1) “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” season-opener, 8 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday, NBC. Some 16 months after the seventh season ended, the eighth and final one arrives, as part of NBC’s post-Olympics surge. It will be brief (just 10 episodes), but welcome. The early seasons were awash in praise – the show won two Golden Globes and was nominated for two Television Critics Association awards and 11 Emmys. As this season starts, Amy is returning from maternity leave and her husband Jake (they’re shown here) is working a case with Rosa. Then Captain Holt creates a weekend getaway.
2) “The Bachelorette” finale, 8-10 p.m. today, ABC. It’s been a tattered season, with the last two men quitting. Michael Allio left to be with his son; Greg Grippo left after he said he loves Katie Thurston and she (vowing not to mention love until the finale) didn’t reciprocate. Then she cried and asked for a flight home. Now – unless she really leaves or he returns – it’s down to Blake Moynes, a Canadian wildlife manager, and Justin Glaze, an investment sales consultant. The overnight dates are next.
3) NBC returning shows, all week. Now that the Olympics have ended, NBC pulls its new competition episodes off the shelf. That’s led by “American Ninja Warrior” at 8 p.m. today (repeating Friday) and “America’s Got Talent” at 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday (repeating Saturday and Sunday). There’s more – “The Wall” at 10 p.m. today, “College Bowl” at 10 p.m. Tuesday, “Family Night Fight” (which debuted Sunday) at 9 p.m. Wednesday and the genial “Making It” at 9 p.m. Thursday.
4) “Fantasy Island” opener, 9 p.m. Tuesday, Fox. This is more than we expect in early August – a lush, scripted show on one of the big-four networks. Rebooting a series that ended in 1984, it has Roselyn Sanchez (“Grand Hotel,” “Devious Maids”) as the grand-niece of the original Mr. Roarke (Ricardo Montalbon). Like him, she looks great in white and knows all; she has key guest stars, starting with Bellamy Young of “Scandal” and “Prodigal Son.” Still, there’s a somber tone to this opening hour.
5) “Stargirl” season-opener, 8 p.m. Tuesday, CW. Last year, this was one of the bright lights in a somber summer – a good-hearted story of a teen superhero, boosted by strong work from Luke Wilson as her dad. Courtney found three young colleagues and beat the bad guys. That’s where we start now: Evil has been ousted, the city is calm and Courtney is restless. Not to worry: At the start and end of the hour, we get hints of a fierce new villain. Even a new colleague is scary at first, in a strong opener.
6) “Riverdale” return, 8 p.m. Wednesday, CW. After a wild hour – complete with a jail break, a fire and a drug-crazed Jughead – this show took an 18-week break. Now it’s back, with big troubles to clean up: The inmates fled the for-profit prison that Veronica’s dad had created on the site of the old Southside High School; they invaded parent-teacher conferences at the other high school, plus a birthday party for Betty’s niece and nephew. Now Archie leads the hunt for the stray escapees – and for Jughead.
7) “Icon: Music Through the Lens” finale, 9 and 10 p.m. Friday, PBS. Rock-music photos seemed temporary, Gered Mankowitz says. “The idea that a photo would have a life a year later” was absurd. Then things exploded. Rock photos filled books and art galleries. Photographers were special … until super-cameras proliferated. “Do we really need a camera that can make me an omelet?” Neal Preston asks. In 60 years, the annual number of images increased 460-fold. This terrific film has vivid stories.
8) “Unforgotten” season-finale, 9 p.m. Sunday, PBS. For five episodes, Cassie (Nicola Walker) has pushed through her final case. She tried to retire early due to emotional stress, but that was rejected. Now she’s obsessed with a murder 30 years ago, linked to a car filled with police-academy grads. Short on sleep, she got close to solving it – then had a fierce car crash. Here’s the potent finish to a terrific story; it’s followed at 10 by a “Professor T” that’s imaginative, but is extremely hard to believe.
9) “Chesapeake Shores” season-opener, 8 p.m. Sunday, Hallmark. Many Hallmark shows share a familiar plot: An attractive young woman, succeeding in the city, moves back home … where she finds her long-ago boyfriend. But what happens if the guy leaves? Jesse Metcalfe is departing after four seasons as Trace. In this opener, we’ll see his split with Abby (Meghan Ory). Two weeks later, she’ll meet a new guy, a rich one. They snipe and squabble (another Hallmark tradition), then get along fine.
10) ALSO: It’s a great week for the streamers. Tonight, Hulu launches “Reservation Dogs”; focusing on teens in small-town Oklahoma, it has the droll wit and deep characters we get in “Atlanta” and “Better Things.” On Thursday, sci-fi fans get season-openers of “Titans” (HBO Max) and the animated “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (Paramount Plus). On Friday, the brilliant “Schmigadoon” has an excellent finale on Apple TV+ and “Modern Love” (an intriguing true-story anthology) has its second Amazon season.