There would seem no reason to remake a movie so well associated with David Bowie, but the smartly-written new series version of “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (Showtime, 10 p.m.) has plenty of its own charm, thanks largely to the total commitment of Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role and nearly as good work from Naomie Harris as a scientist who unwillingly takes him under her wing out in the expanses of the American west. And then Bill Nighy shows up.
It’s almost becoming a cliche to dramatize history of the past half century through casting alone. The new “Gaslit” (Starz, 8 p.m.) boasts Juia Roberts as Martha Mitchell, of all people in a Watergate saga that has Sean Penn as John Mitchell (thanks to more prosthetic makeup since Russell Crowe played Roger Ailes). The alarming story of a high-powered husband trying to muzzle his whistleblowing wife may be instructive in the present political atmosphere.
Another crack at “Billy the Kid” (Epix, 10 p.m.) concentrates on the early days of the notorious outlaw, flashing back to the roots of his Irish family, from the makers of “Vikings.” Tom Blyth and Jonah Collier star.
The big news may be that “Barry” (HBO, 10 p.m.) is back for its third season — nearly three years after season two ended. As entertaining as it is, it’s an example of a show that strains credulity since it’s stressed the danger but never killed off any major characters. Still, they’ve become kind of expert in cramming the humor into the corner details of the central (and increasingly implausible) action. Bill Hader, Stephen Root, Henry Winkler, Sarah Goldberg and Anthony Carrigan are all back.
It’s accompanied by a weird British import, “The Baby” (HBO, 10:30 p.m.), starring Michelle de Swarte as a woman who suddenly and spectacularly finds a baby in her arms.
The documentary about the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the 2020 assassination attempt on him is the subject of the documentary “Navalny” (CNN, 9 p.m.).