1) “Resident Alien” season-opener, 9 p.m. Wednesday, Syfy. Here is one of TV’s best shows, rippling with wit and weirdness. It hasn’t received the attention and awards it deserves, but you can catch up via Hulu or Peacock or more. Or just start with this brilliant episode. An alien killed Dr. Harry, took over his body (shown here) and prepared to kill all humans. There were technical woes, so he tried to return home. Then there was a stowaway and a crash. Now he has a concussion and babbles the truth … which is ignored.
2) “Monarch” debut, about 10 p.m. ET Sunday, Fox, As soon as the football game ends, a football-player-sized guy steps in. Trace Adkins, 6-foot-7, was a walk-on lineman at Louisiana Tech, before an injury left him focusing on music. Now he and Susan Sarandon play the leaders of a powerhouse country-music family. Their offspring include one daughter with great talent (Beth Ditto) and another (Anna Friel) with the look and determination of a star. After the opener, the show moves to Tuesdays.
3) Football, 3 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS; then 6:30, Fox. And here’s the doubleheader that “Monarch” will follow. The teams that survived this past weekend (see Sports) battle for spots in the Super Bowl. It’s the AFC championship and then the NFC championship, with the winners colliding two weeks later in Inglewood, Cal., on NBC. Sunday’s games have former Cowboy quarterbacks in the broadcast booths. It’s Tony Romo for CBS (with Jim Nantz) and Troy Aikman for Fox (with Joe Buck).
4) “Snowpiercer” season-opener, 9 p.m. today, TNT, rerunning at 10:01. Last season ended with a daring split. The evil Wilford still controlled the supertrain, propelling survivors through a frozen world. But Layton and others split off a 10-car portion and went to save Melanie. She had died, but left behind valuable information about possible places to settle. Now there’s more research and another rescue mission, while rebels scheme against Wilford. The result is cold and harsh, but well-crafted.
5) “Promised Land” debut, 10 p.m. today, ABC. Against a gorgeous, Sonoma Valley backdrop, here are families with and without money and power. The Sandovals have a vineyard and a winery; Carlos Rincon has just entered the country with his sisters. John Ortiz plays the patriarch, with Bellamy Young as his antagonist and Christina Ochoa as Veronica. Ochoa starred in “Blood Drive” and “Valor,” then was Renn in “Animal Kingdom” and the secretive secretary in “A Million Little Things.”
6) “Nature: Animals with Cameras,” 8 p.m. Wednesday, PBS. Some humans use “tree-hugger” as an insult, but don’t tell that to Australia’s koalas. They have a good reason to hug: It’s hot in the Outback and trees keep them 10 degrees cooler. But what happens after dark? This interesting hour attaches cameras and finds a surprising night life; it also has cameras on kangaroos and fruit bats. This wraps up a two-week series, adding the cuteness that last week’s ocean opener lacked.
7) “B Positive,” 9 and 9:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS. The good news is that we get two new episodes of this consistently charming show; the bad is that its future is unclear. “B Positive” will be replaced by a “Celebrity Big Brother” episode next week and by a new comedy (“How We Roll”) on March 31; the rest is pending. The first year introduced the delightful Annaleigh Ashford as Gina, who gave a kidney to a virtual stranger. This season, she inherited millions and bought a retirement home.
8) “Grown-ish” return, 10 p.m. Thursday, Freeform. “Black-ish” is in its final season (9:30 p.m. Tuesdays on ABC), but its spin-off has an open future. Now it’s back (alongside “Single Drunk Female,” at 10:30), after a five-month break. Aaron faces accountability for his actions at the luau and Zoey tries her grandparents for advice. More romance dilemmas: Ana and Vivek try to keep their hook-up a secret … Jazz struggles with her feelings for Desi … Nomi processes her feelings for Phil.
9) “Janet Jackson,” 8-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Lifetime and A&E. Strictly for music, Jackson would merit a big documentary. She’s sold 160 million records; in the U.S., she’s had seven No. 1 albums, 10 No. 1 singles and 26 top-10 singles. Among women, only Madonna and Mariah Carey have more. But beyond that, there’s a chaotic personal life. She discusses the deaths of Michael (2009) and their dad (2018), the Super Bowl controversy (2004), three marriages and giving birth at 50.
10) “The Great Chocolate Showdown” debut, 8 p.m. Saturday, CW. Like chocolate itself, this Canadian show is fun and festive and devoid of any higher purpose. One contestant says his cake is just like him – sporting a bow tie and full of whiskey. Others include teachers, a bartender, a circus performer, a casino consultant, an immigration lawyer and an oncology pharmacist. It’s enjoyable in a light way. For more substance Saturday, Turner Classic Movies has the epic “Gandhi” (1982) at 8 p.m. ET.
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