1) “The Joe Schmo Show” finale, 9 p.m. Tuesday, TBS. This clever show has an ending that’s even better than we’d imagined. From the beginning, it made one real guy (Ben from Baltimore, shown here) think he’s in a reality show. The others – friends, foes, weirdos – are actors. Now comes an ethical dilemma and then the shell-shock news. The result has a little humor and a lot of warmth.
2) “Alert: Missing Persons Unit” season-opener, 9 p.m. Tuesday, Fox. A pretty good show in its first two seasons, this starts the third with a strong hour: At an upscale college, the women’s crew team vanished; Jason (Scott Caan) and colleagues probe a complex case. It’s worth catching … but in the same timeslot as “Joe Schmo” and “American Experience.”
3) “The Bachelor” finale, 8-11 p.m. today, ABC. Grant Ellis, 30, started with 25 women; two remain: Litia Garr, 31, is a venture capitalist from Wyoming; Juliana Pasquarosa, 28, is in client services in Massachusetts. In the Dominican Republic (where he briefly played pro basketball), Ellis, a day trader, introduces them to his parents and makes his choice.
4) Basketball. The second week of the college tournament is down to 16 teams, two networks and no day games. (That means the CBS soap operas won’t be bumped.) On Thursday and Friday, games will be at 7 and 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS, 7:30 and 10 on TBS. TBS has the Saturday games (6 and 8:30); CBS has the Sunday ones at 2 and 4:30 p.m.
5) “NCIS: Origins” return, 10 p.m. today, CBS. It’s been a long wait for fans of this well-made prequel; there hasn’t been a new episode since Feb.10. Now, after five empty weeks, “Origins” is back and new. An investment broker has been killed, shortly after her release from prison. Also, Mary Jo, the field support officer, receives a jolt in her personal life.
6) “American Experience,” 9 p.m., Tuesday PBS. For 18 years and five presidencies, people debated disabled rights. It was “the bankruptcy bill,” critics said. Then protesters left their wheelchairs at the base of the Capitol and crawled 83 steps. The American Disabilities Act cleared the Senate, 91-6, gradually transforming lives. It’s a powerful story.
7) “The Conners” season-opener, 8 p.m. Wednesday, ABC. It’s the beginning of the end of a great run. “Roseanne” ran from 1988-97, then came back big in 2018. When Roseane Barr was fired, it changed title and said her character had died. Now a dix-episode seventh and final season begins. Darlene lands a promotion; her aunt Jackie wants to sue a drug company.
8) “Jacqueline du Pre: Genius and Tragedy,” 9 p.m. Friday, PBS. At 17, du Pre burst onto London’s music scene. “She was simple, she was caring, she was smiling,” conductor Zubin Mehta says here. Friends called her “Smiley”; others called her the “golden girl.” Then her cello-playing was ended at 28 by multiple sclerosis. This is filled with great music and comments.
9) Figure skating. The world championship peaks on NBC, with the women’s finals at 8 p.m. Friday and the men at 8 p.m. Saturday. Other events are on cable’s USA Network: Wednesday, women’s short program, 3 p.m.; Thursday, men’s short, 3, and pairs, 8; Friday, rhythm dance, 3; Saturday, free dance, 3. All of the events are simulcast on Peacock.
10) ALSO: There are two more season-openers, plus a key return. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, Fox’s “The Cleaning Lady” starts its season. The story gets tangled – this show often does – but brings pivotal changes. And at 8 p.m. Sunday, two shows arrive: It’s the season-opener for PBS’ “Call the Midwife” and the return (after a six-week absence) of Fox’s “The Simpsons.”