Niko TaverniseALSO SEE: Your Full 2020 NFL Regular Season TV Schedule
All Times Eastern.
Friday, Oct. 16
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Netflix
Original Film!
Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, Mark Rylance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, William Hurt, Michael Keaton, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Frank Langella star in writer/director Aaron Sorkin’s (The West Wing) film that dramatizes events that occurred at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, when what was meant as a peaceful protest turned into a violent clash with police and the National Guard.
Grand Army
Netflix
New Series!
This series follows five students at the largest public high school in Brooklyn who are taking on our chaotic world as they fight to succeed, survive, wild out, break free and seize the future.
Shark Tank
ABC, 8pm
Season Premiere!
The Sharks are back for a 12th season of giving people from all walks of life the chance to chase the American dream and potentially secure business deals that could make these entrepreneurs into millionaires.
Fright Favorites: “Horror Anthologies”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Long before the American Horror Story TV series, horror movies had a history of dabbling in the anthology format, telling several scary tales in one sitting. Tonight’s Fright Favorites lineup features three of the best. The evening fittingly begins with the granddaddy of horror anthologies — the truly nightmarish 1945 British classic Dead of Night. Also on the lineup are two terrific 1963 anthologies: Vincent Prince in Twice Told Tales, which adapts three gothic stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne; and Italian horror maestro Mario Bava’s Black Sabbath, which presents three terrifying tales introduced by Boris Karloff, with the second story also starring the legendary actor in one of his most chilling performances.
Selling the Big Easy
HGTV, 9pm
In “Neoclassical Revival vs. Bywater Beauty,” an engaged couple wants to sell their properties and buy their first home together. He wants an open concept layout with outdoor cooking space, and she loves old New Orleans architecture and wants something with an old-world feel and updated amenities. Then in “Madisonville Manor vs. Peaceful Palace,” a New Orleans couple is ready to upgrade their home for their family and wants to get the best bang for their buck, which means moving outside the city limits. He’s hoping for outdoor space while she wants an open floor plan that’s great for entertaining.
Great Performances: “Grammy Salute to Music Legends”
PBS, 9pm
Enjoy a starry tribute celebration of Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award winners featuring archival clips and acceptance remarks from the honorees and the artists they have influenced, including Chicago, Roberta Flack, Iggy Pop and more.
Saturday, Oct. 17
College Football: Georgia at Alabama
CBS, 8pm Live
A primetime SEC matchup on CBS has the Georgia Bulldogs on the road against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tuscaloosa’s Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Help! I Wrecked My House: “The Toilet Is Still in the Hallway”
HGTV, 8pm
Martine and Scott recently moved into their midcentury fixer knowing it needed some work. With some past construction experience, Scott convinced Martine he could handle all the remodeling himself. Three months later, the work isn’t finished, and Martine is at her wit’s end. Jasmine rescues them by finishing their bathroom remodel, updating their kitchen and creating the cozy midcentury home that the couple craves.
Singin’ in the Rain
TCM, 8pm
Catch a Classic!
One of the most beloved movie musicals of all time, 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain remains an enjoyable and influential masterpiece nearly 70 years after its premiere. Set during the era when silent movies are giving way to talking pictures, the film follows a dancer turned matinee idol (Gene Kelly) who is caught in the bumpy transition along with his buddy (Golden Globe winner Donald O’Connor), a potential love interest (Debbie Reynolds) and a costar (Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee Jean Hagen). The cast is exceptional, but beyond the fun performances, it’s also worth continuing to marvel at the technical achievement of the film (which was co-directed and -choreographed by Kelly and Stanley Donen), which is especially evident during Kelly’s iconic sequence where he does, in fact, sing (and dance) in the rain.
Sweet Autumn
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!
Maggie, a successful entrepreneur, returns home for a will reading and discovers she’s inherited half of her aunt’s famed maple candy business. What she doesn’t understand is why Aunt Dee’s maple supplier, Dex, inherited the other half. Through a series of letters Aunt Dee left, Maggie and Dex search for the reason behind her aunt’s final wishes. As she and Dex grow closer, Maggie must decide if the life she built is the one she wants. Nikki DeLoach, Andrew Walker and Henriette Ivanans star.
Ghost Nation: “Evil Ink”
Travel Channel, 9pm
Jason, Steve, Dave and Shari head to Deptford, New Jersey, to investigate a tattoo shop where disturbing apparitions, disembodied voices and even physical encounters are threatening the business.
Photo Ark
Nat Geo Wild, 10pm
In this two-part special concluding next Saturday, tag along with National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore on his quest to use the power of photography to inspire people to save species at risk by photographing every species living in the world’s zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. Sartore just recently documented the 10,000th species for the Photo Ark, and he’ll go to great lengths to photograph thousands more, even if it means braving the dense Amazon rainforest and the heights of the Colorado Rockies, or even following a giant armadillo into a bathroom!
