TV Best Bets

Wednesday, March 22: Matthew Lillard Guest-Stars as Assassin ‘The Wolf’ on ‘True Lies’

True Lies CBS Jace Downs/CBS ©2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.

Wednesday, March 22

True Lies: “Rival Companions”
CBS, 10pm

When an international catastrophe occurs on live TV, the Omega Sector team must seek out help from a merciless contract assassin (guest star Matthew Lillard) in the new episode “Rival Companions.”

The Kingdom
Netflix
Season Premiere!

This political thriller from Argentina returns for its second and final season with an epic battle between good and evil. The series tells the story of religious leader Emilio Vázquez Pena (Diego Peretti), who in Season 1 was left as the presidential frontrunner after his running mate was assassinated.

World Figure Skating Championships
USA Network, 6am Live

Competition from the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan, airs today on USA Network.

NBA Basketball
ESPN, beginning at 7:30pm Live

The Golden State Warriors are at the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns visit the L.A. Lakers in a pair of NBA matchups on ESPN.

Island of the Monsoon: “From Cloud to Coast”
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm

Track the waters of monsoon season on a voyage of contrasts, from high to low, fresh to salty, cloud to coast. See how the continuous recycling of monsoon moisture in Sri Lanka supports an incredibly complex web of wildlife.

31 Days of Oscar: “Fantasy”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

Academy Award-nominated and/or -winning fantasy favorites are the focus tonight on Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar, with a lineup featuring Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) — seven nominations, including Best Picture, Actor (Robert Montgomery) and Supporting Actor (James Gleason), and two wins: Best Writing, Original Story (Harry Segall) and Screenplay (Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller); The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) — one nomination, for Charles Lang’s cinematography; Lost Horizon (1937) — seven nominations, including Best Picture and Supporting Actor (H.B. Warner), with wins for its art direction and editing; The Thief of Bagdad (1940) — three wins, for its cinematography, color art direction and special effects, and also nominated for Miklós Rózsa’s musical score; Tom Thumb (1958) — winner for Tom Howard’s special effects; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) — winner of Best Cinematography (Hal Mohr, the first and only Oscar write-in nominee winner, with the Academy no longer accepting write-in votes starting the following year) and Editing (Ralph Dawson), and also nominated for Best Picture and Assistant Director (Sherry Shourds); and Brigadoon (1954) — nominated for its Color Set Decoration, Color Costume Design and Sound Recording.

NHL Hockey
TNT, beginning at 8pm Live

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in Denver to skate against the Colorado Avalanche, and the Arizona Coyotes collide with the Oilers in Edmonton.

Chicago Med: “What You See Isn’t Always What You Get”
NBC, 8pm

Will (Nick Gehlfuss) and Nellie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) struggle to diagnose a patient with a rare disorder; the Chicago Fire Department and Med staff work to free a paranoid father trapped in the MRI suite; and Kai (Devin Kawaoka) gets an ego check.

Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller
Nat Geo, 9pm
Season Finale!

In “Fight Clubs,” the Season 3 finale, host Mariana van Zeller probes the growing popularity of bare-knuckle fighting. On a journey that takes her from the blood-shedding mecca of Thailand to underground fights throughout the United States, she explores the allure of these violent, sanguine bouts and how they are inflaming a larger push to bring bare-knuckle fighting to the mainstream.

Chicago Fire: “Acting Up”
NBC, 9pm

Cruz (Joe Minoso) feels the burden of his increased responsibilities; Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), Gallo (Alberto Rosende) and Carver (Jake Lockett) get caught in the middle of a gang war on a call; and Herrmann (David Eigenberg) wrangles Trudy (Amy Morton) for help in lifting Cindy’s (Robyn Coffin) mood.

Chicago P.D.: “Deadlocked”
NBC, 10pm

Voight (Jason Beghe) takes the stand for ASA Chapman (Sara Bues) in a high-stakes murder trial against notorious drug kingpin Arturo Morales (Robby Ramos). When it becomes clear that Morales and his henchmen have compromised a juror, Voight and the team work furiously to ensure justice prevails.

