HBO, 7:55 p.m. ET
This 2018 surprise comedy hit about royal manners and intrigues in 18th-century England stars Olivia Coleman as Queen Anne, with Rachel Weisz as the woman who really runs things behind the throne – until a new servant, played by Emma Stone, arrives to shake things up.
AMC, 9:00 p.m. ET
SEASON PREMIERE: By this time, this AMC series is preaching mainly to the converted. But if you’ve recently watched Amazon’s The Boys, and wanted to see another TV series based on a comic book from the same creator, that’s an additional reason to tune in for what is the Season 4 premiere of this potentially apocalyptic battle between good and evil. Sometimes it’s easy to tell who’s on which side. Other times, not so much.
CNN, 9:00 p.m. ET
Last week’s episode, on “The Seventies,” really knocked me out, with even more detail and insight than I expected about such 1970s turning points as The Godfather, The Last Picture Show, Jaws, American Graffiti, Star Wars, Close Encounter of the Third Kind, The French Connection, Cabaret, All the President’s Men, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, MASH, Nashville, Harold and Maude, Five Easy Pieces, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Dog Day Afternoon. I was hoping for more than just a fleeting glimpse of Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon, but you can’t have everything. There’s no way, though, that Kubrick’s earlier masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey (pictured), won’t be prominently featured on tonight’s The Movies installment, devoted to “The Sixties.” For that matter, his Dr. Strangelove and Lolita, from the same decade, ought to get proper attention, too – but once again, I won’t complain too vociferously if they don’t. Not when the 1960s in cinema also has to cover, among others, The Graduate, Bonnie and Clyde, Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, The Producers, Mary Poppins, Goldfinger, Barbarella, and A Hard Day’s Night. (Yes, I said Barbarella.)
Epix, 9:00 p.m. ET
Jack Bannon plays young Alfred Pennyworth, before he became the butler to young Bruce Wayne, in this prequel to both Gotham and Batman. But there are villains here also, and the plum role in these opening episodes goes to Paloma Faith as Bet Sykes. British pop singer Faith, in real life, is a lot more glamorous and flashy than her character is bring portrayed thus far – but it’s reasonable to presume that her character’s appearance, as well as her aggressive evil nature, might soon be amplified. In fact, I’d be willing to Bet on it.
Showtime, 9:00 p.m. ET
All avenues in this week’s episode seem to lead to dead ends – or, at least, to a collision course. Jackie (Kevin Bacon) is up to his old tricks, but for a more noble cause – and robbers he’s chasing are making it easier by planning yet another armored-car heist.
CBS, 10:00 p.m. ET
SEASON FINALE: This is the episode that ended Season 1 of this spinoff of The Good Wife, back when it was on CBS All Access. Now the regular CBS audience gets to see it – most of it, anyway. Except for scenes cut for length, or edited for language, and so on.
Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET
Tonight’s episode brings events to 2016 – which means, in this show’s narrative about Fox News, allegations of workplace sexual harassment are made by Gretchen Carlson (Naomi Watts) about her boss, Roger Ailes (Russell Crowe), and she’s filmed examples. Let’s go to the videotape! And also as part of the year 2016, Donald Trump runs for president… and wins.
HBO, 11:05 p.m. ET
Last week I noted that John Oliver was back, and welcomed his reappearance. No need to stop. Now: I’m still grateful, and still watching. And last night, at the Television Critics Association Awards in Los Angeles, Oliver won for Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Shows – for the second year in a row.