Starz!, 8:00 p.m. ET
Creator and co-executive producer Moria Walley-Beckett, who won an Emmy for one of her scripts for AMC’s Breaking Bad, continues to try and apply that sense of unpredictability, and strong examination of character, to a series about ballet dancers. And her quest for realism extends to her leading lady: Sarah Hay, an actual ballet dancer, playing a young dancer trying to advance in the fiercely competitive world of dance. This is episode two – but if you missed the premiere, this is still a good entry point.
AMC, 9:00 p.m. ET
This season has taken a “divide and conquer” approach, following a small handful of different characters each week as they prepare for, and try to survive, the same harrowing day. This week, after barely seeing him for weeks, the spotlight shifts to Norman Reedus as Daryl. His motorcycle has seen better days – and based on the ominous promos, so has Daryl.
CBS, 9:30 p.m. ET
One of this show’s biggest strengths is its examination of thorny legal issues raised by the latest advancements in technology. Tonight’s episode is just such a case, as the issue brought to court is that of an accident involving a driverless car. Also, Vanessa Williams shows up as a special guest star.
AMC, 10:00 p.m. ET
SERIES PREMIERE: This new series could well turn out to be the next
Game of Thrones, because it’s got the same warring-tribes chessboard mentality, as well as plot lines and conflicts guaranteeing frequent and showy displays of violence. It’s also got a couple of intriguing and equally showy characters, all of whom speak softly and carry big swords. But for me, the first episode doesn’t succeed or intrigue nearly as much as the second, and the hyper-stylized scenes of violence probably are more impressive to the first-person-shooter videogame set than to others. Count me among the others. I’ll watch, for now, but I’m not yet pulled in. For a full review, see
David Hinckley’s All Along the Watchtower.
E!, 10:00 p.m. ET
SEASON PREMIERE: There aren’t many chances for me to recommend an E! series, but here’s one. Season 1 of The Royals, starring Elizabeth Hurley, was surprisingly droll and entertaining, mostly for the same reason I expect Season 2 to be: Elizabeth Hurley, playing a very fictitious, yet very funny, British monarch.