A Million Little Things: “Spilled Milk”
ABC, 10pm

Regina (Christina Moses) and Rome (Romany Malco) face challenges living with Walter (Lou Beatty Jr.), and Eddie (David Giuntoli) navigates his friendship with Nicole (Rachel Nichols).

Thursday, March 23

The Night Agent
Netflix
New Series!

Based on the novel by Matthew Quirk, this 10-episode character-based action-thriller is centered on a low-level FBI agent (Gabriel Basso) who works in the basement of the White House, manning a phone that never rings — until the night that it does, propelling him into a fast-moving and dangerous conspiracy that ultimately leads all the way to the Oval Office.

Noir to Die For!
MOVIES!, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!

Enjoy 24 hours of lesser-seen, but still great, film noir productions from the heyday of the genre, beginning with Claudette Colbert and Robert Ryan in The Secret Fury (1950), and continuing with Glenn Ford and Broderick Crawford in Convicted (1950); The Tattooed Stranger (1950), starring John Miles and Patricia Barry; The Gangster (1947), led by Barry Sullivan and Belita; Richard Basehart and Valentina Cortese in The House on Telegraph Hill (1951); He Walked by Night (1948), also led by Basehart; The Threat (1949), with Michael O’Shea and Virginia Grey; Blonde Ice (1948), featuring Robert Paige and Leslie Brooks; Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell and Vincent Price in His Kind of Woman (1951); I Was a Communist for the FBI (1951), starring Frank Lovejoy and Dorothy Hart; The Underworld Story (1950), with Dan Duryea and Gale Storm; The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950), headlined by Lee J. Cobb and Jane Wyatt; and Dishonored Lady (1947), with Hedy Lamarr and Dennis O’Keefe.

World Figure Skating Championships
USA Network, 6am Live

Coverage of the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan, continues today on USA Network.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament: Sweet 16 Regional Semifinals
CBS & TBS, beginning at 6:30pm Live

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Sweet 16 regional semifinals are held today and tomorrow in Las Vegas, New York City, Kansas City and Louisville.

NHL Hockey
ESPN, beginning at 6:30pm Live

The Minnesota Wild are at the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins are at the Dallas Stars for ESPN’s NHL doubleheader.

Station 19: “Could I Leave You?”
ABC, 8pm

The team is forced to make a call that could cost them dearly after Tomás’ (Antonio Jaramillo) barbershop catches fire.

Walker: “False Flag (Part One)”
The CW, 8pm

The Walkers plan for the mayor’s medal ceremony; Cordell (Jared Padalecki) struggles with missing time with his kids.

Law & Order: “Deadline”
NBC, 8pm

When a celebrated journalist is killed, Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) and Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) explore an unpublished report involving a prominent politician. Price (Hugh Dancy) and Maroun (Odelya Halevi) fight an uphill battle when their only credible witness is currently awaiting trial for another heinous crime.

Grey’s Anatomy: “Training Day”
ABC, 9pm

Addison (Kate Walsh) makes a special appearance at Grey Sloan to welcome Bailey’s (Chandra Wilson) new OB-GYN trainees.

Married to Real Estate: “Terrace Level Transformation”
HGTV, 9pm

Scott and Sabina have updated most of their Virginia Highlands home, but their terrace level leaves much to be desired. Their basement is barely used and their back porch is poorly designed, but they’re unsure if more renovation is the answer. With the help of Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson, they transform an otherwise unused space into an entertaining hub for the whole family.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: “The Presence of Absence”
NBC, 9pm

An internet dating site becomes the source of terror for a young widow. Meanwhile, Muncy (Molly Burnett) struggles with Velasco’s (Octavio Pisano) absence.

