TV Best Bets

Sunday, Sept. 25: The Last Man on Earth’s Trouble in Malibu

The Last Man on Earth Season 3 ©2015 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Pamela Littky/FOX

All Times Eastern.

Sunday, Sept. 25

The Last Man on Earth
FOX, 9:30pm
Season Premiere!
In the Season 2 finale, Phil Miller (Will Forte) left his ailing brother in Tucson as hazmat-suit-clad survivors invaded the Malibu beach. Forte teases, “Those people under those hazmat suits could be anybody. And we’re very excited about who’s in there.” Star Kristen Schaal adds, “It doesn’t even have to be a person, you know. It could be like three dogs on top of each other.”

60 Minutes
CBS, 7:30pm
Season Premiere!
The oldest newsmagazine on TV returns for a new season tonight.

Bob’s Burgers: “Flu-ouise”
FOX, 7:30pm
Season Premiere!
When a flu-ridden Louise vows to never forgive her family for a mistake, she falls into a wild fever dream filled with familiar faces, zany musical numbers and a crazy adventure. Amy Schumer lends her voice in the first of three episodes tonight (you’ll also hear her in The Simpsons and Family Guy!)

Once Upon a Time
ABC, 8pm
Season Premiere!
Think outside the box and into a more family-oriented storyline for Emilie de Ravin’s pregnant Belle as the fairy tale favorite drama returns for Season 6.

The Simpsons: “Monty Burns’ Fleeing Circus”
FOX, 8pm
Season Premiere!
After Springfield is burned to the ground, Mr. Burns agrees fund its rebuilding on one condition — he gets to put on a variety show at the Springfield Bowl. Amy Schumer voices Mrs. Burns in her second vocal appearance of the night.

Poldark on Masterpiece
PBS, 8pm
Season Premiere!
Capt. Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after the American Revolution to find that much has changed in his absence.

NCIS: Los Angeles
CBS, 8:30pm
Season Premiere!
In the Season 8 premiere, the NCIS team is under investigation due to the identification of a mole in their department. With their every move being monitored, the team is assigned a case involving a Syrian terrorist.

Son of Zorn: “Defender of Teen Love”
FOX, 8:30pm
Series Premiere!
We caught a sneak peek of the hilarious animation/live-action hybrid a couple weeks ago, but in this “official” premiere, after he embarrasses Alan in front of his crush, Nancy, Zorn uses the Stone of Sight to spy on her.

Secrets and Lies
ABC, 9pm
Season Premiere!
It’s been a long wait for Juliette Lewis’ Detective Andrea Cornell to return, but she’s finally back and with a killer new case. When the wife of Eric Warner (Michael Ealy, The Following), heir to a lucrative private equity firm, is found dead at the very party announcing Eric’s rise to the top, Cornell must unravel the secrets of the Warner family and their intimates, and find out just how close to home Kate Warner’s (Jordana Brewster) killer might be. Terry O’Quinn, Charlie Barnett and Kenny Johnson costar.

Fear the Walking Dead: “Date of Death”
AMC, 9pm
As refugees flood into the hotel — including a surprise, but familiar, arrival — Madison (Kim Dickens) struggles to cope with the situation.

Family Guy: The Boys in the Band”
FOX, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Stewie and Brian form a children’s band that quickly rises to fame until a girl gets between them and drives the band apart. Amy Schumer completes her trifecta of animation appearances, and we wonder if she’ll appear as the kiddy band’s Yoko Ono.

Quantico
ABC, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Will Alex (Priyanka Chopra) take Henry Czerny’s CIA honcho Matthew Keyes up on his offer to join the CIA? And what will happen with her and Ryan as thrill-seeking photojournalist León Valez (telenovela hunk Aarón Díaz) enters the picture? Blair Underwood also joins the cast as CIA officer Owen Hall, whose charm may hide ulterior motives.

Masterpiece Classic: “Indian Summers Season 2”
PBS, 10pm
Sooni and Ian compare notes to solve the mystery of Kaira’s murder. Aafrin intrudes on a domestic scene. The Maharajah arrives with his latest flame, a familiar face.