Eli Roth’s History of Horror: “Monsters”
AMC, 10pm
Award-winning horror film director, writer, producer and actor Eli Roth explores the history of monster movies and the evolution of special effects technology. But, whatever their size or shape and whatever they represent, for many horror fans monsters are the best part of the genre.
Sunday, Oct. 18
Written on the Wind
TCM, 2:15pm
Catch a Classic!
One of the deliciously soapy and lushly colorful 1950s melodramas for which director Douglas Sirk remains renowned, this 1956 film stars Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominee Robert Stack and Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Dorothy Malone in a tale about self-destructive siblings (Stack and Malone) spoiled by their father’s oil wealth. The film also received an Oscar nomination for its title theme song by Victor Young and Sammy Cahn.
NASCAR Cup Series: Hollywood Casino 400
NBC, 2:30pm Live
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs Round of 8 begins today at Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400.
America’s Funniest Home Videos
ABC, 7pm
Season Premiere!
The longest-running primetime entertainment show in the history of ABC is back for a 31st season of the funniest, most cringeworthy, side-splitting user-submitted home videos.
Supermarket Sweep
ABC, 8pm
New Series!
The classic game show from the ’60s (and later on, the ’90s and early ’00s) is back with Leslie Jones as the host as contestants compete for big money by letting loose in a supermarket. The new version promises some surprises but also all of the good stuff you remember — like the inflatable bonuses!
The Top Ten Revealed: “’90s One-Hit Wonders”
AXS TV, 8pm
Tonight’s episode counts down the most memorable bands that had single hit songs in the 1990s.
The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXXI”
FOX, 8pm
The new “Treehouse of Horror XXXI” Halloween episode features a frightening look at the 2020 election, parodies of animated movies and a 9th birthday Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) just can’t get over.
Renovation, Inc.: “Electric Mishap”
HGTV, 8pm
Bryan and Sarah’s electrician, Paul, faces a huge setback after some wires get cut on the job site. Then, the couple completes renovations for their multi-generational clients.
Who Is Killing the Cheerleaders?
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Ellie (Ella Cannon), a former cheerleader, returns to her high school as a teacher 10 years after she was nearly killed in a series of brutal slayings on the squad. When the attacks start up again shortly after her arrival, she must find the killer before they get to her first.
The Trouble With Maggie Cole
PBS, 8pm
New Series!
A small town’s secrets are revealed by a gossipy gift shop owner (Dawn French) who has one too many gin and tonics in the company of a radio reporter. Nearly everyone in town is impacted by Maggie’s loose-lipped chatter: family, friends, coworkers, neighbors — even the local doctor. As the series unfolds over six episodes, Maggie tries to make amends to those she hurt, and in doing so, learns some real truths about those she cares most about.
NFL Football: L.A. Rams at San Francisco
NBC, 8:20pm Live
NFC West rivals are in action on Sunday Night Football as Jared Goff and the L.A. Rams visit Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to take on Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers.
Rock Legends: “Teen Idols”
AXS TV, 8:30pm
Iconic teeny-bopper favorites Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin and Bobby Vee are spotlighted in this episode.
Bless the Harts: “Dead Mall”
FOX, 8:30pm
In the new Halloween-themed episode “Dead Mall,” the Harts visit Greenpoint’s abandoned mall, which brings back fond memories from the 2000s. But their reminiscing is interrupted when a mall rat named Stacey (guest voice of Kristen Schaal) takes them hostage.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
ABC, 9pm
Season Premiere!
Hosted by late night’s Jimmy Kimmel, this season will feature both celebrity contestants playing for the charity of their choice and frontline heroes trying their hand at a $1 million prize. In addition to lifelines “Ask the Host,” “50/50” and “Phone a Friend,” contestants can invite an expert guest to help them answer questions. It could be a relative, a beloved teacher or a famed trivia expert — anyone they want — to help them win as much money as they can.
Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar: “Training Day”
AXS TV, 9pm
Host Sammy Hagar visits with acclaimed artist Pat Monahan, frontman of the Grammy-winning septet Train.
The Real Housewives of Potomac: “Fully Charged”
Bravo, 9pm
Wendy and her husband Eddie host a “Sip and See” for their baby girl, and extend an invitation to Eddie’s estranged parents. Ashley and Michael seek counseling for their issues, while Karen continues to fight for her marriage. After weeks without an apology from Monique, Candiace decides to take a legal next step, and the possibility of jail time for Monique leaves the rest of the ladies in shock.
Bob’s Burgers: “Heartbreak Hotel-oween”
FOX, 9pm
In the new episode “Heartbreak Hotel-oween,” Louise’s (voice of Kristen Schaal) plan to get revenge on Halloween for a candy transgression hits a snag when the Belcher kids meet a mysterious elderly woman at a hotel.
Flesh and Blood
PBS, 9pm
As Vivien and Mark prepare for a trip to India, Jake gets a hot tip. Helen and Natalie reach crisis points with their partners.
Space Disasters: “First Generation”
Smithsonian Channel, 9pm
New Series!
