What to Watch This Weekend: The Returns of OUAT and The Good Wife and the Debuts of Battle Creek, The Last Man on Earth, and House of Cards Season 3
What to watch on Friday, February 27...
NEXT: Saturday, February 28 | Sunday, March 1
SEASON 3 PREMIERE, 12:01am, Netflix
House of Cards
What sort of wacky scrapes will Frank get into now that he's behind the big desk at 1600 Pennsylvania? War with New Zealand? Trading the Virgin Islands to Portugal for Madeira and an Azores Island to be named later? Harsh new excise taxes on competing video-streaming services? Find out when Netflix drops all 13 episodes (for realsies this time, no take-backs) today.
8pm, CBS
The Amazing Race
The race moves to Nagano, Japan, for its second leg as the show moves into its regular Friday time period.
8pm, The CW
Hart of Dixie
Zoe is miffed when Wade flashes his charm at some ladies, but you may as well ask birds not to fly or fish not to swim or Don Todd not to hit outlandish golf shots in exotic locales. Elsewhere in "The Butterstick Tab," someone from Lemon's past puts her in a tough spot, while George and A.B. have trouble finding a new experience to enjoy.
8:30pm, ABC
Cristela
Cristela hopes Isabella qualifies for a program for advanced students in "Gifted and Talented," but the outcome of the admittance exam sparks tension between Cristela and Natalia. At the office, Trent sends Maddie to the mailroom.
9pm, PBS
Great Performances
In "La Dolce Vita: The Music of Italian Cinema," The New York Philharmonic performs select movie themes from composers such as Ennio Morricone, Luis Bacalov, Stelvio Cipriani, and Nino Rota. Josh Groban, Renée Fleming, and Joshua Bell will also accompany the orchestra.
9pm, Fox
Glee
A Type-A tween wants New Directions to play his bar mitzvah in "Child Star," because nothing's hotter with the kids these days than past-their-prime high school glee clubs. In other tense affairs, Spencer encourages Roderick to shed a few pounds.
9pm, CBS
Hawaii Five-0
Cloris Leachman, Max Weinberg, and Jon Lovitz are among the guest-stars in "Kuka'awale (Stakeout), which sees Steve and Danny hashing out their relationship issues while staking out the apartment of a woman linked to a diamond theft.
9pm, Syfy
12 Monkeys
Cole, Railly, and Aaron must hurry to stop scoundrels from unleashing a weaponized form of the virus on Chechnya in "The Keys." Meanwhile, they're under considerably less pressure to stop other scoundrels from unleashing a caramelized form of the virus on a turkey burger (it's not lethal, but it's way too sweet).
10pm, Syfy
Helix
With things at the Abbey heading due south in a handbasket at a rapid clip, Michael concocts a plan that to call "bugnuts" would be to slander bugnuttery. Elsewhere in "Cross-Pollination," Walker gets a hot tip from a 10-year-old immortal, while Alan and Kyle search for Jordan.
10pm, Cinemax
Banshee
Lucas and Brock's hunt for Chayton leads them to an underground fight club in Louisiana, suggesting that "All the Wisdom I Got Left" may include an uncharacteristic spot of violent behavior. Back home, Rebecca's ambition spells trouble for Emily and Proctor, Stowe probes the Camp Genoa heist, and Sugar looks to settle a debt.
11:30pm, Cartoon Network
The Jack and Triumph Show
In "Coffee," Jack and Triumph sign up for a new business with an unorthodox spin on preparing java. I'm not going to say it definitely involves small-mammal poop, but yeah, it definitely involves small-mammal poop.
LATE-NITE:
– Josh Hutcherson, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, and Michael Schlow on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, 11:35pm, NBC
– Simon Helberg, Britt Robertson, Owen Benjamin, and Kunal Nayyar on The Late Late Show, 12:37am, CBS
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING TONIGHT?
And now, let's all vote to crown the What to Watch Tonight Episode Title of the Week!
NEXT: Saturday, February 28 | Sunday, March 1
What to watch on Saturday, February 28...
PREVIOUSLY: Friday, February 27 | NEXT: Sunday, March 1
SERIES PREMIERE, 8pm, Hallmark
The Good Witch
Catherine Bell stars as the eponymous ethical enchantress in this extension of the Hallmark Channel's movie series. "Starting Over... Again" casts the first spell with Cassie and teen daughter Grace greeting—and clashing with—some new neighbors.
9pm, ABC
Shania: Still the One Live From Las Vegas
Shania Twain performs her Sin City stage show, complete with 13-piece band, horse pageantry, and a flying motorcycle (yes, that's actually in the press release). The program will also include behind-the-scenes footage of the spectacle's creation.
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERE, 9pm, Showtime
Kobe Bryant's Muse
This documentary traces the life and career of the 18-year NBA veteran, which probably does not involve a flying motorcycle. (There might be some horse pageantry, though.)
9pm, BBC America
The Musketeers
En route to Sweden to join a politically strategic marriage, the king's cousin is ambushed in "A Marriage of Inconvenience." Since the Musketeers were the ones escorting her voyage, they have to identify and thwart the brigands responsible, lest they be skewered in a "You Had One Job" pamphlet.
9pm, Starz
Black Sails
As Eleanor hopes to broker peace, Flint reneges on a promise and Rackham receives a harsh lesson. Not that I imagine there are a lot of warm and fuzzy lessons in the world of piracy. Duke and Snake Eyes aren't exactly showing up on the reg to drop knowledge PSA-style, is my guess.
11:30pm, NBC
Saturday Night Live
With Dakota Johnson hosting, Vegas is laying 3-to-2 odds that Jamie Dornan will cameo for the most awkward "questions from the audience" monologue bit in SNL history. Musical guest Alabama Shakes is mainly hoping for any kind of Ben and Kate shout-out.
