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Monday, Sept. 20: Which Way Will He Go? James Wolk Stars in NBC’s ‘Ordinary Joe’

Ordinary Joe NBC © 2021 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Credit: NBC Entertainment

ALSO SEE: Complete 2021 NFL TV Schedule

All Times Eastern. PBS programming varies regionally.

Monday, Sept. 20

Ordinary Joe
NBC, 10pm
New Series!

There’s nothing ordinary about this new drama. James Wolk (Mad Men) is Joe Kimbreau, a Syracuse University student on graduation day who is at a crossroads in his life: Should he pursue being the next Billy Joel, follow his kind-of girlfriend Jenny (Elizabeth Lail) to her summer house on the East Coast, take a chance on the hot gal Amy (Natalie Martinez) he just bumped into, or remain devoted to his family? Much like This Is Us takes us through different time periods, Ordinary Joe follows three extremely different life paths through emotional, heartwarming stories.

Dancing With the Stars
ABC, 8pm
Season Premiere!

Season 30 of Dancing With the Stars premieres tonight with a whole new crop of stars ready to put on their dancing shoes, with host Tyra Banks returning as emcee.

FBN Prime
FOX Business Network, beginning at 8pm

Beginning tonight, FOX Business Network debuts a new slate of primetime programming that celebrates American industry and ingenuity. Mike Rowe narrates How America Works (Mondays at 8pm ET), an hourlong series showcasing the individuals that work around the clock to keep our infrastructure in working order. Then in American Built (Mondays at 9pm & 9:30pm ET), host Stuart Varney explores the design and ingenuity of iconic American landmarks.

The Neighborhood
CBS, 8pm
Season Premiere!

Season 4 of the sitcom following Calvin Butler (Cedric the Entertainer), Dave Johnson (Max Greenfield) and their families premieres tonight.

9-1-1
FOX, 8pm
Season Premiere!

A new batch of major disasters is coming to Los Angeles as the hit first-responder drama starring Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Aisha Hinds returns for Season 5.

Killer Grades
LMN, 8pm
Original Film!

Proud mom Katherine has just found out that her daughter Michelle has earned a spot on the academic decathlon team! But, when one student’s father dies and another student winds up in the hospital, Katherine starts to wonder if there’s more going on with the team than she knows. Stars Laurie Fortier, Megan Ashley Brown, Zack Gold, Liz Fenning and Isabella Johnson.

The Voice
NBC, 8pm
Season Premiere!

Season 21 of the singing competition series finds pop star Ariana Grande making her debut as a judge alongside Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend.

Muhammad Ali: “Round Two: What’s My Name? (1964-1970)”
PBS, 8pm

Ken Burns’ documentary series continues with “Round Two: What’s My Name? (1964-1970),” in which Cassius Clay publicly joins the Nation of Islam and takes the name Muhammad Ali. When he refuses induction into the Army, he is stripped of his title and forced into exile. After three years, he returns to the ring, but he’s lost a step.

Meet Me in St. Louis
TCM, 1:45pm
Catch a Classic!

Early 1900s St. Louis and its World’s Fair is the setting for director Vincente Minnelli’s beloved 1944 musical adaptation of Sally Benson’s short stories. Judy Garland stars as Esther Smith, a young woman whose romance with the boy next door (Tom Drake) is endangered when her father announces the family is moving to New York. Margaret O’Brien and Mary Astor also star in this film that was nominated for four Oscars, including one for “The Trolley Song” — one of the enduring Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane musical standards introduced by Garland in the film, along with “The Boy Next Door” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” She also memorably performs the film’s title tune.

NFL Football: Detroit at Green Bay
ESPN, 8:15pm Live

Monday Night Football features a Week 2 matchup of NFC North rivals as Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions are at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.

Bob (Hearts) Abishola
CBS, 8:30pm
Season Premiere!

Find out if Bob (Billy Gardell) and Abishola (Folake Olowofoyeku) got married in Nigeria as the sitcom returns for Season 3.

NCIS
CBS, 9pm
Season Premiere!

Special Agents Gibbs (Mark Harmon), McGee (Sean Murray), Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and Knight (Katrina Law) are back for Season 19 of the hit crime drama. Gary Cole joins the regular cast as FBI Special Agent Alden Park.

The Big Leap
FOX, 9pm
New Series!

This show-within-a-show follows a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters who attempt to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-changing (or life-ruining) reality dance show that builds to a live production of Swan Lake. The endearing series is about second chances and follows the stories of each of the participants as they begin their journey of self-acceptance and empowerment.

The L Word: Generation Q: “Light”
Showtime, 9pm

Season 2 of this drama continues in the new Monday night time slot it moved to last week. Bette (Jennifer Beals) takes a big swing with Pippa (Vanessa Estelle Williams); Shane (Katherine Moennig) leans on Tess (Jamie Clayton) when she’s suddenly forced to harbor a secret; and Alice’s (Leisha Hailey) run-in with someone from her past throws her for a loop.