Witness the tragic launch rehearsal that nearly ended the Apollo Moon Program, the Mir Space Station collision of 1997 and the re-entry failure of the space shuttle Columbia.
Paranormal Caught on Camera: Top 100: “Top 100: 40-21”
Travel Channel, 9pm
As the countdown of the top 100 paranormal encounters of all time continues, Bigfoot terrorizes three kids; an apparition stalks a cheerleader; a UFO is spotted off the coast of Turkey; a doll comes alive in a Nebraska museum; and more.
A Year in Music: “1998”
AXS TV, 9:30pm
Among notable happenings in 1998, pop music debuts “the year of the women,” boy bands are the new norm and a musical icon is knighted by the Queen of England.
Family Guy: “CutawayLand”
FOX, 9:30pm
It’s like the time Family Guy aired a new episode called “CutawayLand.” Peter (voice of Seth MacFarlane) and Lois (voice of Alex Borstein) set up a cutaway gag together, which somehow transports them into the cutaway itself.
Card Sharks
ABC, 10pm
Season Premiere!
In this suspenseful game, the road to glory and riches begins with two players who face off in a head-to-head elimination game with the goal of one player making it to the life-changing money card round, where the winning player has to make gut-wrenching decisions and risk it all to win it all. Ultimately, players can either take their earned cash and quit or continue wagering for a chance to take home a major cash prize.
First Ladies: “Nancy Reagan”
CNN, 10pm
Nancy Reagan is popularly known as the doting wife of President Ronald Reagan, but in reality, she had much more than a supporting role in the first “Hollywood” presidency. From Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for the White House in 1980, to his Cold War-ending triumph in 1987, Nancy Reagan was calling the shots behind the scenes.
Fargo: “The Birthplace of Civilization”
FX, 10pm
In the new episode “The Birthplace of Civilization,” Loy (Chris Rock) finds himself against the ropes and Deafy (Timothy Olyphant) shakes the tree.
Signs of a Psychopath
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Season Finale!
Season 1 of the series that explores the terrifying traits some of the most dangerous killers in modern history exhibited ends with a special one-hour episode.
COBRA
PBS, 10pm
As the country continues to face dark days, the prime minister, Anna, Fraser and their teams pay a visit to the worst affected area. Archie’s rhetoric threatens to cause more problems for everyone.
Darcey & Stacey: “Trouble in Paradise”
TLC, 10pm
Stacey and Florian head to Rhode Island for their mini-moon and invite Darcey and Georgi to join them. When Darcey questions Georgi about another woman, however, a dream vacation turns into a nightmare.
World’s Most Unexplained: “Out of This World”
Travel Channel, 11pm
Experts debate whether spontaneous human combustion is a real medical phenomenon or an unlikely accident. They then investigate a mass sighting of UFOs in a quiet seaside town in 1977.
Monday, Oct. 19
Unsolved Mysteries
Netflix
New Episodes!
Season 1, Volume 2 of the remake of the beloved investigative program will look into more crimes, disappearances and other mysteries.
The Voice
NBC, 8pm
Season Premiere!
The singing competition returns for Season 19 with two-hour episodes tonight and tomorrow night. Beginning next week, the series will air two-hour episodes on Mondays, and hourlong episodes on Tuesdays. This season, Nick Jonas is leaving as judge, while former judge Gwen Stefani steps back on the stage to rejoin Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend.
Star of the Month: Peter Cushing: “Hammer Horrors”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Tonight’s celebration of actor Peter Cushing features a number of films for which he is probably best remembered, titles produced by Britain’s legendary Hammer Studios. The first four films airing tonight feature some of Cushing’s famous pairings with Christopher Lee. Things start with Cushing as Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959). This is followed by Horror of Dracula (1958), the first film to feature Cushing as vampire hunter Van Helsing and Lee as the titular monster. Also on the lineup are Cushing and Lee in The Mummy (1959); The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Hammer’s first color film, which established the “Hammer horror” style, featured Cushing in his first lead role and again paired him with Lee; and more.
Mysteries of the Unknown: “Flight to Freedom, Battle at the Circus and Alaskan Arsonist”
Travel Channel, 8pm
Don Wildman examines one man’s life-threatening attempt to cross the Berlin Wall, a bizarre brawl between traveling clowns and a string of mysterious blazes in an Alaskan town.
L.A.’s Finest: “Déjà Vu”
FOX, 8:15pm
When the past finally catches up with Syd (Gabrielle Union) and McKenna (Jessica Alba), they must pull off a seemingly impossible mission in the new episode “Déjà Vu.”
One Day at a Time
CBS, 9pm
Season 4 episodes of the Pop comedy One Day at a Time continue on CBS with two episodes tonight. In “Boundaries,” Penelope (Justina Machado) talks to her son, Alex (Marcel Ruiz), about human sexuality. Then in “One Halloween at a Time,” the family’s Halloween celebration takes a potentially life-changing turn after Lydia (Rita Moreno) discovers something in the trash.
