NBC, 8:00 p.m. ET
It took almost two full seasons to get here, but it’s finally arrived: Opening night of Bombshell on Broadway. Now, at last, it’s all about the performance – and the after-party reception. And, of course, the critical reception. (I’ll reserve mine until I watch tonight’s episode. I’m critical of NBC, though, for banishing this series to Saturday nights.)
BBC America, 8:00 p.m. ET
What a great season this series is having. Tonight’s new episode is called “Hide,” and it’s an old-fashioned ghost story, set in a dusty old mansion and featuring ethereal creatures who may – or may not – be old-fashioned ghosts. Matt Smith, as always, is utterly winning as the eleventh Doctor, and it’s not too early in the short reign of Jenna-Louise Coleman, as Clara, to declare her the best Doctor Who companion ever. Period.
Lifetime, 8:00 p.m. ET
Here’s an interesting film project: In this compilation, five different directors present short films touching upon some aspect of mental illness, with each short film featuring a different cast. Stars include Melissa Leo, Jennifer Hudson, Brittany Snow, Jason Ritter, Sarah Hyland and Octavia Spencer – but it’s the directors who really deserve notice. For this Lifetime project, the directors are Laura Dern, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bonnie Hunt, Ashley Judd and Sharon Maguire.
TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET
Tod Browning’s 1932 film is a mini-masterpiece – a movie so novel, so unsettling, and so all-out strange, it’s difficult to prepare viewers for it in advance. For a horror film, it has an amazing amount of compassion and heart. It also has some sequences that, once seen, will stay with you the rest of your days. And especially your nights. One of us! One of us!
BBC America, 9:00 p.m. ET
Tatiana Maslani, in this series, has the showiest acting role since Toni Collette in The United States of Tara, and – as a woman who discovers she is one of many identical yet different clones – already has portrayed a handful of different personas, with more to come. This series is having fun with this concept, but without slipping into camp. The drama level is high, partly because the acting level is, too. Give it/her/them a chance.