SUNDAY

FEBRUARY 26

2017

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

PBS, 4:00 p.m. ET

This series will conclude next Sunday – but in the meantime, as a counter-programming move against ABC’s Oscars telecast, PBS is gathering the six episodes to date, and repeating them in a mini-marathon from 4-11 p.m. ET. Jenna Coleman is quite good as the young Queen Victoria, and this binge-watching opportunity allows you to see her character’s gradual transformation, and growth, in an accelerated and exceptionally clear fashion. Check local listings.

THE GOOD FIGHT

CBS All Access, 12:00 a.m. ET

Last Sunday, CBS presented the premiere episode of The Good Fight, the excellent spinoff sequel series to The Good Wife, starring Christine Baranski. Tonight, you can see episode two – but not on CBS. You have to go to CBS All Access, the network’s streaming site, where you also can see episode three right now, offered as part of a one-week free trial basis. But from then on, you’ll have to pay – and if that weren’t bad enough, given that The Good Fight is better than any of CBS’s current “free” dramatic programming, there’s a two-tiered pay system. CBS All Access costs $5.99 per month – unless you want to watch it without advertising, in which case it costs $9.99 a month. Let them eat cable…

THE 89TH ACADEMY AWARDS

ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

The expansion of the number of nominees in some of the major categories has made for a more inclusionary Oscars contest – kind of like NFL parity – but not necessarily a faster or more interesting awards show. Still, this year makes room, in the Best Picture category, for the likes of La La Land, Hidden Figures, and Manchester By the Sea, and Moonlight – so 2017 is a good vintage for offbeat films. And with Jimmy Kimmel as host, and with so much politics in the air, even the monologues and acceptance speeches could be livelier than usual this year.

BIG LITTLE LIES

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

While the broadcast networks tend to close up shop opposite the Oscars telecast, HBO and Showtime routinely proceed as though it’s business as usual. Here, then, is episode two of this new HBO miniseries. Watch for things to heat up considerably, especially in the private scenes between Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard, as a couple whose seemingly idyllic marriage is both fueled and eroded by violently passionate sex and arguments. Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern co-star.

GIRLS

HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET

Last week’s episode of Girls delivered a major surprise in the form of an unexpected revelation about one of its characters. (For a full report, see Eric Gould’s Cold Light Reader.) This week, we carry on with the ramifications of that discovery – and the newest fissure between the core group of friends.

BILLIONS

Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET

This season of Billions seems not only to have upped the ante, but the arrogance, on the battle between Wall Street billionaire Bobby Axelrod (Damien Lewis) and vengeful political watchdog Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). But this season more than ever, Billions, like Mad Men, seems to be telling a more interesting story through the eyes of its women. Maggie Siff, especially, is in a fascinating position, now that her character of Wendy is a step removed from both estranged husband Chuck and former boss Bobby.

CRASHING

HBO, 10:30 p.m. ET

In tonight’s second episode, the structure of Crashing really takes shape, with aspiring standup comic Pete (Pete Holmes) going from fellow comic to fellow comic, and couch to couch, to crash while putting his life back together. This week, Artie Lange, who was featured last week, passes Pete off to T.J. Miller.

LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER

HBO, 11:00 p.m. ET

Maybe because it’s late Sunday night, either the end or the start of a rough week – but Last Week Tonight seems to give me the reassurance, perspective and laughs I need to keep putting up with the headlines for one more seven-day stretch. Thanks, John Oliver, for taking your show, and your comedy, so seriously…

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David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.

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BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

PBS, 4:00 p.m. ET

CBS All Access, 12:00 a.m. ET

ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET

HBO, 9:00 p.m. ET

HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET

Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET

HBO, 10:30 p.m. ET

HBO, 11:00 p.m. ET

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