The Zimmern List: “Memphis”
Cooking Channel, 9pm
Andrew visits Memphis and makes stops at some of the city’s most beloved barbecue joints. Then, he drops by one of America’s most iconic soul food restaurants and visits a joint where Italian and Southern comfort food are combined.
Love It or List It: “Downtown Disconnect”
HGTV, 9pm
A couple with two boys are feeling cramped and want more space to entertain. He hopes David can find a new property with more space for the family, but she loves their neighborhood and feels that Hilary can make their home suit their needs.
Filthy Rich: “Romans 8:30”
FOX, 9:15pm
In the new episode “Romans 8:30,” Rose (Aubrey Dollar) offers the Monreaux home as a safe haven for Ginger (Melia Kreiling) and her mother.
Emergency Call: “Crime Spree”
ABC, 10pm
A frightened mother is faced with an intruder attempting to break into her home and a passerby is threatened by an erratic driver with a handgun who goes on a six-hour crime spree.
Soulmates: “Little Adventures”
AMC, 10pm
In the new episode “Little Adventures,” Libby (Laia Costa) and Adam (Shamier Anderson) have the rules of their open marriage tested when Libby’s soulmate, Miranda (Georgina Campbell), arrives in their lives.
Manhunt: Deadly Games: “Run Rudolph Run”
CBS, 10pm
In the new episode “Run Rudolph Run,” the FBI identifies serial bomber Eric Rudolph (Jack Huston), but Rudolph escapes into the wilderness before agents can apprehend him.
Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations: “Bay Area”
Cooking Channel, 10pm
California’s East Bay area is a thriving multiethnic community. Andrew Zimmern highlights the culinary hot spots where Chinese dim sum, Indian pani puri, American soul food and Mexican tacos are being served up in traditional style.
Enslaved
EPIX, 10pm
Series Finale!
The final episode of this Samuel L. Jackson-led docuseries explores the politics that brought the enslavement of Africans in the West to an end. Diving With a Purpose divers search for The London, a ship that re-enslaved freed Africans from St. Lucia and illegally trafficked them to England.
Killer Carnies
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
New Series!
This limited series unravels stories of violent crime with mysterious ties to carnivals, town fairs or arcades — deceptively cheery places perfectly poised for spine-chilling horror. In the premiere episode, “The Sideshow Murders,” a murder sends shockwaves through the carnival community, and every performer is a suspect. But with the death of Lobster Boy, truths will be revealed, a reign of terror will meet a shocking end and life at the carnival will change forever.
Weakest Link: “Whose Theme Song Is About to Be ‘Bye Bye Bye’?”
NBC, 10pm
Jane Lynch hosts a new episode of this revival of the international game show phenomenon, which moves to its new time slot tonight. Eight strangers work as a team to play a high-stakes game of trivia. They turn on each other to eliminate the weakest in hopes to win up to a $1 million prize.
Independent Lens: “Feels Good Man”
PBS, 10pm
Season Premiere!
Follow artist Matt Furie, creator of the comic character Pepe the Frog, as he begins an uphill battle to take back his iconic cartoon image from those who use it for their own purposes.
Doomsday Caught on Camera: “A Glacier Attacks and More”
Travel Channel, 10pm
A kayaking trip turns deadly when an exploding glacier shoots out shards of ice at killer speeds; a father and daughter face their worst fears as a destructive tornado barrels through their home; and a family is surrounded by furious floodwaters.
Tuesday, Oct. 20
TCM Morning & Afternoon Movies: Screwball Comedies
TCM, beginning at 6:15am
Catch a Classic!
Along with musicals, a dominant movie type in Hollywood during the 1930s and early ’40s was the screwball comedy. Enjoy a number of fine examples from the heyday of this humorous romantic film subgenre today with a nearly 14-hour lineup of films. The marathon refreshingly steers clear of the most obvious screwball comedies that, as good as they are, have probably been seen by classic movie fans many times. TCM offers the chance to potentially discover and enjoy titles like Bette Davis and George Brent in Front Page Woman (1935); Clark Gable and Myrna Loy in Wife vs. Secretary (1936); Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland in Four’s a Crowd (1938); Claudette Colbert and James Stewart in It’s a Wonderful World (1939); and more.
Major League Baseball: World Series: Game 1
FOX, 8pm Live
The short, strange 2020 Major League Baseball season comes to a conclusion with the AL champion vs. the NL champion in the best-of-seven-game World Series.
The Voice: “The Blind Auditions, Part 2”
NBC, 8pm
The Blind Auditions continue as superstar coaches Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani all vie to discover and coach the next singing phenomenon.
Finding Your Roots: “DNA Mysteries”
PBS, 8pm
Henry Louis Gates Jr. uses DNA detective work to solve mysteries in the family trees of actor Téa Leoni and radio host Joe Madison, introducing each of them to parents and grandparents whose names they’ve never heard before.
