Weekly Previews

1) Academy Awards, 8 p.m. ET Sunday, ABC. For the third straight year, the Oscars will go without a host … and might pay little attention to the songs. That can be disastrous: Humor and music are key, when many winners give dreary speeches (thanking agents and such) and many viewers haven’t seen the films. Nominated for best picture are “Promising Young Woman” (shown here with Carey Mulligan), “Mank,” “Minari,” “Nomadland,” “Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Father” and “Sound of Metal.” Read more…

1) Academy of Country Music awards, 8-11 p.m. Sunday, CBS. In September, the long-delayed 2020 awards had a social-distance plan that worked: Performances (including Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, shown here) were at three spot0s – Opry, Ryman and Bluebird – and most nominees were there live. Now, just seven months later, the 2021 awards repeat that plan. Hosts Keith Urban and Mickey Guyton perform; so do Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Bryan, Kane Brown and more. Read more…

1) “Hemingway” debut, 8 p.m. today through Wednesday, PBS, rerunning at 10. Ernest Hemingway (shown here) took a unique approach to fiction – cool, efficient, often macho. We see that often here, in brilliant passages read by Jeff Daniels. But Hemingway also molded another fiction – his own image. Yes, he was an outdoors guy, with big torso and regal visage. But he was also a doctor’s son from suburbia, an insecure guy who exaggerated his life. Ken Burns tells the story brilliantly, tracing a life of contrasts. Read more…

1) “United States of Al” debut(shown here), 8:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS. For six dangerous years, these men were close. Riley was a Marine; Amalwir (“Al”) was his Afghan translator, friend and sometimes protector. Now, after three years of bureaucracy, Al reaches the U.S.; culture shocks begin on both sides. Unlike many Chuck Lorre shows – “Big Bang,” “B Positive” (now moving to 9:30), “Mom” – this doesn’t have big laughs. Like all Lorrte shows, it has lots of little laughs, plus some deeply likable characters. Read more…

1) “Genius: Aretha,” 9 and 10 p.m., today through Wednesday, National Geographic. A strong story blends with powerhouse music, in this beautifully crafted, four-night, eight-hour mini-series. Sunday’s opening episodes (rerunning at 6:56 and 8:03 p.m. today), flashed between Aretha Franklin as a young girl, singing on the gospel circuit, and as a struggling jazz and pop singer. In both cases, type-A men (her dad and her husband) loomed. Cynthia Erivo (shown here) is stoic in acting, but magnificent when singing. Read more…

1) “The Voice” opener, 8-10 p.m. today, NBC. This is a stretch when NBC hopes to surge. That started over the weekend, with Nick Jonas hosting “Saturday Night Live” and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the Golden Globes. Now this ratings-leader starts its 20th edition, with Jonas taking his second try as coach. Blake Shelton has done every edition, with seven winners. Also returning are Kelly Clarkson (three winners in six editions) and John Legend (one in four). They’re shown here; more NBC debuts follow. Read more…

1) Golden Globe awards, 8 p.m.ET Sunday, with red-carpet at 7, NBC, (on the West Coast, 5 p.m. PT, repeating at 8. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (shown here in a previous year) again host — but on opposite coasts. Fey’s in New Yorik, Poehler in Los Angeles. Viewers might not recognize many of the nominated movies, but may know the TV shows – all of them from cable or streaming: The nominated dramas are “The Crown,” “The Mandalorian,” “Ozark,” “Ratched” and “Lovecraft Country”; the comedies are “Emily in Paris,” “The Great,” “Ted Lasso,” “The Flight Attendant” and “Schitt’s Creek. Read more…

1) “The Black Church,” 9-11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, PBS. Here is non-fiction TV at its best – joyful, passionate, yet willing to point out faults. Henry Louis Gates ranges from tiny churches with lay pastors to a 14,000-seat arena (shown here) with video screens and a band. He tells of slaves bringing religions – Christian, Muslim, more – from Africa, joining White churches, then breaking off. He points to flaws – biases against women, gays and uneducated – and strengths, rippling with music and warm memories. Read more…

1) “American Idol” season-opener, 8 p.m. Sunday, ABC. One of the reality-show giants is back for its 19th season – and its fourth on ABC. Last spring, “Idol” did an impressive job of adjusting to COVID, getting some strong at-home performances from winner (called Just Sam), shown here, and others. This year starts with auditions confined to three California locations – Los Angeles, San Diego and Ojai. Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie are again the judges, with Ryan Seacrest hosting … as he’s been doing since the opener, in the summer of 2002. Read more…

1) “The Equalizer” debut, about 10:30 p.m. ET Sunday, CBS. This is, very simply, the best post-Super-Bowl show since “The Wonder Years” arrived, 33 years ago. It’s beautifully written, sharply filmed and perfectly played. The original notion had a guy – Edward Woodward in the series, Denzel Washington in two movies – help people who couldn’t turn to officials. Now Queen Latifah (shown here) plays a former CIA agent who has skills, compassion, a teen daughter and high-tech help. It’s a deeply involving debut. Read more…