Monday, Sept. 26

The Voice: “The Blind Auditions, Part 3”
NBC, 8pm
Fresh off last week’s Emmy win as Outstanding Reality-Competition Series, the show continues its blind auditions portion of the new season, with Part 4 of the auditions airing tomorrow night.

The Big Bang Theory: “The Military Miniaturization”
CBS, 8pm
In the new episode “The Military Miniaturization,” Air Force Col. Williams (guest star Dean Norris) from the Department of Materiel Command sits down to talk with Wolowitz (Simon Helberg).

NFL Football: Atlanta at New Orleans
ESPN, 8:15pm Live
NFC South foes fight it out at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans as the Atlanta Falcons face the Saints on Monday Night Football.

Kevin Can Wait: “Sleep Disorder”
CBS, 8:30pm
In the new episode “Sleep Disorder,” Kevin (Kevin James) rearranges the house to his liking after his buddies convince him that Donna (Erinn Hayes) makes all their decisions.

PBS Newshour Presidential Debate
PBS, 9pm Live
Live coverage and analysis of the presidential candidates’ debate.

Tuesday, Sept. 27

NCIS: “Being Bad”
CBS, 8pm
NCIS uncovers a bomb plot and a long-running theft ring while investigating a death at a Quantico reunion in the new episode “Being Bad.”

Bull: “The Woman in 8D”
CBS, 9pm
In the new episode “The Woman in 8D,” Dr. Jason Bull (Michael Weatherly) and his Trial Analysis Corporation (TAC) team must formulate a new defense strategy when they discover the jury has a subconscious gender bias toward their client, a female pilot accused of negligence after one of her flights crashes.

MadTV
The CW, 9pm
Season Finale!
Original MadTV cast members Will Sasso and Bobby Lee guest-star in the sketch comedy series with fresh-faced performers Carlie Craig, Chelsea Davison, Jeremy D. Howard, Amir K, Lyric Lewis, Piotr Michael, Michelle Ortiz and Adam Ray.

Scream Queens: “Warts and All”
FOX, 9pm
Guest Star Alert!
Colton Haynes plays a patient with a hideous aliment who comes to the hospital searching for a cure, but finds love instead.

Frontline: “The Choice 2016”
PBS, 9pm
Investigate where the two presidential candidates came from, how they lead and why they want to take on one of the most difficult jobs imaginable. Examine formative moments in their lives through interviews with those who know them best.

NCIS: New Orleans: “Suspicious Minds”
CBS, 10pm
Pride (Scott Bakula) faces further backlash from the FBI when he helps former Navy Intelligence Analyst Elvis Bertrand (guest star Tom Arnold), the lead suspect in a multiple homicide case, in the new episode “Suspicious Minds.”

This Is Us: “The Big Three”
NBC, 10pm
Kate (Chrissy Metz) is working hard to shed her unwanted pounds as she continues to struggle with impatience and discouragement. She receives support from her new boyfriend, Toby (Chris Sullivan), as he helps her let loose and enjoy herself. Meanwhile, Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) begins to question the motives of Randall’s (Sterling K. Brown) biological father, William (Ron Cephas Jones), and takes action in getting answers on his activities.

Aftermath
Syfy, 10pm
New Series!
James Tupper and Anne Heche star in this series, which follows the Copeland family (parents Karen and Joshua, and their children Dana, Brianna and Matt) as they battle for survival when civilization comes to an apocalyptic end, triggered by massive storms, meteor strikes, earthquakes, a plague — and the rise of supernatural creatures.

Drunk History
Comedy Central, 10:30pm
Season Premiere!
Raise a glass and toast to a new season of Comedy Central’s Drunk History. Season 4 features Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda narrating the rivalry between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. Other guests this season include Billie Joe Armstrong, Steve Berg, Rachel Bilson, Paget Brewster, Michael Cera, Josh Charles, Kat Dennings, Ben Folds, Dave Grohl, Tony Hale, Ed Helms, David Koechner, Jack McBrayer, Allan McLeod, Thomas Middleditch, Elizabeth Olsen, Busy Philipps, Aubrey Plaza, Ronda Rousey, Liev Schreiber, Mae Whitman and more.