The Dead Files: “War of the Undead”
Travel Channel, 8pm
Steve and Amy encounter the vengeful ghosts of a home’s bloody past in North Carolina. They then come to the rescue of a Pennsylvania family caught in the paranormal crossfire of warring spirits.
American Masters: “Walter Winchell: The Power of Gossip”
PBS, 9pm
Meet the newspaper columnist, radio commentator and television personality who pioneered the fast-paced, gossip-driven, politically charged journalism that dominates today. At his peak, his audience was 50 million. Stanley Tucci stars as Winchell.
Don’t Be Tardy…: “A Country Ghost Town Jamboree”
Bravo, 10pm
Hold on to your wigs as the Biermanns come face-to-face with ghouls and ghosts in the most haunted house in the country. The only thing scarier for Kim? Dropping her phone in the RV toilet.
Eddie Eats America: “Queens”
Cooking Channel, 10pm
Eddie Hall visits cosmopolitan Queens, New York, to make a solo attempt at a huge Greek kebab banquet, sample the best Chinese dumplings and try his hand at baseball.
Dead Silent: “Quiet the Dogs”
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Season Premiere!
The series that explores how the seemingly idyllic silence of the great outdoors can be the scene of horrific events returns for Season 4. In the premiere, after years of living in Dallas, Connie Hilton and her husband, George Newman, decide it’s time to trade big-city hustle and bustle for the peaceful, wide open spaces of East Texas. With their three beloved dogs in tow, the couple enjoys all the things they love, like gardening, fishing and hunting, from the comfort of their own sprawling backyard. But unbeknownst to them, a looming threat is headed their way, and by the time it reaches Connie and George’s doorstep, it can’t be stopped.
Transplant: “Far From Home”
NBC, 10pm
Bash (Hamza Haq) finds himself dealing with an unexpected turn of events that leaves him and Amira (Sirena Gulamgaus) in a precarious situation. Theo (Jim Watson) grapples with how to handle a close-minded patient at the hospital. Bashir and Mags (Laurence Leboeuf) team up to help a patient from overseas who has made a harrowing journey to Canada for personal reasons.
Wednesday, Oct. 21
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman
Netflix
Season Premiere!
TV legend David Letterman teams up with Dave Chappelle, Robert Downey Jr. and more for a third season of in-depth interviews and curiosity-fueled excursions.
Rebecca
Netflix
Original Film!
This psychological thriller is based on Daphne du Maurier’s beloved 1938 gothic novel. After a whirlwind romance in Monte Carlo with handsome widower Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), a newly married young woman (Lily James) arrives at Manderley, her husband’s imposing family estate on a windswept English coast. Naive and inexperienced, she begins to settle into the trappings of her new life but finds herself battling the shadow of Maxim’s first wife, the elegant and urbane Rebecca, whose haunting legacy is kept alive by Manderley’s sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas).
Children of a Lesser God
TCM, 8:15am
Catch a Classic!
This Oscar-winning 1986 drama is airing in conjunction with TCM’s Women Make Film documentary series. Director Randa Haines’ adaptation of Mark Medoff’s play was the first film directed by a woman to be nominated for Best Picture. It marked the film debut of Marlee Matlin, who became the youngest woman to win a Best Actress Oscar, at age 21, and remains the only deaf person to have won any Oscar. Matlin portrays a custodian at a school for the deaf, whose burgeoning romantic relationship with a hearing speech teacher (Best Actor Oscar nominee William Hurt) becomes rocky due to their differing thoughts on speech and deafness. The film also received Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Piper Laurie) and Best Adapted Screenplay (which original playwright Medoff cowrote with Hesper Anderson).
The Goldbergs
ABC, 8pm
Season Premiere!
In “Airplane!,” Beverly surprises the family with an end-of-summer vacation to Miami with the flight down resembling the classic film Airplane! and Geoff accidentally spills to Erica the real reason for the trip. Then in a second new episode, “The Prettiest Boy in School,” now a senior, Adam returns to William Penn Academy as he wrestles with the fact that he is a cool kid and no longer a nerd while his original friend group isn’t as lucky. Meanwhile, Beverly attempts to have a more grownup relationship with Erica and Barry before they head back to college.
Brother vs. Brother
HGTV, 8pm
“Behind the Battle: Drew” takes a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Drew’s corner chateau, featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews that give fans a brand-new perspective on how the game is really played. Then, the “Behind the Battle: Jonathan” gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Jonathan’s house next door.
The Wall: “Jeremie and Nikki”
NBC, 8pm
The competition series moves to its new night with this episode, in which a couple with four kids from Ocala, Florida — Nikki, a patient service coordinator, and her husband, Jeremie, a deputy sheriff — take on The Wall.
Nature: “Pandas: Born to Be Wild”
PBS, 8pm
Unlock the mysteries of wild pandas whose counterparts in captivity are known for their gentle image. Journey through the steep Qinling Mountains with filmmakers, scientists and rangers to witness pandas’ startling courtship and aggression behaviors.
