“The Comeback” (HBO, 10:33 p.m.) certainly lives up to its name. A one-season series about a faded sitcom star desperately making a reality show about returning to the small screen didn’t come back for nine years, with another skewed look at the industry. Now, after another 12 years, here is the third (and said to be final) season of the show, with a piercing look at the threat of artificial intelligence to writers’ rooms everywhere.
Lisa Kudrow is almost too annoying in her character to allow for binging the show (one episode a week is fine). And there are a lot of celebrity cameos as well as favorites from past seasons (Lance Barber, softened by a run on “Young Sheldon” among them). But the skewer hits its target hard on a show that surpasses Kudrow’s past work on “Friends.”
Hey, it really was the most dramatic season of “The Bachelorette” yet. After shooting a whole season with Taylor Frankie Paul of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” in the title role (and previewing it in a post-Oscar special last week), she’s out — as is the entire season — because of a widely distributed viral video from 2023 showing her beating up on an ex.
We’re left with a rerun of “American Idol” (ABC, 8 p.m.) and the previously scheduled preview of a Hulu series “Love Overboard” (ABC, 10 p.m.), a kind of variation of the old seafaring dating show “Shipmates,” except on this one, the rejected suitors also have to walk the plank as well (As if simple rejection on national TV wasn’t humiliating enough). Don’t be surprised if ABC picks it up for the whole season to fill its “Bachelorette”-sized scheduling hole.
Reviews aren’t yet in for the new “Saturday Night Live UK” (Peacock, streaming), which premiered last night overseas, but it becomes available stateside through streaming today. Tina Fey is the inaugural host; with musical guest Wet Leg.
Sam Claflin stars in the new adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo” (PBS, 10 p.m., check local listings), about a sailor improsoned with trial at an island fortress, who eventually escapes and seeks revenge. Jeremy Irons and Ana Giradot also star.
I was a big fan of the 2002 series with Damian Lewis and Gina McKee, but there’s a whole new version of the John Galsworthy saga, with the six-episode “The Forsytes” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings). The Victorian family tale has a generally younger cast now, with Joshua Orpin, Danny Griffin, Millie Gibson and Eleanor Byrne.
Fifteen seasons in, they’re already up to 1971 and embracing the Women’s Liberation Movement on “Call the Midwife” (PBS, 8 p.m., check local listings), making its sason premiere.
As far as the March Madness, second round games in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament has Miami vs. Purdue (CBS, 12:10 p.m.), Kentucky vs. Iowa State (CBS, 2:45 p.m.), St. John’s vs. Kansas (CBS, 5:15 p.m.), Tennessee vs. Virginia (TNT, 6:10 p.m.), Iowa vs. Florida (TBS, 7:10 p.m.), Utah State vs. Arizona (truTV, 7:50 p.m.), UCLA vs. UConn (TNT, 8:45 p.m.) and Texas Tech vs. Alabama (TBS, 9:45 p.m.),
Second round play in the women’s NCAA basketball tournament begins with Maryland at North Carolina (ESPN, noon), NC State at Michigan (ABC, 1 p.m.), Ole Miss at Minnesota (ESPN, 2 p.m.), Texas Tech at LSU (ABC, 3 p.m.), Baylor at Duke (ESPN, 4 p.m.), Oregon at Texas (ESPN, 6 p.m.), Michigan State at Oklahoma (ESPN, 8 p.m.) and Washington at TCU (ESPN, 10 p.m.),
Clark’s looking like more of a sympathetic character on “DTF St. Louis” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
“Watson” (CBS, 10 p.m.) is sued by a patient.
Efforts to revive the ship building industry are shown on “60 Minutes” (CBS, 7 p.m.).
“Tracker” (CBS, 9 p.m.) investigates the set of a B-movie.
The six-episode, three week series “The Faithful: Women of the Bible” (Fox, 8 p.m.) begins with the story of Sarah, played by Minnie Driver, as the wife of Abraham. It’s preceded by more Bible stuff, with “Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints” (Fox, 7 p.m.), beginning with St. Patrick.
