Here’s what’s up in the world of TV for Friday, February 17, and Saturday, February 18. All times are Eastern.
Top picks
Planet Earth II (BBC America, AMC, Sundance, 9 p.m., Saturday): We could do lots of jokes about “seeing all this natural splendor and these endangered species before dipshit humanity and the Trump administration despoils them by selling off our national parks to oil companies and abolishing the EPA,” but, frankly, that’s not what we go to the Planet Earth series for. No, this stunningly photographed, lovingly assembled, and mellifluously narrated (by David Attenborough) nature documentary series is an awe-inspiring, restorative glimpse at the majestic, complex web of life on our shared planet. And there’s nothing that a greed-head, racist reality show clown hell-bent on letting his unscrupulous corporate cronies piss all over it can do about that! [Breathing deeply.] Look—there’s an adorable baby bird of some sort. [Breathing more slowly.] The first episode is titled, “Islands.” Probably about some delightful and colorful island creatures. Let’s watch…
Grimm (NBC, 8 p.m., Friday): Grimm reviewer Les Chappell recently expressed dismay that the weekend What’s On Tonight has stopped doing the “Grimm monster of the week” pictures here. But the thing is, NBC has gotten awfully cagey about revealing the big, rubbery monster of any week’s Grimm, so all that’s left for us to choose from are pictures of humans. Humans! This is the scariest promo picture for this week’s episode, “Blind Love”:
Sleepy Hollow (Fox, 9 p.m., Friday): While resentment and disinterest battle it out in the hearts of former fans of this supernatural show since the decision to ditch Nicole Beharie’s Abbie, Hamilton fans will be even more upset if this episode, titled “Loco Parentis” doesn’t involve Tom Mison’s Ichabod Crane going back in time to hang out with…
Britney Ever After (Lifetime, 8 p.m., Saturday): In what’s sure to be a tasteful and completely necessary TV biopic, Natasha Bassett inhabits the role of real-life pop star, actress, and reason why tabloid editors have second homes, Britney Spears. At least Lifetime will be ensured a good corn harvest this summer.
Premieres and finales
Chef’s Table (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): The third season of this cooking show about chefs who make food far too gorgeous and elaborate for you to ever soil with your filthy, filthy mouths. Filthy!
The Seven Deadly Sins (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., Friday): Get ready for the second-season premiere of this American release of the anime series Nanatsu No Taizai. Or, at least it might be the second season. Or perhaps only a miniseries that comes between the first and second seasons. There’s a whole, confusing controversy. Ask your teenage cousin. He knows the score.
The Zoo (Animal Planet, 10 p.m., Saturday): Calm down: This isn’t the return of the bafflingly bananas Zoo, where Bob Benson is constantly being menaced by homicidal bears, and frogs, and wombats, and so forth. Instead, this documentary series looks at the challenges (and adorable animals) of the Bronx Zoo.
Regular coverage
The Vampire Diaries (The CW, 8 p.m., Friday)
Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD, 8:30 p.m., Saturday)
Streaming pick
The West Wing, “The Crackpots And These Women” (Netflix): More and more, Aaron Sorkin’s series about a White House chock full of principled, open-minded, patriotic public servants seems about as related to reality as Jupiter Ascending. Still, there’s nothing quite like watching Allison Janney’s C.J. Cregg burst out in uncontrollable, inappropriate laughter. (See also, “Privateers,” where C.J. just can’t keep it together in the face of the twittery superciliousness of one Marion Cotesworth-Haye.) But, in keeping with this week’s wildlife theme, there’s nothing better than C.J.’s incredulous, “We‘re not gonna do it!,” in response to the proposal of a trio of committed but impractical environmentalists (including a pre-Ron Swanson Nick Offerman) for a $900 million wolves-only roadway. Sometimes you’ve just gotta laugh.