NCIS: Hawai‘i
CBS, 10pm
New Series!

This latest entry in one of the world’s most popular TV franchises is set in the Aloha State, where the first female Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey), has thrived and risen through the ranks with equal parts confidence and strategy in a system that has pushed back on her every step of the way. Together with her unwavering team of specialists, they balance duty to family and country while investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security and the mysteries of the sun-drenched island paradise itself. Yasmine Al-Bustami, Jason Antoon and Noah Mills also star.

Reasonable Doubt
Investigation Discovery, 10pm
Season Finale!

In the Season 4 finale, “A $25,000 Performance,” when a student from a wealthy family was gunned down execution-style in Chicago’s most affluent neighborhood, the hunt for the killers gripped the nation’s attention. Police claimed they had their man when Lee Harris, a street hustler from the nearby housing projects, admitted he was at the scene of the crime. But he now insists he was just trying to get the $25,000 reward money and was simply feeding back the information detectives gave him.

Tuesday, Sept. 21

Love on the Spectrum
Netflix
Season Premiere!

Season 2 of this series continues to tell the stories of people on the autism spectrum as they navigate the world of dating and relationships. With a few familiar faces, and some new ones, the new season represents an even wider range of people and personalities, showing just how diverse the autism spectrum really is.

FBN Prime
FOX Business Network, beginning at 8pm

As part of FOX Business Network’s new FBN Prime slate of primetime programming, host Cheryl Casone shares the emotional and exciting journey as families hunt for their dream home in American Dream Home (Tuesdays at 8pm & 8:30pm ET). Then, FOX Nation’s Kacie McDonnell explores lavish properties from mega mansions to high rises for a peek inside luxury real-estate listings in Mansion Global (Tuesdays at 9pm & 9:30pm ET).

FBI
CBS, 8pm
Season Premiere!

In Season 4 of the hit crime drama, Maggie (Missy Peregrym) and OA (Zeeko Zaki) are taking a trip to Budapest where, over the course of various crossover episodes, the agents will help introduce the new spinoff series FBI: International (which debuts later this evening). Of course, they have their own lives and investigations going on, as well, and Peregrym told us that she is excited for the new season in not only exploring a new country, but also new ground with her show’s characters. “I’m looking forward to seeing what other stuff they do on the personal side with each character,” she said.

The Resident
FOX, 8pm
Season Premiere!

Conrad (Matt Czuchry), Nicolette (Emily VanCamp), Randolph (Bruce Greenwood) and the doctors, nurses and staff of Chastain Memorial Hospital face new medical and personal crises in Season 5.

The Voice: “The Blind Auditions Premiere, Part 2”
NBC, 8pm

In the second night of the Season 21 blind auditions premiere, coaches Ariana Grande, Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Blake Shelton vie to discover and mentor the next singing phenomenon.

Muhammad Ali: “Round Three: The Rivalry (1970-1974)”
PBS, 8pm

Muhammad Ali battles his fiercest rivals — Joe Frazier and the U.S. government — as he attempts to regain the heavyweight title in “Round Three: The Rivalry (1970-1974).” Ali suffers his first professional loss against Frazier, but a win in the rematch has him eyeing a bout against champ George Foreman.

Starring George C. Scott
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

Legendary actor George C. Scott’s talent can be seen in four films tonight on Turner Classic Movies, beginning with two of his most well-known movies, followed by a couple that may not be as frequently seen. First up is Patton (1970), the classic biographical drama about Gen. George S. Patton (Scott) during World War II. The acclaimed film won seven of the 10 Oscars for which it was nominated, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Scott, although he famously became the first person to refuse the award, citing his disdain for acting competitions. Scott was also nominated as Best Actor the following year in The Hospital (1971), writer Paddy Chayefsky’s (who won an Oscar for his screenplay) satiric film in which Scott plays a harried hospital administrator dealing with rising costs, a seductive young woman and a serial killer. Scott directed and stars in tonight’s next film, Rage (1972), where he plays a sheep rancher who is fatally exposed to a military lab’s poison gas. Finally, in the action film The Last Run (1971), Scott portrays an aging former driver for organized crime rings who is living in self-imposed exile in Portugal before receiving his first job in years — to transport an escaped killer and his girlfriend into France. The woman is played by Trish Van Devere; she and Scott married the following year and appeared in a number of subsequent films together.

FBI: Most Wanted
CBS, 9pm
Season Premiere!

The FBI crossover event continues with the Season 3 premiere of FBI: Most Wanted, starring Julian McMahon as Special Agent Jess LaCroix. In the Season 2 finale, gunshots were fired inside Jess’ house, and who was shot and who did the shooting remained a mystery. Joining the regular cast for Season 3 is Alexa Davalos (The Man in the High Castle) as a new member of Jess’ team.

