TV Best Bets

Sunday, Nov. 12: ‘Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography’ on A&E

A&E

All Times Eastern.

Sunday, Nov. 12

Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography
A&E, 9pm
Fifteen years after she was rescued from her harrowing nine-month captivity, Elizabeth Smart offers previously untold details about her abduction and her captors, and shares how she has moved past it to focus on marriage, motherhood and advocacy. Smart’s family members, law enforcement involved in the case and eyewitnesses also reveal new information about the case and reflect on Elizabeth’s remarkable recovery. Part 2 airs tomorrow night.

Star Trek: Discovery
CBS All Access
Fall Finale!
What’s going to happen to First Officer Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the Discovery crew? Will T’Kuvma (Chris Obi) unite the Klingons before this is all over? What will they even look like? It’s all a secret until it streams, folks.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Can-Am 500
NBC, 2:30pm Live

The penultimate race of the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season takes place today at Phoenix International Raceway. Today’s race determines which four drivers will compete for the championship in next weekend’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Enchanted Christmas
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Kick up your heels for this sweet romance starring real-life husband and wife (and former Dancing With the Stars contestants) Alexa and Carlos PenaVega. Weeks before Christmas, interior designer Laura (Alexa PenaVega) is sent to her hometown to remodel a landmark hotel. While Laura is busy with renovations, her 8-year-old daughter takes dance lessons at a local dance studio. When Laura discovers that the studio is owned by Ricardo (Carlos PenaVega), her high-school sweetheart and former dance partner, the pair reconnect, and sparks fly on and off the dance floor.

Air Disasters: “Deadly Delay”
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm
Almost immediately after taking off from Madrid International Airport, Spanair Flight 5022 slammed into a creek and burst into flames. With 154 dead, it was Spain’s worst aviation disaster in decades. Investigators quickly zeroed in on a cause until contradictory evidence from the cockpit recorder suggested otherwise, sending everyone scrambling for answers.


The Walking Dead: “Some Guy”
AMC, 9pm
As the fighting continues, a new weapon in the Savior arsenal proves to be a hurdle.

NCIS: Los Angeles: “The Silo”
CBS, 9pm
In the new episode “The Silo,” Kensi (Daniela Ruah) is sent to a missile launch facility to help thwart the use of nuclear weapons after the site’s security is breached by someone from her past.

Engaging Father Christmas
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 9pm
Original Film!
In the follow-up to last year’s Finding Father Christmas, When Calls the Heart’s Erin Krakow reprises her role as Miranda, a woman who discovered her father’s family last year but kept her identity a secret from them at the request of her dad’s scandal-fearing widow (Wendie Malick). This Christmas, Miranda fears the warm welcome she received from the family will turn cold when she gets an anonymous text from someone who threatens to expose her identity.

Madam Secretary: “Loophole”
CBS, 10pm
In the new episode “Loophole,” Henry (Tim Daly) disagrees with the president (Keith Carradine) and Elizabeth (Téa Leoni) when they refuse to negotiate with terrorists for the release of an American CIA agent who was captured by the Taliban.

Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics
AMC, 11pm
New Series!
AMC’s new six-part documentary series, from The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman and David Alpert, takes a deep dive into the stories, people and events that have transformed the world of comic books. Featuring interviews with comic icons Stan Lee, Patty Jenkins, Lynda Carter, Kevin Smith, Famke Janssen, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Rodriguez, Todd McFarlane and others, Visionaries debuts with a special two-night event tonight and tomorrow night.

Monday, Nov. 13

Alibi
Acorn TV
From acclaimed writer Paul Abbott (Shameless) and starring Michael Kitchen (Foyle’s War), Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda) and Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey), this three-part British thriller offers an extraordinary roller coaster of love, murder and lies after a man’s business partner dies under mysterious circumstances and a stranger helps him cover it up.

Trial & Retribution
Acorn TV

No one explores the human cost of crime and punishment with more depth and resonance than Lynda La Plante, creator of the critically lauded Prime Suspect. In this Law & Order-like British series, La Plante follows cases from the commission of the crime to the trial of the accused. She examines grueling, pressure-packed police investigations in all their gritty detail — the sudden insight that can crack a case and the careless mistake that can jeopardize justice. Going behind closed doors, she reveals the strategies of both prosecution and defense as they maneuver toward a final verdict. David Hayman (The Paradise, Sid and Nancy) stars as DCS Mike Walker, with Victoria Smurfit (Once Upon a Time) as his partner.

