1) “Chicago Med,” 8 p.m., NBC. In a remarkable change-of-pace, “Med” starts a two-week story focusing almost entirely on Dr. Charles (shown here). A soft-spoken psychiatrist, he has soothed other people, amid painful family burdens in his past and present. Now life crashes down, in an ordeal played with subtle skill by Oliver Platt, a five-time Emmy-nominee. Read more…
1) “Secrets of the Bees,” 8-10 p.m., National Geographic. The superb “Secrets” films, produced by James Cameron, have shown mega-creatures — whales and elephants and such. Now it goes micro, with great footage inside hives. Bertie Gregory shows us a fascinating web of duties, including scouts, workers and queens-in-waiting. Read more…
1) “Henry David Thoreau,” 9-11 p.m., PBS, concluding 9 p.m. Tuesday. Yes, Thoreau spent two years in a cabin (re-created here), writing eloquently about man and nature, But Ken Burns’ splendid film finds he’s much more interesting than that: Thoreau was a social guy who loved to mingle. He was a teacher, philosopher and pencil-maker, an abolitionist and a strong believer in personal freedom.
Read more…
In the TV world, Earth Day has become Earth Month.
Or, actually, Earth Month-plus-a-day-or-two.
That will be clear when James Cameron’s “Secrets of” series (shown here in a previous year) — usually the centerpiece of Earth Day — debuts Tuesday (March 31) on National Geographic. This time, it’s a fascinating look at bees … and it coincides with the conclusion of Ken Burns’ compelling portrait of Henry David Thoreau.
The next day, “Earth Month” begins. Highlights from the month-plus are: Read more…
1) CBS blitz. This should be a powerhouse day for CBS. First, it has basketball, filling the final spots in the college tournament’s final four. That’s at 2 and 4:30 p.m. ET, leaping (in Eastern and Central zones) into a strong night — “60 Minutes,” “Marshals” — Kayce (shown here, right) goes rogue to rescue a kidnapped girl) and “Tracker” (a boy vanishes during a field trip). Read more…
1) “Henry David Thoreau” 9-11 p.m., today, 9 p.m. Tuesday, PBS. We might think of Thoreau as a hermit in a cabin, but Ken Burns’ splendid film finds someone much more interesting: Thoreau was a social man who loved to talk, write and think. He was a teacher, philosopher and pencil-maker; in his two years in the cabin (shown here), he wrote memorably about man and nature. Read more…
“Saturday Night Live” will soon have black-and-white Jacks.
Jack Black (shown here in a previous episode) will host the April 4 episode, with Jack White as the music guest.
That comes as the show returns from two weeks of reruns, during the busiest time of the college basketball tournament. Newly announced are: Read more…
1) Skating, 1 p.m. ET, USA Network; 8 p.m., NBC. Ilia Malinin (shown here) had a long string of victories and one miss — in, alas, the Olympics. Now seeks his third title in the World Figure Skating Championships. You can catch the finals live on USA or wait for NBC. It will have highlights of the entire weekend; the women’s finals (including Amber Glenn) were Friday Read more…
1) “Martha Graham Dance Company: We Are Our Time,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. The opener, a three-minute gem, sets up a terrific film that sprawls across two Fridays. Tonight, we see Graham dance in her 30s (including a 1929 film) and coach in her 90s. We hear her words (via Meryl Streep) and see her current company (a performance is shown here), in its 100th season, with immensely gifted dancers. Read more…
The lush “Bridgerton” series still has barriers to break. Its next season will apparently be the first with an LGBT romance at its core.
As filming began in London, the Netflix show said it will focus on Francesca’s relationship with Michaela (they’re shown here), her late husband’s cousin.
Through its first four seasons, “Bridgerton” has brought many inter-racial romances and marriages (including Francesca and her husband, John Stirling) to high society in the early 1800s. The fourth season broke class barriers, when Benedict Bridgerton fell in love with a servant. Gay romance has also been touched upon briefly; now it moves to the center Read more…
Best-bets for April 1: “Med” pain, “Masked” finale 
Best-bets for March 31: bees, Burns and “Doc” 
Best-bets for March 30: man of passion, songs of faith 
