Best bet on broadcast: ABC, “Shark Tank,” 9 p.m. Season premiere. Among the pitches for season two of the low-rated show are a salad dressing recipe and a golf ball washer.
Best bet on cable: Syfy, “Sanctuary,” 8 p.m. Magnus and the crew try to save the passengers and crew of a sinking ship off the coast of South Africa.
Top sporting event: ESPN, “NBA Basketball,” 8 p.m. Good Eastern Conference matchup between the Boston Celtics and surprisingly good Atlanta Hawks.
SATURDAY
Best bet on broadcast: NBC, “NFL Football,” 4:30 p.m. AFC wild card playoff game. Can the Jets beat the Bengals for a second week in a row, this time in Cincinnati?
Best bet on cable: HBO, “Watchmen,” 8 p.m. Entertaining 2009 movie based on the graphic novel.
Top sporting event: NBC, “NFL Football,” 8 p.m. Another rematch from last week, this between the Cowboys and Eagles. Can the Eagles at least score a point this time around?
SUNDAY
Best bet on broadcast: NBC, “Chuck,” 9 p.m. Two-hour season premiere before it moves to its regular Monday 8 p.m. slot.
Best bet on cable: HBO, “Big Love,” 9 p.m. Season premiere. The Henricksons prepare to open a casino with Native American partners.
Top sporting event: Fox, “NFL Football,” 4:30 p.m. Yet another rematch from last week between the Packers and Cardinals. Only this time the Cardinals, who had already clinched a playoff spot, will probably try.
A look at this week’s top TV draws
FRIDAY, JANUARY 8
Time
Network
Program
Description
8 p.m.
CBS
“Ghost Whisperer” (D)
A radio station is haunted by a revenge-seeking ghost.
9 p.m.
Fox
“Dollhouse” (D)
Topher tries to give Echo her original personality.
9 p.m.
CBS
“Medium” (D)
The main suspect in a serial killer case turns up dead.
9 p.m.
Biography
“American Gangster” (N)
Season premiere. Examining the Philadelphia Black Mafia.
10 p.m.
CBS
“Numb3rs” (D)
A former lottery winner is killed while trying to steal scratch-offs.
10:30 p.m.
ESPN
“NBA Basketball” (S)
LeBron and the Cavs take on Carmelo and the Nuggets in Denver.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 9
Time
Network
Program
Description
4:30 p.m.
NBC
“NFL Football” (S)
The Jets versus the Bengals in the first of four NFL wild card playoff games this weekend.
8 p.m.
Fox
“Cops” (R)
Cops in Florida find a woman trying to pull off a robbery.
8 p.m.
NBC
“NFL Football” (S)
NBC’s second game pits Philadelphia versus Dallas.
8 p.m.
Nickelodeon
“iCarly” (K)
Carly tries to help Sam act more feminine.
9 p.m.
Hallmark Channel
“The Wishing Well” (M)
A journalist sees how her life could be different while investigating a town’s magic wishing well.
11:30 p.m.
NBC
“Saturday Night Live” (C)
Charles Barkley hosts and Alicia Keys performs.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 10
Time
Network
Program
Description
1 p.m.
CBS
“NFL Football” (S)
The Ravens battle the Patriots in another wild card playoff game.
4:30 p.m.
Fox
“NFL Football” (S)
Green Bayand Arizona wrap up wild card weekend.
8:30 p.m.
Fox
“The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: In 3D! On Ice!” (A)
The title says it all!
9 p.m.
ABC
“Desperate Housewives” (D)
Lynette finds out what Tom has been up to.
9 p.m.
NBC
“Chuck” (C)
Season premiere. Chuck and Sarah have relationship issues after he fails out of spy school.
9 p.m.
Syfy
“Battlestar Galactica: The Plan” (M)
A version of the series from the villains' point of view.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.