Supergirl: “Blind Spots”
The CW, 9pm

Kelly (Azie Tesfai) is horrified when the Ormfell building implodes, injuring many in the community, including Joey (guest star Aiden Stoxx). However, her horror quickly turns to frustration when she realizes that the hospital is overwhelmed, people are getting sicker and no one is coming to help — including Supergirl (Melissa Benoist), who is busy fighting Nyxly (Peta Sergeant). Knowing that she can make a difference, Kelly embraces her power and fully steps into her role as Guardian.

Our Kind of People
FOX, 9pm
New Series!

Set in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful Black elite have come to play for over 50 years, this soapy drama series follows a strong-willed single mom (Yaya DaCosta) as she sets out to reclaim her family’s name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line. A dark secret about her mother’s past turns her world upside down and shakes up this community forever.

The Ultimate Surfer
ABC, 10pm
Season Finale!

Friendships and alliances built along the way are pushed to the sand as two men and two women meet in the final showdown. Eleven-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater surprises the finalists with a once-in-a-lifetime coaching session, sharing real-time feedback on the wave he created. After a neck-and-neck race at the Final Surf Off, one man and one woman are crowned the Ultimate Surfers, winning $100,000 and the opportunity to compete on the WSL Championship Tour.

FBI: International
CBS, 10pm
New Series!

The third series in the successful FBI franchise follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team. Headquartered in Budapest, they travel the world with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats against American citizens wherever they may be. Not allowed to carry guns, the Fly Team relies on intelligence, quick thinking and pure brawn as they put their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people.

Major League Baseball: San Francisco at San Diego
FS1, 10pm Live

Brandon Crawford and the San Francisco Giants face Manny Machado and the Padres at San Diego’s Petco Park to start a three-game series.

New Amsterdam
NBC, 10pm
Season Premiere!

When last season ended, Max (Ryan Eggold) finally took that wedding ring off and kissed Helen (Freema Agyeman). As the medical drama heads into Season 4, Agyeman says: “I’m excited to see a whole new chapter for Helen! And, hopefully, some unbridled joy. There has always been a melancholic slant to Helen, I think — she seemed to either be running away from something or in pursuit of something — a little ill at ease. But in Max she feels a sense of home, because they’ve always been so honest and open and supportive and trusting with, and of, each other — the only missing part of the puzzle being admitting their feelings for one another.”

Wednesday, Sept. 22

Last Chance Transplant
discovery+
New Series!

Every day, for people all over the United States, the wait for a life-saving organ transplant is the difference between a renewed lease on life and death. From executive producer Robin Roberts, this emotional and heart-pounding series offers viewers an inside look at the race against the clock to transplant and save human life at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Star Wars: Visions
Disney+
New Series!

The Star Wars franchise’s first formal venture into anime, this series is comprised of short films created by seven Japanese anime studios. Each studio uses its signature animation and storytelling styles to realize their own visions of that famed galaxy far, far away. All episodes are available today.

Confessions of an Invisible Girl
Netflix
Original Film!

In this teen comedy from Brazil, clever but socially awkward 16-year-old Tetê will do anything to fit in at her new school. But the queen bee among her classmates has other ideas.

Dear White People Vol. 4
Netflix
Season Premiere!

The comedy/drama returns for a fourth and final season. Set against the backdrop of senior year at Winchester as well as a not-so-distant, post-pandemic future, this season finds the characters looking back at the most formative (and theatrical) year of their lives. Both an Afro-futuristic and ’90s-inspired musical event, Season 4 is billed as a farewell experience with one promise: Sometimes the only way to move forward is to throw it back.

FBN Prime
FOX Business Network, beginning at 8pm

FOX Business Network’s new FBN Prime slate continues its rollout with American Gold: The Legend of Bear Gulch (Wednesdays at 8pm ET), featuring the four Dale brothers of Montana and the lengths their family will go to find millions in gold they still believe has not been uncovered in Bear Gulch. Then in The Pursuit! With John Rich (Wednesdays at 9pm & 9:30pm ET), country music icon John Rich dives into the success stories of music stars, celebrities and entrepreneurs.

The Goldbergs
ABC, 8pm
Season Premiere!

The Season 9 premiere, “The Goldbergs’ Excellent Adventure” revolves around the iconic ’80s family paying tribute to Pops. Together they venture down memory lane by visiting Pops’ favorite stomping grounds. Adam Goldberg, forever with camera in hand, captures the outing — theming it to Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Hijinks and hilarity ensue, and we are reminded that there is no bond greater than family.

Survivor
CBS, 8pm
Season Premiere!

The seminal reality competition’s 41st season, which was supposed to have premiered last September, finally kicks off tonight with a two-hour premiere. This will be a shortened season due to COVID — production only lasted 26 days instead of the usual 39 — but the intense Survivor action fans have been missing for over a year is back. Host Jeff Probst returns, with Fiji being the host country for the ninth consecutive time. Probst teased that they spent an entire year creating a much more dangerous game and said fans could consider it perhaps a 2.0 version or the dawn of a new era. “Survivor 41 is like the monster in a horror movie, and if you’re a player, it’s coming for you,” Probst said.