Supergirl: “Midvale”
The CW, 8pm
Kara (Melissa Benoist) and Alex (Chyler Leigh) head home to Midvale for a little R&R. While there, Kara recalls a painful memory of a childhood friend’s death and how that traumatic experience brought the Danvers sisters closer together.

War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend
HBO, 8pm
This heart-warming documentary highlights the stories of three courageous dogs and the soldiers with whom they served.

The Voice: “The Playoffs, Night 1”
NBC, 8pm
The remaining artists perform in front of coaches Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton for their chance at a spot in the live shows. Tonight, Jennifer and Blake will reveal their Comeback Artists, and their teams will be cut in half as they each select three of their six remaining artists to complete their roster and move on to the final phase of the competition.

Man With a Plan
CBS, 8:30pm
Season Premiere!
In the Season 2 premiere episode “The Silver Fox,” things get weird when the new babysitter (guest star Victoria Justice) tells Adam (Matt LeBlanc) she has the hots for him.

Reno, Set, Go!: “All in the Family”
Discovery Family Channel, 10pm
A deserving pair of superstar foster parents, who have raised 50 foster children over 25 years, gets an epic kitchen, dining and family room renovation in time for Thanksgiving. And their entire clan, including birth children, adopted kids and past fosters, teams up to make this thankful surprise happen.

Scorpion: “Faire Is Foul”
CBS, 10pm
It’s Sylvester’s (Ari Stidham) birthday, and Team Scorpion visits a renaissance festival in the new episode “Faire Is Foul.” But the revelry is cut short when a group tries to rob a nearby police evidence locker.

The Brave: “Stealth”
NBC, 10pm
When an undocumented drone crashes on the border of Mongolia, the team is forced to investigate the old school way. Meanwhile, a stunning realization takes place in the D.I.A.

The Halcyon: “Episode 7”
Ovation, 10pm
The Halcyon recovers from tragedy. Adil (Akshay Kumar) must deal with a terrible secret. The hotel comes under increasing pressure from the police. As Emma (Hermione Corfield) and Joe (Matt Ryan) edge closer together, Freddie (Jamie Blackley) returns.

Ill Behaviour  
Showtime, 10:30pm
New Series!
This British comedic thriller centers on a man (Tom Riley, Da Vinci’s Demons) who refuses to undergo chemotherapy for his newly diagnosed cancer, so his friends (Chris Geere and Jessica Regan) kidnap him and force chemo upon him with the help of an alcoholic oncologist (Lizzy Caplan).

Tuesday, Nov. 14

Future Man
Hulu
New Series!
Seth Rogen is an executive producer behind this comedy series about Josh (Josh Hutcherson), a janitor by day/video gamer by night who is recruited by mysterious visitors to travel through time to prevent the extinction of humanity. Glenne Headly had been in production on the series, playing Josh’s mother, when she passed away suddenly in June. Deadline reported that the actress had filmed five episodes before her death. The report also indicated that other episodes that had featured her were being reworked by writers and that Headly’s role would not be recast.

The Mindy Project
Hulu
Series Finale!
Here comes the bride … but it’s not Mindy Lahiri! Hulu’s The Mindy Project signs off for good with the wedding of nurses Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) and Tamra (Xosha Roquemore).

College Basketball: State Farm Champions Classic
ESPN, beginning at 7pm Live

The State Farm Champions Classic college hoops doubleheader at the United Center in Chicago features the Duke Blue Devils vs. the Michigan State Spartans and the Kentucky Wildcats vs. the Kansas Jayhawks.

NCIS: “Voices”
CBS, 8pm

An NCIS person of interest in a bribery and fraud case is found murdered after a runner is led to his body by a strange voice in the new episode “Voices.”

Lethal Weapon: “Gold Rush”
FOX, 8pm
Riggs (Clayne Crawford) is reunited with childhood friends and comes to realize they might be mixed up in the robbery-homicide case he and Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) are investigating. Meanwhile, Murtaugh finds a joint stashed in his kitchen that thinks may belong to one of his kids.

The Voice: “The Playoffs, Night 2”
NBC, 8pm
Miley reveals her Comeback Artist, and her team is cut in half as she selects three of her six remaining artists to complete her roster and move on to the live shows.

Fresh Off the Boat: “The Day After Thanksgiving”
ABC, 8:30pm
What’s the language of love? If you ask Fresh Off the Boat’s Grandma Huang (Lucille Soong), it’s anything being spoken by Bernard, the magnetic ESL instructor played by Star Trek alum George Takei. But when her crush gets invited to share Thanksgiving dinner with the family, he ends up bringing some unsavory surprises to the table.

