It’s hard to think of a series with a more impressive cast than “The Good Fight.” Now entering its third season streaming exclusively on the subscription service CBS All Access, “The Good Fight” has a passionate following.
For the uninitiated, the spin-off of “The Good Wife” stars Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, who rebounds from a financial disaster by joining a new firm, adding her white shoe reputation to a predominantly African American legal office in Chicago.
Insistently topical, “The Good Fight” has all but defined itself as the anti-Trump legal series in the era of Individual 1. Whether that expands or limits its appeal is in the eye of the beholder.
“Fight” is filled with familiar faces from other impressive series, including Rose Leslie (“Downton Abbey” and “Game of Thrones”). There’s also Delroy Lindo, whose association with Spike Lee movies dates back to “Malcolm X,” and Michael Boatman, whose TV credits include “China Beach” and “Spin City.”
Cush Jumbo, who plays legal associate Lucca Quinn, has worked through much of Shakespeare’s output in her theatrical career. Star Christine Baranski has a long history of blending TV work (“The Good Wife,” “Cybill” and “The Big Bang Theory”) with her stage career. She’s won two Tony awards.
Then there is Audra McDonald, who portrays the legal powerhouse Liz. McDonald has won six Tony awards and has performed as a classical soprano as well as starring in “The Good Wife,” “Private Practice” and NBC’s production of “The Sound of Music” on television.
The blending of musical theater talent and legal procedurals hardly began with “The Good Fight.” The late Jerry Orbach was so closely associated with “Law & Order” detective Lennie Briscoe that people could forget he was a leading man in stage musicals, beginning with the 1960 show “The Fantasticks.” Decades later, his “Law & Order” partner Det. Ed Green was played by Jesse L. Martin (“The Flash”), a member of the original cast of the musical “Rent.”
Michael Sheen (“Masters of Sex,” “The Queen”) also joins the cast in season three.
While Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime offer many options, CBS All Access presents a more curated menu. Its most popular series, “Star Trek Discovery” and “The Good Fight,” have very dedicated audiences. “The Twilight Zone” from Jordan Peele arrives on April 1.
— The 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) moves back to Fox (from the CW), and “Project Runway” (8 p.m., Bravo, TV-14) opens its 17th season on its original network. Were those seasons on Lifetime just a dream?
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— A new approach to pain on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— Amnesia strikes on “Station 19” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
— A kind gesture spurned on “Will & Grace” (9:30 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— An abandoned child on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
— A deportation threat rattles a witness on “For the People” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
A clueless singer (John C. Reilly) stumbles through a half century of rock history in the 2007 biopic parody “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” (9:20 p.m., Starz).
SERIES NOTES
Paintball on “The Big Bang Theory” (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Counting steps on “Superstore” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … A haunted attraction on “Supernatural” (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) … On two episodes of “Fam” (CBS), therapy (8:30 p.m., TV-PG), bachelorette party envy (9:30 p.m., TV-14) … Mother issues on “A.P. Bio” (8:30 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
A rival genius on “Young Sheldon” (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … Latvian roots on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … Pageant time on “Legacies” (9 p.m., CW, TV-14) … A diamond heist ring’s pattern may betray them on “S.W.A.T.” (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
Jacob Tobia is booked on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” (11 p.m., Comedy Central) … Moses Storm appears on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS, TV-14) … Christine Baranski, Donnie Wahlberg and Rep. Adam Kinzinger are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Oscar Isaac, Lilly Singh and Jimmy Carr on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Angela Bassett and half-alive appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Stephanie Schriock and Allison Miller visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Kate Beckinsale, Milo Ventimiglia and Better Oblivion Community Center appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
