1) Basketball, 6:09 and about 8:39 p.m. ET Saturday, CBS. It’s final-four time, as the teams collide in San Antonio. The winners will be back next Monday, for the national championship. Meanwhile, CBS has some of its top shows back after a two-week break. It’s cop-and-firefighter shows on Friday (“Fire Country” is shown here) and (see No. 8) comedies and mysteries Thursday.
2) “Austin City Limits Celebrates 50 Years,” 9-11 p.m. Friday, PBS. Willie Nelson did the first show on Oct. 17, 1974, then returned (at 91) 50 years later. We get clips of both, plus new music, ranging from country (Chris Stapleton) to bluegrass (Billy Strings), blues (Gary Clark Jr.’s rousing finale) and more, including Rufus Wainwright’s soaring “Hallelujah.”
3) “American Idol,” 8-10 p.m. today and Sunday, ABC. “Idol” slides into its twice-a-week mode. That starts with “Hollywood Week” (including group performances) on both nights; a week later, the survivors are in Hawaii. And tonight’s episode leads into an Oprah Winfrey special. At 10 p.m., she talks to doctors and others about “The Menopause Revolution.”
4) “Rescue HI-Surf” season-finale, 9 p.m. today, Fox. Last week, Sonny learned that Vince – his friend and Alcoholic Anonymous sponsor – was dealing drugs at the lifeguard stand. Now he confronts that, while preparing for his daughter’s graduation. Also, the team helps search for snorkelers in the ocean and Em gets a tempting job offer.
5) “The Cleaning Lady,” 8 p.m. Tuesday, Fox. Thony’s world transformed last week, when her protector (an FBI agent) was killed. Now she juggles two jobs — resident in a hospital and on-call as the cartel’s doctor. That’s not easy, in a rough and intense hour. It’s followed by Malcolm-Jamal Warner guesting as a police chief inspector in “Alert: Missing Persons Unit.”
6) “Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story” (2024), 9-11 p.m. Tuesday, PBS. A great life story is recounted in this film, which was a hit in New York movie theaters. Liza Minnelli has soared (an Oscar, an Emmy, three Tonys an honorary Grammy) and crashed (four divorces, alcoholism, drugs). She recounts it all with optimism, amid a flurry of clips.
7) “Oklahoma City Bombing,” 8-11 p.m. Wednesday, National Geographic. Just shy of the 30th anniversary (April 19), here’s a compelling portrait of the bombing that took 168 lives. We meet a woman who was pinned for six hours, another who lost two young sons, a man who fought his way out. We see the coverage, the capture, the quietly taut emotions.
8) “Elsbeth” return, 10 p.m. Thursday, CBS, and more. After the two-week basketball break, CBS has its best night back. There’s “Georgie & Mandy,” “Ghosts,” “Matlock” and this fun romp: Mary-Louise Parker plays a de-cluttering guru with a cluttered, three-way romance. Now her husband has died in their hot tub; Elsbeth is intrigued and suspicious.
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9) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m. Saturday, NBC. After a slowdown, “SNL” is in the midst of a three-week stretch of new shows. Oscar-winner Mikey Madison hosted March 28, with John Hamm set for April 12. In between, Jack Black has his fourth turn as host. The music is from Elton John and Brandi Carlile, just before their CBS special.
10) “An Evening With Elton John and Brandi Carlile,” 8-9 p.m. Sunday, CBS. A musical week concludes with cross-generation flair. Carlile, 43, grew up in rural Washington, then befriended her heroes. She led music nights at Joni Mitchell’s house and has an album with John, 78. This hour has songs from the album and from his hits, plus a conversation.