1) “Nolly” opener, 9 p.m., PBS. In real life, “Nolly” Gordon was a British TV pioneer, a talkshow host and program executive with a soap opera built around her. Fame and awards followed. It was a makeshift era, captured brilliantly by writer Russell Davies (“Doctor Who”) and Helena Bonham Carter (shown here). “Nolly” is funny and warm … and then, mid-way in the first of three parts, takes a sudden shift.
2) “Call the Midwife” season-opener and “Alice & Jack” debut, 8 and 10 p.m, PBS. It’s a mixed night for the other PBS dramas. “Midwife,” which is usually quite good, has a wobbly start; key dialog is hard to follow and a gun-toting storyline is way off-kilter. But “Alice” works instantly, as two opposites (perfectly played by Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson) are linked by a dating site.
3) Basketball. At 6 p.m. ET on CBS,.the brackets will be announced for the NCAA tournament. Some of that, however, depends on five conference tourneys that end today. CBS has the Atlantic 10 at 1 p.m. and the Big Ten at 3:30 … ESPN has the SEC at1 and American Athletic at 3:15 … And ESPN2 has the Ivy League at noon,
4) “The Equalizer,” etc, 8-11 p.m., CBS. After skipping last week (to avoid the Oscars), the dramas have new episodes. First, Dante’s old training partner is a hostage at an illegal casino; Robyn needs help from a gambling addict. At 9 p.m., “Tracker” has a teen seek evidence to overturn her dad’s murder conviction. At 10 on “CSI: Las Vegas,” someone’s been killed at a wellness convention.
5) “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968), 5:30 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. Before making his “Godfather” films. Francis Coppola directed this musical gem about a leprechaun in the American South. Other networks are ignoring St. Patrick’s Day (except for a marathon of “Leprechaun” horror films on Syfy), but TCM scores with “Far and Away” (1992) at 8 and “The Quiet Man” (1952) at 10:30.
— Mike Hughes, TV America