TV tonight: 'Mars' miniseries, 'Conviction'

Mars
NatGeo, 9 ET/PT

National Geographic offers this ambitious miniseries from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer that blends present facts with future supposition to tell the story of a hoped-for exploration and colonization of Mars. Over six weeks, Mars jumps between 2016, 2033 and 2047, mixing interviews with scientists, futurists, SpaceX's Elon Musk and The Martian’s Andy Weir with dramatizations of the methods the mission might use and problems it might face. The scripted scenes can, at times, feel a bit clunky, but they’re a limited distraction in an otherwise enjoyable, hopeful and informative experiment.

Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music
PBS, 10 ET/PT (times may vary)

There have been a million specials built around performing music, but this may be the first that attempts to explain how music gets recorded, and how recordings have affected the way we approach the art. It comes from someone who knew the subject well: The late George Martin, who produced those Beatles records that changed the musical world.

Conviction
ABC, 10 ET/PT

Networks seldom cancel shows these days, preferring instead to wait until their initial 13-episode orders run out — as ABC has done to Conviction. While that means the show is not officially dead, it also means it's close enough to death that its fans should watch while they can.