Back in session
The best running joke in "Alpha House," Garry Trudeau's live-action take on politics, is that the senators are too busy worrying about their images and re-election to actually get anything done. This isn't new territory for the "Doonesbury" cartoonist, but it's a treat to see stars like John Goodman, Wanda Sykes and even Bill Murray poke fun at Beltway life in this second season. Streaming at studios.amazon.com.
It takes two to tango
Any thought that the "Poker Face" singer was bluffing is immediately dashed in "Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live!" a new concert special that leans toward standards like "Anything Goes" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love." Gaga wisely leaves the outrageous outfits backstage and fully commits to keeping up with one of our great song stylists. 9 p.m. Friday, TPT, Ch. 2
Far from heaven
And you thought blues legend Robert Johnson had made a bad deal with the devil. In "Constantine," a new drama based on the comic book series "Hellblazer," our hero (played by Matt Ryan) battles evil despite the fact that his soul is already damned to hell. Even more intimidating: a time slot that almost certainly spells this show's doom. 9 p.m. Friday, KARE, Ch. 11
The man in black
The Empire strikes back — again. "Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion," the animated series that bridges the gap between "Star Wars" 3 and 4, tacks on a cameo appearance from Darth Vader, voiced by James Earl Jones. This is an added scene that didn't appear when the show premiered on the Disney Channel this month. 6 p.m. Sunday, KSTP, Ch. 5
Neal Justin
