TV Best Bets

Saturday, Feb. 23: See How Film Crews Made ‘Dynasties’ Over Four Years

BBC America

All Times Eastern.

Saturday, Feb. 23

Planet Earth: Dynasties: “The Making of ‘Dynasties’”
BBC America, 9pm
Series Finale!

Four years in the making and over 1,000 days in the field, the Dynasties team set out to film the stories of five extraordinary animals. Embarking on their missions, the film crews traveled from the plains of Africa to the jungles of India.

2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards
IFC, 5pm
The night before the Oscars, Aubrey Plaza hosts an awards show that celebrates films produced outside of the major studio system and serves as a fundraiser for Film Independent’s programs, which cultivate the careers of emerging filmmakers and promote diversity in the film industry. Nominees for Best Feature include Eighth GradeFirst ReformedIf Beale Street Could TalkLeave No Trace and You Were Never Really Here.

Smiley Face Killers: The Hunt for Justice: “Todd Geib”
Oxygen, 7pm
Season Finale!

A team of retired detectives investigates the 2005 death of a man who was found in a rural Michigan lake 21 days after he went missing. With little decomposition to the body, the team believes the death could be the work of the Smiley Face Killers.

Ransom: “Black Dolphin”
CBS, 8pm

The FBI asks Eric (Luke Roberts) for help in getting a victim to reveal the identity of a dangerous internet predator in the new episode “Black Dolphin.”

O.G.
HBO, 10pm

Louis (Jeffrey Wright, Westworld), an incarcerated former gang member struggling with his impending release, tries to help a new inmate avoid the gang life. The film was shot on location in a maximum-security prison, and many of the actors onscreen are played by current prisoners.

Sunday, Feb. 24

College Basketball
CBS, beginning at 1:30pm Live

A CBS college hoops doubleheader tips off with the Villanova Wildcats at the Xavier Musketeers in a Big East clash. Then, Big Ten archrivals battle in Ann Arbor as the Michigan State Spartans challenge the Michigan Wolverines.

The Oscars
ABC, red-carpet arrivals 6:30pm Live; awards show 8pm Live

Who will win? Live from the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, stars will gather to hear whose names are read from those precious envelopes and which film will take home the top prize of Best Picture. Stay tuned after the ceremony for a sneak preview of ABC’s new high-octane dramedy Whiskey Cavalier.

When Calls the Heart: “Phone Rings and Heartstrings”
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Season Premiere!
After taking time off to care for her new baby, Elizabeth (Erin Krakow) returns to teaching, but soon realizes she needs more support than she ever imagined. Abigail (Lori Loughlin) ushers in a new era by bringing telephones to Hope Valley.

Lost Beasts of the Ice Age
Science Channel, 8pm

In this two-hour special, top scientists from around the world look to uncover extraordinary evidence into the lives of Ice Age animals, including the fabled woolly mammoth. The program will also explore whether these discoveries, combined with the latest techniques in genetic science, could bring these long-extinct creatures back to life with the latest cloning techniques.

Air Disasters: “Deadly Airspace”
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm

On July 17, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disintegrates in midair and crashes while en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, killing all 283 passengers and 15 crew members onboard. The subsequent investigation concluded that a surface-to-air missile caused the in-flight breakup.

Evan Goes Wild
Animal Planet, 9pm
New Series!

In his first TV series, Instagram favorite Dr. Evan Antin — voted Sexiest Veterinarian Alive by PEOPLE — takes audiences around the globe as he chases his wildlife bucket list. His goals include swimming alongside humpback whales in Tahiti, exploring caves with bats and snakes in the Philippines, and tangling with crocodiles in the Yucatán.

Meet the Peetes
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Season Premiere!
In Season 2 of the docuseries, cameras continue to follow Holly and Rodney’s hectic lives as they attempt to balance raising four kids with running their HollyRod Foundation charity.

Disasters at Sea: “Torn Apart”
Smithsonian Channel, 9pm
Season Finale!

When a violent crack tears the MSC Napoli apart in January 2007, the crew is left stranded in the English Channel. Rescuers’ first priority is retrieving the crew and moving the ship away from busy shipping lanes. But as the investigators dig into the cause of the wreck, they discover an alarming design flaw.

Ride With Norman Reedus
AMC, 12:04am (late night)

The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride head to Scotland to visit the final resting spot of McBride’s ancestors. When asked how he got his costar to take the journey with him, Reedus shares, “On the very last episode of Season 8, Melissa and I are sitting in a field in Georgia on this giant property — it was like a thousand acres or something. We were sitting in the field alone, and I go, ‘Do you know what? You should get a motorcycle license and come with me on Ride.’ And she goes, ‘OK.’”