Star Plates
Food Network, 11pm
New Series!
Celebrities (A-list ones!) take over the grilling, sautéing and flambéing at their favorite restaurants — with a little help from the venues’ famous chefs, of course. First up, Mindy Kaling learns to make the Fried Bird Royale with Top Chef Masters winner Marcus Samuelsson at Red Rooster in Harlem.

Wednesday, Sept. 28

Survivor
CBS, 8pm
Considering the theme for the latest season of Survivor is Millennials vs. Gen X, it would be understandable if host Jeff Probst, 54, found himself a tad biased. “I’m a Gen Xer myself, so initially when I saw the Millennials, I was like, ‘Look at these cute little upstarts; they have no idea,’” he says. But that mentality proved to be short-lived. “As the show got going, I realized that it was the Millennials I had the most to learn from. With the Gen Xers, I found myself thinking, ‘Do I sound like you guys? Because you guys sound old!’” Of course, eventually the tribes (and their varying skill sets) will have to merge, leaving just one contestant of indeterminate vintage to be awarded the $1 million prize and title of Sole Survivor. Says Probst, “What we’ve seen from the past 32 seasons of doing this is that anyone — smart, dumb, fat, skinny, young or old — can win.”

Blindspot: “Hero Fears Imminent Rot”
NBC, 8pm
Weller (Sullivan Stapleton) and the team must race the clock to stop a series of escalating New York City bombings, while Jane (Jaimie Alexander) is forced to go on an assassination mission to prove her loyalty — or suffer the consequences.

Speechless: N-E-NEW A-I-DE”
ABC, 8:30pm
Maya (Minnie Driver) struggles as Kenneth (Cedric Yarborough) takes over as JJ’s self-selected, full-time aide. Loving his new freedom, JJ (Micah Fowler) blows off a physical therapy appointment, which Maya blames on Kenneth as an excuse to fire him. Meanwhile, Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) instructs Dylan (Kyla Kennedy) in the DiMeo family way of dealing with neighbors.

Criminal Minds
CBS, 9pm
Season Premiere!
In the new season, Adam Rodriguez joins the cast as Luke Alvez, a new recruit to the BAU from the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force tasked with helping to capture one of the escaped killers from last season.

Empire: “Sin That Amends”
FOX, 9pm
Guest Star Alert!
Taye Diggs plays a businessman with whom Jamal teams up to host a summit for gun violence awareness. But when Jamal tries to perform for the first time since being shot, things don’t go as planned.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: “Making a Rapist”
NBC, 9pm
After 16 years in prison, a convicted rapist (guest star Henry Thomas) is exonerated due to newly tested DNA evidence. But only a day later, Fin (Ice T) is called to the scene of a shocking crime and must once again investigate the whereabouts of the man he arrested years ago.

black-ish: “God”
ABC, 9:30pm
When Dre (Anthony Anderson) discovers that Zoey (Yara Shahidi) questions her belief in God, he suffers his own crisis of faith and turns to family members and coworkers for their input on how to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, Bow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) brother Johan (new cast member Daveed Diggs, Hamilton) comes to stay with the Johnsons after living abroad and becomes an instant thorn in his brother-in-law’s side. “We’ve been working a week and a half, and the sucker has not worn a full shirt the entire time he has been on it,” Anderson joked of his new costar at the Television Critics Association press tour. “He’s been wearing these tank tops, and he smells like frankincense and myrrh, and he comes to work with Le Vian conditioner in his hair. That’s the kind of person that we are dealing with.

Chicago P.D.: “Made a Wrong Turn”
NBC, 10pm
When a call comes in reporting a car being stripped, Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Tay (guest star Li Jun Li) respond and discover a badly beaten young man whose fiancée has gone missing. Fearing a public relations nightmare, Voight (Jason Beghe) and the team are on their best behavior as they search for answers and the missing woman. At the same time, Lindsay (Sophia Bush) surprises Halsted (Jesse Lee Soffer) with a big question.

