1) “The Lowdown” season-openers, 9 p,m, and 10:11-11:21 p.m, FX. Lee (Ethan Hawke, shown here) isn’t really geared for success. He makes a mess of his award-acceptance speech … and a bigger problem looms. Stumbling toward town is a guy (Tommy Lee Jones) who can disrupt his world. Great actors collide, in a show that’s sometimes overwrought, but mostly compelling. Read more…
1) “NCIS: Origins,” 10 p.m.. CBS. Fans have been waiting for Gibbs (Mark Harmon) to return to civilization.; now he does, briefly: In present day, he asks a favor of Woody (Bobby Moynihan, shown here with Harmon). Then we’re in the “Origins” era, 34 years ago, as people try to save Woody. Playing Casey Bloom is Sean Harmon, who has also played younger versions of his dad. Read more…
1) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” season-finale, 9 p.m. today, FX. There may be a slasher in Dee’s neighborhood, so she wants the guys to help. (They’re shown here in a previous episode.) They refuse, of course, and plan their own sleepover. Then things build in wild — and, at times, wildly funny — ways. Read more…
1) “Marble Hall Murders” finale, 9 p.m., PBS. It’s time to solve the murder of Eliot … and of his grandmother (shown here), long ago … and of the matriarch in the novel he wrote, hinting at real life. That wraps an ingenious, six-part story. We see Susan solve the real murders and imagine chats with the fictional detective … who solves the one in Eliot’s novel. Read more…
Right now, Hollywood minds seem to be filled with sinkholes. Consider:
— “Fire Country” (shown here) opens its season (9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, on CBS) with a sudden sinkhole gobbling up people and cars during a downtown festival.
— Six days later (8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, on ABC), “9-1-1” opens its season with a bigger sinkhole, swallowing Los Angeles neighborhoods.
— While those two were being planned, real-life sinkholes appeared nearby. One, in July, was in West Hollywood; another, in September, was in Malibu, causing Nicolas Cage’s driveway to collapse. Read more…
1) “The Lowdown” season-openers, 9 p,m, and 10:11-11:21 p.m. Wednesday, FX. Can Lee (Ethan Hawke, shown here) handle success? Mostly, no. He makes a mess of his award-acceptance speech; we also meet a new character (Tommy Lee Jones), capable of disrupting his world. Two great actors collide, in a show that’s sometimes overwrought, but mostly compelling. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. This has been one of the show’s fastest starts: “SNL” has its third new show of the season, before some shows have their first. It’s the third time hosting for comedian Shane Gillis and the second as music guest for Rosalia (shown here). She’s had 13 No. 1 songs in her native Spain and a No. 4 album in the U.S. Read more…
1) “Fire Country” season-opener, 9 p.m., CBS. There have been plenty of crises in this little town, but none like this: In the midst of a festival (shown here), a sudden sinkhole swallows people and cars. The result offers a strong mix of action and drama, while also adding a key character to the show. Read more…
1) “Cupertino,” 10 p.m., CBS. The season’s best new, broadcast-network show starts with a great pairing (shown here): He’s a veteran lawyer, big, confident and imposing; she’s a first-year lawyer, a tad timid, from a deeply religious family. For different reasons, they’ve been fired by an evil firm. The result, from the “Elsbeth” producers, ripples with rage and fun. Read more…
There are plenty of right-now, ripped-from-the-headlines stories.
And then there’s the “East of Eden” tale. “It is ancient,” said Joseph Zada, one of the stars of the seven-part mini-series now on Netflix.
Or semi-ancient. It’s known from a 1955 movie … it’s based on John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel … its story is set in the early 1900s … and its inspiration is Cane and Abel, which goes way back.
At the core of the final two episodes are twins who have been groping for the love of a physically absent mother and an emotionally absent father. Cal (shortened from Caleb) is played by Zada, 21; Aron is Joe Anders, 22. Read more…
Best-bets for Oct. 14: A potent drama returns 
Best-bets for Oct. 13: Gibbs returns, on dramatic night 
Best-bets for Oct. 12: sunny fun, jazzy great 
