Weekly Previews

1) “Rudolph” and “The Grinch,” 8 p.m. today, CBS, and 8 p.m. Thursday, NBC. Two classic cartoons, opposites in style, return. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” debuted in 1964, with stop-motion animation and a casual pace, stretched to an hour; viewers considered it charming. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (shown here) came two years later, with a half-hour of Chuck Jones’ vigorous, movie-style animation. Next month, they’ll be on Freeform and TBS/TNT. Read more…

1) Thanksgiving Day parade (shown here), 8:30 a.m. Thursday, NBC; 9 a.m., CBS. Both networks show the same 12 marching bands, 26 floats (bearing music by Jon Batiste, Chicago, the Muppets and more) and – just before noon – Santa. The difference is in the early part, with Broadway casts. NBC even starts a half-hour early, to squeeze in five musicals (including “Spamalot” and “Back to the Future”), plus the Rockettes. It has a preview hour at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Read more…

1) “NCIS: Sydney” opener, 8 p.m. Tuesday, CBS. Lots of cop cliches are bundled here, but they’re done with crisp skill. There’s the steel-tough beauty (a newer cliché) and the handsome, cocky cop (an older one). They’re loose cannons who battle each other, until authority figures try to smite both. Olivia Swann and Todd Lasance (shown here) lead a first-rate cast. Americans and Aussies merge, for an entertaining blend of action, drama and occasional humor. Read more…

1) Country Music Association awards, 8-11 p.m. Wednesday, ABC. A tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett will be performed by his friends – Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson (shown here with Buffett), Mac McAnally and the Zac Brown Band. Morgan Wallen will do a country medley with Hardy and Post Malone, then return with a surprise guest. Also performing: Luke Bryan (who hosts with Peyton Manning), Kelsea Ballerini, Dan + Shay, Jordan Davis, Ashley McBride and more. Read more…

1) “The Simpsons,” 8 p.m. Sunday, Fox. Once a year, “Simpsons” offers a “Treehouse of Horror,” with three tales that are sometimes witty, sometimes gory, always odd and imaginative. The first 32, plus a special, rerun Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight; No. 33 reran last Sunday and No. 34 (shown here) debuts Sunday (Nov. 5). Its first two tales are fairly good (and quite gory), but the third one is the real gem, offering a world in which everyone has Homer-ic habits. Read more…

1) World Series begins, 5:07 p.m. PT Friday and Saturday, Fox, with pre-game at 4. Baseball (shown here) finally gets the spotlight, continuing on Oct. 30 and 31 and (if needed) Nov. 1, 3 and 4. That’s in a year of surprises: The five teams with the best records imploded in the play-offs, losing 13 of 14 games. In the regular season, four of them had 99 or more wins. By the final round before the Series, none of the survivors had more than 90 regular-season wins. Read more…

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 Read more…

1) “Quantum Leap” season-opener, 8 p.m. Wednesday, NBC. After a good first season, “Leap” started filming this second one before the strikes. It also changed tone: Now Ben (shown here in first season) is stranded, without his fiancee’s hologram to help him. And now there’s humor; he has just crash-landed with a chaotic crew. It’s a sharp hour with excellent guest stars, including the stars of “Manifest” (Melissa Roxburgh) and “Midnight, Texas” (Francois Arnaud). Read more…

1) “The Irrational” debut, 10 p.m. today, NBC. New dramas – scripted ones, on broadcast networks – are rare these days. But this one, which began filming before the strikes, starts well. Jesse L. Martin (shown here) plays a guy who survived a tragedy, then became a behavioral science professor, working with the police. The opening scene is a gem; the case that follows is quite good. Next week’s hour is so-so, but the third bounces back. We’ll keep watching Read more…

1) “Academy of Country Music Honors,” 8-10 p.m. today, Fox. A Black-and-Brown night honors veterans – Clint Black (shown here), Charlie Daniels, Tim McGraw, Mary Chapin Carpenter – and newer arrivals, Kane Brown, Chris Stapleton and Breland. Carly Pearce hosts; the packed line-up has Keith Urban, Lady A, Lee Brice, Trisha Yearwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans, Priscilla Block, Chris Janson, Anne Wilson, Jordan Davis and The War and Treaty. Read more…