1) “Nova,” 9 p.m., PBS. For almost 80 years, people have buzzed about UFO’s in silly movies (shown here) and serious forums. This hour traces that history and offers reasonable explanations for most sightings. But it doesn’t spoil the intrigue. It includes pilots and scientists who point to unexplained cases, insisting they be taken seriously. That starts a strong string of new “Nova” hours.
2) “Elsbeth”,” 10 p.m., CBS. For CBS, the mid-season snooze is wrapping up. Starting Jan. 27, reruns vanish, “Elsbeth” returns to Thursdays (with “Hollywood Squares” moving to Wednesdays) and life is normal. For now, here’s a fairly good rerun: In an upscale restaurant, there’s anger and murder; Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”) plays an intense chef.
3) “Nature,” 8 p.m., PBS. Many wildlife films focus on drought, dismay and dwindling territory. This one, however, launches a series in the splendor of a Botswana preserve, focusing on the ruling predators – lions, leopards and cheetahs. The chase scenes are both bracing and brutal, but we also see the family life, letting us root for these skilled killers.
4) “Abbott Elementary,” 8:30 p.m., ABC. Remember hybrid learning, with some kids in school and others on computer? The school tries to revive it now, when a bus strike leaves many kids at home. That follows a “Shifting Gears,” with Riley reluctantly taking a job at her dad’s garage.
5) “Chicago Med,” 8 p.m., NBC. A team of doctors tries to separate conjoined twins. That’s followed by “Chicago Fire” (crisis at a community center) and “Chicago P.D.” (an emotional case involving a young girl).
— Mike Hughes, TV America