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NBC's "Aquarius" (8 and 9 p.m., NBC/Ch. 5), is a new show that feels like an old show.
And that's not just because we've seen plenty of TV shows that feature Chares Manson before. Not just because we've seen lots of David Duchovny. Not just because pretty much every cop drama on TV today deals with serial killers on a regular basis.
"Aquarius" feels like something we've seen before because this is a very traditional cop drama about a hard-boiled detective, a young cop and their attempt to hunt down the bad guy.
The difference here is that it's set in the 1960s. Which doesn't actually add much to the viewing experience.
Oh, "Aquarius" isn't terrible. It's OK. But after watching four episodes provided by NBC, I was kind of bored.
Duchovny stars as LAPD homicide detective Sam Hodiak, who's asked by an ex-girlfriend to search for her missing daughter, Emma (Emma Dumont, "Bunheads"). Turns out Emma has gotten mixed up with an aspiring musician — Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony, "Game of Thrones") — and his pals.
The narrative begins two years before the Tate-LaBianca murders, and nobody from the Manson family has killed anybody yet.
Sam enlists a young partner, Brian Shafe (Grey Damon, "Friday Night Lights"), to infiltrate Manson's gang. They're sort of good-cop/bad-cop, and the narrative veers into race relations as Sam deals with the Nation of Islam.
The most distincitve thing about a relatively undistinguished show is how you can watch it. The first two episodes air tonight; the remaining 11 are scheduled to air on Thursday nights over the next couple of months.
Or you can stream it online. Beginning tonight, after the episodes air on the NBC broadcast network, all 13 episodes will be available for streaming on NBC.com, the NBC app, and On-Demand for four weeks.
It's an interesting idea. But, again, I watched four episodes in a row and I'd had more than my fill — binge-watching all 13 episodes feels more like a chore than a treat.
Elsewhere on TV ...
"500 Questions" (7 p.m., ABC/4): The quiz-show competition continues.
"Bones" (7 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): A cookie-jar collector is murdered, and the killer may be a fellow kitchenware enthusiast.
"Wayward Pines" (8 p.m., Fox/Ch. 13): Ethan has another run-in with Sheriff Pope and is given a new house by a real-estate agent.
"Cleveland Abduction" (9 p.m., A&E): TV movie about Michelle Knight, a 21-year-old single mom who was abducted by Ariel Castro in Cleveland and held captive in his home for more than 11 years, along with two other young women.
"Lip Sync Battle" (11 p.m., Spike): Queen Latifah vs. Marlon Wayans
"Lost Girl" (11 p.m., Syfy): Bo and her friends deal with the aftermath of a storm.