1) “Maigret” season-opener, 9 p.m., PBS. Spotting a troubled young woman. Maigret (shown here) is propelled into a twisty mystery. There’s one flaw: The show takes to extremes the cliche of officials insisting there’s no case here. Still, this is a smart, intense story; it has a final jolt tonight, then concludes next week. Read more…
1) “Newlyweds” debut, 8:30 p.m. Friday, NBC. Two gifted actors (shown here) cover turf they know. Tim Daly and Tea Leoni, 70 and 60, married last year, after a decade together; now they play people who marry quickly. She’s bold and instinctive; he’s not. Their fun world is spiced by his ex-wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) and his assistant (Bill O’Neill, a hilarious newcomer). Read more…
1) Sports overload. The baseball playoffs have Game Five (if needed) of the best-of-seven series with Tampa Bay and Cleveland. That’s 8 p.m. ET on TBS and TruTV, during football’s day. At noon, Fox has a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship (shown here), with Ohio State and Indiana. ABC has Alabama-Tennessee at 3:30 and Notre Dame-Brigham Young at 7:30. Read more…
1) “Rainmaker” season-opener, 10 p.m., USA Network. The first season (shown here) had quick appeal, with Rudy jumping from law school to a ragged little firm, battling the giants. Now that he’s won a big case? The firm is still an underdog, Rudy isn’t and his ex-girlfriend is floundering. A new case is coming, but it doesn’t quite gel in this first hour. Read more…
A great movie career will soon be flashing before us.
That’s when Turner Classic Movies has an Eva Marie Saint marathon. From noon to midnight ET on Oct. 25, it will show five films — including “On the Waterfront” (shown here with Saint and Marlon Brando), one of the best-acted movies ever — and an interview.
And yes, it was a long life. Saint’s death –Oct. 6, at 102 — came 72 years after “Waterfront” drew raves and awards. Read more…
It’s always unfortunate when a bag of blood bursts onto your face.
But when it happens several times in a row? You know you have a rough job.
That’s what happened to Linda Cardellini (shwon here) while filming “Crystal Lake,” which arrives Thursday (Oct. 15) on Peacock. “There were a lot of clean-ups and re-dos,” she said.
The blood — well, fake blood — was supposed to splatter just right, she said. “For it to really have its full impact on my face took a few takes.” Hey, when you sign up for a “Friday the 13th” prequel, you know it could get messy. Read more…
1) “Cupertino,” 10 p.m., CBS. Last week’s debut was terrific, but this episode adds the show’s best (and most enigmatic) character. His name is Bo and we won’t spoil any surprises about him. He’ll pop up a lot in future episodes, which each have a separate story to tell. This one, a dandy, starts with a tech guy (shown here) overwhelmed by a scowling suitcoat row. Read more…
1) “The Lowdown” season-openers, 9 p,m, and 10:11-11:21 p.m, FX. Lee (Ethan Hawke, shown here) isn’t really geared for success. He makes a mess of his award-acceptance speech … and a bigger problem looms. Stumbling toward town is a guy (Tommy Lee Jones) who can disrupt his world. Great actors collide, in a show that’s sometimes overwrought, but mostly compelling. Read more…
1) “NCIS: Origins,” 10 p.m.. CBS. Fans have been waiting for Gibbs (Mark Harmon) to return to civilization.; now he does, briefly: In present day, he asks a favor of Woody (Bobby Moynihan, shown here with Harmon). Then we’re in the “Origins” era, 34 years ago, as people try to save Woody. Playing Casey Bloom is Sean Harmon, who has also played younger versions of his dad. Read more…
1) “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” season-finale, 9 p.m. today, FX. There may be a slasher in Dee’s neighborhood, so she wants the guys to help. (They’re shown here in a previous episode.) They refuse, of course, and plan their own sleepover. Then things build in wild — and, at times, wildly funny — ways. Read more…
Best-bets for Nov. 5: fun with Elsbeth and “Cupertino” 
Best-bets for Nov. 4: a night of emotion and evolution 
Best-bets for Nov. 3: election night … and alternatives 