American Wild Seasons: “Spring”
Smithsonian Channel, 8pm
Follow bursts of wildflowers, buzzing hummingbirds, reptile romances and new births as we explore spring in America.
Paranormal Caught on Camera: “Alaskan Ice Monster, Screams From Beyond and More”
Travel Channel, 8pm
An Alaskan man gets the shock of a lifetime when he witnesses a creature in frozen waters; a marijuana dispensary is haunted by ghosts of the past; bone-chilling shrieks strike fear in a Colombian town; a military radar locks in on UFOs; and more.
The Conners
ABC, 9pm
Season Premiere!
In Season 3, Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky, D.J. and their friends and family will continue to grapple with parenthood, dating, financial pressures and aging in working-class America.
The Real Housewives of Orange County: “Tequila Truth Serum”
Bravo, 9pm
Braunwyn struggles with her identity and worries that her friends won’t stick around now that she’s not “fun” anymore. Gina reveals that she heard Braunwyn made fun of her “small house,” but it turns out she isn’t the only one making disparaging remarks. Gina also brings up the awkward text messages she had with Sean last year. When Emily calls Braunwyn to clarify, she refuses to discuss over the phone. Later, when rumors start to spread, Braunwyn is forced to reveal a secret to Shannon.
Coroner: “CRISPR SISTR”
The CW, 9pm
When Jenny (Serinda Swan) and Donovan (Roger Cross) investigate the death of a lab technician, Jenny’s personal interest in the lab’s research risks getting in the way of the case. Confronted with tragedy, Liam (Éric Bruneau) reaches his breaking point. River (Kiley May) meets her new colleague.
American Ninja Warrior: “Semifinals 2”
NBC, 9pm
The competition series moves to its new time slot with the second and final round of the Semifinals, where competitors will face up to 10 brutal obstacles including the dizzying Corkscrew, the Salmon Ladder and the iconic Warped Wall. Notable competitors include Jessie Graff, Najee Richardson, Joe Moravsky and Meagan Martin.
NOVA: “Touching the Asteroid”
PBS, 9pm
If spacecraft OSIRIS-REx can grab a piece of an asteroid and bring it back to Earth, scientists could gain great insight into our planet’s origins, and even how to defend against rogue asteroids. But NASA only gets three shots at collecting a sample.
Black-ish
ABC, 9:30pm
Season Premiere!
The season premiere episode takes us to the beginning of the global pandemic for the Johnsons. As a first responder, Bow receives her family’s praise for her work. Someone in the household is breaking the lockdown rules.
Paranormal: Captured: “Hell’s House”
Travel Channel, 10pm
Paranormal investigator Danny Moss investigates a haunted house in Middlesbrough, England. Rose grew up in the home, where she witnessed her first ghost at just 7 years old. Her husband, Kevin, was a nonbeliever when she first met him, but since staying at the house, he is a skeptic no longer. Back at the Paranormal: Captured headquarters, footage and stories from around the world are analyzed by the experts.
The Age of Nature: “Understanding”
PBS, 10pm
Explore how a new understanding of nature is helping us find surprising ways to fix it. From the Pacific Northwest to Yellowstone to Scotland, scientists, citizens and activists are restoring the environment, benefiting humans and animals alike.
Thursday, Oct. 22
Cadaver
Netflix
Original Film!
In this Norwegian thriller, a starving family struggling in the wake of a nuclear disaster is lured by the offer of a meal to participate in a play at a hotel, where audience members begin to vanish.
Equal
HBO Max
New Series!
This four-part docuseries pays tribute to the leaders and unsung heroes of the early LGBTQ+ movement.
Roald Dahl’s The Witches
HBO Max
Feature Film Premiere!
Cowriter/director Robert Zemeckis’ reimagining of the classic tale originally brought to the big screen in a beloved 1990 Anjelica Huston-led feature film was itself meant for U.S. theatrical release until the pandemic scrapped those plans (it will be released to international theaters later this month). Zemeckis is joined by producers Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro and cowriter Kenya Barris for this family fantasy/adventure about a young boy who stumbles upon a secret coven of witches and, with the help of his loving grandmother, tries to stop their evil plan to turn the world’s children into mice. The cast includes Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth and Chris Rock, with newcomer Jahzir Bruno as the young hero.
Supernatural: “Drag Me Away (From You)”
The CW, 8pm
Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) are asked to investigate the murder of a childhood friend, calling them back to a motel from their past and perplexing the brothers with a case they thought was solved a long time ago.
Connecting…: “Day 78”
NBC, 8pm
With Memorial Day around the corner, Garret has planned a trip to Big Bear for the group. It will be the getaway they all need, as long as everyone can follow his strict safety guidelines.
The Killers
TCM, 8pm
Catch a Classic!
