What's On Tonight (Saturday): Fight corruption in the Line of Duty

Line of Duty (via Tumblr)

Hello and welcome to What's On Tonight #2782! Tonight's Top Pick, program #1792, is the BBC's big police hit Line of Duty. Okay, the show isn't new to American TV, nor is it really "new" since series one aired nearly eight years ago and it arrived stateside courtesy Hulu a few months later. However, it is new to traditional TV, and it is also a brilliant series about police corruption. AMC will air the first three series — and each one is better than the previous. (I haven't seen series five.) Elsewhere, the Danger Force get their nicknames, Live PD goes to the COVID-19 front lines. Toronto's 1920s female private investigators are back in action, Boss Hogg stops by Mel's, and Moses parts the Red Sea. Come aboard. We're expecting you, here's what's on television for tonight, Saturday, April 4!

STREAMING / EARLY PRIMETIME

Frankie Drake Mysteries (Ovation, 7 p.m.): PREMIERE. Frankie and her 1920s PI gang are back for season three, which aired in its native the land up north last fall. After her wartime friend goes missing in London, Frankie must work with Agatha Christie to uncover the reason behind the disappearance. "What d'you think? Flapper? Or slapper?"✔️

Tour of Duty 📺 (Heroes & Icons, 7 p.m.): Two sappers make their way into Firebase Ladybird without being detected, but Percell sees the third one, killing him. The other two manage to set off their explosives before they can be stopped. Percell is upset both over a friend's dying and having received a "Dear John" letter.

FOR THE RECORD: Cold Justice (Oxygen, 6 p.m.); The DNA of Murder with Paul Holes (Oxygen, 7 p.m.); Hyena (Netflix, 3 a.m.); J-Style Trip (Netflix, 3 a.m.)

Frankie Drake Mysteries (via Tumblr)

🕗 EASTERN / 🕖 CENTRAL

All That (Nickelodeon, 8:30 p.m.): PrestonPlayz guest stars to do a video game live stream with Tammy... An unboxing video goes horribly wrong... The Loud Librarian returns... A superhero tries being a waitress... To wrap it up, SuperM performs.

Danger Force (Nickelodeon, 8 p.m.): The members of Danger Force are given terrible nicknames live on KLVY news, so they come up with a plan to announce to the world who they really are: Volt, AWOL, ShoutOut and Brainstorm.

Good Boys 🎥 (HBO, 8 p.m.): Three sixth-grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a party. You know, like all sixth-grade boys. The ad campaign for this was atrocious.

Jeffrey Epstein: His Victims Tell All (Reelz, 8 p.m.): SPECIAL. Epstein’s victims are ready to have their say, name names... and get retribution for the horrific acts they endured.

Mommy Is a Murderer 🎥 (Lifetime, 8 p.m.): The title says it all.

The Ten Commandments 🎥 (ABC, 8 p.m.): In this Cecil B. DeMille masterpiece, which should be experienced on the big screen (remember those? Lol. *cries*), Charlton Heston plays the Egyptian prince Moses as he discovers his Hebrew heritage, hears God's call, and engages in a bitter battle with Ramses (Yul Brynner) to free the Jews from slavery.✔️

When the Bough Breaks 🎥 (BET, 8 p.m.): Hired by professional couple Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall to be a surrogate mother, psychotic Jaz Sinclair starts to develop a dangerous fixation with the husband.

FOR THE RECORD: Dateline NBC (NBC); Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet (Animal Planet); Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta (TLC)

The Ten Commandments (via Giphy)

🕘 EASTERN / 🕗 CENTRAL

A Dog's Journey 🎥 (Showtime, 9 p.m.): In this sequel to A Dog's Purpose, you wonder if he is a good boy. It is directed by Gail Mancuso, an excellent and seasoned TV comedy director. If you've watched sitcoms since the '90s, you've probably seen her work.✔️

Life Story (BBC America, 9 p.m.): The latest nature docuseries is a repeat. This BBC import originally aired on Discovery Channel some years ago, but here gets "extended" treatment for its six episode rerun.

Live PD Special Edition (A&E, 9 p.m.): More action from the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. (Last night's episode was also from the front lines.)

