Seeing Red

In TV land, snagging the post-Super Bowl spot is almost as valuable as winning the Lombardi Trophy. The prize this year goes to "The Blacklist," a series that continues to endure and amuse, despite having to lean so heavily on James Spader's natural smugness. He gets some competition in the show's return to the airwaves from University of Minnesota alum Ron Perlman, who has a few tricks of his own when it comes to mixing charm and cruelness. The two heavyweights engage in a battle of wits when Spader's Raymond Reddington is kidnapped and placed in a detention facility. Let's hope the bad guys let him keep his hat. Approximately 9:15 p.m. Sunday, KARE, Ch. 11

Pets 'R' us

More and more TV executives too scared — or too stupid — to program anything with weight against the Super Bowl show off their funny sides with the ridiculous. "Kitten Bowl II" (11 a.m. Sunday, Hallmark Channel) kicks things off, followed later by "Puppy Bowl XI" (6 p.m. Animal Planet), but the real winner in this insanity contest is "Fish Bowl II" (7 p.m. NGW), in which viewers simply watch goldfish swim around for a few hours. Can "Popcorn Bowl" be far behind?

I love L.A.

Since they were already in the area for a post-Super Bowl special, it only made sense for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" to keep going west. TV's top late-night program will do a week of shows from Los Angeles with a guest list that includes Neil Young, Will Smith, Michael Keaton and Doc Severinsen. 10:35 p.m. Monday-Friday, KARE, Ch. 11

A fresh approach

Chef Eddie Huang has complained that "Fresh Off the Boat," the new series based on his memoirs, is a watered-down version of his childhood growing up in the '90s. I don't doubt that's true, but at least there's finally a decent sitcom about an Asian-American family on the air. "Boat" is often better than decent, thanks to a clear knowledge of family tension that people of all races can relate to. The show gets a high-profile premiere this week before it moves into its much more challenging time slot of 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. 7:30 & 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, KSTP, Ch. 5

Neal Justin