Riverdale: “Chapter Ninety-Three: Dance of Death”
The CW, 8pm

After learning that a friend has gone missing, Tabitha (Erinn Westbrook) enlists help from Jughead (Cole Sprouse) and Betty (Lili Reinhart) to investigate the disappearance. Penelope (guest star Nathalie Boltt) plants doubt in Kevin’s (Casey Cott) mind, which leads him to confront Cheryl (Madelaine Petsch) about the ministry. Finally, an explosion at the mines leaves several lives hanging in the balance.

The Masked Singer
FOX, 8pm
Season Premiere!

More disguised celebrities — including the football-playing Dalmatian — show off their singing voices as Season 6 of the competition series debuts with a two-night premiere. Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke return to the panel of judges. Nick Cannon is back as host.

Chicago Med
NBC, 8pm
Season Premiere!

The hit medical drama returns for Season 7. Two of the series’ original cast members, Torrey DeVitto (Dr. Natalie Manning) and Yaya DaCosta (April Sexton), departed at the end of Season 6. Steven Weber, who recurred as Dr. Dean Archer last season, has been promoted to a series regular this season, and there are also two new faces as series regulars: Dr. Dylan Scott (Guy Lockard), who was a police officer before joining the medical field, and Dr. Stevie Hammer (Kristen Hager), an intelligent and scrappy ER attending physician.

Muhammad Ali
PBS, 8pm
Series Finale!

In the fourth and final part, “Round Four: The Spell Remains (1974-2016),” Muhammad Ali shocks the world by defeating George Foreman, winning back the heavyweight title and becoming the most famous man on Earth. After retiring in 1981, Ali travels the world spreading his Islamic faith, and becomes a symbol of peace and hope.

First Day of Fall
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

Autumn is in the air as the calendar turns to the first day of fall, and it’s also on the air with five films airing on Turner Classic Movies tonight: Autumn Leaves (1956), a Robert Aldrich-directed film noir starring Joan Crawford; Cheyenne Autumn (1964), the last Western directed by John Ford; Autumn Sonata (1978), Ingmar Bergman’s acclaimed drama starring Best Actress Oscar nominee Ingrid Bergman in her final film role; An Autumn Afternoon (1962), a Japanese drama that was cowriter/director Yasujirō Ozu’s last film and is considered one of his finest works; and The Winds of Autumn (1976), a Western starring Jack Elam and Jeanette Nolan.

The Wonder Years
ABC, 8:30pm
New Series!

The beloved coming-of-age comedy that followed suburban teenager Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) growing up in the late ’60s and early ’70s gets new life in this half-hour sitcom. The new rendition looks back at the same era through the eyes of 12-year-old Dean Williams (Elisha “EJ” Williams) and his Black, middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama. Dulé Hill, Saycon Sengbloh and Laura Kariuki also star. Don Cheadle provides the voice of adult Dean.

The Conners
ABC, 9pm
Season Premiere!

Lights, Camera, Action: The Conners is going live for both the East and West Coast broadcasts of the Season 4 premiere episode, “Trucking Live in Front of a Fully Vaccinated Studio Audience.” This iconic TV family continues to deal with the current pandemic while navigating breakups and newfound sobriety, all while planning an upcoming wedding.

Alter Ego
FOX, 9pm
New Series!

In this first-of-its-kind singing competition, contestants perform not as themselves but as avatars that look just how they want to look. Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes and will.i.am are judges for the festivities, and Rocsi Diaz hosts.

Chicago Fire
NBC, 9pm
Season Premiere!

At the end of last season, Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso), Tony (Anthony Ferraris) and Capp (Randy Flagler) were all in danger after becoming trapped while rescuing a man from a sinking boat. Addressing the fate of the men above is the first order of business for Season 10, but fans are also eager to see what a relationship between Brett (Kara Killmer) and Casey (Jesse Spencer) looks like after the two connected in the finale. And is Boden (Eamonn Walker) going to take the deputy district chief role?

Dr. Mercy
TLC, 9pm
New Series!

Viewers will get a personal look inside Dr. Mercy’s practice to see how passionate she is about her patients and how dedicated she is to making sure each patient looks and feels beautiful, inside and out. Dr. Mercy will shine a light on extreme skin conditions and cases including a rhinophyma that has caused a nose to grow three times its regular size and one unique condition that has left one patient covered in more lumps after each of her pregnancies.

Home Economics
ABC, 9:30pm
Season Premiere!

Connor invites the Hayworth clan to a San Francisco 49ers game as he tries to close his latest business deal in the season premiere, “49ers Foam Finger, $7.” Desperately trying to prove that he knows the game, Tom gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to showcase his football skills in front of the entire crowd of 49ers Faithful at Levi’s Stadium. Meanwhile, Denise tries to get Sarah to come to terms with Shamiah’s new interest in cheerleading. Guest stars include Hall of Fame wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion Jerry Rice, and sportscaster Scott Van Pelt.

A Million Little Things
ABC, 10pm
Season Premiere!

