Mike Hughes on TV

1) “Scream” (1996), 9-11:30 p.m., CBS. We’re starting the final week (at last) before Halloween, with horror films everywhere. CBS has one of the best (airing a tad later than first planned). It began with a clever script from Kevin Williamson (“Dawson’s Creek”); then Wes Craven directed it beautifully, using a talented, young cast. Drew Barrymore has a great prologue; then the main body of the film stars Neve Campbell (shown here), Courteney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, David Arquette, Rose McGowan and more. Read more…

1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. After three straight terrific episodes, “SNL” has a sort of diva summit: Adele (shown here) hosts, with H.E.R. as music guest. It’s the first time Adele has hosted “SNL” (or anything else) and only the third time she’s done the show. The first was on Oct. 18, 2008; she was 20 and Americans were about to elect Barack Obama. Now she’s back, shortly before another election. Read more…

1) “American Masters: Where Now Is,” 9 p.m., PBS. Michael Tilson Thomas was just 24, a California kid descended from cantors and Yiddish-theater stars, when he became assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony. The conductor became ill at intermission and he took over. He became a star … just as Leonard Bernstein once did, in similar circumstances, at 25. Like Bernstein, Thomas (shown here), 75, brings passion and telegenic flair. This film has warm personal moments and others that are mainly for classical buffs. Read more…

1) Presidential debate, 9-10:30 p.m. ET, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and news channels. This final match-up gained extra importance when the previous one was canceled: Unsure if Donald Trump had been infectious during the first face-off, the commission planned a virtual debate from separate locations. Trump refused; he and Joe Biden ended up in simultaneous town halls. Now the two have their second and last confrontation, 12 days before the election; alternatives include football (shown here) and movies. Read more…

1) “The Conners” season-opener, 9 p.m., ABC. No show is better set to view the pandemic’s impact on regular Americans. Since its start (as “Roseanne”) 32 years ago, it’s been about a blue-collar family, just getting by. Now Dan’s construction business is wobbling; so is Jackie’s restaurant and Darlene’s magazine. The sisters — Darlene and Becky (shown here in an earlier episode) — must change their lives again. The result brings a fair amount of laughs, alongside despair and (occasionally) warmth. It offers a flashback – – we even see a young George Clooney – and lets the Conners’ lives go full-circle. Read more…

1) “American Masters: Walter Winchell: The Power of Gossip,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS. An epic story with operatic extremes,this is beautifully told. Growing up poor, Winchell (shown here) left school in 6th grade for vaudeville. He later created a newspaper column and radio show that mixed gossip and news, staccato-style. He was early in attacking Hitler and promoting civil rights; later, however, he became a red-baiter and a Joe McCarthy fan. Long before our time, he savored the impact of insults and innuendo. Read more…