This Is Us: “Number One”
NBC, 9pm
Kevin (Justin Hartley) goes back to his high school to accept an award. Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) get excited about their kids’ futures.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: “The Venue”
FOX, 9:30pm
Guest Star Alert!
Law & Order: SVU star Dean Winters reprises his role as Vulture and pops back into Jake and Amy’s lives. Meanwhile, Boyle and Rosa must track down “Sergeant Peanut Butter,” the kidnapped NYPD horse that Charles envies, and Holt challenges Terry to be less image-conscious.

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World: “Dave”
ABC, 10pm
Yvette (Kimberly Hébert Gregory) has reservations when another celestial being pops up and intrudes on her relationship with Kevin (Jason Ritter). Meanwhile, Nate (J. August Richards) tries to work up the nerve to ask Amy (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) out.

American Horror Story: Cult
FX, 10pm
Season Finale!

The seventh edition of Ryan Murphy’s horror anthology series ends tonight with the season finale episode “Great Again.”

The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer
History, 10pm
New Series!
A team of top investigators and code-breakers — with the cooperation of the FBI, unprecedented access to police files, new evidence and new clues — believe they have cracked the code of the infamous Zodiac Killer, the most famous unidentified serial murderer in American history.

Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders
NBC, 10pm
Series Finale!
Will Leslie Abramson (Edie Falco) get the Menendez brothers off for the murder of their parents? No spoilers, but you can probably guess how this all shakes out.

Adventure Capitalists
CNBC, 11pm
Season Finale!
The sportier version of Shark Tank wraps up its second season tonight, and investor Jeremy Bloom believes that even if the entrepreneurs go home empty-handed, they’ve gained a valuable lesson. Bloom has been having a ball with fellow AC investors Shawn Johnson East and Dhani Jones as they meet, mentor and, at times, partner with folks hoping to launch the next great outdoor product. Just don’t expect to see him riding around on the ski bike the trio is pitched on the finale. “I hated that product,” he admits. “It doesn’t have a brake … it almost killed me!”

Wednesday, Nov. 15

NBA Basketball
ESPN, beginning at 8pm Live
LeBron James leads the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Hornets in Charlotte’s Spectrum Center, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers at L.A.’s Staples Center to face the Lakers.

The Blacklist: “Ian Garvey”
NBC, 8pm
Midseason Finale!
When Tom (Ryan Eggold) goes missing, Liz (Megan Boone) desperately retraces his steps in order to find him. Meanwhile, Red’s (James Spader) hunt for the suitcase of bones puts him on a collision course with Tom that will change everyone’s lives forever.

NHL Hockey: N.Y. Rangers at Chicago
NBCSN, 8pm Live

Henrik Lundqvist and the N.Y. Rangers face off against Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks at Chicago’s United Center.

Speechless: “B-R-I— BRITISH I-N-V— INVASION”
ABC, 8:30pm
When Maya’s (Minnie Driver) mother comes for Thanksgiving, it sends the family into a tailspin as they prepare to impress their grandmother. Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) deals with getting older — and the implications that has on his digestive system. Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough) dreads spending the holiday with his overbearing father.

SEAL Team: “Borderlines”
CBS, 9pm
In the new episode “Borderlines,” Jason (David Boreanaz) and the SEALs must rescue an undercover CIA operative after she is captured by radical terrorists.

The Voice: “The Playoffs, Night 3”
NBC, 9pm
Adam reveals his Comeback Artist, and his team is cut in half as he selects three of his six remaining artists to complete his roster and move on to the live shows.

Beyond a Year in Space
PBS, 9pm
This sequel to 2016’s A Year in Space follows astronaut Scott Kelly’s return from a record-breaking 12-month mission on the International Space Station. Scientists examine the effects of long-duration spaceflight and weightlessness on the human body by comparing Kelly to his earthbound identical twin brother. The show also looks at the science of future space travel and introduces viewers to the latest generation of astronauts.

MythBusters
Science Channel, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Brian Louden and Jonathan Lung take over for original hosts Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage in the series that uses ingenuity and experimentation to separate science fact from fiction. Louden and Lung were lifelong fans of the series and are excited to reintroduce it to old fans and share the series with a new generation. “If you were a longtime fan of MythBusters, I really think you should give us a chance,” says Lung. “And if you’ve never seen MythBusters before, I think this is the perfect time for you to hop on the bandwagon.”

Criminal Minds: “Dust and Bones”
CBS, 10pm
The BAU searches for an unsub in Austin, Texas, who is targeting prominent members of the community in the new episode “Dust and Bones.”

