1) “Transplant” season-opener, 9 p.m. Thursday, NBC. Once confined to summertime, this Canadian drama deserves attention. Dr. Bashir Hamed and his sister fled from Syria to Canada. After rescuing the emergency-department chief, he got a hospital job, some friendships and a possible romance with the intense Mags. But now there’s a new chief, Mags has a new job and a friend (Theo, shown here with Bash) has survived a crash. It’s a crowded hour, but has strong moments.
2) “Hotel Portofino” season-opener, 8 p.m. Sunday, PBS. This keeps juggling opposite instincts. The setting – an Italian resort catering to the English – is beautiful; the time, Mussolini and fascism, is ugly. Some stories are flimsy soap-opera, others have subtlety and depth. This opener has hints of tragedy, alongside unspoken love. That’s followed by two tough openers – “World on Fire” (now back in London) at 9, a high-octane “Annika” at 10.
3) “Encanto” and more, 8 p.m. Sunday, ABC. On Oct. 16, 1923, two brothers formed what would be the Disney studio. Walt, 21, had already seen one company go bankrupt, but had new shorts (blending
animation and an actress) ready; Roy, 30, knew about money. On the eve of the 100th anniversary, Kelly Ripa hosts a celebration that includes a new cartoon (“Once Upon a Studio”) and this Oscar-winning film, stuffed with great Lin-Manuel Miranda songs.
4) “Irrational,” 10 p.m. today, NBC. We’re not sure what to make of this show, of the few new, scripted ones this fall. The first episode was terrific, the second had a wildly unlikely finish. Now this third one bounces back neatly. A skilled pilot crashes, raising suspicion. (In truth, this episode says, there hasn’t been a fatal crash of a major airline in 14 years.) Our hero, a psychology professor, solves the case while pointing to fascinating human quirks.
5) “Press Your Luck” season-opener, 10 p.m. Tuesday, ABC. At first, Elizabeth Banks was a comedy actress – from “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” to regular roles in “30 Rock” and “Modern Family.” Then she became a movie director – “Pitch Perfect 2,” the gorgeous “Charlie’s Angels” reboot, the surprise hit “Cocaine Bear” — and a game-show host. Banks hosted “Press Your Luck” for four summers on ABC, before it was nudged into the fall schedule.
6) “America Outdoors” season-finale and “Nova,” 8 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, PBS. In the amiable finale, Baratunde Thurston tries a mid-winter swim in Maine. It was cold … but there’s been worse: “Nova” views a 50-million-year phase when the Earth was encased in snow and ice. The break-up (635 million years ago) triggered glaciers, continental shifts and the forces that propelled life. That’s in the second part of the spectacular, five-week “Ancient Earth.”
7) “Frasier” return, Thursday, Paramount+. For its first five seasons, “Frasier” won the Emmy for best comedy series; for three more, it was nominated. Now it’s back, with two key people. Kelsey Grammer played Frasier Crane over 20 seasons on two series; James Burrows, 82, directed him in “Cheers” and the early years of “Frasier.” Burrows directed the two episodes airing Thursday, with Frasier returning to Boston, to be closer to his son and his nephew.
8) “Raid the Cage” debut, 9 p.m. Friday, CBS. With “Press Your Luck” and this one, the primetime game-show line-up is complete. All four ABC shows and the one on Fox (“Name That Tune”) are revivals of old shows. CBS, however, has ones that are new to the U.S. – “Loteria Loca,” 9 p.m. Monday; “Buddy Games,” 9 p.m. Thursday; and “Raid,” based on an Israeli game. Duos try to answer questions, winning extra time to grab prizes.
9) “Murdaugh Murders,” 8-10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Lifetime. There’s been a deluge of news reports about this case, but now a superb performance from Bill Pullman adds depth. We see Alex Murdaugh as a small-town, get-along lawyer; then we see his problems builc, along with his pill addiction and his son’s drinking. In the second half, Murdaugh’s usual approach no longer works. The crisis can’t be soft-pedaled; a town icon crumbles.
10) “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” series-finale, 9 p.m. Sunday, AMC, rerunning at 10:19. A terrific, six-week series ends in phases – first, brutal (we expected that) … then serene (we didn’t) … then a tad perplexing. There isn’t much time to ponder that, because of a quick nod to what might be ahead. And if this seems too nasty? Hallmark has the season-finale of “When Calls the Heart,” also at 9; there will be an election and, one assumes, no zombies.