Werner Herzog’s documentaries have their own charms whether they’re about exotic peoples (like 1989’s “Herdsmen of the Sun”) or those interacting with animals (2005’s “Grizzly Man”). His latest, “Ghost Elephants” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.) follows the South African naturalist as he seeks an undiscovered species of African elephant that may or may not exist. Herzog’s hand, and his eccentric narration, make it a more unusual true nature film than most on Saturday nights.
The former Tiffany Network gets further tarnished in its rightward lurch with its first primetime UFC match (CBS, 8 p.m.).
It’s the least of the many sports dominating broadcast primetime tonight that includes the start of the Milan Cortina Parylympics Opening Ceremony (NBC, 8 p.m.).
It follows events earlier today that include men’s downhill skiing (CNBC, 5:15 a.m.), men’s and women’s biathlon (CNBC, 6:30 a.m.), United States vs. South Korea (CNBC, 8:30 a.m.) in wheelchair curling and United States vs. Italy (CNBC, 11 a.m.) in sled hockey.
Elsewhere, there’s Britain vs. United States (Fox, 8 p.m.) in the World Baseball Classic. Other games today have Korea vs. Japan (Fox Sports 1, 5 a.m.), Colombia vs. Canada (Fox Sports 2, 11 a.m.), Panama vs. Puerto Rico (Fox Sports 1, 6 p.m.), Israel vs. Venezuela (Fox Sports 2, 7 p.m.) and Taiwan vs. Korea (Fox Sports 2, 10 p.m.).
And there’s the NBA’s Golden State at Oklahoma City (ABC, 8:30 p.m.). It follows an earlier game, Philadelphia at Atlanta (NBA, 6 p.m.).
Finally there’s NASCAR’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (CW, 7:30 p.m.) from Phoenix.
“Vanished in an Instant” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) is a made-for-TV thriller about a woman who loses her teenage daughter on a road trip. Vinessa Antoine and Arista Arhin star.
The murder at the reopening of the inn, starts a search for the killer when a storm traps everyone inside in “Sugar & Vice: A Hannah Swensen Mystery” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.).
The beardos are back on the second season premiere of “Duck Dynasty: The Revival” (A&E, 10 p.m.).
“Vet Detective” (Nat Geo Wild, 10 p.m.) tries to find the causes of a sickly cat.
Social media backlash threatens a couple on “Love and Marriage: Huntsville” (OWN, 8 p.m.).
“Fackham Hall” (HBO, 8 p.m.), a satire of period romances with Ben Radcliffe and Damian Lewis, makes its premium cable debut.
Svengoolie presents “Son of Frankenstein” (MeTV, 8 p.m.).
Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar has adventure all day with “Mighty Joe Young” (6:45 a.m.), “Jungle Book” (8:30 a.m.), “Mogambo” (10:30 a.m.), “The Old Man and the Sea” (12:30 p.m.), “Grandad of Races” (2 p.m.), “Born Free” (2:15 p.m.), “King Solomon’s Mines” (4 p.m.), “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (6 p.m.), “The Flight of the Phoenix” (8 p.m.), “Mutiny on the Bounty” (10:30 p.m.), “The Last of the Mohicans” (1:45 a.m.) and “The Flame and the Arrow” (3:30 a.m.).
Hockey has Washington at Boston (ABC, 12:30 p.m.), Rangers at New Jersey (ABC, 3 p.m.) and Tampa Bay at Toronto (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Spring baseball includes Pittsburgh vs. Detroit (MLB, 1 p.m.), Texas vs. San Francisco (MLB, 3 p.m.), and Colorado vs. Dodgers (MLB, 8 p.m.).
Men’s college basketball Houston at Oklahoma State (CBS, noon), Virginia Tech at Virginia (CW, noon), Davidson at St. Bonaventure (USA, noon), Xavier at Villanova (TNT, noon), Arkansas at Missouri (ESPN, noon), Notre Dame at Boston College (ESPNU, noon), Butler at DePaul (Fox Sports 1, noon), Connecticut at Marquette (Fox, 12:30 p.m.), George Washington at Loyola Chicago (USA, 2 p.m.), Kansas State at Kansas (CBS, 2 p.m.), Cincinnati at TCU (TNT, 2 p.m.), Vanderbilt at Tennessee (ESPN, 2 p.m.), Louisville at Miami (ESPNU, 2 p.m.), Arizona State at Iowa State (Fox Sports 1, 2 p.m.), Stanford at North Carolina State (CW, 2:15 p.m.), Saint Louis at George Mason (USA, 4 p.m.), Wisconsin at Purdue (CBS, 4 p.m.), Florida at Kentucky (ESPN, 4 p.m.), Florida Atlantic at Wichita State (ESPNU, 4 p.m.), Pittsburgh at Syracuse (CW, 4:30 p.m.), Indiana at Ohio State (Fox, 5:30 p.m.), North Carolina at Duke (ESPN, 6:30 p.m.), Providence at Georgetown (truTV, 8 p.m.), UC Davis at UC Irvine (ESPNU, 8 p.m.), Auburn at Alabama (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.), UCLA at USC (Fox Sports 1, 9 p.m.), Texas Tech at BYU (ESPN, 10:30 p.m.), Arizona at Colorado (ESPN2, 11 p.m.) and Washington at Oregon (Fox Sports 1, 11 p.m.).
Women’s games include Miami Ohio at Ohio (ESPNU, 6 p.m.).
There is third round play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Golf, 12:30 p.m.; NBC, 2:30 p.m.).
Women’s soccer has Iceland at England (CBS Sports, 7:30 a.m.), Argentina vs. Canada (TNT, 12:30 p.m.) and Colombia at United States (TBS, 3:30 p.m.).
Women’s hockey has Northeastern vs. Connecticut (ESPNews, 3:30 p.m.) in the east championship final.
Motor sports includes the IndyCar Good Ranchers 250 (Fox, 3 p.m.) and the NHRA All-Star Callout (Fox Sports 1, 4 p.m.).
Ryan Gosling hosts a new “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) for his fourth time with musical guests Gorillaz. The rerun at 10 p.m. is last week’s show with Connor Storrie and Mumford & Sons.