It began as a well-regarded three season animated series on Nickelodeon from 2005-2007 that never stopped rerunning. Then came a four-season animated sequel “The Legend of Korra,” a 2010 film adaptation by M. Night Shyamalan, as well as all manner of manga, books, video games, podcasts and soundtracks. Now, there’s a long awaited eight-episode live action streaming series of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (Netflix, streaming). Originally involving the creators of the franchise, both Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, but both left because of creative differences (they’re working on their own animated feature due out in October 2025.
The new series looks better than the 2010 live action movie, but is no “Game of Thrones.” Mostly there’s a lot of battles with the the fire nation who want to take over the air, earth and water tribes while the one designated “Airbender” — a bald-headed 12-year old — has power over all four kingdoms and regain balance. Its action scenes seem overwrought; the battles sped up like video game outtakes.
The new film “Kemba” (BET+, streaming) stars Nesta Cooper as a college student who gets involve with a drug kingpin (Siddiq Saunderson), based on a true story.
A better indicator of changing seasons than Punxsutawney Phil: spring baseball has its first televised game, with Dodgers at San Diego (ESPN, 3:10 p.m.).
The two principals of “Genius: MLK/X” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.) finally meet at the passage of the Civil Rights Act in the first of two episodes that will conclude the the season.
“Young Sheldon” (CBS, 8 p.m.) realizes he’s the weakest student in his class.
The 14 remaining chefs have to prepare a curry in 30 minutes on “Next Level Chef” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
“The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger” (INSP, 8 p.m.) has one about helping a Shoshone woman escape her abusive husband.
A woman is found murdered in Central Park on “Law & Order” (NBC, 8 p.m.); a case hits too close to home on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC, 9 p.m.) and a victim from Stabler’s past goes missing on “Law & Order: Organized Crime” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
Solo dates are organized on “Farmer Wants a Wife” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
“Ghosts” (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) begin to invade the dreams of the living.
A woman finds her husband’s new business partner is her ex in the made-for-TV film “The Ex Obsession” (Lifetime Movie Network, 8 p.m.) starring Chaley Rose and B.J. Britt.
Margaret and Todd work on two separate cases on “So Help Me Todd” (CBS, 9 p.m.).
“Son of a Critch” (CW, 9 p.m.) have a bonfire night.
Astrid wants to be spontaneous on “Children Ruin Everything” (CW, 9:30 p.m.).
“Summer House” (Bravo, 9 p.m.) returns for its eighth season with housemates heading back to the Hamptons.
Gator season reaches the halfway point on “Swamp People” (History, 8 p.m.).
“Theresa Caputo: Raising Spirits” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) buys a hat in London.
A college student with a stomach ache declares “I Wasn’t Expecting a Baby!” (Lifetime, 10 p.m.).
“Jersey Shore Family Vacation” (MTV, 8 p.m.) gets a call from the mayor of Atlantic City.
A tea party goes all wrong on “Bold & Bougie” (WEtv, 9 p.m.).
It will be a visually sumptuous day on Turner Classic Movies as its 31 Days of Oscar turns to nominees and winners for cinematography with “Algiers” (6 a.m.), “Waterloo Bridge” (8 a.m.), “The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex” (10 a.m.), “Kismet” (noon), “National Velvet” (1:45 p.m.), “Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book” (4 p.m.), “King Solomon’s Mines” (6 p.m.), “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” (8 p.m.), “The Black Swan” (10 p.m.), “Phantom of the Opera” (midnight), “The Picture of Dorian Gray” (2 a.m.) and “Cries and Whispers” (4 a.m.).
The NBA returns from the All-Star break with games that include Phoenix at Dallas (TNT, 7:30 p.m.) and Lakers at Golden State (TNT, 10 p.m.).
Hockey has Washington at Tampa Bay (ESPN, 7 p.m.) and Nashville at Los Angeles (Hulu, 10:30 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Rutgers at Purdue (Fox Sports 1, 7 p.m.), SMU at Florida Atlantic (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Radford at Gardner-Webb (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Drexel at Hofstra (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Washington at Arizona State (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Michigan at Northwestern (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m.), Troy at Arkansas State (ESPNU, 9 p.m.), Sam Houston at New Mexico State (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.), Washington State at Arizona (Fox Sports 1, 11 p.m.), Oregon at Stanford (ESPN2, 11 p.m.), Loyola Marymount at Santa Clara (CBS Sports, 11 p.m.) and UC Santa Barbara at UC Irvine (ESPNU, 11 p.m.).
Women’s games include Little Rock at Southeast Missouri State (ESPNU, 5 p.m.), Iowa at Indiana (Peacock, 8 p.m.) and Utah at UCLA (ESPN, 9:30 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos: Cynthia Nixon, Kat Ashmore. The View: Alex Finnie. The Talk: Jeffrey Wright, Fawn Weaver. Kelly Clarkson: Jenny Slate, Beanie Feldstein, Geraldine Viswanathan, Sabrina Elba, Karine Jean-Pierre. Jennifer Hudson: Egypt Sherrod, Mike Jackson, Sanaa Lathan. Tamron Hall: Dulce Sloan, Lisa Marie Riley, Leah Sampson, Louis York, Tamia.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Christopher Nolan (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Rory Scovel. Jimmy Fallon: Dakota Johnson Chloe Sevigny, Gaby Moreno with Oscar Isaac (rerun). Seth Meyers: Sterling K. Brown, Melissa Rauch, Colleen Clark (rerun). Taylor Tomlinson: Bianca Del Rio, Reggie Watts, Wendi McLendon-Covey (rerun). Daily Show: Jason Isbell.