Year: 2023

1) “Black Broadway,” 8 p.m., PBS (check local listings). Here are some of the best musical moments you’ll see on TV, back-to-back. After a bland overture (the only weak point), Corbin Bleu blasts a “Ragtime” anthem; soon, Nova Payton (shown here in a previous PBS special) sings from “The Color Purple” and “Dreamgirls.” These are potent, passionate songs that were first performed by Blacks. Stephanie Mills does a “Wiz” ballad she debuted 49 years ago, but mostly it’s a splendid showcase for young stars. Read more…

1) “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” finale, 8 and 9 p.m., Fox. After their son Keith vanished, Jason (Scott Caan, shown heree) and Nikki drifted. He struggled after returning from the military; she became a missing-persons cop and is engaged to a colleague. In the opener, they found a teen who seems to be Keith. Now these episodes wrap that up, alongside other cases. The two villains are way too similar and overwrought, but if “Alert” isn’t renewed, it’s had a strong finish. Read more…

1) “The Blacklist” season-opener, 10 p.m., NBC. For nine seasons, “Red” Redington (James Spader, shown here) has been one of TV’s most distinctive characters. Rich and clever, he’s a likable crook who smites unlikable ones. As this final season starts, we see him only briefly – but see his impact as an apartment explodes. Soon, FBI agents are busy – and are meeting a key new character. This serialized tale leaves everything in limbo, but remains fascinating. Read more…

1) “NAACP Image Awards,” 8-10 p.m., everywhere. For a while, this was billed as “only on BET”; then common sense prevailed. This ceremony – strong on starpower (including Viola Davis, shown here) – has usually had a broadcast network, often NBC of Fox. This time, it gets CBS and many of its sister networks – CMT, VH1, MTV, TV Land, Comedy Central, Smithsonian, TV Land, Paramount Network … and yes, BET, which follows with two advance episodes of “The Ms. Pat Show.” Read more…

1) “The Mandalorean,” 8 p.m., ABC, Freeform and FX. Here’s the first episode of a “Star Wars” spin-off (shown here) that has made a big splash. In each of its first two seasons, it won seven Emmys, for sets and stunts and such; in the second, it also was nominated for best drama series. Now this sampling will try to lure us to sign up for Disney+ and see those seasons, plus the third, which starts Wednesday. Read more…