Monday, Feb. 25

Shadowhunters
Freeform, 8pm
New Episodes!

The series’ final 12 episodes begin tonight as the Shadowhunters try to rebuild after the apparent destruction of Lilith (Anna Hopkins), the resurrection of Jonathan (Luke Baines) and the disappearance of Clary (Katherine McNamara).

X-Men: Apocalypse
FX, 8pm

In this 2016 installment in the X-Men franchise, Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) teams up with students from Professor Xavier’s (James McAvoy) school to prevent Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac) and his four followers from destroying the world as we know it.

The Voice
NBC, 8pm
Season Premiere!
John Legend joins returning coaches Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton for Season 16 of the singing competition series. The two-part season premiere airs tonight and tomorrow, with another episode airing Tuesday, March 5, before the series returns regularly on Tuesday, April 23.

The Green Book: Guide to Freedom
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm

With Green Book among the most buzzed-about films at this year’s Academy Awards, Smithsonian Channel presents Yoruba Richen’s (The New Black) documentary about the Jim Crow-era travel guides that listed addresses of establishments that welcomed African-Americans.

Man With a Plan: “Adam’s Wall Hole Bowl”
CBS, 8:30pm

Adam (Matt LeBlanc) and the guys visit Lowell (Matt Cook) at his new bachelor pad and start using it as a hangout to get away from their home lives for a bit. Guest star Ron Funches returns in the new episode “Adam’s Wall Hole Bowl.”

Biography: The Trump Dynasty
A&E, 9pm
New Series!

This six-hour documentary series spans three generations of the Trump family saga and examines the life and heritage of the 45th president of the United States, drawing from firsthand accounts and never-before-seen archival footage.

Magnum P.I.: “Murder Is Never Quiet”
CBS, 9pm

In the new episode “Murder Is Never Quiet,” Magnum (Jay Hernandez) is hired by a woman to prove that her son didn’t kill his girlfriend and has only 24 hours to do so before the accused accepts a plea deal.

I Am the Night: “Aloha”
TNT, 9pm

The penultimate episode finds Jay (Chris Pine) and Fauna (India Eisley) searching for a way to make it to Hawaii: Fauna to find her mother, Tamar Hodel, and the truth about why she was put up for adoption, and Jay to see if Tamar holds the answers to the Hodel case that destroyed his career.

The Good Doctor: “Believe”
ABC, 10pm

The new chief of surgery, Dr. Jackson Han (guest star Daniel Dae Kim), believes Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) is more of a liability than an asset and works to keep him out of the operating room permanently.

It’s a Hard Truth Ain’t It
HBO, 10pm

This documentary — filmed at Pendleton Correctional Facility during the same production period as the HBO drama O.G. — is co-directed by Madeleine Sackler and 13 men incarcerated at the facility. The film follows the men as they study filmmaking as a vehicle to explore their memories of how they ended up with decades-long prison sentences. It also features animated sequences by Yoni Goodman, which help bring their stories to life.

The Enemy Within
NBC, 10pm
New Series!

In this spy-hunting thriller, Erica Shepherd (Jennifer Carpenter) is a brilliant former CIA operative, now known as the most notorious traitor in American history and serving life in a Supermax prison. With nowhere else to turn, FBI agent Will Keaton (Morris Chestnut) enlists Shepherd to help track down a fiercely dangerous and elusive criminal she knows all too well. For Keaton, it’s not easy to trust the woman who cost him so much.

Independent Lens: “People’s Republic of Desire”
PBS, 10pm

Meet a generation of young people in China who have come of age online, where virtual relationships are replacing real-life connections. Both the wealthy and the poor gather online to worship idols who sing karaoke or host talk shows.

American Dad: “Persona Assistant”
TBS, 10pm

In the show’s 250th episode, Stan has to take over Roger’s different personas after a medical emergency takes him out of commission.

Tuesday, Feb. 26

American Housewife: “Baby Crazy”
ABC, 8pm

Viv (Leslie Bibb) asks Katie (Katy Mixon) to take the baby for the night so she and Alan (guest star Jay Mohr) can discuss reconciling, but is caught off guard when Greg (Diedrich Bader) is hit with a bout of baby fever. Meanwhile, Taylor (Meg Donnelly) tricks Oliver (Daniel DiMaggio) into helping her when their dog Luther eats an expensive pair of earrings.

NCIS: “Crossing the Line”
CBS, 8pm

The NCIS team investigates a man-overboard fatality from a Navy destroyer at sea in the new episode “Crossing the Line.”

Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr.: “Hard Times”
PBS, 8pm

Host Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the family stories of filmmaker Michael Moore and actors Laura Linney and Chloë Sevigny — three people whose distant ancestors overcame great hardships in ways that resonate with their lives today.

black-ish: “Black History Month”
ABC, 9pm

In this episode directed by series star Tracee Ellis Ross, Dre (Anthony Anderson) is upset after he learns that Jack (Miles Brown) and Diane (Marsai Martin) are getting the same surface-level education about Black History Month that he got when he was growing up. After taking it up with the twins’ teacher, he is asked to present at the assembly.

FBI: “Scorched Earth”
CBS, 9pm

A serial bomber appears to be targeting Wall Street’s elite in the new episode “Scorched Earth.”

World of Dance
NBC, 9pm
Season Premiere!

The dance competition series is back for Season 3, as the judging team of executive producer Jennifer Lopez, Derek Hough and Ne-Yo watch dancers showcase their talents for the chance to win a $1 million grand prize. The series moves to its regular time slot beginning Sunday, March 3.

Humongous Moves: “Mountain Mission”
Smithsonian Channel, 9pm
Season Finale!

A team of engineers race against the clock to move a colossal telescope, weighing over 100 tons, up 5,000 meters to a mountain plateau in Chile’s Atacama Desert.

The Rookie: “Plain Clothes Day”
ABC, 10pm

The rookies are really put to the test when their training officers accompany them out of uniform for Plain Clothes Day, which forces them to make all the decisions while on patrol. Meanwhile, Officer Nolan (Nathan Fillion) tries to prove he has been progressing faster than the other rookies to justify his desire of becoming a detective within five years.

Mexican Dynasties
Bravo, 10pm
New Series!

Three family dynasties — whose fortunes stem from the entertainment, beverage and luxury car industries — offer a glimpse into the multilayered, complex culture found in Mexico City. With both humor and heart, they challenge stereotypes, raise a few eyebrows and proudly showcase their over-the-top lifestyles.

NCIS: New Orleans: “Crab Mentality”
CBS, 10pm

The team investigates multiple murders tied to a construction company that is creating an experimental chemical in the new episode “Crab Mentality.”

Project Blue Book: “War Games”
History, 10pm

When a film emerges documenting an Army platoon under UFO attack, the generals send Hynek (Aidan Gillen) and Quinn (Michael Malarkey) in to investigate. They find the soldiers not only suffer from physical effects of war, but psychological ones, as well. The episode is based on the U.S. Army UFO incident during the Korean War.

Teachers: “The Final Robe”
TV Land, 10pm

Three teachers compete for two remaining spots in Ms. Bennigan’s (Katie O’Brien) bridal party in the new episode “The Final Robe.”

Wednesday, Feb. 27

The Goldbergs: “The Beverly Goldberg Cookbook”
ABC, 8pm

Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) and Adam (Sean Giambrone) team up to do a mother-son cooking show on public access television. Also, when Barry (Troy Gentile) ruins the one college letter of recommendation he is able to get, Murray (Jeff Garlin) must step in to help.

Riverdale: “Chapter Forty-Eight: Requiem for a Welterweight”
The CW, 8pm

As Veronica (Camila Mendes) attempts to steer Hiram (Mark Consuelos) away from the drug business, Gladys’ (guest star Gina Gershon) return to Riverdale throws a wrench into her plan. Betty (Lili Reinhart) grows concerned when Alice (Mädchen Amick) decides to take her commitment with The Farm to the next level. Elsewhere, Archie’s (KJ Apa) rush to get into the boxing ring lands him in hot water.

The Masked Singer
FOX, 8pm
Season Finale!

Who knew that America would fall in love with celebs dressed as plushies? In tonight’s finale, the remaining contestants will be unmasked, and judge Robin Thicke is already excited for Season 2. “I see online campaigns for certain people already to be on the show next season,” he says.

Chicago Med: “Old Flames, New Sparks”
NBC, 8pm

Natalie (Torrey DeVitto) and Will (Nick Gehlfuss) grow farther apart; Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt) struggles to come to terms with his feelings toward his ex-wife; the personal issues between Drs. Rhodes (Colin Donnell) and Bekker (Norma Kuhling) continue to cause problems at the hospital.

Modern Family: “Red Alert”
ABC, 9pm

Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) has reached a womanly milestone that Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) are not prepared for — at all — so they call in reinforcements.

Chicago Fire: “Fault in Him”
NBC, 9pm

During an emergency call, an unsuspecting Lt. Casey (Jesse Spencer) suddenly finds his life in peril. Grissom (guest star Gary Cole) warns the firehouse that they will need to gear up for a performance evaluation. Otis (Yuri Sardarov) discovers he won a raffle prize at a recent fundraiser, and Brett (Kara Killmer) is met with challenges in her personal life.

