all times eastern
There is life after The Good Wife. More Billions. Bates Motel returns for its final season. The Blacklist branches out. There are some intriguing new entries on the TV landscape this week.
Sunday
The Good Fight – 8 to 9pm on CBS/Global/W – Series Premiere
Picture The Good Wife without Alicia Florek (Julianna Margulies). Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) is all set to retire from her impressive legal career, but circumstances conspire to keep her in the game. Unable to return to the law firm that bore her name, Diane joins a firm that has some familiar faces from the old show, including Cush Jumbo as Alicia’s former partner, Lucca Quinn. Gary Cole will also turn up on occasion has Diane’s fan-favourite husband, Kurt McVeigh. Sarah Steele also returns as Marissa Gold (Eli’s daughter) as Diane’s secretary, who aspires to become an investigator. (Side note: The opening scene of the series had to be re-shot after Donald Trump—and not Hillary Clinton—became the American President. That alone is a reason to get the DVD set when it comes out, because it will almost assuredly include that now-deleted scene.)
The Paley Center Salutes NBC’s 90th Anniversary – 8 to 11pm on NBC
The famed media centre pays tribute to nine decades of historic radio and television programming, hosted by Kelsey Grammer, and featuring appearances by Ted Danson, Tina Fey, Debra Messing, Noah Wyle, and others. (Side note: it will be interesting to see how they deal with The Cosby Show, which was a key hit show for NBC, but which has become problematic since allegations against the star have sidetracked his career and his one-time role as America’s favourite TV dad.)
Billions – 10 to 11pm on TMN – 2nd Season Premiere
Big Little Lies – 9 to 10pm on HBO – Series Premiere
Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley star as three women living amid the drama and intrigue of life, death and occasionally love in Monteray, California. Based on Liane Moriarty’s best-seller.
Crashing – 10:30 to 11:05pm on HBO – Series Premiere
Pete Holmes stars in this Judd-Apatow-produced sitcom about a man who has always dreamed of becoming a stand-up comedian, who gets to live his dream after he catches his wife in a compromising situation and his life falls apart.
Monday
Bellevue – 9 to 10pm on CBC – Series Premiere
Anna Paquin stars in this Canadian mystery crime drama series about a police detective investigating the disappearance of a transgender teen while also dealing with the return of a mysterious person from her past.
Bates Motel – 10 to 11:04pm on A&E – 5th and Final Season Premiere
Tuesday
American Masters: Maya Angelou – 8 to 10pm on PBS
Friends and fans help to tell the fascinating story of the esteemed author’s life, including Oprah, Common and Bill and Hillary Clinton.
Thursday
The Blacklist: Redemption – 10 to 11pm on NBC/Global
Following the season finale of The Blacklist (an hour earlier than usual), this spinoff puts Tom Keen (Ryan Eggold) among the Grey Matters team headed by his mother (Famke Janssen), Susan Hargrave, as he searches for his wife’s attacker (on The Blacklist). In the meantime, secrets of Tom’s murky past come closer to being revealed.
