TV Best Bets

Thursday, Feb. 8: How Nina Met Lance on IFC’s ‘Portlandia’

Augusta Quirk/IFC

All Times Eastern.

Thursday, Feb. 8

Portlandia: “Abracadabra”
IFC, 10pm

The eighth and final season of Portlandia continues with the new episode “Abracadabra,” in which Nina (Fred Armisen) and Lance (Carrie Brownstein) tell the story of how they met.

Grey’s Anatomy: “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”
ABC, 8pm
April (Sarah Drew) is in charge of the new Grey Sloan Surgical Innovation Contest, and the doctors are eager to start their projects. Meanwhile, Catherine’s (Debbie Allen) old friend has a shocking idea for Catherine and Jackson (Jesse Williams), and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) treats a returning patient who inspires her project.

College Basketball: Duke at North Carolina
ESPN, 8pm Live

One of the most storied rivalries in college basketball is renewed tonight at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., as the Duke Blue Devils visit the North Carolina Tar Heels on ESPN.

The Four: Battle for Stardom
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!
In the two-hour season finale, find out which artist will win the final fight and have his or her career launched by Grammy Award-winning musician and media mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, hit-making producer DJ Khaled, and Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Meghan Trainor. Pop star Fergie hosts.

NBA Basketball
TNT, beginning at 8pm Live

Eastern Conference rivals clash in the nation’s capital as Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics visit John Wall and the Washington Wizards, followed by Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder in Los Angeles to face the Lakers.

Arrow: “The Devil’s Greatest Trick”
The CW, 9pm
Lost’s Michael Emerson returns as Cayden James, who discovers a secret about the Green Arrow (Stephen Amell) that pushes him over the edge.

Mysteries at the Museum
Travel Channel, 9pm
Season Premiere!
As the series returns, host Don Wildman investigates the story behind an iconic 9/11 photo, a NASA experiment that turned deadly and a naval codebreaker determined to outsmart the enemy.

How to Get Away With Murder: “Ask Him About Stella”
ABC, 10pm
Annalise (Viola Davis) deals with an unforeseen issue after damaging details about a key witness are exposed in her case to help Laurel (Karla Souza). Meanwhile, the “K4” continue their efforts to help build a case for Annalise’s class action lawsuit.

Friday, Feb. 9

The Trader (Sovdagari)
Netflix
In this documentary short, Gela sells secondhand clothes and household items from the back of his minibus while traveling the country of Georgia in Eastern Europe in search of spuds. Money is meaningless in this market, where potatoes are what’s of value.

The Ritual
Netflix
Original Film!
Following the sudden and violent death of their best friend, four young men reunite for a hike through the Scandinavian wilderness. Deep in the woods, they find themselves lost in a hell of sinister nightmares, where something malevolent forces them to face the darkness inside themselves.

Barkfest
Nat Geo Wild, 8pm
Nat Geo Wild is expanding its annual four-legged event to a full week beginning with tonight’s special, The Science of Dogs. Think you know everything about our canine companions? Think again. Tonight’s special offers updated science and even stories of dogs that drive. You will be amazed.

2018 Winter Olympics: Opening Ceremony
NBC, 8pm

The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games in South Korea open with the pageantry and spectacle of the opening ceremony, including the Parade of Nations and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

2 Dope Queens: “Hair”
HBO, 11:30pm
Divorce star Sarah Jessica Parker — whose hair has run the gamut from ’80s spiral-perm-and-mall-bangs fabulosity to Carrie Bradshaw’s myriad dos to the sleek beach waves that keep the 52-year-old looking youthful — joins hosts Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson to talk tresses.

Saturday, Feb. 10

NBA Basketball: San Antonio at Golden State
ABC, 8:30pm Live

LaMarcus Aldridge and the San Antonio Spurs visit Oracle Arena for a Saturday primetime matchup against Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors.

Planet Earth: Blue Planet II: “Big Blue”
BBC America, 9pm
Blue Planet II’s fourth episode, “Big Blue,” examines life in the vast wilderness of the open ocean. Creatures who’ve adapted to life in this desert include the sperm whales, sea turtles, Portuguese man-of-war hydrozoans and whale sharks. The episode also looks at the effects of pollution — particularly discarded plastic — on the oceanic ecosystem.

