A blithe spirit
"Noël Coward's Present Laughter" would come across as a rather musty "Frasier" rerun if it weren't for Kevin Kline, overacting just as the playwright would have ordered. The action — a series of slamming doors and lovers' quarrels — takes a back seat to its Tony-winning star, who licks his chops over every bon mot. Kate Burton and Cobie Smulders are along for the ride.
8 p.m. Friday, TPT, Ch. 2
Amazing Grace
Margaret Atwood fever is bound to continue with a six-part TV version of her novel "Alias Grace," a proper follow-up to the Emmy-winning miniseries, "A Handmaid's Tale." Sarah Gadon plays a celebrated murderess being analyzed by a foxy doctor in Sarah Polley's smartly interpreted adaptation. Keep an eye peeled for director David Cronenberg in one of his rare acting roles.
Now streaming on Netflix
New girl
"The Girlfriend Experience" officially enters its second season, but it might as well be an entirely different series. A whole new cast of characters is spread across two distinct story lines, one of which uses the 2018 midterm elections as a backdrop.
8 p.m. Sunday, Starz
Mommie dearest
Bridgette, the title character in "SMILF," isn't about to compete for mother of the year, running out on her child to grab chips from a Boston convenience store and slipping into R-rated sexual fantasies. But a clear devotion to both her child and prying mother (Rosie O'Donnell) make her someone to root for. Same goes for the show's creator and star, Frankie Shaw.
9 p.m. Sunday, Showtime
Neal Justin
