Year: 2021

1) “Van Helsing” season-opener, 10 p.m., Syfy. After four seasons with Vanessa Van Helsing (shown here) in a near-future world, this goes back to the roots of vampire-hunting: It starts its final season with three episodes set in old Romania. This opener was beautifully directed by Jonathan Scarfe, a gifted actor (and son of Canadian star Sara Botsford) who later will return to his role as Axel. Jack (Nicole Munoz) has been flung into the past, told only to “kill the Dark One.” That’s not easy, amid castle schemes. Read more…

1) “Mom,” 9 p.m., CBS. Only five episodes remain in this show’s great, eight-year run. For a time (after “Big Bang” left), this was TV’s best comedy. It slipped a tad this season, with Anna Faris (as Christy) leaving; still, it has sharp scripts and one of TV’s great characters. That’s Bonnie, perfectly played by Alison Janney, who has two Emmys in the role … plus five in other roles and an Oscar. Tonight (shown here), after a fairly funny “United States of Al” at 8:30, Bonnie is jealous of Tammy’s success. Read more…

1) “Tough as Nails” finale, 8 p.m., CBS. The final four compete for the top prize of $200,000 and a truck. There’s Sarah Burkett, 41, a pipe welder; Scott Henry, 44, a construction superintendent; “Swifty” Sanders (shown here), 43, a steelworker; and “Zeus” Ontai, 29, a lineworker. The others stick around for the team competition; Ontai is on part of one team, with the other finalists on the other. Read more…

1) “Prodigal Son” return, 9 p.m., Fox. Here’s talent from all over the British Isles. Tom Payne (from England) stars, with Michael Sheen (Wales) as his dad, who’s a doctor and a convicted serial killer. Now Catherine Zeta-Jones (also Wales) has joined the cast as the prison doctor. And Alan Cumming (Scotland) arrives as a British detective. Cumming (showh nere with Bellamy Young) has an over-the-top style that dominates, but the hour ends with a great scene between Sheen and Zeta-Jones. Read more…

1) “Breeders,” 10 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11:04. Last week’s episode (rerunning ar 10:31) found Ally (Daisy Haggard) reluctant to tell Paul (Martin Freeman) she’s pregnant. Tonight, they hesitantly ponder their future. These are people in their 40s; it’s already been difficult to raise two children (shown here in a previous flashback), with a new crisis arriving tonight. The result subtly mixes dabs of comedy and drama. Read more…

1) “The Nevers” (shown here) debut, 9 p.m., HBO. Victorian-era society seems far removed from fantasy horror. Still, 19th-century England gave us Frankenstein and Hyde and Jack the Ripper and more. And now it’s the backdrop for a cosmic event, leaving many people (women, mostly) as “the touched.” An orphanage patron (Olivia Williams) shelters them, a brothel owner (James Norton) pursues them and a cop (Ben Chaplin) feels torn. Read more…

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Carey Mulligan makes her “SNL” debut as host, with Kid Cudi as music guest. Mulligan has her second Academy Award nomination (this time for “Promising Young Woman,” shown here), a decade after being nominated for “An Education.” And on April 25, she’ll be featured in the final episode of PBS’ “My Grandparents’ War” documentary series. Read more…