1) “Nature,” 8 p.m., PBS. Many teens might be expected to walk the dog or feed the cat; Laurel Scheel may have been the only one to feed and play with the octopus. Her dad, David, is a professor at Alaska Pacific University. After years of standard research, he went a step further – keeping an octopus named Heidi (shown here) in a tank in his house. Heidi surprised him by solving some obstacles, bonding (especially with Laurel) and watching TV. This rerun is light and entertaining, but also has nuggets of information.
2) “The Amazing Race,” 9 p.m., CBS. After its two-hour opener, “Race” settles into its 9 p.m. slot, with “The Price is Right” as its lead-in for a couple weeks. In that opener, 11 duos began what would become a disjointed contest; they raced for a week in February of 2020, then had a 19-month COVID break. Four couples are married (including Kim and Penn Holderness, of “Xmas Jammies” video fame) and one is dating. There also are friends and co-workers, plus twin sisters and a father-daughter team.
3) “The Conners,” 9 p.m., ABC. Mark seems to be thriving at his new magnet school and has made the dean’s list. That sparks a party … until his mom, Darlene, learns some of the details.
4) “Good Sam,” 10 p.m., CBS. Last week’s opener – a good one – tipped the Griffiths upside-down. “Griff” (Jason Isaacs), the autocratic chief of surgery, went into a coma; his daughter (Sophia Bush) became chief. Then Griff emerged and had to start over, taking orders from her. Now he goes directly to the hospital board, seeking his old job back. Also, Caleb (her ex-boyfriend) links with a patient.
5) “Ray Donovan,” 6-10 p.m., Showtime. A year-ago, this series ended a seven-year run that brought praise and 10 Emmy nominations. It will return Friday with a well-crafted (if bleak) movie; first, this is the mid-section of a three-night stretch of reruns. Two of these hours focus on the Bridgets: At 9 p.m., Ray’s daughter Bridget defies his demand that she not visit Marvin. At 10, the hour focuses on her namesake, Ray’s late sister; Ray and his brothers gather to mark the anniversary of her death.