This 1964 thriller was the second feature film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s classic existential short story (the 1946 version starring Burt Lancaster may be more well-known). Hemingway’s tale has long been praised for the economy of its storytelling, and this film, too — courtesy of Gene L. Coon’s screenplay and Don Siegel’s direction — keeps propelling the action forward. Things begin when two hitmen (portrayed by Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager) arrive at a school seeking a teacher (John Cassavetes), and things only intensify from there. The film is fairly brutal for its time, and anticipates some of the violent action Siegel would also later incorporate in films like Dirty Harry. The Killers was originally intended to be one of the first made-for-TV movies, but NBC deemed it too intense for television, and the film was released to theaters. Also starring Angie Dickinson, Ronald Reagan, Claude Akins and Norman Fell, it remains a noir crime classic on par with the Lancaster-led film.
Third Presidential Debate
Various Networks, 9pm Live
Kristen Welker of NBC News moderates the final preelection debate between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The event is scheduled to be held at Nashville’s Belmont University; as with the other debates, the pandemic could cause cancellation or a change in format.
Ghost Adventures: Screaming Room: “Haunted Kay’s Cross”
Travel Channel, 9pm
Zak Bagans and the guys revisit their investigation of Kay’s Hollow, a former monument plagued by malevolent ceremonies, spirits and otherworldly creatures.
The Killer Beside Me: “Schooled in Murder”
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Season Finale!
In the Season 3 finale, a lunch break devolves into a nightmare for two school secretaries who disappear in broad daylight. One woman is found dead, launching an intense search for her missing friend. As police collect evidence, they suspect the culprit has ties to the school.
My Feet Are Killing Me: First Steps: “The Fungus Among Us”
TLC, 10:30pm
Dr. Brad sees a man whose toenails are so long he can tap dance with them, and Dr. Ebonie has a complicated case of webbed toes and strange bones. Dr. Sarah has a patient with toenails so bad that he uses a hedge clipper to trim them.
Friday, Oct. 23
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Amazon Prime Video
Original Film!
Sacha Baron Cohen is back in this mockumentary follow-up to his 2006 hit, again portraying Kazakhstani news reporter Borat Sagdiyev. Borat’s latest travels across America offer a satiric look into the nation’s culture and politics, and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the Rocks
Apple TV+
Original Film!
Rashida Jones, Bill Murray and Marlon Wayans star in Sofia Coppola’s generation-clash comedy about a father and daughter rediscovering their relationship.
Once Upon a Snowman
Disney+
Original Film!
This short film reveals the previously untold origins of Olaf, the lovable snowman from the Frozen films. Josh Gad returns to voice Olaf.
Bad Hair
Hulu
Original Film!
In this horror satire set in 1989, a young woman (Elle Lorraine) gets a hair weave that may have a mind of its own.
The Queen’s Gambit
Netflix
New Series!
This limited drama series is based on the novel by Walter Tevis. It’s a coming-of-age story that explores the true cost of genius. Abandoned and entrusted to a Kentucky orphanage in the late 1950s, a young Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) discovers an astonishing talent for chess while developing an addiction to tranquilizers provided by the state as a sedative for the children. Haunted by her personal demons and fueled by narcotics and obsession, Beth transforms into an impressively skilled and glamorous outcast while determined to conquer the male-dominated world of competitive chess.
Gold Rush
Discovery Channel, 8pm
Season Premiere!
The all-new season of Discovery’s hit reality series kicks off with a two-hour premiere tonight. Gold miners Parker Schnabel, Tony Beets and Rick Ness take massive gambles this year as they face the worst time crunch ever due to the gold fields opening two months late because of COVID-19. Joining the series this season is ex-special forces medic and greenhorn miner Fred Lewis, who takes his destiny into his own hands as he strikes out with a band of out-of-work veterans in the hopes of hitting it big in the gold fields of Oregon.
Christmas on Ice
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
Courtney Bennett (Abigail Klein), a former U.S. figure skating hopeful, runs the city’s public skating rink, and when the mayor (Will Lyman) announces its closing, Courtney is heartbroken but determined to save it. After Courtney’s attempts to warm the mayor’s Scrooge-like heart fail, she enlists the help of Noah Tremblay (Ryan Cooper), a former professional hockey player and single dad, who owns the new indoor skating center, to help her, and together they find more than just the spirit of holidays on the ice.
Trapped by My Father’s Killer
LMN, 8pm
Original Film!
Five years after her testimony sent Louis (Craig Olejnik) to jail for the murders of her father and her fiancé, Diana (Lindy Booth) returns home to find that he has escaped from prison and has come to confront her. As he holds her captive, Louis tries to convince Diana that he is not guilty of the murders. Diana begins to question what she saw that night as well as her own testimony, while also starting to develop feelings for Louis. As she searches for answers, Diana must decide if Louis really is a cold-blooded killer out for revenge. Or did she send an innocent man to prison?
Fright Favorites: “Creature Features”
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!
