Neal Justin's TV picks for Oct. 17 – "Jane the Virgin," "Blow Out," "Desus and Mero"

The sound and the fury

Prick up your ears for one of two terrific films in which the protagonists endure the ultimate hearing test. Brian DePalma's "Blow Out" is John Travolta, shucking his Tony Manero swagger to play the technician who tunes into a crime, while Gene Hackman serves as hapless hero in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Conversation" (7 p.m. Movie Channel), another minor masterpiece. You can't go wrong with either choice.

7 p.m., THIS

Calamity Jane

"Jane the Virgin" may not be the critical darling it was back in 2014 when star Gina Rodriguez picked up a Golden Globe, but the telenovela remains a showcase for the actress, who in a perfect world would be headlining the kind of romantic comedies that Meg Ryan used to churn out on nearly an annual basis. In fact, CW deserves props for showcasing a wide range of young female performers, including Melissa Benoit ("Supergirl") and Rachel Bloom ("Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"). If only the rest of Hollywood were paying attention.

8 p.m. WUCW, Ch. 23

New York state of mind

Vice, the renegade news organization that just launched a nightly news program on HBO, is also entering the late-night fare with "Desus and Mero," hosted by Desus Nice and the Kid Mero. The duo is best known for the Bodega Boys podcast, which deals primarily with racial issues in New York.

10 p.m. Viceland

Neal Justin