Very, Very, Valentine
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Danica McKellar stars as Helen, a kindhearted and shy florist who meets the perfect man at a Valentine’s masquerade ball. She enlists the help of her best friend Henry to track him down, only to find that her perfect man may already be right in front of her. Cameron Mathison and Damon Runyan also star.

Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars
Showtime, 9pm
This documentary film follows the highs and lows of legendary musician Eric Clapton, from the dozens of bands and legendary musicians who became part of his personal life to his darker days that were wrought with drug and alcohol addictions, personal tragedies (his 4-year-old son’s death) and various family struggles.

Falling Water: “Mothers, Fathers, Daughters, Sons”
USA Network, 10pm
Tess (Lizzie Brocheré) and Alex try to convince the rescued dreamer to testify. Taka (Will Yun Lee) and Burton (David Ajala) pressure Nicholas Hull (Neal Huff) to flip on Taylor Bennett, as Bennett approaches Bill Boerg (Zak Orth).

Sunday, Feb. 11

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Advance Auto Parts Clash
FS1, 3pm Live
Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway continues today with the Advance Auto Parts Clash, featuring a field of elite Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing in a 75-lap, non-points race.

Killing Versace: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Oxygen, 7pm
NBC News senior national correspondent Kate Snow hosts this one-hour special that dives into Andrew Cunanan’s calculated killing spree, which culminated in the shocking slaying of fashion icon Gianni Versace. Through new and revisited expert interviews, Snow will re-examine Cunanan’s cross-country murder spree that took the lives of five men.

Behind the Movement
TV One, 7pm
Set during the tumultuous civil rights era, this film recounts the inner workings and behind-the-scenes preparation that took place during three intense days between the fateful evening in 1955 when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to the launch of the Montgomery bus boycott. Starring Meta Golding, Isaiah Washington and Loretta Devine, Behind the Movement reveals the untold story of how a group of everyday people decided it was the right time to take a stand for their civil rights and demand equal treatment.

Autopsy: The Last Hours Of …
REELZ Channel, 8pm
Season Premiere!
The new season continues to explore the truth behind the controversial and mysterious deaths of celebrities and people whose untimely passings were often surrounded by elements of shock, scandal and intense media attention. The season premiere looks at the death of The Sopranos star James Gandolfini.

Star Trek: Discovery
CBS All Access, available after 8:30pm
Season Finale!
The first season of this latest Trek incarnation comes to a close with today’s episode, streaming on CBS All Access. The series will be back for a second season.

The Radical Story of Patty Hearst
CNN, 9pm
New Series!
This six-part docuseries, debuting with back-to-back episodes tonight, follows the transformation of Patty Hearst from heiress to terrorist in a saga of privilege, celebrity, politics, media, revolution and violence. Over 40 years after Hearst was abducted, newly discovered evidence, archival footage, cinematic re-creations and exclusive firsthand accounts shed light on one of the biggest and most bizarre stories in modern American history.

Cooking With Love
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Optimistic and cheerful TV producer Kelly (Ali Liebert) doesn’t have time for love. Bad boy celebrity chef Stephen (Brett Dalton) doesn’t have time for anything besides cooking. Fun with a side of love ensues as Kelly and Stephen are paired on a children’s cooking show.

Here and Now
HBO,
9pm
New Series!

This drama is centered on parents Greg and Audrey and their mix of adopted and biological children. Ashley (Jerrika Hinton, Grey’s Anatomy), adopted from Liberia, is a fashion maven restless in her picture-perfect marriage. Vietnam-born Duc (Raymond Lee, Mozart in the Jungle) is a successful life coach with relationship issues of his own. And college student Ramon (Daniel Zovatto), brought home from Colombia and called “Baby Jesus” by his older sibs, is especially protective of teenage Kristen (Sosie Bacon, 13 Reasons Why), Greg and Audrey’s only biological child, who is an easygoing stoner with other unique means of dealing with her family’s oddball dynamic.

Victoria on Masterpiece: “The King Over the Water”
PBS, 9pm
Feeling suffocated by the weight of the crown, Victoria escapes with her court to the Scottish Highlands. She and Albert revel in the opportunity to be a normal husband and wife, but the holiday can’t last forever.