Designated Survivor: “The First Day”
ABC, 10pm
Hours after the attack on the Capitol, and in the midst of chaos and confusion, President Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) steps into his role as Commander-in-Chief. Facing dangerous new challenges and adversaries, Kirkman struggles to keep the nation together. Virginia Madsen guest-stars as Congresswoman Kimble Hookstraten, the “designated survivor” from Kirkman’s rival political party.

The World’s Greatest Tribute Bands
AXS TV, 10pm Live
The Beach Boys are the subject of tonight’s tribute as the live concert series continues.

Code Black
CBS, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Rob Lowe joins the cast as Col. Ethan Willis, who is tasked with schooling the Angels Memorial docs about combat medicine and finds an ally in Dr. Rorish (Marcia Gay Harden). Boris Kodjoe, now a series regular, returns as Dr. Will Campbell, an egotistical but brilliant surgeon.

Cutthroat Kitchen: Tournament of Terror
Food Network, 10pm
Host Alton Brown scares up a new batch of sabotages in this five-episode, Halloween-inspired tournament that lends new meaning to “trick or treat.”

India: Nature’s Wonderland
PBS, 10pm
In the final part of this two-part series, continue exploring India and meet a man who spent 30 years planting his own rainforest. On the way, encounter demoiselle cranes, tahr goats, one-horned rhinos, the tiny pika and lion-tailed macaques. Witness the mass hatching of olive ridley sea turtles.

Younger
TV Land, 10pm
Season Premiere!
TV Land’s comedy Younger returns for Season 3 tonight, continuing the adventures of 40-year-old Liza (Sutton Foster) posing as a 20-something. The series also stars Hilary Duff, Debi Mazar, Miriam Shor, Nico Tortorella, Peter Hermann and Molly Bernard.

Impastor
TV Land, 10:30pm
Season Premiere!
Season 2 of Impastor finds Buddy’s (Michael Rosenbaum) life hanging in the balance as he tries to escape capture from both the police and a dangerous criminal from his past — all while keeping up his masquerade as a man of the cloth.

Thursday, Sept. 29

Grey’s Anatomy: “Catastrophe and the Cure”
ABC, 8pm
As Alex (Justin Chambers) deals with the fallout from his actions, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) ponders her loyalties. Newlyweds Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) host a dinner party with unlikely guests. Jackson (Jesse Williams) proposes an arrangement to help April (Sarah Drew) with her recovery.

College Football
ESPN & FS1, beginning at 8pm Live
Thursday primetime college football has the UConn Huskies at the Houston Cougars (ESPN) and the Kansas Jayhawks at the Texas Tech Red Raiders (FS1).

Superstore: “Back to Work”
NBC, 8pm
Jeff (recurring guest star Michael Bunin), the district manager from corporate, tells the Cloud 9 employees he is going to be around for the day to see what can be improved in the store. Amy (America Ferrera) tries to impress him with a perfect day, but a workplace accident threatens her plan.

NFL Football: Miami at Cincinnati
NFL Network, 8:25pm Live
Thursday Night Football heads to Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati as the Bengals welcome the Miami Dolphins.

The Good Place: “Jason Mendoza”
NBC, 8:30pm
Eleanor (Kristen Bell) faces her toughest test yet in her attempt to remain in hiding. Meanwhile, Michael (Ted Danson) enlists Tahani (Jameela Jamil) to help a fellow neighbor fulfill her true purpose.

Notorious: “The Perp Walk”
ABC, 9pm
As Sarah’s (Dilshad Vadsaria) funeral approaches, Jake’s (Daniel Sunjata) emotions may cloud his ability to defend an out-of-control Oscar (Kevin Zegers) and protect him from the press. Julia (Piper Perabo) wants to hunt down Sarah’s brother — her only living family member — not only to give the murdered woman a voice, but also to get the scoop on an alleged family argument. In the meantime, Jake takes on a baby’s kidnapping, and the mother’s appearance on LHL uncovers an unexpected lead. And Sean “Diddy” Combs drops by LHL to see his friend Louise Herrick (Kate Jennings Grant).