The Magicians: “A Timeline and Place”
Syfy, 9pm

Quentin (Jason Ralph) and Julia (Stella Maeve) play Pictionary; Margo (Summer Bishil) drinks some weird milk.

Whiskey Cavalier
ABC, 10pm
New Series!

Former Scandal star Scott Foley leads this witty and action-packed dramedy as an FBI agent — code name “Whiskey Cavalier” — who enters into an uneasy partnership with the badass CIA operative “Fiery Tribune” (The Walking Dead’s Lauren Cohan). Once they learn to put their differences aside, this unlikely duo must work together to save the world — and each other. Ana Ortiz, Tyler James Williams and Vir Das also star as members of their interagency team of misfit spies.

You’re the Worst: “The Pillars of Creation”
FXX, 10pm

Paul (Allan McLeod), Vernon (Todd Robert Anderson) and Becca (Janet Varney) air their dirty laundry during a weekend getaway in the new episode “The Pillars of Creation.”

Deadly Class: “Rise Above”
Syfy, 10pm

Marcus (Benjamin Wadsworth) confesses the truth about Chester to Saya (Lana Condor), which leads them on a citywide manhunt.

Suits
USA Network, 10pm
Season Finale!
Season 8 of the hit legal drama comes to a close tonight. The series was recently renewed for a ninth and final season.

Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo
SundanceTV, 11pm
New Series!

This docuseries chronicles the life and crimes of Tony Alamo, who, together with his wife, became a born-again, fire-and-brimstone televangelist and cult leader. By skirting the law and enforcing a code of silence among their followers, the Alamos came to wield unimaginable power, becoming millionaires on the backs of their believers. The show features an exclusive videotaped deposition with Alamo himself, as well as interviews with cult survivors who have never previously shared their stories.

Alien News Desk
Syfy, 11pm
New Series!

This weekly, half-hour topical animated series boasts Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels as an executive producer and is set in an extraterrestrial newsroom. The series features the voices of Will Forte and Heidi Gardner as alien co-anchors Drexx Drudlarr and Tuva Van Void, who cover up-to-the-minute news and commentary about the universe’s most baffling species — the inscrutable humans of Earth.

Thursday, Feb. 28

Grey’s Anatomy: “We Didn’t Start the Fire”
ABC, 8pm

When Jackson (Jesse Williams) throws a party to celebrate Catherine’s (guest star Debbie Allen) surgery and those who worked to save her, literally nothing goes as planned. Meanwhile, Helen (guest star Lindsay Wagner) pays Alex (Justin Chambers) and Jo (Camilla Luddington) a surprise visit.

The Titan Games
NBC, 8pm
Season Finale!

The first season of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s American Ninja Warrior– and American Gladiators-style athletic competition series determines its winners — one man, one woman — tonight.

A Million Little Things: “goodbye”
ABC, 9pm
Season Finale!

With questions still lingering around Jon’s (Ron Livingston) death, his loved ones try to move on, each taking meaningful steps forward in their own lives. As most of them begin to accept that they may never get the explanation they desire, an unexpected member of the group decides to dig even further into the mystery behind Barbara Morgan.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine: “The Therapist”
NBC, 9pm

Charles (Joe Lo Truglio) brings Jake (Andy Samberg) into a case when a therapist reports one of his patients is missing. Holt (Andre Braugher) finds out Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) has a new girlfriend that everyone else has met. Amy (Melissa Fumero) believes she has accidentally received a package meant for Terry (Terry Crews).

RuPaul’s Drag Race
VH1, 9pm
Season Premiere!

The 11th season of this Emmy Award-winning show is set to be the most fashionable, fearless and jaw-dropping spectacle in herstory.

Fam: “JoJo Returns”
CBS, 9:30pm

In the new episode “JoJo Returns,” Clem (Nina Dobrev) and Nick (Tone Bell) aren’t too thrilled when Shannon (Odessa Adlon) gets back together with MC DJ JoJo (guest star Peter Sudarso).

Will & Grace: “The Real McCoy”
NBC, 9:30pm

Will (Eric McCormack) gives local newscaster McCoy Whitman (guest star Matt Bomer) a second chance and, with the help of Jack (Sean Hayes), finally gets to know the man behind the newsman. Grace’s (Debra Messing) campaign for Design Guild President hits a snag when the deciding vote comes down to her old nemesis, Val (guest star Molly Shannon). Karen (Megan Mullally) acts as Grace’s campaign manager and attempts to secure Val’s vote by any means necessary.

