‘Ted Lasso’ Returns, New Life on ‘Million,’ ‘Abbott’ vs. Charter Schools, Robin Roberts Turns the Tables

Ted Lasso

Expectations couldn’t be lower for the UK soccer team AFC Richmond as the third season of the Emmy-winning comedy gets underway. But expectations couldn’t be higher for Ted Lasso itself, returning after more than a year for what could be its final round. Kansas transplant Ted (the charming Jason Sudeikis) is as quippy as ever, and we know his heart is in the right place, but is his heart still in the game? Homesickness, and the betrayal of his “wonder kid” protégé Nate (Nick Mohammed)—now managing a rival team owned by evil Rupert (Anthony Head), the ex of Ted’s fabulous boss Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham)—have Ted wondering why he’s still a stranger in a strange land. Win or lose, Ted’s still a champ in our book. (See the full review.)

A Million Little Things

Maggie’s (Allison Miller) labor pains may be a false alarm—and maybe they’re not. Either way, Gary (James Roday Rodriguez) is a nervous wreck, leaning on his best buds Eddie (David Giuntoli) and Rome (Romany Malco) while Maggie heads back to work, unwilling to give up her mic until she absolutely has to. It’s a life-changing episode for Gary and Maggie, who have become the show’s core couple over time, but they’re not the only ones making big changes.

Abbott Elementary

Will it be a David-vs.-Goliath battle when Philadelphia public school Abbott Elementary rallies to keep from being swallowed into the Legendary Charter Schools chain? Even unprincipled principal Ava (Janelle James) is doing her part, organizing a festival for parents to come and sign a petition. What they didn’t expect was for Legendary owner Draemond (Leslie Odom Jr.) to show up and disrupt the event.

Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts

The Daytime Emmy-winning talk series returns with four new episodes, featuring Good Morning America host Robin Roberts moderating group chats with accomplished women across several generations. With themes including “Grace,” “Fulfillment,” “Certainty” and “Community,” Roberts brings together comedian Loni Love, Kelly Osbourne and This Is Us star Chrissy Metz in one episode; actors Rita Wilson and Kyla Pratt and Olympic gold-medal snowboarder Chloe Kim in another; with other groupings including performers Dionne Warwick, Yaya DaCosta and Hayley Kiyoko; and Brooke Shields, Sheryl Lee Ralph and black-ish scene stealer Marsai Martin.

INSIDE WEDNESDAY TV:

• The Masked Singer (8/7c, Fox): Sesame Street’s Big Bird, who knows a thing or two about cavorting in a colorful oversized costume, pays a visit alongside fellow Muppet icons Cookie Monster, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, The Count and Abby Cadabby. Also guesting: Jennifer Nettles, host of Farmer Wants a Wife, who joins the panel.
• The Black Stallion (8/7c, TCM): Turner Classic Movies’ “31 Days of Oscar” pageant reaches its midpoint with a night devoted to memorable “Animal Stories,” starting with the rapturous 1979 Stallion, followed by Born Free (10:15/9:15c) from 1966, with its Oscar-winning score and adorable lion cubs; 1943’s Lassie Come Home (midnight/11c) and overnight, National Velvet (1:45 am/12:45c) and 1972’s Sounder (4 am/3c).
• True Lies (10/9c, CBS): On assignment in Salzburg, Harry (Steve Howie) and Helen (Ginger Gonzaga) get to live like billionaires. Back home, plumbing problems and mold in the walls await them. So much for the glamorous spy life.
• grown-ish (10:30/9:30c, Freeform): The black-ish spinoff ends its fifth season with a smitten Junior (Marcus Scribner) attending the Gammas’ “Last Chance Dance,” wondering if he should tell his crush Annika (Justine Skye) how he feels, considering he’s also pals with her boyfriend. Older sister Zoey (Yara Shahidi) has bigger problems when there’s a setback at her fledgling fashion company Anti-Muse. We’ll see how it all plays out when the comedy returns, already renewed for a sixth season.
• Doogie Howser, M.D. (streaming on Disney+): All four seasons of the series (1989-93) that put Neil Patrick Harris on the map as a precocious teenage doctor are available for streaming. Its gender-reversed Hawaiian reboot, Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. launches its second season on the streamer on March 31.
• Money Shot: The Pornhub Story (streaming on Netflix): A new documentary goes beyond the prurient to tell the history of the pervasive explicit-video site, which has been accused of and sued for exploiting assault victims and child sex trafficking. Sex workers who make a living from Pornhub see the backlash as censorship.