Some of the creepiest cinematic creatures of all time star in tonight’s installment of Fright Favorites. Beginning the four-film lineup, you’ll thrill to one of Universal’s last great movie monsters, the Gill-man, in 1954’s iconic and influential Creature From the Black Lagoon. After that, a 28-year-old Steve McQueen portrays one of the teenagers on the run from an all-consuming intergalactic protoplasm in The Blob (1958). Next, William Castle’s gimmicky flick The Tingler (1959) focuses on monsters who feed off fear. The final feature is producer Howard Hawks’ 1951 classic The Thing From Another World, which — though it eschewed the shape-shifting nature of the alien invader featured in the original John W. Campbell novella Who Goes There? and in John Carpenter’s famed 1982 remake The Thing — still ramps up the terror and feelings of isolation faced by a scientific and military team trapped in the Arctic with a deadly extraterrestrial on the loose.
Selling the Big Easy: “The Garden Home vs. Acadian Manor”
HGTV, 9pm
A New Orleans couple with hectic schedules looks for a bigger home with plenty of outdoor space where they can relax after a long day. Later, Brittany and her team hope restaging a stale listing results in a quick sale.
American Masters: “Michael Tilson Thomas: Where Now Is”
PBS, 9pm
Discover the Grammy-winning conductor, pianist and composer. A National Medal of Arts recipient and longtime music director of the San Francisco Symphony, he helped set the standard that an American orchestra should champion modern American music.
Saturday, Oct. 24
Citizen Kane
TCM, 5:45pm
Catch a Classic!
Orson Welles’ 1941 classic is regularly at, or very near, the top of many people’s list of greatest movies of all time, and watching it again (or for the first time) tonight, you will be reminded why. After nearly 80 years, the stunningly original innovation that Welles put into the film’s direction and camerawork, with the help of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Gregg Toland, helps it look like it could have been made in the modern era — it’s easy to forget it was produced in the early ’40s. It’s all the more impressive when you realize that Welles made this masterful, Best Picture Oscar-nominated film when he was only in his mid 20s. Along with directing (for which he received an Oscar nomination), producing and cowriting Citizen Kane (with Herman J. Mankiewicz; the duo won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay), Welles also stars in his Best Actor Oscar-nominated title role, a not-so-subtle dramatization of tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Welles leads an equally incredible cast that also includes Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane and more.
Jingle Bell Bride
Hallmark Channel, 8pm
Original Film!
Wedding planner Jessica (Julie Gonzalo, Supergirl) is sent to a remote town in Alaska to find a rare flower for a client, and is charmed by the small town during Christmas, as well as the handsome botanist (Ronnie Rowe Jr., Star Trek: Discovery) helping her.
Christmas Unwrapped
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!
From executive producer Tiffany Haddish, Christmas Unwrapped follows Charity (Amber Stevens West), an ambitious reporter who learns the true meaning of Christmas when she investigates Erik Gallagher (Marco Grazzini), a beloved member of the town who insists all the gifts he provides are from none other than Santa himself. Cheryl Ladd also stars.
The Pom Pom Murders
LMN, 8pm
Original Film!
After making the L.A. Renegades pro basketball dance squad, Audrey (Anna Marie Dobbins) meets Walter (Jon Schaefer), one of the players, and they quickly fall for each other. But when Bailey (Grace Patterson), a fellow Renegade girl and Walter’s ex-girlfriend, is found dead, the police arrest Walter. Despite incriminating evidence, Audrey sets out to prove Walter’s innocence and soon realizes that her life is also in danger.
American Experience: “Freedom Summer”
PBS, 8pm
Revisit the hot and deadly summer of 1964, when student volunteers and local Black citizens faced racial violence in Mississippi while registering voters in an attempt to break the hold of segregation.
Christmas Tree Lane
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 9pm
Original Film!
Music store owner Meg (Alicia Witt) spearheads community efforts to save her street from demolition. Meg is shocked to find out that the man she’s falling for (Andrew Walker) is working for the company that she is fighting.
Ghost Nation: “911 Fear Factory”
Travel Channel, 9pm
Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti head to Millville, New Jersey, to help desperate factory owners deal with paranormal events tormenting them and their workers. The owners hope to repurpose a former glass factory and bring jobs to the community, but claims of noises, voices, apparitions and even physical altercations have ground renovations to a halt. Just as the UPRO team is hot on the trail of what’s causing the activity, a medical emergency jeopardizes the entire investigation.
Eli Roth’s History of Horror: “Body Horror”
AMC, 10pm
Sometimes disgusting, but always powerful, body horror films make us question our prejudices against physical difference, our attitudes about sex and gender, our fear of disease and contamination, and how much our appearance determines who we are. Horror film director Eli Roth is ready to take it on in tonight’s new episode.
Destination Fear: “Saratoga County Homestead”
Travel Channel, 10pm
Dakota leads Chelsea, Tanner and Alex to a decaying sanitarium where some patients’ corpses were unclaimed due to a flu pandemic. Screams and darting shadows play mind games with the team as they struggle to pin the activity on the living or the dead.
