It seems like it’s been such a long time since “Curb Your Enthusiasm” had a new episode, Larry David fans will rightfully cheer his new TV movie, “Clear History” (HBO, 9 p.m.).
Although at first it seems he’s playing a completely different character — in long brown beard and long hair, a marketing genius who is suddenly at odds with his boss (Jon Hamm). But after their argument and his firing (leading to a loss of millions), he moves far from California to Martha’s Vineyard, where he changes his appearance to become…Larry David!
When Hamm’s character comes to the island to build a big mansion, a shaggy dog pilot of revenge is hatched. Along the way there are a dozen or more of guest stars who all look like they were just happy to be part of whatever David was cooking up: Michael Keaton, Danny McBride, Kate Hudson, J.B. Smoove, Eva Mendes, Amy Ryan, Bill Hader, Philip Baker Hall among them.
It’s kind of a fanciful story that revolves around a futuristic car that becomes popular enough that there’s about a dozen of them on screen. And there’s all sort of side stories and arguments of manners, as “Curb” fans will expect, including one long shaggy tale about the band Chicago.
I’m not sure how well this holds together as a movie, but it’s amusing enough for its humor.
A third season starts for “Hell on Wheels” (AMC, 9 p.m.), the tale about the building of the transcontinental railroad that’s found a hard time getting ignition. As the two hour premiere begins, Anson Mount’s Bohannon is found awaking from a frozen winter, where he has been presumed dead. He finds his way to New York, where he persuades Union Pacific officials to put him back on the job.
In the TV movie “Reading, Writing & Romance” (Hallmark, 9 p.m.) Eric Mabius plays an actor best known for an irritable bowel syndrome becomes a high school teacher. Then a romance ensues. Stefanie Powers, Meredith Baxter and Virginia Williams are also featured.
Lana Turner is the star on Turner Classic Movies today with “Johnny Eager” (11 a.m.), “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1 p.m.), “Green Dolphin Street” (3 p.m.), “Ziegfeld Girl” (5:30 p.m.), “The Bad and the Beautiful” (8 p.m.), “Imitation of Life” (10:15 p.m.), “Peyton Place” (12:30 a.m.) and “The Three Muskateers” (3:30 a.m.).
And her 1941 “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” (TCM, 9 a.m.) is better than the remake “Do No Harm” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
Rosanne Cash and Brandi Carlisle play a rerun of “Austin City Limits” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings).
The Adam Levine-hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) with Kendrick Lamar is rerun, an episode that also includes cameos by Jerry Seinfeld, Cameron Diaz and Andy Samberg.