In the season premiere, “Family First,” Gary struggles in the aftermath of his encounter with Peter. Meanwhile, Regina and Rome put on a united front following the closure of Someday and the deportation of Tyrell’s mother. Sophie deals with mixed emotions surrounding her mother while Delilah faces a difficult decision. Eddie inches closer to finding out who caused the accident, and Maggie navigates a new career opportunity.

Jay Leno’s Garage
CNBC, 10pm
Season Premiere!

Jay Leno is back with a sixth season, featuring 12 episodes, of his series in which famous friends join him to talk cars, share stories and go for rides. In the season premiere episode, “Big Dreams,” Jay starts by kicking Drew Carey’s soccer dreams into high gear with a crazy game of “car soccer.” Then, James Corden tries to steal Jay’s Jag; Jay and Gary Sinise salute a decorated veteran who’s helping other vets achieve their dreams, with a little four-wheeled surprise; and comedian Tammy Pescatelli may be the first guest to crash a car.

Chicago P.D.
NBC, 10pm
Season Premiere!

Last season ended with Detective Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) and Officer Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) finding Officer Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) bleeding after being shot and rushing her to the hospital. Also, Detective Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) proposed to Halstead. As Season 9 begins, will Burgess survive? She was last seen going into surgery, and she lost a lot of blood. And will Halstead accept Upton’s proposal, or will he figure out that she’s hiding something from him after what happened with Roy? Is the Roy situation really done? Did Voight (Jason Beghe) take care of it?

Selena: Life, Death & Money
REELZChannel, 10pm

Mexican singing star Selena Quintanilla was on the brink of mainstream pop success when one woman’s obsession cut her life short at just 23 years old. This program details the legal clash that unfolded 20 years after Selena’s passing when her widower, Chris Pérez, was approached to make a TV series about her life. When her father stepped in to stop that, it resulted in an estate dispute about who has the right to tell Selena’s story and who is entitled to its massive royalties.

Thursday, Sept. 23

Doom Patrol
HBO Max
Season Premiere!

Each member of the Doom Patrol suffered a horrible accident that gave them superhuman abilities, but also left them scarred and disfigured. Part support group, part superhero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of superpowered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them. The unlikely heroes are back for Season 3. Matt Bomer, Brendan Fraser, Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, Joivan Wade and Michelle Gomez star.

The Croods: Family Tree
Hulu & Peacock
New Series!

Following the events in the hit animated 2020 feature film The Croods: A New Age, this series follows two very different families as they join forces to create a new community — an us-against-the-world caveperson co-op on the most amazing farm in the history of prehistory.

Code 404
Peacock
Season Premiere!

In Season 2 of this British crime-fighting comedy set in the near future, having cracked a high-profile case with his long-suffering partner Detective Inspector Roy Carver (Stephen Graham), the resurrected DI John Major (Daniel Mays) has finally reached his potential as the top cop in the Special Investigation Unit. But it came at a price. At last realizing that his best friend had shacked up with his wife Kelly (Anna Maxwell Martin) while he was “away” (and a bit before), their partnership is over, and the pair go their own ways. But when a 20-year-old cold case is reopened, the pair find themselves back together and thrown into the action.

Creepshow
Shudder
Season Premiere!

The third season of the horror anthology series based on George A. Romero and Stephen King’s 1982 cult classic film will feature new stories and new guest stars including Michael Rooker, James Remar, Johnathon Schaech, Reid Scott and Hanna Fierman.

Little Women: Atlanta: “The Reunion Special”
Lifetime, 8pm

The ladies of Little Women: Atlanta reunite with host Terra Jolé to take a look back and discuss Season 6.

Secret Life of a Student
LMN, 8pm
Original Film!

High school teacher Lauren Blois finds her life upside down. Her job, the custody of her adopted daughter and her safety are jeopardized when an angry student falsely claims to have had an affair with her. But when the teen turns out to be innocent, Lauren realizes the real threat is closer than she ever suspected. Stars Rhonda Dent, Carlo Marks, Poppy Darch, Tegan Moss and Kaden Connors.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
NBC, 8pm
Season Premiere!

Season 23 of the record-holding crime drama (SVU will celebrate its 500th episode later this season) begins with a two-hour premiere; the series moves to its regular time slot an hour later starting next week. The new season picks up mere hours after the Season 22 finale in which the squad celebrated the canceled marriage (but still happy couple) of Sgts. Fin Tutuola (Ice-T) and Phoebe Baker (Jennifer Esposito). ADA Carisi (Peter Scanavino) is called to a late-night meeting where a key player in a housing-for-sex scheme is willing to flip on her co-conspirators in exchange for a deal with federal prosecutors. Meanwhile, Benson (Mariska Hargitay) is involved in a scary car accident — or was it intentional?

