Nova: At the Edge of Space
The hazily defined zone where Earth’s atmosphere meets the vastness of space is one happening place. In this Nova episode, scientists traveling in a high-flying weather observation plane examine such dazzling phenomena as auroras and meteor trails, and work to capture video footage of sprites—flashes of light that shoot upward from thunderclouds but last only a 40th of an eye blink. Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m., PBS; check local listings
Bill Cosby: Far From Finished
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The legend still has some funny left in the tank. Thirty years after his standup special Bill Cosby: Himself helped launch The Cosby Show and got countless Americans talking as if a dentist were working on their mouths, the performer mounts the stage for another exercise in long-form comedy. Parenting tales have been replaced with grandparenting ones, but the classic Cosby cadences, as well as his crystal-clean sense of humor, remain gloriously intact. Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m., Comedy Central
Atlantis
Myths and ancient history mix freely in this 13-episode fantasy series, which launches as a young man named Jason (Jack Donnelly) washes ashore in the buff on an island lost to time. Unlike the traditional Jason of Argonauts fame, this one soon befriends a young math geek named Pythagoras and a schlubby teller of tall tales named Hercules. Maybe they can help him win the heart of the king’s daughter (Aiysha Hart).Saturday, Nov. 23, at 9 p.m., BBC America
Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles
And now a younger comedian takes the mic. In this standup special filmed before a small Los Angeles audience, Sarah Silverman proves she hasn’t lost her ability to straddle the line of good taste as she riffs on topics ranging from pornography to President Obama to the miracle of existence. Saturday, Nov. 23, at 10 p.m., HBO
Getting On
Death may not be proud, perhaps, but life in a geriatric ward just might be less so. Still, this new series adapted from a popular BBC comedy proves that such a life can also be very funny. Fans of the original who worried that a redo would tone down the black humor didn’t take into account the brilliance of star Laurie Metcalf or the layers of darkness in America’s health-care system. Sunday, Nov. 24, at 10 p.m., HBO
Other highlights
The Truth Behind: The Hunt for the Lost Ark
Indiana Jones aside, many scholars and adventurers have searched for the chest said to hold the tablets of the Ten Commandments. And still the search continues. Monday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m., National Geographic
Nikita
Series star Maggie Q has much work to do in the six-episode final season of this slick drama about a female assassin based on the 1990 film. Friday, Nov. 22, at 9 p.m., CW
Doctor Who: 50th Anniversary Special
David Tennant and Matt Smith, the 10th and 11th actors to play Doctor Who, join forces in this special anniversary episode of the acclaimed British sci-fi series. Saturday, Nov. 23, at 2:50 p.m., BBC America
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