1) “Good Sam” debut, 10 p.m. CBS. Shows used to stir conflict simply by having a female boss. For “Prime Suspect,” for instance, that meant instant distrust. Now a drama needs more: Samantha (Sophia Bush, 39) is young to be the chief of surgery. One of her underlings (Jason Isaacs, 58), emerged from a coma, is the former chief … and a noted surgeon …. and her father. (They’re shown here.) That sets the groundwork for strong drama and occasional humor. The opener is entertaining, despite way too much medical jargon.
2) “The Amazing Race,” 8-10 p.m., CBS. This race began almost two years ago, then was shut down by COVID for 19 months. Now it has a two-hour opener, before settling into the 9 p.m. slot. Tonight, we meet four married couples (two of them internet and YouTube stars), a dating couple, a father and daughter, some friends and people who work together – flight attendants, sisters who share a radio show and cops known for their singing. Their global journey starts in London.
3) “Next Level Chef,” 9 p.m., Fox. In the opener Sunday, each coach – Gordon Ramsay, Richard Blais and Nyesha Arrington – chose a five-person team. Now, at random, each team gets a kitchen (from state-of-the-art to a dingy basement) to prepare steak dinners. That’s preceded by “I Can See Your Voice” at 8 p.m., with “Joe Millionaire” debuting Thursday.
4) “The Goldbergs,” 8 p.m., ABC. As a budding filmmaker, Adam gets a fresh opportunity: Make a James Bond type of film that will help his brother attract Joanne. Meanwhile, their mom has a scheme to save the failing romance of Formica Mike (Richard Kind).
5) “Nova,” 9 p.m., PBS. Skyscrapers have become prestigious places to work and live, but this hour looks at a key question: Can they be designed to be safer and more livable? That’s a new hour, surrounded by reruns: At 8 p.m., “Nature” views active volcanoes; at 10, “Big Pacific” views mysteries in the depth of the ocean.