Chicago Med: “Win Loss”
NBC, 9pm
Dr. Manning (Torrey DeVitto) and Dr. Rhodes (Colin Donnell) separately treat complicated cases involving sick babies, only to uncover that the two cases could actually be intertwined. Elsewhere, Dr. Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) and Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt) treat a homeless man with an upbeat disposition who sheds some valuable insight that prompts one of the doctors to learn a thing or two along the way.

How to Get Away with Murder: There Are Worse Things Than Murder”
ABC, 10pm
With her job on the line, Annalise (Emmy nominee Viola Davis) readies for battle with the Middleton University board. Meanwhile, secrets are exposed as the Keating 5 compete for the case of a battered woman accused of killing her husband.

Better Things: “Woman Is the Something of the Something”
FX, 10pm
We’re guessing that the “something” and the “something” from the title of this new episode are “fairer” and “sex,” since the plot involves someone really checking out Sam (Pamela Adlon).

The Blacklist: “Mato”
NBC, 10pm
Red (James Spader) enlists Tom and the task force to help track a notorious bounty hunter who may know Alexander Kirk’s next move. Meanwhile, Liz (Megan Boone) struggles to decide if Kirk is trustworthy.

Friday, Sept. 30

Marvel’s Luke Cage
Netflix
New Series!
The third series in what will lead to a team-up of heroes in the future show The Defenders shows us how Luke Cage (Mike Colter), introduced in Marvel’s Jessica Jones last year, got his powers and grows to defend his adopted hometown of Harlem. Alfre Woodard, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Frank Whaley and Rosario Dawson also star.

Amanda Knox
Netflix
Was she a coldblooded psychopath who brutally murdered her roommate or a naive student abroad trapped in an endless nightmare? This documentary explores the notorious case that made headlines around the world.

Golf: 2016 Ryder Cup, Day 1
Golf Channel, 8:30am Live
Golf’s premier match-play tournament comes to Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., as the U.S. team takes on the European team for the 41st Ryder Cup. Davis Love III captains the U.S. team that is likely to include Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka and Zach Johnson. Darren Clarke captains the European squad, which is likely to include Rory McIlroy, Danny Willett, Henrik Stenson, Chris Wood and Andy Sullivan. Europe has won the past three Ryder Cups. Golf Channel and NBC air the tournament through Sunday.

MacGyver: “Metal Saw”
CBS, 8pm
MacGyver (Lucas Till) and the team attempt to rescue Sarah (guest star Amy Acker), Jack’s (George Eads) former CIA partner/ex-girlfriend who went missing in Venezuela after she obtained evidence to take down an international arms dealer, in the new episode “Metal Saw.”

Dr. Ken: Ken and Allison Share a Patient”
ABC, 8:30pm
Allison’s (Suzy Nakamura) first day on the job at Welltopia leads to a competition with Ken (Ken Jeong) to correctly diagnosis a patient. After Damona (Tisha Campbell-Martin) introduces her new beau to the team, Pat (Dave Foley) surprises everyone with the announcement that he’s also dating someone. Meanwhile, Dave’s (Albert Tsai) nerves over the first day of middle school lead him to D.K. (Dana Lee) for help reinventing his image.

Hawaii Five-0: “No Ke Ali’i Wahine A Me Ka ’Aina (For Queen and Country)”
CBS, 9pm
In this new episode, Five-0 must work with rogue MI-6 agent Harry Langford (guest star Chris Vance) to find a terrorist planning to cause nuclear reactors across Europe to melt down.

America Divided
EPIX, 9pm
New Series!
This timely documentary series executive-produced by Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes and Common features narratives woven into an eight-story, five-part exploration of America’s startling rise in inequality, financial and otherwise. With each story hosted by a different personality, America Divided ranges in topic from policing and mass incarceration, to the Flint water crisis, to money in politics and voting rights, to more subjects you may not see often on the nightly news. Episodes are hosted by Lear, Common, Rosario Dawson, America Ferrera, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Poehler, Peter Sarsgaard and Jesse Williams.

