The Bawdy and the Brave With ‘Jones’ and ‘Moon’

This weekend features the premieres of two lavish cable miniseries.

Newcomer Max Beesley has the title role in A&E;’s “Tom Jones,” which starts Sunday with Part 1 at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. The sexy, six-hour adaptation of Henry Fielding’s bawdy 18th century novel continues Monday and Tuesday at 6 and 10 p.m.

Tom Hanks, who starred in the big-screen hit “Apollo 13,” returns to space once again as executive producer, writer, director and actor of “From the Earth to the Moon,” Sunday at 8 p.m. on HBO. Produced in cooperation with NASA, this 12-part, $68-million miniseries chronicles the history of the Apollo space missions. The series continues Sundays through May 10.

Elsewhere this weekend:

Today

Fox unveils its latest series, “World’s Wildest Police Videos,” at 8 p.m. on Channel 11. Retired Sheriff John Bunnell is the host.

ABC kicks off coverage of the “World Figure Skating Championships,” at 8 p.m. on Channel 7, with the men’s free skate. The ladies’ short program and free skate are scheduled for Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m.

Anthony Geary, a.k.a Luke Spencer, hosts ABC’s “The General Hospital 35th Anniversary Show,” at 10 p.m. on Channel 7. The retrospective of the Emmy Award-winning daytime soap features clips and remembrances by former and current cast members.

Friday

Mark Kriski and Roland Galvan host KTLA’s earthquake awareness special “Care & Prepare,” at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 5.

After nine seasons on NBC, “Unsolved Mysteries” moves to CBS at 9 p.m. on Channel 2. Veteran actor Robert Stack returns as host.

Saturday

Fox presents its first broadcast of a thoroughbred event, the 61st running of the Santa Anita Derby from Arcadia, at 2 p.m. on Channel 11.

Rosie O’Donnell returns as host of Nickelodeon’s “The 11th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards,” at 8 p.m. from UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion.

CBS’ “Early Edition,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 2, returns from hiatus with an episode featuring cast members from “Chicago Hope.”

The History Channel’s “As It Happened: Who Killed Martin Luther King,” at 9 p.m., looks back at Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and tries to resolve whether convicted assassin James Earl Ray acted alone.

Sunday

ESPN provides live coverage of the 24th running of the Toyota Grand Prix, at 1 p.m.

The Learning Channel’s “The Ten Plagues of Egypt,” at 5 p.m., documents the attempt to uncover a plausible explanation of the biblical plagues. Following at 6 p.m. is “Eyewitness to Jesus,” which examines the recent discovery of a papyrus fragment that could possibly date the Gospel according to Matthew back to the eyewitness period surrounding the life of Jesus.

Oliver Stone is executive producer of the TBS special “Assassinated: The Last Days of King and Kennedy,” at 6 p.m.

Daniel Stern and Julie Hagerty headline the “Wonderful World of Disney” comedy “Tourist Trap,” at 7 p.m. on Channel 7.

E! Entertainment Television presents “The Kennedys, Power, Seduction and Hollywood: The E! True Hollywood Story,” at 8 p.m. The conclusion of the documentary airs Monday at 8 p.m.

Dana Delany stars in the CBS drama “The Patron Saint of Liars,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 2. Delany plays a pregnant woman who leaves her husband and starts her life over at a home for unwed mothers.

Tate Donovan and Abraham Benrubi find themselves in a parallel L.A. in the ABC thriller “Tempting Fate,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 7.

Tara Fitzgerald and Ian Richardson headline the PBS “Masterpiece Theatre” presentation of “The Woman in White,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 28, based on the Wilkie Collins classic.