1) “The Greatest @Home Videos,” 8 p.m., CBS. Here’s the 10th edition of a show that started as a celebration of creativity people concocted during the lockdown. This arrives during the awards season , so Cedric the Entertainer (shown here) calls it “The Cedys,” awarding videos that are funny and/or cringe-worthy.
2) “Lopez vs. Lopez,” 8 p.m., NBC. When a trendy shopkeeper (Caroline Rhea) re-purposes Mayan’s Mexican-style design, she spurs a discussion of cultural appropriation. That part is fairly good; alas, when the show veers over to other characters (overwritten and overplayed), the show crumbles.
3) “Movies for Grownups” awards. 9 p.m., PBS. It’s been a wobbly time for movies. Some genres – action, animated, superhero – bounced back, but mainstream comedies and dramas didn’t. Still, this show – created by the AARP and hosted by Alan Cumming – found worthy nominees. Up for best picture are “Elvis,” “Tar,” “The Fablemans,” “The Woman King,” “Women Talking,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
4) “Hello Tomorrow” opener, Apple TV+. We’re in a future world that’s sort of like a semi-idealized 1950s suburb. In that sterile setting, a salesman (Billy Crudup) sells hollow promises to troubled customers … until he meets one he doesn’t want to cheat. It’s a somber but richly crafted start to a promising series.
5) More streaming. On the same night as “Hello Tomorrow,” Apple debuts “Sharper” — a heist film with John Lithgow and Julianne Moore – and continues the witty “Shrinking.” Also today, Amazon Prime starts the final season of Orlando Bloom’s “Carnival Row.” On Thursday, Paramount+ launched the final season of “Star Trek: Picard,” this time re-assembling the “Next Generation” team; Peacock had another brilliant episode of “Poker Face.”
— Mike Hughes, TV America