College Football
ESPN & ESPN2, beginning at 9pm Live
The Stanford Cardinal visit the Washington Huskies (ESPN) and the Toledo Rockets head to Provo, Utah, for a meeting with the BYU Cougars (ESPN2) in Friday night college football action.

The Exorcist: “Chapter Two: Lupus in Fabula”
FOX,
9pm
While Bishop Egan denies Tomas permission to perform the exorcism on Angela’s daughter, Father Marcus breaks out of Saint Aquinas and joins forces with Tomas. And when Marcus catches Angela stealing holy water, he instructs her on how to use it. Elsewhere in Chicago, a series of bizarre ritual killings take place.

Great Performances: “Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2016”
PBS, 9pm
Semyon Bychkov conducts the Vienna Philharmonic at Austria’s imperial Schönbrunn Palace. The mostly French program includes works by Bizet, Poulenc, Ravel, Offenbach and Johann Strauss II, with performances by French piano duo Katia and Marielle Labèque.

Z Nation: “Murphy’s Miracle”
Syfy, 9pm
Warren and team encounter the sole inhabitant of a strange town, while Murphy begins his new mission.

Van Helsing: “Stay Inside”
Syfy, 10pm
When the hospital’s power source is damaged, Vanessa and the survivors only have three hours of reserve power for the UV lights, the only thing keeping the vampires at bay. While Vanessa and Axel head into the ruins of Seattle to scavenge parts, the others are left to fight — both against the vampires and among themselves.

Saturday, Oct. 1

Transformers Rescue Bots: “A Brush With Danger”
Discovery Family Channel, 8:30am
In the animated series’ 100th episode, Kade’s idol, a pompous movie star, causes
trouble for the Rescue Team, who is trying to solve a series of mysterious break-ins.

Golf: 2016 Ryder Cup, Day 2
NBC, 9am Live
Golf’s premier match-play tournament continues with Day 2 from Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., as the U.S. team takes on the European team for the 41st Ryder Cup.

Octoberfest
Comedy Central, beginning at 1:30pm
Hoist a stein and celebrate Octoberfest on Comedy Central with four great episodes of Drunk History followed by two airings of the 2006 comedy film Beerfest.

Man of Steel
FXX, 8pm
Director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) offers a darker, moodier take on Superman’s origin story in this 2013 action flick that has Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) battling General Zod (Michael Shannon), a maniacal refugee from his home planet of Krypton. Russell Crowe also stars.

Love on a Limb
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Aimie Roarke (Ashley Williams) is always up for a cause, whether it’s helping a local animal shelter or hosting a bake sale for the fire department. When the town’s beloved oak tree is set to be cut down, she takes it upon herself to try to save it — by chaining herself to it. Trevor Donovan and Marilu Henner also star.

The Crooked Man
Syfy, 9pm
Original Film!
Singing a nursery rhyme summons a demonic figure known as Crooked Man. Once you sing the rhyme, everyone in the house is cursed to die by his hands. Michael Jai White and Amber Benson star in this chiller.

True Nightmares
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Hosted by Todd Robbins, Season 2 of this series brings to life the true stories that spawn hair-raising tales of the boogeyman, the monster under the bed and other urban legends.

Versailles
Ovation, 10pm
New Series!
This Anglo-French production is the most expensive series ever produced in France, and it chronicles one of that country’s most legendary figures — King Louis XIV (George Blagden) — and his vision of building the most beautiful palace in Europe and seizing absolute control of France and his enemies. In the premiere episode, “Welcome to Versailles,” the year is 1667 and the proud Louis seeks to stamp his authority on court and country, but faces resistance and betrayal, even from those closest to him. This is followed by Episode 2, “I Am the State.”

Saturday Night Live
NBC, 11:30pm Live
Season Premiere!
The iconic variety-sketch series returns for its 42nd season with three new cast members: Mikey Day, Alex Moffat and Melissa Villaseñor, who join the show as featured players.