When did Wednesday TV get so good?
Mysteries deepen on “The Sinner” (10 p.m., USA, TV-MA). Ambrose (Bill Pullman) and Heather (Natalie Paul) slowly come to grips with the nature of the murder and its two victims. They encounter fierce resistance from Vera (Carrie Coon), who protects Julian (Elisha Henig), the 11-yearold suspect, as well as the sanctity of their cult compound.
We also discover more about Heather’s links to the shadowy religious organization at the heart of this compelling story. Coon makes the most of her prickly character, combining the fierceness of a threatened mother with the moral superiority of a true believer who holds outsiders in contempt.
CAPTIVATING THRILLER
“Castle Rock” streams its fifth episode on Hulu beginning today. This captivating and creepy thriller surrenders its secrets sporadically and at times explosively as it rambles on. It might be better appreciated by those most familiar with Stephen King’s shelf of horror novels, but it can also be savored for its own sake.
Its storytelling takes some getting used to, bouncing between the past and the future, revisiting tales of the living and the dead. It makes terrifying use of Ruth’s (Sissy Spacek) addled memory to blur the lines between recollection and fantasy. Often it throws linear narrative to the wind.
Like the best King stories, “Castle Rock” is not about one thing after another, but rather being marinated in the spooky secret sauce of a haunted place. A logical person might be reduced to screaming at the screen, telling the characters to leave town or get out of the house. But they’d be missing the point.
SOAPY WESTERN
Far from the gloom of Maine’s doomed “Castle Rock,” “Yellowstone” (10 p.m., Paramount, TV-MA) combines the widescreen epic Western with “Dynasty”-like soap opera. Tonight: Rip stumbles upon a new threat to the Dutton empire.
FAN FEST
Kelsea Ballerini and Thomas Rhett host “CMA Fest” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG), featuring highlights from the four-day country music festival in Nashville. I seem to remember these events having the word “Fan” in the title, honoring the folks who bought the records, followed the acts and made the music possible.
It’s interesting that ABC, the network that turned “Family Feud” into a celebrity showcase, should delete a reference to everyday people from the name of this heartland event.
FOR GEARHEADS
Featuring 40 teams of engineers and deranged gearheads, “Robot Wars” (10:07 p.m., Science, TV-PG) unfolds in an enormous bulletproof fighting arena to protect the surrounding area from sparking, smoking and flaming metal mayhem. Competitors sport such names as Sir Killalot, Matilda, Shunt and Dead Metal. Their makers hope to push the laws of physics and engineering to the max. And then some. Best enjoyed after a double dose of “BattleBots” (8 p.m. and 9 p.m., repeat, TV-PG).
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
› The competition gets deep-fried on “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
› Superstars of the operetta era, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, duet their way through preposterous plots in the musicals “Maytime” (8 p.m., TCM) and “Rose Marie” (10:30 p.m.) from 1937 and 1936.
› “Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14) saves a pier restaurant from a washout.
› Louis struggles to rebound on “Suits” (9 p.m., USA, TV-14).
Kevin McDonough can be reached at kevin. tvguy@gmail.com.