1) “Nature: The Hummingbird Effect,” 8 p.m., PBS. Costa Rica is barely the size of West Virginia, but it has more than 50 hummingbird species, some with specialized beaks Their perpetual mission is to pollinate the verdant forests. This hour is filled with gorgeous footage, both of the hummingbirds (one is shown here, not from the show) and of the vibrant animal kingdom they help sustain.
2) “Single Drunk Female” season-opener, 10 and 10:30 p.m., Freeform. Sam (Sophia Black-D’Elia) starts the second season on her 29th birthday, 549 days into sobriety. She likes her job, tolerates her parents (Ally Sheedy and Ian Gomez) and clings to her AA sponsor. But now there are big changes at work and for her friends. The result is a sharp blend of clever dialog and quiet moments that add sharp drama to a quiet comedy.
3) “Schmigadoon” and “Ted Lasso,” both Apple TV+. With last week’s return of “Schmigadoon,” this streamer is in the rare position of having simultaneous episodes of two great shows. Last week, Ted’s team lost (decisively) to its rival; now we see the harsh aftershocks. “Schmigadoon” saw Josh, framed for murder, escape from jail with a hippie tribe. Now comes the trial, with a spectacular – and hilarious – musical number by his lawyer (Jane Krakowski).
4) “Riverdale,” 9 p.m., CW. When the entire gang was whisked back to 1955, we might have assumed that would rule out sex and violence. Not so: Last week, Ethel wandered into the sock hop, soaked in her parents’ blood; tonight, the subject turns to sexuality. There are some potent moments in a dream and (really) at a poetry club; also, there are tough moments for Kevin, who doesn’t realize he’s gay.
5) “Chicago Fire,” 9 p.m., NBC. A week after delighting some fans with the temporary return of Jesse Spencer, the show retreats to an all-rerun night. The situation began with Taylor Kinney taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. Kinney (as Sevaride) and Spencer (as Casey) were the show’s original stars; Spencer agreed to fill in – just his second episode since Oct. 27, 2021. In this rerun, Sevaride helps police with a case involving explosives.
— Mike Hughes, TV America(