Various Networks, 12:00 p.m. ET
Today’s second-round action — and there’s a lot of it — is spread over three networks, not four. CBS begins its coverage of the 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at noon, with TNT joining at 6 p.m. ET and TBS an hour later. Among the games most worth noting: East No. 1-ranked Villanova vs. No. 9 Alabama at noon ET on CBS, and Mideast No. 1-ranked Kansas vs. Seton Hall at 7 p.m. ET on TBS. Also, if you like rooting for the double-digit Cinderella teams, two are playing today after scoring upsets already: At 5:15 p.m. ET on CBS, South No. 13-ranked Buffalo faces No. 5 Kentucky, and at 6 p.m. ET on TNT, South’s No. 11-ranked Loyola Chicago faces No. 3 seed Tennessee.
HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET
In 1971, Clint Eastwood starred in an unusual period movie, directed by Don Siegel, called The Beguiled, in which he played a wounded Union soldier imprisoned behind enemy lines in a Confederate women’s boarding school. He tries to survive, and escape, by charming the women (including Geraldine Page and Elizabeth Hartman) individually and pitting them against each other — but with unexpected results. In this 2017 film, director Sofia Coppola mounted a moody and interesting remake, starring Colin Farrell as the soldier and Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning as some of the women.
Showtime, 8:00 p.m. ET
The stellar success of Breaking Bad has allowed Bryan Cranston to pursue projects, and play parts, he would not have gotten the opportunity to attempt before, and this is one of them. In this 2015 fact-based drama, he plays Hollywood screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, one of the victims of the McCarthy-era blacklist. Relish some of the great supporting roles and players, including Helen Mirren as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper and Michael Stuhlbarg, from the most recent season of FX’s Fargo, as Edward G. Robinson.
NBC, 11:29 p.m. ET
Former SNL regular Bill Hader returns as guest host in tonight’s new outing. Musical guest: Arcade Fire.