The Price of Fame
REELZ Channel, 9pm
New Series!
The road to stardom is often paved with amazing and devastating public and private events. In The Price of Fame, see the heartfelt stories of Johnny Depp, Shania Twain, Carrie Fisher, Patrick Swayze, Robin Williams and Prince. Whether it’s turbulent family drama, harrowing substance abuse, outlandish spending habits or a combination of those and more, these celebrities all paid a hefty price for their fame.

Homeland
Showtime, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Season 7 debuts with Carrie moving back in with her sister in Washington, D.C., to take on the Keane administration and secure the release of 200 members of the intelligence community, including Saul. Stars Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin and Elizabeth Marvel.

The Top Ten Revealed
AXS TV, 9:30pm
New Series!
Hosted and executive produced by Katie Daryl (former host and executive producer of The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands), this countdown show looks at the figures and the music that left an indelible mark on rock ’n’ roll. Each episode spotlights a different theme, from best guitar intros to ’80s rock ballads and more. A rotating panel of all-star experts includes Lita Ford, Steven Adler and Vinnie Paul, among others.

The BET Social Awards
BET, 10pm Live
The inaugural edition of this awards show from executive producer Mike Epps celebrates the best (and worst) of social media from the past year.

Monday, Feb. 12

The 142nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Nat Geo Wild, 1pm Live
Nat Geo Wild will cover today’s preliminary rounds. Group competition will be telecast live from Madison Square Garden on FS1 at 8pm and includes hound, toy, non-sporting and herding groups.

College Basketball
ESPN & ESPN2, beginning at 7pm Live

Primetime college basketball on ESPN and ESPN2 includes Notre Dame at North Carolina (ESPN), TCU at West Virginia (ESPN2) and Baylor at Texas (ESPN).

The Bachelor
ABC, 8pm
With the hometown dates looming, Arie and the remaining seven bachelorettes travel to beautiful Tuscany, Italy. High anxiety permeates the group when the women find out there won’t be a rose ceremony. Becca K. gets the first one-on-one date and a romantic picnic. Arie and Lauren B. explore the charming town of Lucca, but Arie still needs convincing that his date is ready to take the next step in their relationship. Seinne and Arie go truffle hunting. And finally, Kendall, Tia and Bekah M. battle for the final rose of the week, leaving Arie to wonder if he made the right decision.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
The CW, 8pm
New Episodes!
The time-hopping superhero series moves into the time slot usually occupied by Supergirl to premiere nine all-new episodes.

James Patterson’s Murder Is Forever: “Murder on the Run”
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Detective Derek Mois, a veteran with the Omaha Police Department, responds to a horrific double homicide involving an 11-year-old boy and the family’s housekeeper. With the community on edge and police racing against the clock to make a capture, another murder takes place on the other side of town. Are the two crimes connected? And can police make an arrest before the killer strikes again?

POV: “Do Not Resist”
PBS, 10pm
Director Craig Atkinson puts viewers in the center of the action in this vital and influential exploration of the rapid militarization of the police in the United States.

Tuesday, Feb. 13

The 142nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Nat Geo Wild, 1pm Live
FS1, 8pm Live
Nat Geo Wild will cover today’s preliminary rounds, which feature breed judging and junior showmanship preliminaries. Group competition and famed Best in Show judging will be telecast live from Madison Square Garden on FS1.

The Bachelor Winter Games
ABC, 8pm
New Series!
For close to two decades, The Bachelor has spawned international versions of the series. Now, for the first time since the franchise’s inception, 26 of the most eligible singles from around the globe gather at the luxurious Vermont winter resort of The Hermitage Club for The Bachelor Winter Games. The bachelors and bachelorettes will participate in challenges from winter biathlon to ice dancing, with date cards being given to the winners of each challenge. Romantic dates will test the competitors’ perseverance in making relationships work despite language barriers and cultural differences. The four-episode series also features appearances by Bachelor Nation alumni Ryan and Trista Sutter, Arie Luyendyk Jr., Rachel Lindsay and JoJo Fletcher, plus ESPN’s Hannah Storm and figure skating champs Nancy Kerrigan, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner.

We’ll Meet Again: “Heroes of 9/11”
PBS, 8pm
Join Ann Curry for dramatic reunions between people whose lives intersected on 9/11. Patrick searches for the stranger who comforted him after the disaster, and Timothy hopes to thank the fellow chaplain who gave him the strength to carry on.

