Best-bets for Oct. 29: Halloween, sitcom-style

1) “The Conners,” 8 p.m., ABC. Back when “Roseanne” was in its prime, the sisters (Roseanne and Jackie) opened the Lunch Box diner. A lot has changed since then – the Roseanne character died, the show changed its name – but now Jackie wants to re-open the diner. Also, Darlene (Sara Gilbert, shown here in a previous episode with John Goodman) tries to straighten out her own life: After secretly dating both David and Ben, she now has neither. Read more…

1) “The Conners,” 8 p.m., ABC. Back when “Roseanne” was in its prime, the sisters (Roseanne and Jackie) opened the Lunch Box diner. A lot has changed since then – the Roseanne character died, the show changed its name – but now Jackie wants to re-open the diner. Also, Darlene (Sara Gilbert, shown here in a previous episode with John Goodman) tries to straighten out her own life: After secretly dating both David and Ben, she now has neither.

2) “Bless This Mess,” 8:30 p.m., ABC, and more. That “Conners” episode launches a two-day splurge, with Halloween episodes on eight ABC comedies. On “Mess,” Mike has a tradition of giving his wife a big-time scare each Halloween; this time, a bat-bite starts a night that turns scarier than expected. Then “Mixed-ish” (9 p.m.) brings uncertainty, when Rainbow –one of the only blacks in school — is asked to go as Tootie from “Facts of Life.” And on “Black-ish” (9:30), no one can agree on a family costume.

3) World Series, 8:07 p.m. ET, Fox. These days, Fox needs all the games it can get – preferably with big-market teams. The Series “will hopefully go seven games,” network chief Charlie Collier said on Aug. 7. “If we’re lucky, it will have the Yankees and the Dodgers or my Mets.” No such luck. The Mets finished 11 games out; the Yanks and Dodgers fell in the playoffs. And for a while, it looked like the Washington Nationals would have a Series sweep. The Houston Astros bounced back and host game 6.

4) “Arrow,” 9 p.m., CW. With just eight episodes left, “Arrow” is taking big, broad strokes. Now Oliver is re-united with his sister, in a maze of catacombs. At the same time, John and Lyla have a dangerous rescue mission. The directing debut of Katie Cassidy (who plays Black Canary), this is an ambitious hour, with tragedy, strong visuals and a sudden, stay-tuned kind of ending.

5) “This Is Us,” 9 p.m., NBC. In flashbacks, we see Jack – a Vietnam vet, with no money or prospects – try to prove himself to Rebecca’s wealthy dad. And nowadays? Randall tries to find a place with the other councilmen; Kate and Toby , overwhelmed by parenthood, try to make time for their marriage.

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