The odd pair of pictures below would seem almost out of an NYU student film about democracy and consumerism, but it’s actually our two top recs on a relatively slow day that nevertheless contains some top shelf choices. We’re going with a celebration of a collection of groundbreaking artists and the return of an excellent series chronicling the culinary creations that are distinctly American.

NAVANI’S PICK:
Black Art: In the Absence of Light [HBO, 9p]
This doc—heavily inspired by the collections and exhibits of David Driskell—will take viewers on a crash course of the artists and institutions that helped push Black art into the mainstream. It features appearances from artists like Kara Walker, Faith Ronggold, Theaster Gates and more as they delve into the contributions of Black American artists in the contemporary art world, which is of course long overdue.

JASON’S PICK:
The Food That Built America [History, 10p]
Notoriously prolific eater Adam Richman, the man known for going up against food in a long-running series, returns to host this second season of the anthology show that tracks the history of your favorite American comfort foods. 

BUT, WAIT, THERE’S MORE:

• NBC’s tentpole half hour returns after a long stretch of no new episodes, and this could be a fun one as in the flashback parts, Jack takes his son Kevin to football camp on This Is Us. Present day Kevin reflects on just how “there” his father was, giving the episode its simple title.
• Zoey, baaaby, internally hearing songs that narrate your day can be crazy. Apparently, tonight’s episode of Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist is a reckoning of sorts for all our players on this above average CW program.
• Over in ABC’s -ishaverse, on mixed-ish, young Bow has a crush, while on black-ish, grown Bow makes partner. If anyone can have it all it’s Tracee Ellis Ross.

• While most of their basketball husbands are out of the NBA (and in some cases the picture), the Basketball Wives series carries on strong as the tireless program goes into its ninth season on VH1. A few seconds into the trailer, one of the ladies vows there will be “no nonsense” this time, but guess what happens less than a second later? Nonsense!
• VH1’s other showcase of the night also features just one wife of a basketball player, but this one’s more about her own gig. Courtney Ajinca, married to Alexis Ajinca of the New Orleans Pelicans, is one of three wedding planners who specialize in the nuptuals of the rich and famous on My Celebrity Dream Wedding.
• If you wonder what happened the the male child of a certain trailblazing celebrity family reality show, think you better call.. Fright Club where Jack Osborne and three of his closest friends bust ghosts mostly to bust chops. It debuts today on Discovery+.