Daily Best Bets

1) “The American Soldier,” 8-10:05 p.m. today, History; also, 12:03 a.m. On Veterans Day, here’s Read more…

1) “Yellowstone” (shown here), 8 p.m., Paramount Network; 10 p.m., CBS. It’s been quite a ride for this modern western. With sharp dialog and expansive settings, it leaped to No. 1 in the ratings. Then came strikes and Kevin Costner’s movie schedule. After a 22-month gap, this starts its final six episodes. Paramount reruns the season’s previous ones, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Read more…

1) Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. Back in 2020, “SNL” was trying to bounce back after a Covid-hampered season. Chris Rock hosted the season-opener, but Bill Burr – who’d never done it before – had the second episode (shown here). Now Burr has his second turn – a difficult, post-election task. The music guest is Mk.gee. Read more…

1) “Happy’s Place,” 8 p.m., NBC. One story puts the show’s best characters — Bobbie (Reba McEntire, right) and the bar’s cook (Rex Linn) in a fishing cabin. The other pairs the worst characters, Bobbie’s half-sister (left) and the bartender. The resulting episode – no surprise here – is half-good. Read more…

1) “Grey’s Anatomy,” 10 p.m., ABC. After pausing last week for Halloween-night reruns, ABC has new episodes. Here, Mika overloads, after taking time off to be with her sister. (They’re shown here in a previous episode.) Also, Levi faces a huge decision. At 8 p.m., “9-1-1” tries to rescue a toddler stuck in a pipe; at 9,“Doctor “Odyssey” has a wedding cruise financed by a rich family. Read more…

1) “San Diego: America’s Wildest City,” 8 p.m., PBS. Surrounded by mountains, a desert and an ocean, San Diego has rich variety. This lush hour sees whales attack dolphins, a roadrunner stalk hummingbirds. Humans also have an impact: Their garbage attracts coyotes and bobcats; their reservoirs draw grebes (shown here), which seem to walk (or dance) on water. Read more…

1) Election. TV people are quite serious about this one – what with the future of the free world and such. So they’ll start early and stay late. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on PBS; 7 on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox; and 8 on CW. The cable news channels started approximately in July. And yes, we’ll list alternatives, including “Mary Poppins” (shown here). Read more…

1) “What We Do in the Shadows,” 10 p,m., FX. Three weeks from its finale, this terrific show pushes its stories into overdrive. Nandor (shown here, left, in a previous episode) realizes that for a while – well, for centuries – he’s drifted from his role as a great commander. Now he’s organized an army that seems suspiciously invisible. Stick with this episode, because the final minutes pack surprises Read more…

1) “The Simpsons,” 8 p.m., Fox. “Treehouse of Horror” again has three tales – all of them weird and some very funny. The first is timely, as political rage creates red and blue monsters (shown here). The second (a Scrooge take-off) is so-so, but has a funny closing bit. The third is clever (albeit very adult); at the Pants For the Amply Rumped store, Homer gets killer jeans. Read more…

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. John Mulaney (shown here) hosts “SNL,” which is his home turf. He was a writer there for five years, co-creating the Stefon character. Since then, he’s hosted five times (plus five uncredited visits). Chappell Roan has her first time as music guest; her “Midwest Princess” album was No. 2 on the Billboard chart.
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