1) “Empire” return, 9 p.m., Fox. For six seasons, “Empire” has had an odd mix – great music and messy, over-the top soap opera. For this final season, it aired 10 episodes, then took an 11-week break; now it’s back for its last 10. Fox says only that there’s a “shocking revelation” tonight; there usually is. It implies that a death shakes the Lyon family; also, Andre (Trai Byers, shown here, center) makes an important decision. Read more…
1) “Breeders” debut, 10-11:14 p.m., FX, rerunning at 11:14. Paul and Ally (Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard, shown here) are your basic Britishers, with decent jobs, a nice home and two noisy children. And at times, they teeter close to madness. In the first of these two hilarious episodes, they can’t get the kids or themselves to sleep; in the second, they scheme to get the kids into the best school. They also confront his clueless parents, her careless dad (Michael McKean) and Paul’s failure to pursue his childhood dreams. Read more…
1) “Dispatches From Elsewhere” debut, 10 p.m., AMC. Peter leads an unchallenging (and unfulfilling) life, with no significant human contact. He visits a therapist weekly because it’s free and he should talk to someone; still, he has nothing to tell her. Then he’s lured into a bizarre adventure. This is an odd tale, compelling and confounding. Jason Segel (shown here), who skillfully directed and co-wrote the opener, stars alongside Oscar-winner Sally Field, rapper/actor Andre Benjamin and trans actress Eve Lindley. Read more…
1) “Seven Worlds, One Planet” finale, 9 p.m. ET, BBC America and IFC; 9 p.m., AMC and Sundance; also, 12:30 a.m. ET, BBC America. Most nature shows start in Africa; this gorgeous seven-parter ends there. We see chimps fashioning hammers to crack nuts … And a cheetah team (shown here) with a well-plotted attack … And tiny birds living on giraffes, to feast on fleas and ticks. There’s also grim news about poachers and about reduced habitat; David Attenborough, 93, meets the only two survivors from a rhino sub-species. Read more…
1) “Country Music: Live at Ryman.” 9-11 p.m., PBS (check local listings). Here’s a rerun of a superb concert. Last fall, it preceded Ken Burns’ “Country Music” series, offering great moments. There’s jet-paced instrumental work from Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart (shown here), Vince Gill and more, plus deep emotion – a Johnny Cash song by his daughter Roseanne … a Hank Williams one by his granddaughter Holly … “I Will Always Love You” by Gill … and “Crazy,” sung with stunning power by Rhiannon Giddens. Read more…
1) “Grey’s Anatomy,” 9 p.m., ABC. For four straight weeks, ABC says, this has been Thursday’s most-watched show … if you stick to ages 18-49 and include three days of delayed viewing. The network’s entire night – “Station 19” at 8 p.m., “A Million Little Things” at 10 – does well with young adults. This “Grey’s” should continue that: During a blizzard, Dr. DeLuca (Giacomo Gianniotti, shown here in a previous episode) volunteers for a life-threatening task, startling Meredith and his sister Carina Read more…
1) “Good Trouble,” 10 p.m., Freeform. What began as a romp – two foster sisters, starting their big-city lives – has become intense … and surprisingly well-played. Tonight, that starts in the lush penthouse where Callie lives with her boyfriend (shown here in a previous episode); a crisis arrives. Also, Mariana probes the e-mail that alleges reverse-sexism at work … Malika is squeezed by family pain … Gael shares his anguish … and Alice finds a brew of sex, comedy and competition. That sounds like a lot, but the writing and the young actors show subtle skill. Read more…
1) “American Masters,” 9-11 p.m., PBS. For starters, this has a glorious soundtrack. Miles Davis (shown here) plays turbo-charged bebop music … then his own, subtler sound … then fusion and more. Alongside that is a life filled with fascinating detours. The son of a prosperous Midwestern dentist, Davis went to New York. He had three marriages, two addictions, one five-year gap. But he kept having comebacks, fueled by talent and creativity. It’s a sprawling story that director Stanley Nelson tells beautifully. Read more…
1) “The Voice” opener, 8-10 p.m., NBC. Blake Shelton is on his own this time. He’s always been able to bounce his jibes off his friend Adam Levine and/or his mate Gwen Stefani. Now neither is here; this is the fifth edition for Kelly Clarkson, third for John Legend and first for Nick Jonas. At first, the two pals dominated; in 13 editions, Shelton — shown here surrounded by Jonas adoration — had six winners and Levine had three. Then Clarkson arrived, winning three of four. Legend also won as a first-timer … which is a good sign for Jonas. Read more…
1) “Better Call Saul” season-opener, 10:05 p.m, AMC. As its fifth season begins, this show wallows in weirdness. Before the opening titles, it has a 13-minute, black-and-white stretch with the former “Saul” hiding out as a mall Cinnabon worker. Then it bounces back to Jimmy (Bob Odenkirk, shown here in a previous episode); he’s molding his identity as Saul, the fast-talking, low-budget lawyer for the guilty, while his wiser girlfriend tries to rein him in. There’s more here, involving Gustavo and drug deals. Much of it disconnected, most is fascinating. Read more…