“Marshals” (CBS, 8 p.m.) look for survivors of a helicopter crash.
The reunion episodes begin on “Married to Medicine” (Bravo, 9 p.m.).
“Bar Rescue” (Paramount, 10 p.m.) helps a wine bar in Nolensville, Tenn.
The FBI is enlisted to help ambush the killer on “Dark Winds” (AMC, 9 p.m.).
“Who Could Kill a Sweet Old Lady?” (Lifetime, 8 p.m.) asks a made-for-TV thriller.
Time for the Hope Valley Harvest Festival on “When Calls the Heart” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.).
“Tournament of Champions” (Food, 8 p.m.) has the last of its first-round battles.
The new four-part documentary series “Standoff: The FBI, Power and Paranoia” (CNN, 9 p.m.) premieres its first two episodes tonight. The first is about Trump’s reign; the second about J. Edgar Hoover’s domestic spying at the behest of Nixon.
Dehydration looms in the Everglades on “Naked and Afraid” (Discovery, 8 p.m.).
“Extreme Catch” (National Geographic, 9 p.m.) goes looking for a lost Juanita.
Matt finds a cache of rare coins on “Filthy Fortunes” (Discovery, 10 p.m.).
“Rooster” (HBO, 10 p.m.) navigates his first day as a teacher.
Turner Classic Movies has a trio of Carole Lombard films with “Love Before Breakfast” (8 p.m.) “Hands Across the Table” (9:30 p.m.) and “Virtue” (11 p.m.). The silent movie at midnight is “Siren of the Tropics” (12:30 a.m.) with Josephine Baker, followed by two from Milos Forman, “The Firemen’s Ball” (2:15 a.m.) and “The Loves of a Blonde” (4 a.m.).
Basketball includes Portland at Denver (NBA, 5 p.m.) and Minnesota at Boston (NBC, 8 p.m.).
Hockey has Vegas at Dallas (NHL, 7 p.m.).
Spring baseball includes Philadelphia vs. Yankees (MLB, 1 p.m.), Milwaukee vs. Athletics (MLB, 4 p.m.) and Dodgers vs. Angels (MLB, 9 p.m.).
Second round play in men’s college basketball NIT has Illinois State at Wake Forest (ESPN2, Seattle at Auburn (ESPN2, 6:30 p.m.), UNLV at Tulsa (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Wichita State at Oklahoma State (ESPN2, 8:30 p.m.) and St. Joseph’s at California (ESPNU, 9 p.m.).
final rounds are played in the Valspar Championship (Golf, 1 p.m.; NBC, 3 p.m.).
Motor sports includes the Brazil Grand Prix (Fox Sports 2, 1:30 p.m.), the Goodyear 400 (Fox Sports 1, 3 p.m.) and the Arizona Nationals (Fox Sports 1, 6:30 p.m.).
Pro bowling has the Indiana Classic (CW, 4 p.m.).
It’s Ohio State vs. Wisconsin (ESPNU, 4 p.m.) in the women’s NCAA hockey championship game.
College softball includes Tennessee at Florida (ESPN2, noon).
Men’s college lacrosse has Ohio State at Johns Hopkins (ESPNU, noon).
Men’s college hockey has its NCAA tournament selection show (ESPNU, 3 p.m.).
Sunday Talk
ABC: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Sen. Thom Tillis. CBS: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Rep. Jason Crow, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, International Atomic Energy Agency director Rafael Grossi, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute Fiona Hill. NBC: Treasury secretary Scott Bessent, Sen. Chris Murphy, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossio. CNN: White House border czar Tom Homan, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter, House Minority Leader Haeem Jeffries, Rep. Kevin Kiley, Rep. Debbie Dingell. Fox: Homan, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Moore, Rep. Andy Barr, Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Lindsey Graham.