TCM Spotlight: The Greatest Stories Ever Rolled
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

Turner Classic Movies’ Thursday night salute to movies featuring roller-skating rolls to a stop after tonight’s lineup. The first film is Rollerball, a 1975 sci-fi production set in the then-far-off future of 2018. James Caan headlines as Jonathan, the star of a brutal sport combining roller derby, rugby, hockey and motorcycle racing, and operated by one of the ruling corporate conglomerates as a way to keep citizens placated. When Jonathan’s popularity with fans threatens the conglomerate, he finds his life in jeopardy, and he must clean up the game before it kills him. John Houseman, Maud Adams and Moses Gunn also star. Next, Raquel Welch leads the cast of the 1972 sports drama Kansas City Bomber. It’s a fictionalized inside look at Roller Games, a then-popular real-life sports entertainment league that was a more theatrical, WWE-esque version of roller derby. After that is the cult classic Roller Boogie (1979), a romantic musical drama that effectively captures two of the biggest elements of late-’70s pop culture: disco and roller skating. Linda Blair and Jim Bray (a former competitive artistic skater) star as young people who fall in love while engaging in the titular pastime of boogie skating to disco music. While preparing to compete in a Boogie Contest at their favorite skating rink, they must also find time to stop a mob developer from getting his hands on that business. The evening concludes very late with a film similar to the one that began it with Solarbabies (1986), a bizarre tale from executive producer Mel Brooks set in a postapocalyptic future where incarcerated orphans play a rough sport combining lacrosse and roller hockey. When a group of these teenagers encounters a benevolent force from another planet that encourages them to escape their dismal lives, they find hope. Jami Gertz, Jason Patric (in his first film role) and Lukas Haas are among the cast of youngsters in the film.

NFL Football: Carolina at Houston
NFL Network, 8:20pm Live

Thursday Night Football’s Week 2 matchup has Christian McCaffrey and the Carolina Panthers at Houston’s NRG Stadium for a clash with Brandin Cooks and the Texans.

Kenny Rogers: All in for the Gambler
CBS, 9pm

Filmed before the passing of country music legend Kenny Rogers, this star-studded concert special at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville features onstage tributes and inspiring songs performed in front of the icon himself, as he bid farewell to performing and announced his retirement. Guests and performers include Chris Stapleton, Idina Menzel, Lady A, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton.

Flipping 101 With Tarek El Moussa: “101 Graduates Take on Studio City”
HGTV, 9pm

Having ended their romantic relationship but remaining business partners, two Flipping 101 graduates are chasing their biggest profit yet with a sizable home in the Studio City neighborhood of L.A.. Tarek El Moussa returns to help them keep their project and partnership on the rails.

The Hustler
ABC, 10pm
Season Finale!

In “A Little of This, a Little of That,” five new competitors join host Craig Ferguson in this mind-bending and enigmatic game show where coffee beans, sausage and the Goo Goo Dolls are clues to discovering the Hustler.

What We Do in the Shadows: “The Chamber of Judgement”
FX, 10pm

The Season 3 adventures of vampires Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), Laszlo (Matt Berry) and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) continue in the new episode “The Chamber of Judgement.”

Law & Order: Organized Crime
NBC, 10pm
Season Premiere!

Season 2 picks up three months after the Season 1 finale and the arrest of Richard Wheatley (Dylan McDermott) and his family. While Bell (Danielle Moné Truitt) and her wife (Keren Dukes) have welcomed a baby son into the world, Stabler (Christopher Meloni) hasn’t seen his family in a while, as he is deep undercover. Their new target is the K-O — a powerful crime family trying to dominate the city’s illegal cocaine trade. McDermott returns this season, along with Tamara Taylor as Wheatley’s ex-wife, Angela, and Ainsley Seiger as Jet, an expert hacker and Bell’s right-hand woman. New recurring faces include Guillermo Diaz as Bell’s former boss; Ron Cephas Jones as a powerful congressman; and Vinnie Jones as a K-O enforcer.

Friday, Sept. 24

Birds of Paradise
Amazon Prime Video
Original Film!

Two dancers (Kristine Froseth and Diana Silvers) at an elite Paris ballet academy find their friendship tested when they compete for a contract to join a prestigious dance company. Jacqueline Bisset also stars.

Goliath
Amazon Prime Video
Season Premiere!

The entire eight-episode fourth and final season of Billy Bob Thornton’s drama is available today. Billy McBride (Thornton) returns to his Big Law roots after Patty (Nina Arianda) takes a job at a prestigious white-shoe law firm in San Francisco. Together, they try to take down one of America’s most insidious Goliaths: the opioid industry. As Billy deals with his own chronic pain and Patty can’t shake the feeling she’s being used, their loyalties will be tested, putting their partnership on the line.

Foundation
Apple TV+
New Series!

This first onscreen adaptation of sci-fi master Isaac Asimov’s iconic, award-winning novel series is a 10-episode saga of sweeping scope and scale from showrunner/executive producer David S. Goyer (Batman Begins, Man of Steel). When revolutionary Dr. Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) predicts the impending fall of the Empire, he and a band of loyal followers venture to the far reaches of the galaxy to establish the Foundation in an attempt to rebuild and preserve the future of civilization. Enraged by Hari’s claims, the ruling Cleons — a long line of emperor clones — fear their grasp on the galaxy may be weakening. Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann and Cassian Bilton also star. The first two episodes are available today; subsequent new episodes are available Fridays.

