HBO, 8:00 p.m. ET
This 2014 movie is Peter Jackson’s final entry in his Hobbit series, which he undertook after his Lord of the Rings movies – and, thus, is the final cinematic Rings experience. Which will be difficult to accept, for those fans who found the whole series Hobbit-forming. Martin Freeman stars as Bilbo Baggins, with Ian McKellen as Gandalf.
TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET
Usually, when 1955’s East of Eden is discussed, it’s to focus on the performance by James Dean – one of his few film roles, all of which were extremely noteworthy. But today on TCM, it’s Raymond Massey day on “Summer Under the Stars” – so it’s his performance on which to focus. And that’s especially true of tonight’s other prime-time movie offering (at 10:15 p.m. ET), in which Massey has the title role in 1940’s Abe Lincoln in Illinois.
ABC, 10:00 p.m. ET
In medical terms, Boston EMS could almost be considered a variety show, because the range of cases it covers is truly eclectic. Tonight’s installment, for example, includes two instances of men taking drastic measures to address their personal problems: a homeless man strips naked in winter to get access to a warm hospital bed, and a despondent truck driver aims his vehicle straight at a highway barrier.
NBC, 10:00 p.m. ET
As this series nears its ending, the plots become more familiar… and, once again, have Hannibal and Will sharing the screen.
TBS, 11:00 p.m. ET
SERIES PREMIERE: I’m not sure at all whether this series will work, or whether it’s the sort of super-meta exercise that is more intriguing in theory than it is entertaining in person. As I understand it, it’s a comic reality show with an actual prize at its center: a chance for aspiring weathercasters to appear on CNN – but by running them through tests that are as comic as arduous. We’ll know, soon enough, whether this new series is partly funny or just partly cloudy.