TV HIGHLIGHTS

The Astronauts, 7 PM on NIK: Ron Howard and Brian Grazer of Imagine Entertainment are two of the executive producers on this new live-action series for kids, which premieres tonight in two back-toback episodes. As the story opens, the spaceship Odyssey II stands ready for its crew to embark on a mission that could decide the fate of mankind. Things go awry, though, when five untrained kids use their parents’ security clearances to sneak aboard the empty vessel, accidentally triggering the launch sequence. The cast includes Miya Cech, Bryce Gheisar, Kayden Grace Swan and

Ben Daon.

The Blacklist, 8 PM on

Ch. 2 and Ch. 5: As this taut action thriller enters Season 8, Raymond Reddington (James Spader) has his back against the wall as he confronts his most formidable foe yet: Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). Aligned with her mother, ruthless Russian spy Katarina Rostova (recurring guest star Laila Robins), Liz now must decide how far she’ll go to discern what Reddington’s true endgame is. This volatile new relationship between these two erstwhile friends may have devastating consequences for those around them, including the members of the Task Force.

Ancient Aliens, 9 PM on HIST; 12:03 AM on HIST: This docuseries continues its exploration of possible past visits to Earth by extraterrestrials with an hour devoted to “The Divine Number,” 12. That number holds a spiritual significance in numerous sacred traditions across several cultures, and references to 12 can be found repeated in ancient architecture and even in the latest scientific principles. Is it possible that number is part of an alien code that otherworldly visitors left for humanity to decipher?