Wallow in ‘Guilt,’ Return of ‘Billions’ and ‘Meerkat Manor,’ ‘Legends’ Finale, 9/11 Remembrances

A seriocomic two-part Masterpiece examines the Guilt after two brothers cover up a fatal hit-and-run. After more than a year’s hiatus, Showtime’s Billions returns to finish its fifth season. BBC America’s Meerkats are also back after a shorter break. The CW’s Legends sign off for the season. The 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks continues to generate news specials. A curated critical checklist of notable weekend T

Jamie Sives as Jake, Mark Bonnar as Max in Guilt
Courtesy of Expectation/Happy Tramp North 2019

Guilt

Series Premiere

The Masterpiece equivalent of a guilty pleasure, this four-part (over two Sundays) darkly comedic thriller begins when two polar-opposite brothers (menacing Mark Bonnar, laid-back Jamie Sives) attempt to cover up their drunken hit-and-run. Amid the ensuing complications, we soon discover that everyone involved in this caper is guilty of something. (See the full review.) (SUNDAY)

Damian Lewis as Axe, Corey Stoll as Michael in Billions
Jeff Neumann/SHOWTIME

Billions

Season Premiere

It’s been a minute since we’ve seen these mendacious warriors of high finance in cutthroat battle—more like 15 months, thanks to pandemic delays—but they haven’t lost a step as the series returns with the first of five episodes to finish out the fifth season. (A sixth will premiere in January 2022.) Bobby Axe (Damian Lewis) has rival billionaire Mike Prince (Corey Stoll) in his crosshairs, enlisting Wags (David Costabile) to dig up dirt and finding a possible Achilles’ heel. (SUNDAY)

Meerkat Manor Rise of the Dynasty
Caroline Hawkins/BBCA

Meerkat Manor: Rise of the Dynasty

The survival saga featuring those ever-alert South African meerkats is back with new episodes after a much shorter break. Flint is expecting her third litter after tragically losing her previous two. But with the aggressive Ubuntu tribe moving in on their turf, will she even have a home to nurture her new pups? Airing an hour earlier at 8/7c, a special “Making Of” episode of Eden: Untamed Planet reveals how the filmmakers captured those stunning images. (SATURDAY, streaming SUNDAY on AMC+)

Nick Zano as Nate, Caity Lotz as Sara, Jes Macallan as Ava in Legends of Tomorrow
Bettina Strauss/The CW

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

Season Finale

The sixth season wraps with Sara (Caity Lotz) and Ava (Jes Macallan) joining forces and bending the Legends’ rules to fight back and foil Bishop’s (Raffi Barsoumian) plan. After making a critical decision, they’ll need to turn to the rest of the team to save the day. (SUNDAY)

Remembering 9/11, 20 Years Later:

  • 9/11 (Sunday, 8/7c, 5/PT, CNN): Originally seen on CBS in 2002, this riveting documentary from brothers Gédéon and Jules Naudet and retired firefighter James Hanlon captures the events of that tragic day in New York City as it happens. (They were filming a documentary on location about a probationary FDNY firefighter when the attacks began.) CNN will repeat the film on Sept. 11 at 8/7c.
  • CIA vs. Bin Laden: First In (Sunday, 8/7c, 5/PT, Reelz): Interviews with senior CIA officials shed new light on the years-long hunt for and killing of the terrorist leader and 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden.
  • Front Row to History: The 9/11 Classroom (10/9c, CNN): A CNN Special Report from anchor/correspondent Victor Blackwell revisits the scene of the Florida classroom where President George W. Bush received news of the World Trade Center attacks. The students, now in their late 20s, their teacher and White House aides reflect on this iconic moment from a tragic day.
  • Remembering 9/11: Reflections from Those Forever Changed (11/10c, Start TV): Poignant personal stories are shared by children of victims who died during the attacks, with segments devoted to Genelle Guzman-McMillan, the last person to be pulled from the World Trade Center wreckage, and Brenda Berkman, one of FDNY’s first female firefighters.

Inside Weekend TV:

  • Remembering Ed Asner: The beloved character actor, who died last week at 91, is remembered for his most enduring role as Lou Grant, with a weekend-long 84-episode binge of the classic The Mary Tyler Moore Show, starting Saturday at noon/ET on the Decades network. MeTV curates four of the most memorable MTM episodes in a two-hour tribute Sunday at 2 pm/1c, including the first and last episodes and the one where Lou went on a misbegotten date with Mary. MeTV also presents a 1963 episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour featuring Asner, airing overnight Sunday at 1 am/12c.
  • Paralympics: After the Closing Ceremonies (Sunday, 7 am/6c, NBCSN), NBC presents a prime-time compilation of highlights from the inspiring events at 7 pm/6c.
  • TCM Star of the Month: Paul Robeson (Sunday, 8/7c, Turner Classic Movies): The groundbreaking Black actor (1898-1976) is featured in prime-time on Sundays all month, starting with the silent Body and Soul from 1925, followed by the 1979 documentary Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist (9:45/8:45c) and 1933’s powerful The Emperor Jones (10:30/9:30c).
  • The Walking Dead (Sunday, 9/8c, AMC): Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and her crew—including Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan)—fight to survive against a night attack by the Reapers. Negan being Negan: “So we’re just going to go toward the screaming? Cool.” Back in Alexandria, Carol (Melissa McBride) leads a posse to round up their missing horses.
  • Wellington Paranormal (Sunday, 9/8c, The CW): In more amusing supernatural goings-on, Officers O’Leary (Karen O’Leary) and Minogue (Mike Minogue) come face to face with their doppelgängers. Will they even recognize themselves?
  • Heels (Sunday, 9/8c, Starz): In the surprisingly compelling wrestling drama, a house fire sends Jack (Stephen Amell) and his family under the same roof as estranged brother Ace (Alexander Ludwig), where they decide to work together to concoct a promo to boost the Duffy League’s fortunes. Also hanging around: Wild Bill (Chris Bauer), who gives Ace pointers on how to embrace his inner “heel.”
  • Evil (streaming on Paramount+): It’s not exactly a happy homecoming for Kristen’s (Katja Herbers) husband Andy (Patrick Brammall) when he realizes how much she’s changed, in and out of bed. Adding to the tension: her team’s investigation of a brain-mapping “God Helmet” that they decide to try out, triggering visions that are even more disturbing than usual.