1) “Elsbeth,” 10 p.m., CBS. Airing on Halloween eve, this show amps up its oddness. A neighborhood trick-or-treat night has gone (very) wrong. Elsbeth is on the case — but wants to wear costumes all week; she’s into “My Fair Lady,” ranging from ragged-flower-girl to (shown here) belle-of-the-ball. It’s a fairly good hour, with Annaleigh Ashford as guest star. Read more…
When the holiday season ends, ABC’s schedule will see some sharp changes:
— “American Idol” will be back … but only on Mondays. And this season’s “Hollywood Week” will be in Nashville, 2,004 miles from Hollywood.
— The long-delayed “Bachelorette” season will finally arrive in March … taking the Sunday spot that used to belong to “Idol.”
— There will finally be a full night of dramas on Tuesdays, with “Will Trent” (shown here) and “The Rookie” starting their seasons. Read more…
1) “Shifting Gears,” 8 p.m., ABC. On Halloween (shown here), plans grow. Recalling the wild days of her youth, Riley invites Gabe and Stitch to a party. Her dad invites Eve to the house … but frets when she wants it to be a sleepover. Read more…
Life gets hectic in the fictional world of Edgewater.
Fires are fought, marijuana is grown, laws are broken. But alongside that are sturdy, everyday people and serene scenery.
That’s the setting for “Sheriff Country” (shown here) and “Fire Country,” at 8 and 9 p.m. Fridays on CBS. Both are from actor-writer Max Thieriot.
“What really inspired me to create ‘Fire Country’ was this opportunity to tell a story rooted in the community I grew up in,” Thieriot said by Zoom. “It’s about resilience, redemption, the human spirit.” Plus messier things. Read more…
1) “NCIS: Origins,” 9 p.m., CBS. This prequel series adds an early version of “Ducky” Mallard (shown here, left), the “NCIS” medical examiner. It also has a nod to David McCallum, who played Dr. Mallard for 20 years, until his death in 2023, at 90. McCallum was also a musician, son of the London Philharmonic’s top violinist. His instrumental is featured here. Read more…
1) World Series, 8 p.m. ET, Fox, with pre-game at 7. The Toronto Blue Jays (shown here) hosted the first two games. Now the best-of-seven series move to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for games today, Tuesday and (if needed) Wednesday. If needed, it returns to Toronto on Friday and Saturday. Today’s game collides with football on ABC, with the Commanders (3-4) and Chiefs (4-3). Read more…
So there we were in 1984, at a Television Critics Association session.
Jac Venza, founder of PBS’ “Great Performances” series, was talking about its latest “Dance in America” special. It had “A Song For Dead Warriors,” by the San Francisco Ballet.
And, Venza told us proudly, we might be familiar with the composer, Charles Fox. He wrote the theme song for “The Love Boat.”
At this point, we promptly did what critics do. We moaned, groaned and offered a general air of derision … before Venza could continue: “And here he is: Charles Fox.” Read more…
As “Kissinger” sprawls across two nights on PBS, an irony appears.
The documentary (9-10:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 27-28) includes Richard Nixon’s unsuccessful efforts to plug leaks and muzzle the press. Agents tapped reporters’ homes, reporting on mundane conversations.
And now, 50-some years later? This film is sort of the last survivor of a successful muzzling.
Bitter about PBS’ occasional news coverage, Donald Trump stripped away all of its federal funding. That left producers scrambling; the acclaimed “American Experience” series was suspended.
Its final shows (for now) were last month’s “Hard Hat Riot” and, now, a profile of Henry Kissinger (shown here). Others in the works — including ones about the national highway system and the GI Bill — are in limbo. Read more…
1) “Talamasca” openers, 9 and 10:14 p.m., AMC; also 11:17 and 12:31. Far from her “Downton Abbey” world, Elizabeth McGovern plays a recruiter for a secret group that tries to control supernatural forces. Now she eyes a brilliant and tormented young man (they’re shown here). This Anne Rice spin-off evolves way too slowly, but it’s beautifully written, acted and filmed. Read more…
There’s good news for fans of tough, taut drama:
“Dark Winds” (shown here) will be back for its fourth season. It arrives earlier than usual (Feb. 15 on the AMC cable channel) and gets its three main characters back together.
Based on Tony Hillerman novels, the show has been produced by the late Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin, the “Games of Thrones” author. In each of its first three seasons, it had a 100-percent score among critics tabulated by Rotten Tomatoes. Read more…
Best-bets for Feb. 6: The games begin 
Best-bets for Feb. 5: fun chefs, serious sports 
Best-bets for Feb. 4: Muppets and talking dogs 
