8 things to watch this week
1 PARKS AND RECREATION
Tuesday, 8 p.m., NBC
The final season ofo this comedy series will air back-to-back episodes when it returns. In Tuesday night’s first half-hour, Leslie ( Amy Poeh hler) launches a competition with the tech company Gryzzl for a large parcel of land, which she wants to turn into a national park. In Episode 2, Leslie and Ron ( Nick Offerman) briefly put aside their feud to help old foe Jeremy Jamm escape the clutches of Tammy 2. Ben vows to help April ( Aubrey Plaza) discover her true passion in liffe, while Andy ( Chris Pratt, left) annd Tom( Aziz
Ansari) travel to Chicago.
2 THE GOOD WIFE
Sunday, 9 p.m., CBS
Nowthat Cary ( Matt Czuchry) has had his conviction overturned, it’s time for this show to focus on the state’s attorney race and wrap up the story line. Alicia ( Julianna Margulies) and Frank Prady ( David Hyde Pierce) appear in a crucial debate in the race for the election, while Peter ( Chris Noth) and the city of Chicago prepare for a potential riot. With Archie Panjabi.
3 WHITNEY
Saturday, 8 p.m., Lifetime
Whitney Houston ( Yaya DaCosta) really did have it all. A cover girl on Seventeen magazine when shewas a teenager, shewas blessed with a voice that reached the heavens. Unfortunately, her demons sent her on a path to hell— and a sordid drowning death in a Beverly Hilton hotel bathtub. This TV-movie focuses on the singer’s life with R&B bad boy Bobby Brown ( Arlen Escarpeta). They meet at the Soul Train Awards and the attraction is instant. Bobby gives party girl Whitney some discipline and focus, but her mama, legendary gospel singer Cissy Houston ( Suzzanne Douglas), thinks he’s trash. Still, they marry. Whitney makes “The Bodyguard” and sends the Dolly Parton song “I Will Always Love You” to the top of the charts for months. Angela Bassett, who co-starred with Houston in “Waiting To Exhale,” directs.
4
BLACK-ISH Wednesday, 9:30 p.m., ABC
Dre ( Anthony Anderson, far left, with Tracee Ellis Ross) decides to teach his kids the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while on their annual MLK holiday ski trip; and for Junior ( Marcus Scribner), this means a lesson on intolerance in the real world — or, in his case, the ski lodge.
5 12MONKEYS
Friday, 9 p.m., Syfy
In this remake of a 1995 Terry Gilliam film starring Brad Pitt, a time traveler named Cole ( Aaron Stanford, far left, with Amanda Schull as Dr. Cassandra Railly) fromthe post-apocalyptic future, circa 2043, arrives in the year 2015 on a mission to save mankind froma deadly plague that will eventually decimate 93.6 percent of the human race. That sounds just awful, doesn’t it?
6 TOGETHERNESS
Sunday, 9:30 p.m., HBO
After Alex ( Steve Zissis), a struggling actor, is evicted from his apartment, his best friend, Brett ( Mark Duplass), tries to convince him
to stay in LA. Brett’s wife, Michelle ( Melanie Lynskey), has her own problem person — her older sister Tina ( Amanda
Peet), a neurotic, screeching thing who drives men away and freaks out about getting older. Middle age is no place for sissies, and this quartet is about to find out. Series premiere.
7 GIRLS
Sunday, 9 p.m., HBO
Hannah ( Lena Dunham) makes the big move from Brooklyn to Iowa (actual scenes for Iowa were filmed in Brooklyn— how ironic!). She’s worried how Adam ( Adam Driver) will go on without her. But her parents ( Becky Ann Baker and Peter Scolari) help her pack up her belongings and drive her to the campus at the University of Iowa to start her MFA studies. She feels better when she snags abig apartment for a very reasonable rent. Meanwhile, Marnie ( Allison Williams, above) tries her hand at singing at Sunday brunches. Luckily, Elijah ( Andrew Rannells) returns to cheer us all up. Season 4 premiere.
8 EMPIRE Wednesday, 9 p.m., Fox
Lucious (Terrence Howard) goes into damage-control mode when one of his artists is involved in a shooting just before the company’s IPO launch. Meanwhile, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) proves to be invaluable by helping to turn a crisis into a triumph. However, Lucious’ plan to stage a huge performance for Hakeem (Bryshere Gray), but not Jamal (Jussie Smollett), doesn’t sit well with his ex. Meanwhile, the police begin to investigate Bunkie’s (Antoine
McKay) riverfront murder.