Law & Order: Organized Crime: “Chinatown”
NBC, 10pm

When a city council candidate’s fundraiser ends in an assassination attempt, Stabler (Christopher Meloni) makes it a top priority to find the culprit. Despite Thurman’s (James Roch) orders, the local precinct captain is reluctant to let Bell’s (Danielle Moné Truitt) team take the lead.

City Confidential
A&E, 10pm
Season Premiere!

Each one-hour episode tells the story of one crime, the ensuing investigation and the ripple effect it had on a community. Tonight’s season premiere investigates the story of when an infant’s body washed up on the shores of Deer Island, Massachusetts, and how residents rallied to find out who she was and what happened to her. Their unprecedented solidarity gets nationwide attention, helping police solve a heartbreaking mystery.

Alaska Daily: “Truth Is a Slow Bullet”
ABC, 10pm

While making progress on Gloria’s (Mamie Eva Cecilia Pete) case, both Eileen (Hilary Swank) and Roz (Grace Dove) are offered new career opportunities.

Good Trouble: “It Was Not Your Fault but Mine”
Freeform, 10pm

When a member of the Coterie anonymously submits a complaint, Alice (Sherry Cola) tracks down the secret critic.

Friday, March 24

World Figure Skating Championships
USA Network, 6:30am Live

The World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan, continue today with coverage on USA Network.

31 Days of Oscar: “Satire”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

Five acclaimed and bitingly hilarious Academy Award-nominated and/or -winning satirical films from various eras of Hollywood history that remain incisive and relevant today with their messaging are featured tonight during Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar. On the schedule are Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) — nominations for Best Picture, Actor (Peter Sellers, who plays three characters), Director (Stanley Kubrick) and Adapted Screenplay (Kubrick, Peter George and Terry Southern); Network (1976) — nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture, Actor (William Holden), Supporting Actor (Ned Beatty) and Director (Sidney Lumet), and winner of four: Best Actor (Peter Finch, who was nominated and awarded posthumously), Actress (Faye Dunaway), Supporting Actress (Beatrice Straight) and Original Screenplay (Paddy Chayefsky); The Great Dictator (1940) — nominated for five Oscars: Best Picture, Actor (Charles Chaplin), Supporting Actor (Jack Oakie), Original Screenplay (Chaplin) and Original Score (Meredith Willson); The Producers (1967) — Mel Brooks won for his original screenplay, and Gene Wilder was nominated as Best Supporting Actor; and The Player (1992) — nominated for Best Director (Robert Altman), Adapted Screenplay (Michael Tolkin) and Editing (Geraldine Peroni).

Lopez vs. Lopez: “Lopez vs. Cheating”
NBC, 8pm

When a visiting veterinarian takes an interest in Mayan (Mayan Lopez), she worries that she might be destined to repeat the Lopez legacy of cheating that dates all the way back to her Aztec ancestor, Tonto Tecate-Can.

Grand Crew: “Wine & Ojai”
NBC, 8:30pm

The crew takes a trip to Ojai, a small city northwest of Los Angeles.

My Lottery Dream Home: “My Big Island Dream Home”
HGTV, 9pm

After receiving an inheritance, a couple looks to leave Oklahoma and find their dream home in Hawaii! They’re searching for a place big enough to host family for holidays, and David Bromstad takes a trip to the Big Island to help them find the perfect place.

American Masters: “In the Making”
PBS, 9pm

This episode profiles two performers breaking down barriers in opera and country music. After the pandemic’s height, opera singer J’Nai Bridges returns to the stage in A Knee on the Neck, a tribute to George Floyd. Country artist Rissi Palmer redefines success as she works on her latest album while uplifting the voices of other BIPOC women country performers.

Kindred Spirits
Travel Channel, 9pm
Season Finale!

Season 7 of the paranormal investigation series concludes with “The Country Club Murders,” which finds Amy Bruni, Adam Berry and Chip Coffey visiting a country club in Beckley, West Virginia, which is notorious for an unsolved double homicide on a secluded lovers’ lane. Do the murdered lovebirds now haunt the halls of this grand establishment, or is there something more sinister at play?