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING TONIGHT?
And now, let's all vote to crown the What to Watch Tonight Episode Title of the Week!
PREVIOUSLY: Friday, February 27 | NEXT: Sunday, March 1
What to watch on Sunday, March 1...
PREVIOUSLY: Friday, February 27 | Saturday, February 28
NEW TIME, 7:30pm, Fox
Bob's Burgers
After Aunt Gayle's theater date cancels, the kids compete for her extra ticket with an essay contest in "The Gayle Tales." Hey, anything to escape the house for an evening after being grounded, right?
SPRING PREMIERE, 8pm, ABC
Once Upon a Time
As Hook and Belle work to free the fairies from the Sorcerer's hat in "Darkness on the Edge of Town," Emma, Regina, and Henry continue their hunt for the Author. In New York, Gold and Ursula recruit Cruella De Vil into their burgeoning Legion of Fairy Tale Doom.
8pm, CBS
Madam Secretary
A public budget hearing goes topsy-turvy for Elizabeth when corruption in her microloan program, which her staff had failed to detect, comes out. Meanwhile in "The Whisper of the Ax," the probe of Marsh's death continues.
8pm, Fox
The Simpsons
A Nigerian king arrives to hammer out a business deal with Mr. Burns in "The Princess Guide," and Homer is charged with chaperoning his daughter. Complicating this task is Moe, who first plots against and then becomes smitten with the princess, who really must be wishing she were in a different castle.
8:30pm, Fox
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
"Boyle-Linetti Wedding" gives each member of the gang a job for the nuptials of Gina's mom and Charles' dad. Terry has a tougher time than expected with the role of officiant, while Jake and Amy totally slack off in their responsibilities so they can go chase a criminal or something. Priorities, people, please.
SERIES PREMIERE, 9pm & 9:30pm, Fox
The Last Man on Earth
This post-apocalyptic sitcom stars Will Forte as Phil Miller (a name curiously similar to those of creators Phil Lord and Christopher Miller of The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street fame), who is apparently the last human specimen in North America in the year 2020. "Alive in Tucson" and "The Elephant in the Room" start the series with an hour-long debut that sees Phil searching far and wide for another living soul, and coming to terms with his probable fate.
SERIES PREMIERE, 9pm & 10pm, ABC
Secrets and Lies
In this 10-episode mystery, Ryan Phillippe becomes suspect No. 1 in the murder of his neighbor's young son, perhaps because dogged detective Juliette Lewis knows what he did 18 summers ago. The ordeal begins with his discovery of the lad's body in "The Trail," and continues as he sets out to prove his innocence in "The Father."
SEASON 5 FINALE, 9pm, PBS
Downton Abbey
The two-hour season finale sends the Crawleys to Northumberland for Lord Sinderby's shooting party. And after a hearty day of plugging foxes or street urchins or whatever it is aristocrats kill for fun, the clan returns to the Estate for Christmas festivities chock full of elegance and figgy pudding.
9pm, CBS
The Good Wife
In "Dark Money," Diane and Cary take the reins when Colin Sweeney accuses a TV producer of basing a detestable character on him. Much as Alicia may be relieved to avoid the latest Sweeney meshugas, she still has to deal with a campaign donor (Ed Asner) who might be nearly as unsavory.
9pm, Showtime
Shameless
While Fiona is caught between Gus and JimmySteve, Ian is stuck under a mandatory hold at the psych ward (it's hard to say which of them is worse off). Elsewhere in "Tell Me You F**king Need Me," Lip receives a nasty shock with regard to his financial aid, Debbie hopes to kick things with Derek up a notch, and Frank refuses to apologize to Sammi upon returning from the hospital.
9pm, AMC
The Walking Dead
Adapting to a new lifestyle takes its toll on the group in "Remember." Maybe they should just give up on this whole crazy "surviving the zombie apocalypse" dream and go back to law school, like their nanas keep telling them to do.
9pm, HBO
Girls
Hannah befriends a new coworker and takes in an art show in "Ask Me My Name," but will a run-in with Mimi-Rose put a damper on the evening? In other developments, Ray launches his community board campaign with an assist from Shosh.
9:30pm, HBO
Togetherness
While Michelle raises money for the charter school, Brett focuses on raising his own consciousness. Meanwhile in "Party Time," Tina contemplates her future when her business prospects lag.
SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, CBS
Battle Creek
Slick FBI agent Josh Duhamel teams up with gruff detective Dean Winters to fight crime in the titular Michigan burg in this cop drama from co-creators Vince Gilligan and David Shore. "The Battle Creek Way" kicks things off with the reluctant partners investigating a drug-related double homicide.
10pm, HBO
Looking
A death in Doris's family draws her and Dom back to their hometown of Modesto in "Looking for a Plot." Having just ticked off the entire city of San Francisco, Patrick tags along in pursuit of a fresh crowd before which he can embarrass himself.
10pm, Showtime
House of Lies
Marty discovers Roscoe's entrepreneurial escapades in "The Next Olive Branch Goes Straight Up Your Ass," while Jeannie digs in her heels and Clyde is visited by his estranged dad. At the office, an unpaid account receivable stirs up trouble.
10:30pm, Showtime
Episodes
Sean is wounded by Matt's lack of interest in his new show, while Carol frets that things with Helen are moving too quickly. Can either pair find the level of emotional openness that, like the proverbial third bowl of porridge, is just right?
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING TONIGHT?
And now, let's all vote to crown the What to Watch Tonight Episode Title of the Week!
PREVIOUSLY: Friday, February 27 | Saturday, February 28
