Building Barbie’s Dreamhouse, ‘Grantchester’ Guilt Trip, ‘Chosen’ Chooses The CW, a ‘Righteous’ Green-Eyed Monster

Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge

SUNDAY: With the much-anticipated Barbie movie about to open, HGTV gets dolled up with a fanciful renovation competition reminiscent of the recent Brady Bunch home makeover. Teams of HGTV stars, and one Food Network personality, tackle challenges room by room, each representing a decade of the toy home first introduced in 1962. There apparently is no top one can go over to evoke the Barbie mystique that trends toward pink and simulated plastic. Barbie fans can groove to vignettes of the doll’s history, while HGTV regulars will revel in the floor-to-ceiling makeovers, which includes producing life-size versions of the intricate toys scattered throughout a typical Barbie dreamhouses. (In the opener, highlights include a combination pet elevator/phone booth for the living room, and a retro-futuristic pop-up toaster shelf in the kitchen.) Brady Bunch veteran Maureen McCormick, who appeared in Barbie commercials as a kid, is the guest judge, joining style maven Jonathan Adler, HGTV star Tiffany Brooks and supermodel host Ashley Graham.

Grantchester

SUNDAY: There’s no question about who done it as a powerfully emotional episode of the period British mystery series opens in the immediate aftermath of vicar Will Davenport (Tom Brittney) accidentally hitting a man with his motorcycle on a seemingly deserted country road. Geordie (Robson Green) is eager to defend his friend from his boss DCI Wallace (Michael D. Xavier), who’d happily lock up the “reckless” minister. The big question: Who was the victim running from when he dashed into Will’s path? Regardless of the outcome, Will is so consumed with guilt it’s unclear if he’ll ever forgive himself before he leaves the village at season’s end.

The Chosen

SUNDAY: The global hit drama about the life of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie), as seen through the eyes of his followers, makes its way to broadcast TV after having amassed millions of viewers around the world on Internet and streaming platforms. The CW will play the first three seasons consecutively, with the finale airing on Christmas Eve. (A fourth season is already in production.) The series opens with a memorable encounter between Jesus and Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish) while fishermen and future disciples Simon (Shahar Isaac) and Andrew (Noah James) fret about paying the taxes due to Rome and collected by Matthew (Paras Patel).

The Righteous Gemstones

SUNDAY: Grantchester’s vicar and Chosen’s chosen would despair at the unholy behavior of the Gemstone clan in Danny McBride’s irreverent comedy. Heaven knows patriarch Eli (John Goodman) has had his fill with his offspring: “Can’t you kids just please figure out your lives?” he bellows when daughter Judy (Edi Patterson) confesses her infidelity, which could cost the Gemstone enterprise plenty. While her cuckolded hubby BJ (Tim Baltz) seeks payback from her ex-lover, Kelvin (Adam DeVine) is rattled by the jealousy of his buddy Keefe (Tony Cavalero) towards the new assistant youth pastor. And what are the odds that Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) and Jesse’s (McBride) new gimmick—a singing hologram of the beloved late matriarch Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles)—will be met with praise? Slim, don’t you think?

Joe Pickett

SUNDAY: A pivotal episode of the Western-set mystery reveals that there’s an unknown “seventh man” in the hunting party of rapists who’ve been meeting their doom. In the wake of the latest shocking incident, shaken game warden Joe (Michael Dorman) worries he’s “cracking up,” but knows he has no choice but to pursue the new Big Bad—whose identity forces an unexpected cliffhanger of a showdown.

INSIDE WEEKEND TV:

• Wimbledon: (Saturday and Sunday, 9 am/ET, ESPN): The ladies’ singles final is Saturday, with the men competing Sunday for the singles title at the All England Laws Tennis & Croquet Club.
• Take Me Back for Christmas (Saturday, 8/7c, Hallmark Channel): Another beat-the-heat yuletide romcom finds Renee (Vanessa Lengies) in a bind, when her holiday wish for success comes with a side effect: She’s no longer married. Can she win Aaron (Corey Sevier) back before Christmas Eve?
• Secrets of the Morning (Saturday, 8/7c, Lifetime): In the latest chapter of the V.C. Andrews’ Dawn series, Dawn (Brec Bassinger) escapes her evil grandmother Lillian’s (Donna Mills) clutches—for a while—by attending a performing arts school in New York and moving into a boarding house run by the headmistress (Fran Drescher).
• Kids in a Cage (Sunday, 9/8c, A&E): A shocking documentary follows two young fighters competing for the youth MMA national championship—literally fighting in cages—while wrestling demons at home.
• The Real Housewives of New York City (Sunday, 9/8c, Bravo): A reboot of the saucy franchise introduces six new socialites, entrepreneurs and influencers who’ll soon learn that the best way to get airtime is to be on your worst behavior.
• Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge (Sunday, 9/8c, National Geographic): Marvel at Benedict Cumberbatch braving the sea cliffs and waterfalls of Scotland’s Isle of Skye when Grylls coaches the renowned actor on survival skills.
• The $100,000 Pyramid (Sunday, 10/9c, ABC): Wonder how comedian Mario Cantone will react when he learns he’s playing opposite Jeopardy! GOAT Ken Jennings?