How to Get Away With Murder: “Please Say No One Else Is Dead”
ABC, 10pm
Season Finale!

Annalise (Viola Davis) and her team need to get to the truth before the truth gets them.

Backyard Envy: “Thriller, Filler & Spiller”
Bravo, 10pm
A suburban couple decides to spend big to give their family a dream backyard, but the project gets off to a rocky start when the Manscapers’ plan for a massive new patio runs into underground complications, and designing with kids in mind proves to be a struggle.

Better Things
FX, 10pm
Season Premiere!

Pamela Adlon is back as Sam Fox, a single mother and working actor with no filter who is raising her three daughters — Max (Mikey Madison), Frankie (Hannah Alligood) and Duke (Olivia Edward) — in Los Angeles. Guest stars in Season 3 include Sharon Stone, Matthew Broderick, Doug Jones, Glynn Turman, Judy Reyes, Cree Summer, Charlie Robinson, Janina Gavankar and Marsha Thomason.

Friday, March 1

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Netflix
Original Film!

Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) makes his feature-length directorial debut with this film adapted from the book by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer, and in which Ejiofor stars. It tells Kamkwamba’s true story of how, as a 13-year-old boy in Malawi, he finds an unconventional way to save his family and village from famine.

Cricket Fever: Mumbai Indians
Netflix
New Series!

This documentary series goes deep inside the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) superstar cricket team, the three-time champion Mumbai Indians, and offers unprecedented behind-the-scenes, on- and off-field access to the players during their emotional journey through the 2018 IPL season.

The Widow
Prime Video
New Series!

Kate Beckinsale stars in this eight-episode thriller as a woman who sees footage of her husband — long thought dead — on the news, and begins an investigation into his alleged death.

Fresh Off the Boat: “Trentina”
ABC, 8pm

Eddie (Hudson Yang) and Trent’s (Trevor Larcom) friendship is strained when Eddie starts dating Trent’s sister Tina (guest star Isabel Oliver Marcus, This Is Us). When Evan (Ian Chen) fails his physical education test because he can’t run, he turns to Jessica (Constance Wu) for help, but she’s even worse at running than he is.

Speechless: “W-H– WHEELCHAIR P-L– PLANET”
ABC, 8:30pm

The DiMeos come together to help JJ (Micah Fowler) shoot a last-minute film for his college application, working against the clock and Maya’s (Minnie Driver) own best interests. Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) makes an embarrassing gaffe with JJ’s beloved, and Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough) and Ray (Mason Cook) scramble to suppress embarrassing secrets.

American Masters: “Holly Near”
PBS, 9pm

Experience the power of song in the struggle for equality through the story of feminist singer and activist Holly Near. For more than 40 years, Near has worked on global social justice coalition-building in the women’s and lesbian movements.

2 Dope Queens: “Regal AF”
HBO, 11pm
Season Finale!
In the Season 2 finale, Phoebe and Jessica don regal gowns and share their latest luxury indulgences. Then, they are joined onstage by Keegan-Michael Key for a game of impressions.

Saturday, March 2

Just Add Romance
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!

Two talented chefs, Kelly (Meghann Fahy) and Jason (Luke Macfarlane), are picked to be contestants on a cable cooking show, where the prize is their own restaurant. But as the competition heats up, so does the sizzling chemistry between them.

The Killer Downstairs
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
A woman finds herself in a fight for her life when the man she rents her basement suite to becomes obsessed with her and begins threatening the lives of the people around her. Stars Cindy Busby, Marcus Rosner, Donna Benedicto, Emy Aneke and Ben Wilkinson.

Tootsie
TCM, 8pm

A struggling actor disguises himself as a woman to win a role on a soap opera, but creates new problems for himself when he falls in love with a beautiful female costar. Stars Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr and Dabney Coleman.

The Lion King
Freeform, 8:55pm

Set amid the lush backdrop of the African savannah, this animated story follows the lion cub Simba from his birth as heir to the king of the beasts through tragedy, exile and coming of age. Forced into exile by his evil uncle Scar, Simba finds refuge with two comic sidekicks — Timon and Pumbaa. An elderly tribal wiseman convinces him to return home and reclaim his position in the circle of life. Features the voices of Matthew Broderick, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin.

Log Cabin Living: “Finding a North Carolina Cabin”
HGTV, 11pm

Andrew, Katie and their two children are searching for their dream log cabin near Boone, North Carolina, so they can explore the numerous hiking trails, city parks and local college sporting events. Katie has been dreaming of living in an authentic log cabin since she was a child, and she and Andrew agree Boone provides the perfect mix of small town charm with big city events.