreadful” (Showtime, 10 p.m.). A recap of the whole season begins at 2.
“Halt and Catch Fire” (AMC, 10 p.m.) shouldn’t be confused with halt and “Catch Hell” (Showtime 2, 9 p.m.).
“Nurse Jackie” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) is forced to do a procedure on one of her own.
It’s Giants at Dodgers (ESPN, 8 p.m.) in Sunday night baseball. Earlier games include Tigers at Yankees (MLB, 1 p.m.).
In the FIFA Women’s World Cup, it’s Brazil vs. Australia (Fox Sports 1, 1 p.m.) and France vs. South Korea (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.) and Canada vs. Switzerland (Fox Sports 1, 7:30 p.m.).
In golf, the U.S. Open (Fox, 2 p.m.) comes to an end.
Sunday Talk
ABC: Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley, Rick Santorum. CBS: Riley, NAACP President Cornell William Brooks, NAACP Legal Defense Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill, Sen. Tim Scott, Rep. Devin Nunes. NBC: Mike Huckabee, Rep. James Clyburn. CNN: Donald Trump. Fox News: Rick Perry, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Rep. Donna Edwards.