Wolfboy and the Everything Factory
Apple TV+
New Series!

Inspired by the work of visual artist Toff “Wirrow” Mazery and executive produced by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Mr. Corman), the 10-episode animated kids series follows Wolfboy (voiced by Kassian Akhtar), an imaginative oddball who discovers a strange realm at the center of the Earth where fantastical beings called Sprytes create things for the natural world on the surface — clouds, trees, rabbits, dreams, hiccups, memories, time … everything. With his newfound Spryte friends, Wolfboy learns that not only can he use the creative energy of the Everything Factory to make his wild imagination come to life, but also that he is destined to play a central role in an age-old battle between the forces of creation and destruction.

An American Story
discovery+
New Series!

This anthology series celebrates remarkable people hidden in the fabric of America and reveals the inspirational stories they have to share.

Curse of the Chippendales
discovery+
New Miniseries!

This four-part docuseries goes back to the 1980s to explore the many scandalous true-crime stories surrounding the Chippendales, the famed men’s exotic-dance troupe.

Point of View: A Designer Profile
discovery+
Season Premiere!

The anthology series returns with a second season of offering a behind-the-curtain look into the mind of interior designers, letting viewers in on their creative processes and introducing the inspirations and influences that shape their designs.

SparkShorts: “A Spark Story”
Disney+

This feature-length documentary looks at the filmmaking process for Pixar Animation Studios’ SparkShorts program.

Midnight Mass
Netflix
New Series!

Mike Flanagan, who developed Netflix’s creepy hit series The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, continues down a new dark horrific path, this time in a story about an isolated island community that experiences supernatural events after the arrival of a mysterious priest. Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel and Hamish Linklater lead the cast.

My Little Pony: A New Generation
Netflix
Feature Film Exclusive!

The pony world of Equestria has lost its magic, and Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi are living in fear and mistrust of each other. Sunny (voice by Vanessa Hudgens), an idealistic Earth Pony, and Izzy (Kimiko Glenn), a curious Unicorn, must embark on an epic adventure that will take them to faraway lands to make new friends out of old enemies. James Marsden, Sofia Carson, Liza Koshy, Elizabeth Perkins, Jane Krakowski, Ken Jeong and Michael McKean are also among the voice cast.

Golf: Ryder Cup: Day 1
Golf Channel, 8am Live

Golf’s premier match-play tournament, pitting the best players in the U.S. against the best of Europe, begins today at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin. Steve Stricker is captain of the U.S. Team, which includes players Daniel Berger, Patrick Cantlay, Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffle, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. The European Team, captained by Padraig Harrington, has players Paul Casey, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Sergio Garcia, Tyrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter, Jon Rahm, Bernd Wiesberger and Lee Westwood. Golf Channel and NBC air the event through Sunday.

A Hard Day’s Night
TCM, 6:15pm
Catch a Classic!

This 1964 classic starring the Beatles was the Fab Four’s first film and is a fun and influential romp through a fictionalized day in their life during the frenzied height of Beatlemania, and earned Oscar nominations for its screenplay and its adapted musical score by the group’s producer, George Martin. Directed by Richard Lester, the film is a perfect vehicle for John, Paul, George and Ringo, drawing on the cheeky humor and pure fun the group often brought to its songs. The first megastar boy band at the time of filming — and still quite young — the Beatles are comfortably charming in the movie, even while frequently pursued by obsessed fans. The film’s other big star is its fantastic soundtrack, including the title tune and other classics like “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “She Loves You,” “And I Love Her” and “If I Fell.” The innovative way these songs are cut into visual sequences surely had some influence on later music videos. With A Hard Day’s Night and its frantically fun combination of songs and comedy, the Beatles — as they did with their records — set a new and high bar for what a music film could be. And, whether meaning to or not, they and Lester also created an enduringly enjoyable time capsule of one particularly fab moment in time.

College Football: Wake Forest at Virginia
ESPN2, 7pm Live

Friday night college football action on ESPN2 has an ACC battle between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Virginia Cavaliers tonight at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.

Dynasty
The CW, 8pm

In “You Vicious, Miserable Liar,” the first hour of a two-hour Dynasty block, Fallon (Elizabeth Gillies), Sam (Rafael de la Fuente) and Kirby (Maddison Brown) take a trip to Los Angeles in the hopes of settling the unsettled, resulting in some very bad ideas. Adam (Sam Underwood) presents his research to the board, which is impressed, but there is more in store for him. Meanwhile, Jeff (Sam Adegoke) remains annoyed that Dominique (Michael Michele) is nowhere to be found, and exhibits disturbing behavior. Next, in “Affairs of State and Affairs of the Heart,” Blake (Grant Show) considers dropping out of the senatorial race and Culhane (Robert C. Riley) is devasted by what this would mean to the schools. Alexis (Elaine Hendrix) confronts Dominique about her secret and proposes a deal. Fallon and Liam (Adam Huber) get away for a weekend together, but things don’t end up as either one thought they would.

