‘The Studio’ at the Globes, Finales (‘Wild Cards,’ ‘Masked Singer’), PBS Gets Buggy

The Studio

The acclaimed Hollywood satire has produced several outstanding episodes in its first season, but none as outrageously cringeworthy as the spectacle of groveling debasement that unfolds at the Golden Globes. “Without a thank you, you basically do not exist,” deposed studio head Patty (Catherine O’Hara) tells her successor, Matt (Seth Rogen). His desperate desire to get Zoë Kravitz to thank him on stage should she win becomes a farce of epic proportions. The flurry of big-name cameos includes players from rival streamers, most notably Netflix chief Ted Sarandos, who earns a Good Sport badge for his big scene. There’s a brilliant running gag too good to spoil, and a payoff that may well have you thanking The Studio, which will likely be a contender at the Globes, the Emmys and other awards shows in the year to come.

Wild Cards

The entertaining Canadian caper wraps its second season (thankfully already renewed for a third and fourth) with Detective Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti) learning more than he expected about the crime boss responsible for his brother’s murder. His spunky sidekick Max (Vanessa Morgan) worries that Ellis is putting his life and career at risk with this vendetta, but she finds another distraction when her ex-con dad George (Jason Priestley) enlists Ricky (Fletcher Donovan) to decode clues left behind by master criminal Ashford (Martin Sheen) that could unlock a hidden fortune. Followed by a new episode of Sherlock & Daughter (9/8c), where Sherlock (David Thewlis) visits his nemesis Moriarty (a florid Dougray Scott) in Newgate Prison as a subterfuge for investigating a link to the Red Thread syndicate.

The Masked Singer

Who’s lurking underneath the garish costumes of the Final Four from the wacky singing competition’s 13th season? All will be revealed in the two-hour finale, with Pearl, Mad Scientist Monster, Coral, and Boogie Woogie vying for the Golden Mask trophy. Panelist Rita Ora and the finalists kick off the night with a rendition of Chappell Roan‘s “Pink Pony Club” before getting down to musical business.

Bugs That Rule the World

Don’t underestimate Earth’s smallest creatures. A dazzling four-part docuseries magnifies the world of insects while explaining how essential they are to pollinating and purifying the planet. The first episode explores a global “insect apocalypse” and why they’re so critical to our existence. Future episodes focus on pollinating “life givers,” insects’ hunting and survival skills, and a celebration of “beetle mania.” Earlier in the evening, Nature (8/7c) concludes its 43rd season with “Hummingbirds of Hollywood,” profiling a retired UCLA professor devoted to rescuing wounded hummingbirds during an annual breeding frenzy.

INSIDE WEDNESDAY TV:

• Chicago Med (8/7c, NBC): The nurses’ sickout creates a staffing crisis at the hospital. Followed by Chicago Fire (9/8c), where Firehouse 51 opens its doors to a performance efficiency expert while Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and Severide (Taylor Kinney) get closer to the birth mother of the baby they’re planning to adopt; and Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) witnesses an accident on an icy bridge on Chicago P.D. (10/9c), leading to an investigation into sex trafficking.
• Survivor (8/7c, CBS): Paranoia sets in as Season 48 approaches the final stretch, and one castaway weighs risk vs. reward when chosen for a journey. Followed by The Amazing Race (9:30/8:30c), with Strasbourg, France the next destination, where a water jousting match awaits.
• Jeopardy! Masters (9/8c, ABC): This year’s Tournament of Champions finalists Neilesh Vinjamuri, Isaac Hirsch and Adriana Harmeyer compete in the third Knockout game to see who advances to take on Yogesh Raut and Roger Craig in the fourth game.
• Ultimate Crash Test: Countdown (9/8c, PBS): The first of a two-part Nova special follows a scientific experiment intended to better understand multicar pileups and how to make such accidents safer. The plan: Drive eight different types of vehicles by remote control at 70 mph on a treacherous stretch of highway.
• Guy’s Grocery Games (9/8c, Food Network): Guy Fieri welcomes back eight of the show’s winningest chefs to compete for G.O.A.T. status in a five-part tournament.

 ON THE STREAM:

• Carême (streaming on Apple TV+): The most celebrated young chef (Benjamin Voisin) in Napoleonic France clashes with vindictive police chief Fouché (Micha Lescot), while preparing a lavish meal (and apparently inventing vol-au-vent) for a socialite suspected of distributing dangerously rebellious propaganda.
• Full Speed (streaming on Netflix): The docuseries following NASCAR Cup Series drivers on and off the track returns for a second season.