Chicago P.D.: “Care Under Fire”
NBC, 10pm
In the wake of several gang-related child abductions, Intelligence must race against time to find a kidnapped boy. Owing to their swiftness and military precision, the team scours the VA records and tracks the suspects to a former Army Ranger. With his previous experience as a Ranger, Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) convinces Voight (Jason Beghe) to send him undercover to try to get information from inside.

Mr. Robot: “eps3.5_kill-process.inc”
USA Network, 10pm
Elliot (Rami Malek) faces off with Mr. Robot (Christian Slater). Dom (Grace Gummer) grows tired of red tape. Tyrell’s (Martin Wallström) new plan won’t be forgotten.

Street Science
Science Channel, 10pm
Season Premiere!
The Tonight Show science expert Kevin Delaney returns as host of this series that finds him building, executing and nailing the science behind larger-than-life experiments. The series attempts to bring mind-blowing experiments out of the lab and onto the streets to show how relevant science is to our everyday lives.

Thursday, Nov. 16

Grey’s Anatomy: “Out of Nowhere”
ABC, 8pm
A hacker compromises the hospital’s computers, causing phones, monitors, labs and patient files to go down. As technology fails, Bailey (Chandra Wilson) attempts to keep the peace, but chaos ensues.

The Big Bang Theory: “The Tesla Recoil”
CBS, 8pm
Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) are furious after they learn Sheldon (Jim Parsons) went to work with the military behind their backs in the new episode “The Tesla Recoil.”

NBA Basketball
TNT, beginning at 8pm Live
Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors head east to take on Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics. In TNT’s second game, James Harden and the Houston Rockets are in Phoenix for a matchup against the Suns.

NFL Football: Tennessee at Pittsburgh
NBC & NFL Network, 8:20pm Live
Heinz Field in Pittsburgh is the site of this Thursday Night Football matchup between the Tennessee Titans and the Steelers.

Young Sheldon: “A Therapist, a Comic Book and a Breakfast Sausage”
CBS, 8:30pm
After choking on a breakfast sausage, Sheldon (Iain Armitage) wrestles with his fear of solid foods, and also discovers comic books for the first time in the new episode “A Therapist, a Comic Book and a Breakfast Sausage.”

Arrow: “Promises Kept”
The CW, 9pm
As Slade (guest star Manu Bennett) continues to uncover clues about his son’s last few years, Oliver (Stephen Amell) makes a big decision.

The Orville: “Firestorm”
FOX, 9pm
When a fire breaks out on the Orville and a crew member dies, Alara (Halston Sage) questions if she is fit for her job.

Van Helsing: “Everything Changes”
Syfy, 9pm
Vanessa (Kelly Overton) faces off with Dmitri (Paul Johansson). Axel (Jonathan Scarfe) fights against becoming a full-fledged vampire. Sam (Christopher Heyerdahl) tracks Mohamad (Trezzo Mahoro), Flesh (Vincent Gale) and Lucky (Andrea Ware). Scab (Rowland Pidlubny) attempts to enlist a fierce group of vampires to join Dmitri.

S.W.A.T.: “Pamilya”
CBS, 10pm
Newcomer Jim Street (Alex Russell) jeopardizes his spot on Hondo’s (Shemar Moore) team when he agrees to do a favor for his incarcerated mother (guest star Sherilyn Fenn) in the new episode “Pamilya.”

Better Things
FX, 10pm
Season Finale!

Season 2 of Pamela Adlon’s comedy Better Things comes to an end with the episode “Graduation.”

Home Alone: “Silent Night, Holy Terror”
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
A teenager’s ex-boyfriend refuses to let go after she ends their relationship, and he commits a devastating home invasion during which he takes her and another family member hostage.

Ghost Wars: “Whistle Past the Graveyard”
Syfy, 10pm
A power outage sends Port Moore into a tailspin. The ghosts are somehow stronger, prompting Roman (Avan Jogia), Jimmy (Kim Coates), Landis (Kandyse McClure) and Doug (Meat Loaf) to trek up to the dam to get the power back on fast. But a long-buried town secret threatens to tear the group apart.

The Cromarties: “E-cro-nomics”
USA Network, 10:30pm
When Antonio and the kids go overboard at the supermarket, Terricka decides the whole family needs a lesson in “ballin’ on a budget.”

Friday, Nov. 17

NBA Basketball
ESPN, beginning at 8pm Live
Western Conference rivals are in action tonight on ESPN as the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the San Antonio Spurs and the New Orleans Pelicans head to the Rockies to take on the Denver Nuggets.

Blindspot: “Gunplay Ricochet”
NBC, 8pm
As the team chases a deadly bomber who is terrorizing Manhattan, Jane (Jaimie Alexander) uncovers a shattering secret from her youth.

