Movie adaptations of video games usually don’t go well but there’s a positive buzz surrounding the latest, “The Last of Us” (HBO, 9 p.m.), a post apocalyptic scenario that is saved by acute depictions of individuals starting with a teenager played by Balla Ramsey of “Game of Thrones.” Also in the action cast: Pedro Pascal (who was also in “GoT”), Anna Torv, Nick Offerman and appearances from Murray Bartlett, Melanie Lynskey and Graham Greene.
The 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards (CW, 7 p.m.) is the only awards show where I got to vote as well. Chelsea Handler hosts. Janelle Monáe and Jeff Bridges get special awards.
A second season starts for a couple of strong dramas — a heavily bearded Bryan Cranston in “Your Honor” (Showtime, 9 p.m.) and a pre-snowmobile Jeremy Renner in “Mayor of Kingstown” (Paramount+, streaming), which should be more popular since it’s from Taylor Sheridan who is behind both “Yellowstone” and its spinoffs “1883” and “1923.”
Returning for its third season is Forest Whitaker in “Godfather of Harlem” (MGM+, streaming) on the day that the former Epix channel changes its name.
The NFL’s Wild Card weekend continues with Miami at Buffalo (CBS, 1 p.m.), Giants at Minnesota (Fox, 4:30 p.m.) and Baltimore at Cincinnati (NBC, 8:15 p.m.).
Andie McDowell stars in a new multigenerational drama about a single mother returning home to a Canadian farm town with her daughter. “The Way Home” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) also stars Chyler Leigh and Sadie Laflamme-Snow.
“Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches” (AMC, 9 p.m.) had one of the biggest premieres in network history last week; the second episode is tonight.