NBA Basketball
TNT, beginning at 8pm Live
TNT’s Tuesday night NBA doubleheader has LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road to face Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder, followed by LaMarcus Aldridge and the San Antonio Spurs visiting the Denver Nuggets.

American Experience: “The Bombing of Wall Street”
PBS, 9pm
Explore the story behind the mostly forgotten 1920 bombing in the nation’s financial center, which left 38 dead — a crime that launched the career of J. Edgar Hoover and remains unsolved today.

Wednesday, Feb. 14

This Close
Sundance Now
New Series!
Comprised of six 30-minute episodes, this series — the first straight-to-series order for Sundance Now — touches on universal and relatable themes of love and friendship as it follows best friends Kate and Michael (Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman, both deaf actors). Kate is newly engaged, while Michael is attempting to move on from his ex-fiancé. The series, which also stars Zach Gilford, Cheryl Hines and Marlee Matlin, was screened as part of the Indie Episodic showcase at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in January.

Valentine’s Day Movie Marathon
FXX, beginning at 12pm

Love and relationships are pretty complicated — and incredibly funny — as a Valentine’s Day rom-com movie marathon on FXX reminds us. The marathon includes This Is 40 (2012), Think Like a Man Too (2014), Trainwreck (2015) and The Proposal (2009).

Relationships Just for Laughs
The CW, 8pm
Ivan Decker hosts this Valentine’s Day special of performances from Montreal’s Just for Laughs festival where top comedians — including Maria Bamford, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Kevin James, Mo’Nique and Tom Papa — share their hilarious thoughts on love, dating and relationships.

He Lied About Everything
Investigative Discovery, 8pm
This documentary explores the dramatic love affair between Benita Alexander, an award-winning investigative producer for NBC News, and Paolo Macchiarini, a world-renowned transplant surgeon. Benita was sent to film a television special about Paolo’s new discovery on regenerative medicine. There he swept her off her feet with many romantic gestures, leading to the ultimate proposal — until she realized he had lied about everything.

The Top 14 Greatest Valentine’s Day Movies of All Time
The CW, 9pm
Dean Cain hosts a countdown of the romantic movies as ranked by Popstar! magazine. The special features some of the best cinematic love stories of all time, including Sleepless in Seattle, Love Actually, Pretty Woman and The Notebook, and reveals the moments in each of these films that have warmed our hearts and made us laugh, cry and want to watch them again and again.

NOVA: “Great Escape at Dunkirk”
PBS, 9pm
Join archaeologists and divers recovering remains of ships and planes lost during World War II’s epic Dunkirk operation. Discover new evidence of the ingenious technology that helped save Allied forces from defeat by the encircling Germans.

The Magicians: “Do You Like Teeth?”
Syfy, 9pm
Quentin (Jason Ralph) faces his most formidable foe yet as Julia (Stella Maeve) helps Alice (Olivia Taylor Dudley) with a dangerous endeavor.

Channel Zero: Butcher’s Block: “Father Time”
Syfy, 10pm
Alice (Olivia Luccardi) gets a sinister invitation from the Peach family, while Zoe (Holland Roden) begins to behave bizarrely.

Thursday, Feb. 15

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Can-Am Duels
FS1, 7pm Live

NASCAR Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway features tonight’s Can-Am Duels, two 150-mile qualifying races that determine the starting lineup for Sunday’s Monster Energy Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500.

The Bachelor Winter Games
ABC, 8pm
Romantic connections are well underway as the participants arrive at an ice rink for their second Winter Games challenge — speed skating!

NBA Basketball: L.A. Lakers at Minnesota
TNT, 9pm Live

Before NBA players break for All-Star Weekend, TNT has a Thursday night matchup from Minneapolis as the L.A. Lakers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

20/20: “Roseanne: The Return”
ABC, 10pm
As ABC’s iconic sitcom Roseanne gears up to return to television this spring, the entire cast reveals behind-the-scenes moments and memories and tells fans what to expect from the revival of one of TV’s most iconic series. Returning actors Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, Michael Fishman and Sarah Chalke discuss the show’s legacy and share what life was like starring on the acclaimed but controversial hit. The hour also highlights the guest stars who appeared on the show before they became famous, including George Clooney, Ellen DeGeneres and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Portlandia: “Open Relationship”
IFC, 10pm

In the new episode “Open Relationship,” Doug (Fred Armisen) and Claire (Carrie Brownstein) decide that maybe they should consider seeing other people, and the Mayor (guest star Kyle MacLachlan) waits for a helicopter.

