1) “Matlock,” 9 p.m., CBS. After six weeks of reruns , CBS’ splendid Thursday line-up is back to new episodes. Here, there’s a tough task – proving Elijah’s cousin was wrongfully terminated. In an excellent episode, Matty (Kathy Bates, shown here) also has disputes at home and reaches a turning point at work.
2) “Elsbeth,” 10 p.m., CBS. A man is found dead, after leaving an upscale “wellness center.” Soon, Elsbeth is probing its smooth-talking founder, played by Eric McCormack. It’s a good episode, on a night that starts with “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” (Mandy tries a sales job) and “Ghosts.”
3) “Scamanda” debut, 9 p.m., ABC. For years, a young wife and mom described her struggles with Hodgkin’s disease. Social-media followers even saw her in hospital beds and with her hair cut off. Then came the suspicion that none of this was true. This documentary series was set to start Oct. 9. then was pulled until now.
4) “Perfect Wife,” 10 p.m., ABC. Another young wife and mom, another strange story: Sherri Papini vanished; when she resurfaced three weeks later, she was bruised, branded and describing a kidnapping. The story drew national attention – especially with jolting revelations.
5) “Hell’s Kitchen,” 8 p.m., Fox. We’re down to the final three – Egypt Davis and Hannah Flora, both 31, and Kyle Timpson, 29. Now they do menu-planning and get a visit from their families. That’s followed by “Animal Control” (trivia night gets intense) and “Going Dutch” (war games).
— Mike Hughes, TV America