Jane the Virgin: “Chapter Seventy”
The CW, 9pm
Jane’s (Gina Rodriguez) book is finally being released, but her plans to have a party at the local bookshop where she was inspired to be a writer hit a snag.

Great Performances: “Indecent”
PBS, 9pm
See Paula Vogel’s award-winning work inspired by the true story of the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance, for which the cast of the original production was arrested on the grounds of obscenity.

Tim & Faith: Soul2Soul
Showtime, 9pm
This documentary special features country music power couple Tim McGraw and Faith Hill with concert footage and behind-the-scenes clips from their 2017 world tour.

Z Nation: “Crisis of Faith”
Syfy, 9pm
Warren (Kellita Smith) and the others encounter a mysterious stranger who they think is a grave robber, but who turns out to be something much more.

Blue Bloods: “Pick Your Poison”
CBS, 10pm
In the new episode “Pick Your Poison,” Eddie’s (Vanessa Ray) judgment is clouded by her past when she arrests a loathed acquaintance from college on questionable charges.

101 People Who Made the 20th Century
Reelz, 10pm
New Series!
This series counts down the movers and shakers of the 20th century who changed the world, be it from the stage, the pulpit or the corridors of power. This episode includes Richard Branson, Pablo Escobar, Marilyn Monroe, Salvador Dalí, Billy Graham, Margaret Thatcher and many more.

Superstition: “Tangled Web”
Syfy, 10pm
The Hastings are visited by a local mystic, Aunt Nancy, who believes she has the answer to defeating the Dredge.

Saturday, Nov. 18

Zak Storm: “Troll Diving”
Discovery Family Channel, 9am
Caramba is kidnapped by undersea trolls who mistake his exoskeleton for a piece of gold. Zak wants to rescue him alone but is in over his head without his crew.

Coming Home for Christmas
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Allie Richfield (Danica McKellar) lands a job as house manager for an exquisite countryside estate. While preparing the place for sale, she plans one final Christmas Eve gala for the owners — the dysfunctional Marley family. As Allie is inserted into the home and the family’s life, she juggles her own complicated love life while teaching the Marleys the true spirit of Christmas.

Night of Too Many Stars: America Unites for Autism Programs
HBO, 8pm Live
Jon Stewart’s star-studded comedy gala, formerly on Comedy Central, comes to HBO for a live showcase of performances, sketches and short films at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The event benefits the NEXT for AUTISM foundation.

I Am Elizabeth Smart
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Coproduced and narrated by Elizabeth Smart — the Utah woman who was kidnapped at age 14 and subjected to nine months of abuse by pseudo-religious fanatics Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee — this film reveals how Mitchell (Skeet Ulrich) targeted the girl, knowing he could use her innocence, staunch Mormon faith and familial devotion to make her bend to his will. And how Smart (via a gutsy performance by newcomer Alana Boden) eventually turned the tables, capitalizing on her captors’ own weaknesses to champion her rescue.

Christmas Homecoming
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 9pm
Original Film!

A military widow (Julie Benz) whose faith in Christmas has lapsed rents an apartment to a handsome Army captain (Michael Shanks) who is recovering from an injury in battle and whose faith in Christmas is inspirational. As they team up to save the town’s military museum with a Christmas fundraising event, these two “wounded birds” find themselves falling in love — and being healed by the magic of Christmas.

Murder Made Me Famous: “The Dating Game Killer”
Reelz, 9pm
With estimates that run as high as 130 victims, Rodney Alcala embarked on a ruthless spree of murder, rape and sexual assault throughout the 1970s, and he has been widely compared to Ted Bundy. During this time, Alcala took sexually explicit photos of hundreds of young men and women as a self-proclaimed professional photographer. Alcala was a contestant on the TV show The Dating Game in 1978 — despite being a convicted rapist, registered sex offender and being investigated for multiple murders.

Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders
SundanceTV, 9pm
Emmy-winning documentarian Joe Berlinger turns his attention to the shocking heartland murders made famous in Truman Capote’s iconic In Cold Blood. Featuring commentary from Clutter family relatives and other case insiders, the two-night event also features rare photos, documents, home movie clips and audio files to shine a fresh light on the infamous crime — and the four souls who lived on only in Capote’s pages.

Saturday Night Live: “Chance the Rapper/Eminem”
NBC, 11:30pm Live
Having previously appeared twice as musical guest, Grammy winner and Emmy nominee Chance the Rapper now makes his first appearance as SNL host tonight. He is joined by Grammy- and Oscar-winning rapper Eminem, who makes his seventh appearance as musical guest.