‘Bridgerton’ Is Back, Apple’s Luscious ‘Pachinko,’ NCAA’s Cinderella Story, Reba Sings Gospel, Olivia Rodrigo and Lizzo

Season Premiere

The Shondaland period-piece romantic comedy that took the world by storm during the pandemic returns for a second season of giddy escapism, though the new focus—arrogant eldest son, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey—is more of a hunky wet blanket. He declares that his search for a mate has nothing to do with love, and while that may be true for the ingenue being groomed for the occasion (Charithra Chandran as the demure Edwina from India), Anthony didn’t count on falling for her spitfire older sister, Kate (the fabulous Simone Ashley). Meanwhile, everyone in the ’Ton is still desperate to learn the secret we discovered at the end of Season 1: Who’s writing those gossipy screeds under the name Lady Whistledown? (See the full review.)

Series Premiere

Reminiscent of multigenerational TV spectacles from another era (think: a less cheesy Thorn Birds), this sprawling saga taken from Min Jin Lee’s acclaimed novel is the story of Sunja, a Korean villager displaced by the Japanese occupation of the early 20th century. She’s played by three remarkable actresses over a roughly 70-year span: first a carefree but observant youth (Yu-na Jeon), then a hardworking adolescent who falls under the spell of a dashing merchant (Lee Minho) with roots in Korea and Japan, and much later a wizened grandmother (Minari Oscar winner Yuh-Jung Youn) who makes a memorable trip back to her homeland nearly 60 years later. It’s a moving tale of sacrifice, resilience and cultural identity.

This is why we watch. Grabbing the NCAA spotlight this year is a classic Cinderella story of Jersey City’s St. Peter’s, a small Catholic university that knocked off nationally ranked Kentucky and Murray State in the first round to make it into the Sweet 16. The Peacocks’ latest hurdle: No. 3 Purdue. In other hoops action, No. 1 Kansas takes on No. 4 Providence (7:30/ET, TBS), No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 8 North Carolina (approx. 9:40/ET, CBS) and No. 10 Miami faces No. 11 Iowa State (approx. 10/9c, TBS). Then it’s on to the Elite Eight over the weekend and, to kick off April, the Final Four in New Orleans.

Special

8/7c

The Grammy-winning country superstar welcomes guests Trisha Yearwood and Kelly Clarkson to join her in selections from her new gospel album in a concert special from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Clementine Hall. Gospel legend Bill Gaither is host for a performance that includes such standards as “How Great Thou Art” and “I’ll Fly Away.”

Movie Premiere

The chart-topping singer travels from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles in an evocative road-trip film about the creation of her triple-platinum album SOUR. Rodrigo performs new arrangements of her hit songs in scenic locations including Red Rock Canyon State Park and the Mojave Airplane Boneyard

Series Premiere

Grammy-winning singer Lizzo, who’ll double as guest host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live next month, is host and executive producer of an outrageous talent-search reality competition. When 10 plus-sized hopefuls move into the Big Grrrls House, Lizzo auditions them to see if they’ve got the right stuff to join her world tour. Helping her judge are choreographers Tanisha Scott and Chawnta’ Marie Van, Shirlene Quigley and Grace Holden, with singer-songwriter SZA among the special guests.

Inside Friday TV:

• The Conductor (9/8c, PBS, check local listings at pbs.org): Great Performances profiles Marin Alsop, who rose from prodigy status as a 9-year-old violinist to break through the boys’ club ranks of conducting to become the first woman to lead a major American orchestra as music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Footage from performances and rehearsals show the maestro in action, while archival clips include her interactions with mentor Leonard Bernstein.
• True Crime Watch: ABC’s 20/20 (9/8c) features Matt Gutman conducting the first network interview with Wendi Mae Davidson, a former Texas veterinarian serving 25 years in prison for the murder of her Air Force veteran husband Michael Severance in 2005. On Dateline NBC (9/8c), Keith Morrison revisits the 2010 death of 49-year-old Norman “Lee” Radder at a family gathering, where the verdict was either suicide or murder.
• Hoffman Family Gold (10/9c, Discovery): Following the season finale of Gold Rush, veteran miner Todd Hoffman heads back to Alaska with father Jack and son Hunter, hoping to strike it rich by turning around a rundown mine 8 miles north of Nome.
• The Apple Tree: The Apple TV+ streamer is in overdrive with almost too many compelling ongoing series, including the Season 3 finale of the bizarre Servant, another tuneful outing for the animated Central Park, Samuel L. Jackson’s towering performance as a man emerging briefly from dementia in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey and the surreal weirdness of corporate satire Severance.
• Streaming Shuffleboard: With Season 4 heading to Peacock next week, the first three seasons of monster cable hit Yellowstone will stream for free on Pluto TV’s More TV Drama Channel. Season 1 starts today at 3 pm/ET, with Season 2 on Saturday and Season 3 on Sunday. For a guilty pleasure, ’80s alien farce ALF heads exclusively to Shout! Factory TV, with all 102 episodes of the NBC sitcom, plus episodes of ALF: The Animated Series and ALF Tales and the TV movie Project: ALF. Young-adult audiences can catch all 14 seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation on HBO Max.