1) “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” season-opener (shown here), 8:30 p.m., CBS. Last season’s best new comedy returns, picking up the pace a bit. Last season, Bob slowly and drolly tried to romance Abishola, the Nigerian native who had nursed him back from a heart attack. Now he wants to move faster, but her world is crowded and complicated; that includes aunt, uncle, son, jobs and (back in Nigeria) traditions and a marriage that was never formally ended. This opener, as usual, is a splendid mix of humor and warmth.
2) “The Neighborhood” and “All Rise” season-openers, 8 and 9 p.m., CBS. Both shows tackle the complexites of police abusing Blacks; only “All Rise” does it well. For “Neighborhood,” a lightweight show, this feels forced and clumsy. The final minutes are fairly good; the rest is so-so. But “All Rise” neatly crafts the story – stasrting a parter – around its characters. Lola, a judge, tries to intervene when a teen is stopped. She’s soon in handcuffs – something that may taint her courtroom and her life.
3) “Dancing With the Stars,” 8-10 p.m., ABC. In its first 25 editions, this has seen five Olympians win – two gymnasts (Shawn Johnson and Laurie Hernandez) and three skaters (Apolo Anton Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi and Meryl Davis). Now Johnny Weir is in the running to be the fourth skater and sixth Olympian. He faces actors Justina Machado and Skai Jackson, rapper Nelly, former “Bachelorette” Kaitlyn Bristowe and “Catfish” host Nev Schulman. Four will reach the finale next week.
4) “His Dark Materials,” 9 p.m., HBO, rerunning at 10:50. The second season started last week, with Lyra in a new world, with a new friend. Dafne Keen, 15, stars; she co-starred in a British series (“Refugees”) when she was 9, but is new to most U.S. viewers. They might recognize Ruth Wilson and James McAvoy (as her parents) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (as Lee, launching a balloon adventure).
5) “Bull” season-opener, 10 p.m., CBS. As the fifth season begins, the courts are consumed by COVID worries. That’s especially a problem for Bull, who is skilled at reading the faces of prospective jurors. Now the faces are covered and the people are distant.