Hulu returns to dystopian near-future stories with the crime drama Hard Sun

Here’s what’s up in the world of television for Wednesday, March 7. All times are Eastern.

Top pick

Hard Sun (Hulu): It seems cobbled together from various genres options, but the new British series Hard Sun is nonetheless intriguing. Jim Sturgess and Agyness Deyn play classic mismatched cops (the corrupt cynic and the hard-charging idealist) who stumble upon a massive secret: The world might be ending, and no one knows. Luther creator Neil Cross is the man responsible, so we’re hopeful this will be smart crime drama with a hint of sci-fi paranoia, rather than a weird dystopian mess.

Regular coverage

The Looming Tower (Hulu)
The X-Files (Fox, 8 p.m.)
Survivor (CBS, 8 p.m.): season premiere
Riverdale (The CW, 8 p.m.)
Modern Family (ABC, 9 p.m.)
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX, 10 p.m.)

Wild card

Hap & Leonard (Sundance, 10 p.m.): This show is a goddamn delight, and has almost no eyeballs. You liked Omar on The Wire? Well, Michael K. Williams is back playing a southern-fried gay black man solving mysteries, and it is a treat we should all be grateful for. This is the season-three premiere, but the stories don’t require prior knowledge, so tune in, guilt-free about missing the very excellent previous installments.