1) Olympic competition begins, 8 p.m. to midnight and 12:35-2 a.m., NBC. Figure-skating is starting early, because of double duty: Skaters compete for the team championship first, then will start over in the push for individual medals. Tonight’s skating has rhythm dance, plus the short programs for men (Nathan Chen, shown here, as an American skater with three world championships) in prime time and pairs after midnight. That will be shown live, but prime time will also have taped coverage of alpine skiing, with the men’s and women’s moguls.
2) More Olympics, USA Network. The U.S. women’s hockey team faces Finland, with live coverage at 8:10 a.m. ET and a rerun in the evening. Otherwise, this network spends the day – one day before the opening ceremony – covering curling
3) “Soul of a Nation,” 8 and 9 p.m., ABC. This series debuted a year ago with six excellent episodes, featuring Black reporters tackling a wide variety of subjects. It had two more episodes (on the anniversary of George Floyd’s death and on Juneteenth), then vanished. Mow we get two new hours; the first looks at Black actresses; the second meets the man who was convicted – and, later, exonerated — in the 1965 murder of Malcolm X.
4) “Young Sheldon” 8 p.m., CBS. The network’s strong comedy line-up retreats into reruns during the Olympics. That included this season-opener (Sheldon and Missy run away from home) and, at 8:30, the Halloween episode of “Ghosts.” Then comes the only Thursday episode of “Celebrity Big Brother”; for more comedy, switch to Fox at 9 and 9:30, for new episodes of “Call Me Kat” and “Pivoting.”
5) “Promised Land,” 10 p.m., ABC. Here’s a quick rerun of Monday’s episode, with problems encircling Joe Sandoval, a wealthy winery owner. His stepson Mateo has quit his work as vineyards chief and threatens to expose Joe’s secret. Joe’s ex-wife Margaret is trying to take over the business; and his second wife Lettie has had enough from Junior, their irresponsible youngest child.