Friday, Feb. 16

Mozart in the Jungle
Amazon
Season Premiere!
Season 4 of the Golden Globe-winning series returns as Rodrigo (Gael García Bernal) and Hailey (Lola Kirke) take their relationship public. Hailey struggles to prove herself as a conductor while Rodrigo fights to keep his inspiration alive. Thomas (Malcolm McDowell) joins a startup orchestra in Brooklyn that challenges Gloria (Bernadette Peters).

College Basketball
ESPN2, beginning at 7pm Live

Friday night college basketball on ESPN2 has Rhode Island at St. Bonaventure in an Atlantic 10 clash, followed by Georgia State at Georgia Southern in a matchup of Sun Belt teams.

Wreck-It Ralph
ABC, 8pm
This Oscar-nominated 2012 Disney hit features hulking video-game character Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) who, for decades, has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the guy who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing a villain, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade and through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. Wreck-It Ralph also features the voices of Jane Lynch and Sarah Silverman.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: “Nathaniel Is Irrelevant.”
The CW, 8pm
Season Finale!
When Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) decides to make amends for her past, she finds some unexpected challenges. At the same time, West Covina awaits an important new arrival.

Zombies
Disney Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) and newcomer Milo Manheim star in the latest Disney Channel Original Movie, which combines a pop and hip-hop music soundtrack, eye-popping choreography and acrobatic cheerleading moves. The tale takes place in the picture-perfect town of Seabrook 50 years after a zombie apocalypse, when the lives of the harmless zombies change forever when they are finally allowed to enroll in Seabrook High School.

2 Dope Queens: “Hot Peen”
HBO, 11:30pm
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actor Tituss Burgess is Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams’ guest.

Saturday, Feb. 17

College Basketball
CBS, ESPN & FOX, beginning at 12pm Live

A big Saturday of college basketball action features Syracuse at Miami (CBS), Providence at Butler (FOX), Michigan State at Northwestern (FOX), Alabama at Kentucky (CBS), Villanova at Xavier (FOX) and West Virginia at Kansas (ESPN).

NASCAR Xfinity Series: Powershares QQQ 300
FS1, 2:30pm Live

The rising stars of the NASCAR Xfinity Series open their 2018 season with the Powershares QQQ 300 at famed Daytona International Speedway in Florida.

Premier Boxing Champions
FOX, 8pm Live
“Vicious” Victor Ortiz (32-6-2, 25 KOs) and Devon Alexander “The Great” (27-4, 14 KOs) headline a show as the former welterweight champions meet in the 12-round main event. In the co-main event, unbeaten contender Caleb “Sweethands” Plant (16-0, 10 KOs) will battle Rogelio “Porky” Medina (38-8, 32 KOs) in a 12-round 168-pound world title eliminator.

Planet Earth: Blue Planet II: “Green Seas”
BBC America, 9pm
Visit ocean coasts teeming with life in the Blue Planet II episode “Green Seas.” The kelp forests off of southern Africa are home to more than 100 shark species. Garibaldi fish guard their seaweed territory from invading urchins off the Pacific coast of North America. And mangrove forests in coastal waters of Western Australia are home to the fierce and enigmatic zebra mantis shrimp.

Wedding March 3: Here Comes the Bride
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
It’s a full Valentine’s Day weekend at the inn when Olivia (Josie Bissett) and Mick (Jack Wagner) host Mick’s sister and her fiancé, Mick’s daughter and her boyfriend, and Olivia’s mother and her boyfriend. Things get chaotic when Mick’s sister decides to have her wedding at the inn that weekend, and Mick’s daughter announces plans to drop out of college.

Falling Water: “Love Is a Dreamer”
USA Network, 10pm
Tess’ (Lizzie Brocheré) sister starts to fall apart; Taka (Will Yun Lee) and Alex pay a visit to Shadowman’s family; Burton (David Ajala) struggles with his guilt; Bennett puts a hit out on Woody.