Time was, movies had a way of punishing "wayward women." "Psycho" begins with Janet Leigh’s character in her unmentionables, sharing a bedroom with a mystery man (John Gavin). By the mores of 1960, she was "bad." To gild the guilty lily, she embezzled from her business. We all know how she ended up.
In contemporary films and series, sexual indiscretion is no longer a death sentence. But don’t dare try to be "perfect" or to "have it all." The power of audience schadenfreude is more powerful than the old Hays Code.
Based on a novel by Ann Rule inspired by actual events, "A House on Fire" (8 p.m. Saturday, Lifetime, TV-14) stars Stephanie March ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") as Dr. Debora Green, a successful doctor said to have a genius IQ, married to another physician. Leading what everyone considers to be an enviable life in an upscale suburb, Debora becomes increasingly fixated on her uneasiness around strangers and her jealousy of her husband’s success and social graces. After coming to suspect her husband of infidelity, her nervous nature devolves into full-blown mental illness, leading to headlines about (a spoiler alert only if you don’t read the movie’s title) arson, incarceration and the destruction of her family.
— Kenan Thompson, star of "Saturday Night Live" and "Kenan," hosts "Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards 2021" (7:30 p.m. Saturday, TV-G), a festival of promotion and self-regard for the network and a raft of celebrities appearing in movies and series in 2021. Among too many others to list, look for performances by Justin Bieber.
A cable tradition as old as "Shark Week," these awards have been selling Nick’s young audience on celebrities and their movies since 1987. How central is the "Kids’ Choice" event to Nick’s identity? In 1988, the big stars hosting the show were Tony Danza and teen singer Debbie Gibson. A lesser-known host was young actor Brian Robbins ("Head of the Class"). He may no longer be a household name, but since 2018, Robbins has been president of Nickelodeon.
— Trevor Noah hosts the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards (8 p.m. Sunday, CBS, TV-PG). Because he’s all about the music.
Look for appearance by and performances from Bad Bunny, Black Pumas, Cardi B, BTS, Brandi Carlile, DaBaby, Doja Cat, Billie Eilish, Mickey Guyton, Haim, Brittany Howard, Miranda Lambert, Lil Baby, Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, John Mayer, Megan Thee Stallion, Maren Morris, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift.
We’ve been assured that artists performing together will do so at a suitable distance. Welcome to celebrations in 2021!
Grammy events don’t end this weekend. On Wednesday, Common will host "A Grammy Salute to the Sounds of Change," featuring songs and artists championing social justice.
— Our host returns to his old home in Tuscany on "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy" (9 p.m. Sunday, CNN). While the "Searching" in the title implies a degree of curiosity, this series has largely been an exercise in celebrity self-satisfaction.
A lot of people like this series. Everyone’s housebound, and the scenery is gorgeous. But too often, Tucci substitutes personal references and nostalgia for exploration. Every time he cites a restaurant he’s already been to or a place he used to live, I hear Dana Carvey’s Church Lady’s voice saying, "Isn’t that special?"
— If celebrity home movies are your cup of empty calories, perhaps you’d like Soleil Moon Frye’s "Kid90," streaming on Hulu, documenting her time spent at malls with her parents and fellow young stars.
— Swedish actor Peter Stormare, who played Steve Buscemi’s taciturn sidekick in "Fargo," co-hosts "Secrets of the Viking Stone" (10 p.m. Sunday, Science, TV-PG), exploring discoveries about the Kensington Runestone discovered by a Swedish immigrant in central Minnesota in 1898.
SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— A sudden electrocution casts suspicions on two researchers known for their ghastly experiments in the period favorite "Murdoch Mysteries" (7 p.m., Ovation), set in post-Victorian Toronto.
— A struggling singer teams up with a Nashville songwriter in the 2020 romance "Country at Heart" (9 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G).
SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
— Scheduled on "60 Minutes" (7 p.m., CBS): COVID variants; a woman prosecutor in St. Louis endures racist taunts and death threats; the St. Augustine High School Marching Band of New Orleans perseveres without Mardi Gras.
— "NCAA March Madness Bracket Breakdown" (7 p.m., CBSSN) and "Bracketology" (7 p.m., ESPN) anticipate the big games among 64 hopefuls.
— Ryan Seacrest hosts as "American Idol" (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) auditions continue.
— "Vice" (8 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA) explores the Afghanistan Americans are leaving behind after two decades.
— Dylan reflects as "Allen v. Farrow" (9 p.m., HBO, TV-MA) concludes.
— "The Clown & the Candyman" (9 p.m., ID, TV-14) explores connections between killers Dean Corll and John Wayne Gacy and their links to a pedophile ring.
— A stranger comes to town on "The Luminaries" (9:30 p.m., Starz, TV-MA).
— A potential new partner raises questions on "Good Girls" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
Hoping to fleece his lonely old lady investors with a surefire flop, a Broadway impresario (Zero Mostel) hires a neurotic accountant (Gene Wilder) and a hopeless star (Dick Shawn) in the 1967 comedy "The Producers" (6:15 p.m. Saturday, TCM, TV-14), directed by Mel Brooks.
SATURDAY SERIES
Disengaged on "Bob Hearts Abishola" (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … "Dateline" (8 p.m., NBC, r) … Saucy entrepreneurs on "Shark Tank" (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) … Thunderstruck at the parking lot on "The Unicorn" (8:30 p.m., CBS, r, TV-PG) … "48 Hours" (9 p.m., CBS, r) … Wayne Brady hosts "Game of Talents" (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) … "American Idol" (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) … Two vintage helpings of "Saturday Night Live" (10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
SUNDAY SERIES
— "The Voice" (8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) … Homer reunites his rock heroes on "The Simpsons" (8 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … Vengeance on "Batwoman" (8 p.m., CW, TV-14) … A night of romance ruined on "The Great North" (8:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
"Ellen’s Game of Games" (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) … Home alone on "Bob’s Burgers" (9 p.m., Fox, TV-PG) … Decoding an artifact on "Charmed" (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … Bellying up to the breakfast buffet on "Family Guy" (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