Melissa Villaseñor Stand-Up Show (YouTube, 9 p.m.): It's Melissa featuring Chase Bernstein. And supporting the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

You're Bacon Me Crazy 🎥 (Hallmark Channel, 9 p.m.): I read this title and thought "Maybe we as a society deserve the current health crisis."

FOR THE RECORD: Cake Boss (Discovery Family); Love Goals (OWN); These Woods Are Haunted (Travel Channel); The Zoo (Animal Planet, premiere)

A Dog's Journey (via Giphy)

🕙 EASTERN / 🕘 CENTRAL

Being (BET Her, 10 p.m.): The subject is: Kemba Smith.


⭐ Line of Duty (AMC, 10 p.m.): SERIES PREMIERE. In this excellent series about detectives investigating police corruption, a masterclass of what is out there in foreign television, Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) discovers his target is the city's top detective, Tony Gates (Lennie James). It starts slowly and continuously gets better.✔️

The Love Boat 📺 (Decades, 10 p.m.): Spend the weekend on a cruise ship, if you dare to remember such days. In this 90-minute episode, movie star Loni Anderson disguises herself as her secretary in order to enjoy some privacy, finding love with a fellow passenger. Also, Lauren Tewes contemplates marrying wealthy bachelor Robert Stack, nd Isaac and Gopher sneak a horse on board to enter the upcoming race. Horse owner is Allen Ludden and his wife is Betty White. The Village People also guest star.

The Sonny and Cher Show 📺 (getTV, 10 p.m.): The Smothers Brothers and Debbie Reynolds!

FOR THE RECORD: 48 Hours (CBS); Critter Fixers: Country Vets (Nat Geo Wild); Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House (HGTV)

🕚 EASTERN / 🕙 CENTRAL

Alice 📺 (Antenna TV, 11 p.m.): Saturday's binge is all about Alice Hyatt and the life at Mel's Diner. In the season eight opener, Boss Hogg (yep, that one) stops by to trick Mel into selling his diner for $1. Also, Enos and Vera are cousins.✔️

Hill Street Blues 📺 (Heroes & Icons, 11 p.m.): In one of the classic drama's last An escapee from a mental institution hopes to make Buntz break down and beg for his life. However, even with a shotgun at his head, the trussed-up Buntz refuses to cower, and instead it’s he who promises to “eat this guy.” 

My Hero Academia (Adult Swim, 11 p.m.): The students of Class 1-A take on their roles for the upcoming festival performance. Gentle makes preparations.

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 📺 (getTV, 11 p.m.): Bette Davis and The Who!

Alice, "Mel Is Hogg-Tied"

💤💤😴💤💤

Black Clover (Adult Swim, 1:30 a.m.): Luck and friends gain an unusual ally to fight against Dorothy Unsworth. Droit remembers the humans' atrocities against his people.

Demon Slayer (Adult Swim, 12:30 a.m.): The leader of the Demon Slayer Corps Ubuyashiki allows Tanjiro and Nezuko to join the Corps, but the Hashiras are unable to accept this decision. The Wind Hashira tries to get Nezuko to show her true colors as a demon.

Food Wars! (Adult Swim, 1 a.m.): Soma struggles to work with Erina's secretary, Arata, at the restaurant.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind (Adult Swim, 2 a.m.): Bucciarati refuses to let the Boss kill Trish, even though he is exposed to time-skipping abilities.

Lost in Space 📺 (MeTV, 1 a.m.): Will and Smith ride an alien spaceship into the sixth dimension and upon their return are changed in different ways.

Naruto: Shippuden (Adult Swim, 2:30 a.m.): An epic battle erupts as Kabuto uses the forbidden Reanimation Jutsu against Naruto.

Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld (Adult Swim, midnight): Gabriel gives U.S. players access to black knights, unleashing a bloodbath across the Underworld.

Lost in Space (via Giphy)

LATE-NIGHT TV

The Greg Gutfeld Show (Fox News, 10 p.m.): Dave Rubin, Emily Compagno, Kat Timpf, and Dagen McDowell
SNL Vintage 📺 (NBC, 10 p.m.): John Mulaney and Jack White (14 Mar 2018)

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Note: All times are Eastern.

Key Sources: The Futon Critic (outline); Zap2it (descriptions); TV Passport (throwbacks)
⭐: Top pick(s)
📺: Throwback
🎥: Movie
✔️: Video/gif included

Happy watching, everyone!