1) “Cupertino,” 8-11 p.m., CBS. If you haven’t been watching this terrific show (10 p.m. Thursdays), here’s the perfect way to start. At 9 and 10 p.m. are reruns of the first two episodes, showing a mismatched duo launching a tiny law firm. At 8 is a great new episode — a serious, life-and-death tale, encased in the fun of all sides stuck in a traffic jam (shown here) grasping for a sort of street justice.
2) “Animal Control,” 8 p.m., Fox. This is a clever show, but it’s also sort of an orphan — the network’s only non-cartoon comedy. Fox has tried slipping it behind the always-sharp “Simpsons,” but now it flips them: First, “Control” (Emily and Shred have their first party as a couple), then “Simpson” (an abandoned Krustyland attraction yields secrets).
3) “Maigret,” 9 p.m., PBS. It’s the second half of a two-parter, with key moments for the best and worst side characters. The best is Maigret’s wife, a psychiatric nurse, able to penetrate his stoic veneer; the worst are two fellow cops (one his boss), cliched sorts with little interest in solving crimes. Despite them, he unravels an over-complex one tonight.
4) MORE: You can cats\ch two of the all-time best Disney cartoons — “Toy Story” (1995), from 7-8:30 p.m. on the Disney Channel, and “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), at 9:03 on ABC. And the premium channels are busy — the season’s first episode of “Institute” (9 p.m., MGM) and second of “Dexter: Resurrection” (8, Showtime) and “The Gilded Age” (9, HBO).
5) ALSO: We just needed to mention this: On Monday, a clever episode of “The Rise and Fall of Reggie Dinkins” wanted to depict a truly lame-brained TV episode; it shows one in which a father and son switch bodies. Before that, tonight’s “Grimsburg” (9:30, Fox) has a father and son switching bodies.