Year: 2022

1) “So Help Me Todd” (shown here) debut, 9 p.m., CBS. This is the sort of show TV needs now – light and bright, with a case solved each episode. Margaret (Marcia Gay Harden) is a lawyer, careful and diligent; her son Todd (Skylar Astin) is a private eye, freeform and free-lance. He’s also out-of-work, out of options and living in his sister’s garage. When his mom hires him, a great contrast begins. The next two episodes get a bit goofy, but this opener is first-rate. Read more…

1) “Resident Alien” season-finale, 10 p.m., Syfy. This terrific show slides easily between humor, drama and, occasionally, sci-fi action. Last week, the action dominated, as the alien (shown here in his human form as Harry) broke into the general’s complex and rescued the alien baby – which coughed up a piece needed to destroy all Earthlings. Now it’s drama time, as “Harry” decides our future. Add “Reservation Dogs” (see “News and Quick Comments”) and you have season-finales of two terrific shows. Read more…

1) “The Rookie: Feds” debut, 10 p.m., ABC. A former guidance counselor, Simone (Niecy Nash, shown here) became the oldest grad at Quantico, the FBI school. After helping Nolan (who shows up briefly here) in two “Rookie” episodes, she’s ready something big. Instead, she’s pointed to a desk job. Naturally, she ducks it. This is a brisk, bright-eyed episode that lets Nash have fun, while catching some bad guys. Read more…

1) “Kevin Can F Himself,” 9 p.m., AMC, and “Quantum Leap,” 10 p.m., NBC. For tonight and two more weeks, Raymond Lee is the king of Mondays. On NBC, he’s the star, leaping into strangers’ bodies; tonight, he’s aboard a space shuttle. On AMC (shown here), his marriage crumbles during his affair with Allison — who plans to fake her death to escape her husband. “Kevin” juggles deliberately bad sitcom and solid drama; it has some pivotal scenes late in this hour. Read more…

1) “The Simpsons” season-opener, 8 p.m., Fox. Homeris forlorn (shown here) after being mocked at a town hall. Then he finds a cause – a group with conspiracy theories about the zoo’s missing tortoise. It gives him, Marge says, “a chance to be a big fish in a small, weird pond.” It’s a funny episode, launching a string of openers: “The Great North” at 8:30, “Bob’s Burgers” at 9 and “Family Guy” at 9:30, with its versions of “Silence of the Lambs,” “American Beauty” and “Forrest Gump.” Read more…