Countering the Olympics With the Sound of Music

Though the Winter Olympics continue to dominate the airwaves, the networks and cable channels are counter-programming this weekend with music specials that run the gamut from B.B. King to David Bowie to a celebration of Motown.

Bravo presents “B.B. King: King of the Blues,” tonight at 7. The documentary follows the renowned bluesman as he leaves on his annual Mississippi Homecoming Tour.

Wynton Marsalis, Kathleen Battle, Chita Rivera and Savion Glover headline the opening night celebration of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on PBS’ “Great Performances,” Friday at 9 p.m. on KCET-TV Channel 28.

The brothers Gibb perform at the MGM Grand with Celine Dion on HBO’s “The Bee Gees: One Night Only,” Saturday at 10 p.m. “Bravo Profiles” looks at the career of rocker David Bowie, Sunday at 8 p.m.

VH1 offers a “Behind the Music” profile of Gladys Knight, at 8 p.m. Sunday. The singer chats about her gambling addiction, failed marriages and professional setbacks.

Diana Ross hosts ABC’s “Motown 40: The Music Is Forever,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on Channel 7. The four-hour special celebrates the 40th anniversary of Motown records. The special concludes Feb. 19 at 9 p.m.

Today

Winter Olympics coverage begins at 10 a.m. on TNT with cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, hockey, snowboarding and speed skating. CBS features Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating, snowboarding and speed skating at 8 p.m.

See how “ER” all began, as NBC dusts off the two-hour pilot from 1994, at 9 p.m. on Channel 4.

Adrian Pasdar, Alicia Coppola and Antonio Sabato Jr. headline the ABC thriller, “The Perfect Getaway,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 7.

Friday

Winter Olympics events scheduled for 10 a.m. on TNT include alpine skiing, curling, figure skating, hockey, luge, Nordic combined and speed skating. At 8 p.m., CBS features alpine skiing, figure skating, luge and speed skating. At 12:35 a.m, CBS covers the U.S. men’s hockey team in action.

Prince Michael of Kent, the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, presents the History Channel documentary “Victoria and Albert,” at 7 and 11 p.m.

Saturday

CBS kicks off the Winter Olympics coverage at 11:30 a.m. with men’s hockey (Sweden vs. Canada) and Nordic combined. TNT presents alpine skiing, figure skating, hockey and speed skating at 3 p.m. On tap for 7 p.m. on CBS is bobsled, cross-country skiing, figure skating and speed skating. Finland and Russia meet in men’s hockey at 11:35 p.m.

A&E; repeats its three-hour, Emmy Award-winning 1994 documentary “Titanic,” at 5 p.m.

E! Entertainment Television presents “Glamour Girls,” at 6 p.m., a look at the movies’ most famous pinups and bombshells.

Rick Peters and Leslie Hope star in the romantic drama “Harlequin’s This Master of Marriage,” at 9 p.m. on the Movie Channel.

Sunday

Winter Olympics coverage begins at 1 p.m. on CBS with figure skating and men’s hockey. At 4 p.m., TNT features alpine skiing, bobsled, figure skating, hockey and speed skating. Scheduled for 8 p.m. on CBS are bobsled (two-man, runs 3 and 4), ice dancing and speed skating (men’s 1,000 meter). Canada meets the U.S. in men’s hockey at 11:35 p.m.

Tony Danza plays the NFL’s oldest rookie in “The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon,” at 7 p.m. on ABC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney.”

E! Entertainment Television presents “Margot Kidder: The E! True Hollywood Story,” at 8 p.m.