Just like zombies, American Idol is back from the dead

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, March 11. All times are Eastern.

Top pick

American Idol (ABC, 8 p.m.): The last time we saw American Idol, it was on Fox, with judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr., and host Ryan Seacrest. Almost two years later, only Seacrest—who, let’s face it, will outlast us all—remains. New judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan are ready to kick American Idol off on its new network, ABC, with a brand-new batch of auditioning hopefuls aiming to make it to Hollywood. You could say that the power of American Idol can not be denied, or you could say that network television is officially out of ideas. Either way, we suspect a lot of old-school AI fans will be checking out version 2.0 this evening.

Regular coverage

Bob’s Burgers (Fox, 7:30 p.m.)
The Walking Dead (AMC, 9 p.m.): Longtime TWD reviewer Zack Handlen has officially said goodbye to the actual undead. Laura Bogart is filling in for a few weeks until Alex McLevy takes over Zack’s grimy old stomping grounds.
Homeland (Showtime, 9 p.m.)
Ash Vs. Evil Dead (Starz, 9 p.m.)
The Chi (Showtime, 10 p.m.)

Wild card

Timeless (NBC, 10 p.m.): Speaking of TV zombies, Timeless was officially canceled for a hot minute until a groundswell of fan support forced NBC to reconsider. Now the gang—Abigail Spencer, Malcolm Barrett, and Matt Lanter—is back together, with a new villain and mission, but fortunately, the same old time machine. And just think of all the years they haven’t even hit yet! Best of all, from the looks of the promo, this show’s will-they/won’t-they is about to get pushed over to the they-will side. Allison Shoemaker will check in on tonight’s premiere to see if this show’s return was worth traveling through time for.