The great thing about Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part II” is that you don’t have to have seen part one to enjoy the rise of Prince Hal in the days of King Henry IV. And when performed, as they are by Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons, in the third installment of “The Hollow Crown” on “Great Performances” (PBS, 9 p.m., check local listings), so much the better.
The action begins after the Battle of Shrewsbury with Simon Russell Beale’s Falstaff working to keep the rebels at bay.
Richard Eyre directs the work, already praised on British TV, with a cast that also includes Alum Armstrong, Geoffrey Palmer, and Maxine Peake. The series ends next week with “Henry V.”
Much less highbrow, the TV movie “Beneath” (Chiller, 9 p.m) friends on a high school reunion trip row a boat into a unforgiving lake.
Because nobody remembers that she was the third season winner of “The Voice,” she agrees to let a reality TV crew follow her around for a new series, “Cassadee Pope: Frame by Frame” (CMT, 10 p.m.).
An update on the “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta” shop owner who had breast cancer, Lori Allen, is featured in the special “Say Yes to the Cure: Lori’s Fight Updated” (TLC, 8 p.m.).
Because she has a new book out, Elizabeth Smart is back in the news, doing the rounds of interviews, such as “Elizabeth’s Story: A Meredith Vieira Special” (NBC, 10 p.m.).
Tim Daly guest stars as a Texas Ranger looking for his daughter on “Hawaii Five-0” (CBS, 9 p.m.).
The young contestants on “MasterChef Junior” (Fox, 8 p.m.) are tasked with creating the perfect burger.
The plot of tonight’s “Last Man Standing” (ABC, 8 p.m.) involves the boss sneaking back among dock workers for insight, which is pretty much the premise of a network show opposite it, “Undercover Boss” (CBS, 8 p.m.).
Why do networks replay their episodes on the weekend? To drive up the one-week numbers, which for “Sleepy Hollow” (Fox, 9 p.m.) last week they counted as 22 million. It’s the first fall show to be renewed for a second season.
Other such reruns? “The Originals” (The CW, 8 p.m.), “The Michael J. Fox” (NBC, 8 p.m.) and “Sean Saves the World” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
Preparation for the NFL season games are presented in the two part “NFL In Season: Steelers vs. Vikings” (Discovery, 10 p.m.).
Scott looks for a way to escape Black Bear Prison on “Strike Back” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.).
They’re dedicating Fridays all month to spooky movies on Turner Classic Movies with “Carnival of Souls” (8 p.m.), “Night of the Living Dead” (9:30 p.m.), “Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse” (11:15 p.m.), “Bride of Frankenstein” (1:30 a.m.), “Frankenstein Created Woman” (3 a.m.) and “The Wasp Woman” (4:45 a.m.).
Carl Reiner, Alan Grayson, Suzy Khimm, Matt Kibbe and Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel are among the guests on “Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.).
A full day of baseball division playoffs! In the National League, Pittsburgh at St. Louis (MLB Network, 1 p.m.) and Dodgers at Braves (TBS, 6 p.m.). In the American League, game one of both Tampa Bay at Boston (TBS, 3 p.m.) and Detroit at Oakland (TBS, 9:30 p.m.).
IN college football, it’s BYU at Utah State (CBS Sports, 8 p.m.) and Nevada at San Diego State (ESPN, 9 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Hilaria Baldwin. The View: Sean “Diddy” Combs, Terrence J, Lisa Gonzalez. The Talk: Raquel Welch, Ed Westwick, David Meyers. Ellen DeGeneres: Daniel Radcliffe, Jack Osbourne, Cheryl Burke. Wendy Williams: Melissa Gorga, Joe Gorga, Nelly.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Tom Selleck, Michael Somerville, Albert Hammond Jr. Jay Leno: Terry Bradshaw, Nelly. Jimmy Kimmel: Justin Timberlake, Hailee Steinfeld (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Artie Lange, Tavi Gevinson, Phantogram. Craig Ferguson: Justin Long. Carson Daly: Georges St. Pierre, Awkward Black Girl, Glossary (rerun). Tavis Smiley: David Dinkins. Arsenio Hall: Gina Gershon, Amber Riley & Derek Hough. Chelsea Handler: Cat Cora, Jeff Wild, Fortune Feimster, Ross Mathews (rerun).