Saturday, March 25

31 Days of Oscar: “Biopics”
TCM, beginning at 6am
Catch a Classic!

Biographical dramas depicting the lives of famous people are frequent Academy Award contenders, if not winners, and Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar will be showcasing 10 memorable examples of these all day today, beginning with one of the earliest Oscar-winning biopics: 1929’s Disraeli, which earned George Arliss a Best Actor award as 19th century British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli. The film was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Writing, Achievement (Julien Josephson). Following that are The Great Ziegfeld (1936), which received seven nominations and three wins: Best Picture, Actress (Luise Rainer) and Dance Direction (Seymour Felix, for the “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody” number); Sergeant York (1941), which earned Gary Cooper his first Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of World War I hero Alvin C. York and also earned William Holmes an Editing Oscar, with nine other nominations including Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Walter Brennan), Supporting Actress (Margaret Wycherly) and Director (Howard Hawks); Lust for Life (1956), with Kirk Douglas giving a Best Actor-nominated performance as painter Vincent Van Gogh, and Anthony Quinn winning a Supporting Actor Oscar as fellow painter Paul Gauguin; Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), which won James Cagney the Best Actor Oscar as composer/singer/dancer George M. Cohan, and also won awards for its sound recording and scoring, with five other nominations including Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Walter Huston) and Director (Michael Curtiz); The Glenn Miller Story (1954), which received three nominations and one win, for its sound recording; Patton (1970), which won seven of the 10 Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Picture, Actor (George C. Scott, who famously refused to accept either his nomination or the award for his portrayal of World War II general George S. Patton), Director (Franklin J. Schaffner) and Adapted Screenplay (Francis Ford Coppola and Edmund H. North); The Last Emperor (1987), the winner in all nine of its nominated categories, including Best Picture and Director (Bernardo Bertolucci); Love Me or Leave Me (1955), which had six nominations, including Best Actor (Cagney as gangster Martin Snyder, first husband and manager to the film’s subject, singer/actress Ruth Etting, played by Doris Day), and one win, for Daniel Fuchs’ story; and The Life of Emile Zola (1937), which earned 10 nominations, including Best Actor for Paul Muni as the titular 19th century French author, and won three awards: Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Joseph Schildkraut as Capt. Alfred Dreyfus) and its screenplay.

Artfully Designed
Magnolia Network, 1pm
New Series!

Designer Natalie Papier, muralist Racheal Jackson and abstract artist Frankie Zombie take an art-forward approach to creating beautifully curated spaces for their clients by exploring the intersection of art and interior design.

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament: Elite 8 Regional Finals
CBS & TBS, beginning at 6pm Live

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Elite 8 regional finals are held tonight (TBS) and tomorrow (CBS) in Las Vegas, New York City, Kansas City and Louisville. The winners advance to the Final Four April 1 in Houston.

NHL Hockey: Washington at Pittsburgh
ABC, 8pm Live

Two hockey greats face off in Pittsburgh as Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals visit Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

A Picture of Her
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!

Beth (Rhiannon Fish) unintentionally becomes the subject of an award-winning magazine’s cover and goes on a quest to discover the identity of who took her photo.

World Figure Skating Championships
NBC, 8pm

NBC airs tape-delayed competition from the World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.

Every Breath She Takes
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!

Lifetime gives a modern-day twist on the classic theme from the Julia Roberts’ film Sleeping With the Enemy. After suffering years of mental and verbal abuse by her husband Billy (Brian White), Jules Baker (Tamala Jones) thinks she is finally free when a fierce physical struggle ends in a massive fire that destroys their home and takes Billy’s life. As Jules begins to rebuild her life, she hears whispers around town that she is “the one who killed her husband.” Things take a turn for the worse when problems with the insurance arise after it’s found that the fire was intentionally set, and all signs point to Jules. Jules starts to question if she is on the brink of losing her mind, or if Billy is actually still alive and coming for her.