Gold Rush
Discovery Channel, 8pm; also streams on discovery+
Season Premiere!

Discovery Channel’s highest-rated series is back for Season 12. The gold-mining season is about to begin in the Klondike wilderness, and this year means war. With the price of gold holding near record highs, each miner is battling to find and mine the best ground. But with most of the good ground tied up, they are forced to dig deeper and go further into the wilderness in search of the mother lode.

Aly Raisman: Darkness to Light
Lifetime, 8pm

This special follows Aly Raisman, the three-time Olympic gold medalist, as she advocates for sexual abuse survivors while sharing personal accounts and coping strategies that have helped on her own journey of healing. Raisman meets with individuals who have suffered abuse, revealing the trauma that lasts from childhood to adulthood and the triggers that affect them — and her — physically and emotionally. By sharing their stories and insights gleaned along the way, their experiences are validated, and survivors are reminded that they are never alone in their journey, and that there is hope.

Cash in the Attic
HGTV, 9pm

In the first of back-to-back episodes, “Home Run for a House,” two New Jersey newlyweds are excited to buy their first home together, but the bride is hoping to minimize their collection of sports memorabilia before they move. Courtney Tezeno steps in to help the groom part with some cherished items to hit their $10,000 down-payment goal. Then in “Making Room for Baby,” a Long Island couple with a new baby hopes to cash in on some family heirlooms that have been gathering dust around the house. Courtney Tezeno steps in to help them raise $10,000 so that they can turn their jam-packed garage into a yoga oasis.

Dateline
NBC, 9pm
Season Premiere!

NBC News’ long-running and popular newsmagazine returns with more true-crime stories for its 30th season.

Saturday, Sept. 25

Golf: Ryder Cup: Day 2
Golf Channel & NBC, beginning at 8am Live

Day 2 of the Ryder Cup match-play tournament between the U.S. and European teams takes place at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin.

America’s Top Dog
A&E, beginning at 12pm
Season Finale!

The final four hourlong Season 3 episodes culminate in “One Top Dog Left Standing,” in which the series determines the canine that has the speed, skills and smarts to bring home the $20,000 prize and title of America’s Top Dog.

College Football
CBS & FOX, beginning at 12pm Live

Highlights of Saturday’s college football action include the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. the Wisconsin Badgers at Chicago’s Soldier Field (FOX) and the Boise State Broncos at the Utah State Aggies (CBS).

Frankie Drake Mysteries: “Music at Midnight”
Ovation, 7pm

Ahead of the detective series’ fourth season premiere next Saturday, this Frankie Drake Mysteries concert special — coproduced by Ovation and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and filmed on the series’ set — features performances by series stars Chantel Riley and Sharron Matthews, alongside the show’s composer Robert Carli and the TSO.

Deadly Debutante
Lifetime, 8pm
Original Film!

The annual debutante ball is an important event for the upper crust, and every family wants their daughter to be chosen the Belle of the Ball. This year Anna Phillips seems likely to win — old-money family, well connected, every advantage. That is, until Sophia Martinez shows up. She’s not from a prominent family, but her mother recently passed away, and now the betting odds say that sympathy will assure Sophia victory. But not if Anna has anything to say — or do — about it. Stars Angelina Boris, Natalia De Mendoza, Angela Baumgardner, Revell Carpenter, Leah N.H. Philpott and Christina Simone Patterson.

Joan Crawford Double Feature
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Catch a Classic!

Legendary actress Joan Crawford made plenty of films whose titles are iconic, but the movies in tonight’s double feature devoted to the star on Turner Classic Movies may not be on the tip of most fans’ tongues, which makes it a refreshing chance to enjoy films one may not have seen before, or at least not as often as, say, something like Mildred Pierce or What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? In this evening’s first film, the 1947 romantic drama Daisy Kenyon, based on Elizabeth Janeway’s novel, Crawford plays the title character, who finds herself in a love triangle with two men (portrayed by Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda). Ruth Warrick costars in the movie, which was directed by Otto Preminger. Crawford also plays the title character in the second half of tonight’s double feature, the 1950 film noir Harriet Craig, based on George Kelly’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Craig’s Wife. That character is a neurotic, manipulative and controlling woman, whose obsession with perfection — or at least the appearance of perfection — begins driving away her friends and family. Wendell Corey costars in the film, which was Crawford’s second of three collaborations with director Vincent Sherman.

Say Yes to the Dress
TLC, 8pm
Season Finale!

Some brides dream about their wedding their whole life. With expectations this high, there’s bound to be some shocking moments while searching for their dress. Randy takes a look back at some of the best surprises to happen this season!

Taking the Reins
Hallmark Channel, 9pm
Original Film!

A writer (Nikki DeLoach) goes back to the family ranch to write an article about her passion for horses and discovers what ended her marriage and why she stopped riding. Also stars Corbin Bernsen and Janine Turner.