Contrasting comedy from Cosby, Silverman

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It’s easy to read too much into contrasting comedy styles, but sometimes you can’t help yourself.

“Bill Cosby: Far From Finished” (7 p.m. Saturday, Comedy Central) appears on the same night as “Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles” (9 p.m. Saturday, HBO). “Finished” marks Cosby’s return to TV standup after being away for decades. “Miracles” is Silverman’s first comedy special on HBO.

Airing Cosby’s “Finished” is something of a coup for Comedy Central, and the veteran comic addresses this early on in his routine. He has avoided profane language for more than a half-century, and he won’t be changing it to conform to any network’s standards or expectations.

Longtime fans of the cool standup and comedy album producer of the ‘60s, the avuncular “Cos” of the ‘70s and every-dad Dr. Cliff Huxtable of the ‘ 80s will not be disappointed.

Three decades removed from his era-defining sitcom, Cosby has material that remains universal and a delivery that’s a combination of childlike wonder and wisdom born of the ages. He sits down for most of this special, overflowing a small chair like a merry Buddha. His stories are simple and his lines often repeated, gathering strength and no little profundity from repetition.

He expounds on the misapprehensions of love and the life sentence of marriage. Louis C.K. has made much of the same material, but with a very different emphasis and a different toolbox of vocabulary.

For her part, Silverman also talks about looking for universal truths and finding the humanity in the everyday. But she discovers it in the rituals of downloading pornography.

Want proof that comedy, humanity and superior television can be mined from the darkest situation? Then watch “Getting On” (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO). Set at an overburdened rehab facility for elderly women, most suffering from de-

Answer: Even for people who initially have a healthy relationship with alcohol, things can change over time. So how can you prevent casual drinking from crossing into problem drinking?

First, some basics. A standard drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. According to the National Institutes of Health, healthy women should drink no more than three drinks a day, and no more than seven drinks a week (an average of one drink per day).

Even if you usually stay within this limit, alcohol could be problematic. For example, how often do you drink until you feel tipsy or drunk? Do you crave alcohol? How often do you drink more than you should?

Based on these questions, you may decide it’s time to cut back or stop drinking altogether. Whatever you decide, an informative new e-book by my Harvard Medical mentia, “Getting On” follows the melodrama, black humor and pathos that attend the beleaguered staff.

Adapted from a British series from the same name, “Getting On” stars Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne”) as the world-weary Dr. Jenna James, the medical director who sees her assignment to this dreary facility to be a distinct demotion, which she’s not afraid to share with her staff, including nurses Dawn (Alex Borstein, “Madtv”) and DiDi (Niecy Nash, “Reno 911!”), and the supervising nurse, Patsy De La Serda (Mel Rodriguez, “Community”).

Remarkable and slightly frightening to behold, Metcalf’s Jenna is at once victim and victimizer, as deluded about her talents as a researcher as she is obtuse about the lives and feelings of those around her.

Dawn pines for a boyfriend and wallows in food issues. She is seen devouring birthday cake intended for a recently deceased patient.

DiDi is both the most empathetic and obvious of the bunch. Not yet ensnared in the hospital’s bureaucratic red tape or muzzled by its PC language police, she exudes warmth, humanity and common sense when she can.

Inspired by Disneyland and other destination resorts, Patsy hopes to bring a brisk, businesslike efficiency to his new surroundings, initiating a customer-service approach to the facility, despite the fact that many of his “clients” have long since forgotten where, or even who, they are.

If this all sounds bleak, it is. But it’s also brilliant. “Getting On” is filled with natural, often overlapping dialogue, smooth, documentary-style camerawork and an overarching sense of irony that never descends into cruelty. In fact, “Getting On” is never afraid of the poignant. This show is not to be missed — or forgotten.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Doctor Who” (1:30 p.m. Saturday, BBC America), a live event simulcast to more than 75 countries. “Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor” (1:50 p.m., BBC America) follows, and can be seen in prime time (6 p.m.) as well.

SATURDAY’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Sundance i nvites fans of “Rectify” to watch a marathon airing of the entire miniseries (1 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

Estranged from loved ones, a woman (Shiri Appleby) returns to the past to make things right in the 2013 holiday bauble “Kristin’s Christmas Past” (7 p.m., Lifetime). Judd Nelson co-stars.

Cameras on robots capture the cuteness on “Penguins: Waddle All the Way” (8 p.m., Discovery).

Stanley’s interview captures the band at the top of its game on “Dancing on the Edge”(8 p.m., Starz).

Josh Hutcherson hosts “Saturday Night Live” (10:30 p.m., WMCTV Channel 5), featuring musical guest HAIM.

SUNDAY’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., WREGTV Channel 3): therapy sessions for vets, Malcolm Gladwell and Whitey Bulger.

Justin Timberlake, Pitbull and Ke$ha are among the performers at “The 2013 American Music Awards” (7 p.m., WATNTV Channel 24).

A television favorite receives praise from her peers on “Carol Burnett: The Mark Twain Prize” (7 p.m., WKNO-TV Channel 10; WMAV-TV Channel 18).

Dean Cain stars in the 2013 holiday movie “Defending Santa” (8 p.m., ION).

A professor faces terror charges “The Good Wife” (8 p.m., WREG-TV Channel 3).

New members bring tension on “The Walking Dead” (8 p.m., AMC).

Carrie and Brody meet up again on “Homeland” (8 p.m., Showtime).

Nucky fears Agent Knox may have him cornered on the season finale of “Boardwalk Empire” (8 p.m., HBO).

As expected, ABC has canceled “Betrayal.”

The films pose questions of taste and propriety on “Masters of Sex” (9 p.m., Showtime).