Hard to believe it will be 25 years since the burning of the Branch Davidians in Texas this spring. Hard, too, to get your head around the notion of Taylor Kitsch — Tim Riggins of “Friday Night Lights” — as David Koresh, or “Supergirl” Melissa Benoist as his wife (or one of them). But that’s the case in the new miniseries “Waco” (Paramount, 10 p.m.) that also features no less than Michael Shannon as the lead FBI negotiator, and one of those casts where every face seems familiar.
Like the Unabomber miniseries last year on cable, this one is better than you’d expect, though you might be taken aback with how sympathetic Koresh and his cult are (though the facts are there: They were hoarding guns and he was married to a number of women, some as young as 12). Still, the tragedy is seen as a botched raid by the federal government, then and now.
Matt Jones of “Breaking Bad” breaks into his own starring role in a comedy about a slacker who inherits a gym and a rival on “Let’s Get Physical” (Pop, 8:30 p.m.). It accompanies the fourth season return of “Schitt’s Creek” (Pop, 8 p.m.).
He’s been talking the ocean on “Planet Earth: The Blue Planet II” (BBC America, 9 p.m.), and now the nature host looks at Earth’s largest living structure on “David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef” (Smithsonian, 8 p.m.).
Writer Darin Morgan, who was behind some of the more entertaining recent episodes of “The X-Files” (Fox, 8 p.m.), gets the credits for tonight’s “The Lost Art of Forehead Sweat” that tweaks everything from “The Twilight Zone” to “X-Files” itself.
The second episode of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (FX, 10 p.m.) focuses more on the killer Andrew Cunanan and his first days in Miami. Also, the actor Max Greenfield pops up.
“Mosaic” (HBO, 8 p.m.), now on its third episode, is just getting good.
A new “Secrets of the Dead” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings) uses new technologies to further examine the Great Pyramid of Giza, looking for previously undiscovered remains and secret rooms.
A new “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (TBS, 10:30 p.m.) will try to keep up with what’s been going down.
Jughead learns some history of “Riverdale” (The CW, 8 p.m.) just before the annual Picken’s Day festivities.
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) resumes its reunion. Part one is rerun at 8.
Fallon is taken hostage on “Dynasty” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
A plane crash ties up “9-1-1” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
These “Vikings” (History, 9 p.m.) aren’t playing in the Super Bowl either.
Jenkins body-switches with a 28-year-old slacker on “The Librarians” (TNT, 8 p.m.).
“The Amazing Race” (CBS, 8 p.m.) goes to St. Tropez and Provence, France.
Oliver is getting too stressed at school on “American Housewife” (ABC, 8:30 p.m.). A second new episode is on at 9:30 p.m.
Alice and Quentin visit her parents on “The Magicians” (Syfy, 9 p.m.).
A series of cryptic homicides in D.C. are investigated on “Criminal Minds” (CBS, 10 p.m.).
Zoey navigates social media on “Grown-ish” (Freeform, 8 p.m.).
The Paris temple of the Knights Templar is under siege on “Knightfall” (History, 10 p.m.).
Suddenly it’s the 1990s on “The Goldbergs” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Sax is reunited with “Happy!” (Syfy, 10 p.m.) and they try again to save Hailey.
A family jewelry company is helped on “Relative Success with Tabitha” (Bravo, 10 p.m.).
“Corporate” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.) brings its second episode.
Jack McBrayer, Ellie Kemper, Anthony Anderson, Yvette Nicole Brown, James Van Der Beek and Anna Camp all play the “Match Game” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Six of the films added to the National Film Registry are featured on Turner Classic Movies with “The Learning Tree” (8 p.m.), “The Negro Soldier” (10 p.m.), “Trouble in Paradise” (11 p.m.), “All the King’s Men” (12:30 a.m.), “El Norte” (2:30 a.m.) and “Footlight Parade” (4:15 a.m.).
NBA action has Houston at Dallas (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Boston at Clippers (10:30 p.m.).
Hockey has Toronto at Chicago (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Marquette at Xavier (Fox Sports 1, 6:30 p.m.), Saint Joseph’s at St. Bonaventure (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Boston College at Syracuse (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Louisville at Miami (ESPN2, 8 p.m.), DePaul at Georgetown (Fox Sports 1, 8:30 p.m.), Temple at Cincinnati (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.), Stanford at Southern California (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), Colorado State at San Diego State (CBS Sports, 11 p.m.) and Nevada at Wyoming (ESPNU, 11 p.m.).
The Australian Open (Tennis, 7 p.m.; ESPN2, 10 p.m.) is down to the men’s semifinals.
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest: James Corden, Eugene Levy. The View: La La Anthony. The Talk: Rita Moreno, Justing Machado, Ellen K. Harry Connick: Rob Riggle, Todd Wilbur, Esther Povitsky. Steve Harvey: Mario Lopez, Francia Raisa. Ellen DeGeneres: Khloe Kardashian (rerun). Wendy Williams: Dan Levy, Bahar Takhtehchian.
Late Talk
Stephan Colbert: Willem Dafoe, RuPaul, Roy Wood Jr. Jimmy Kimmel: Lisa Kudrow, Rich Eisen, Bahamas. Jimmy Fallon: Ice-T, Meghan Trainor, the Avett Brothers. Seth Meyers: Jim Gaffigan, Van Jones, Josh Gondelman, Brann Dailor. James Corden: Bryan Cranston, Timothee Chalet, BTS (rerun). Carson Daly: Nicole Wallace, Mura Masa, Richard Blais (rerun). Trevor Noah: P.K. Subban. Trevor Noah: Stephanie Schriok. Conan O’Brien: DJ Khaled, Natasha Leggero, the Ghost of Paul Revere.