1) “The Conners” (shown here) season-opener, 8 p.m., ABC. It’s the end of a great run that spans 37 years. “Roseanne” thrived from 1988-97, then came back big in 2018. When Roseanne Barr was fired, it changed title and said her character had died. Now a six-episode final season begins. Darlene lands a promotion; her aunt Jackie wants to sue a drug company.
2) Figure skating, 3 p.m. ET, USA Network. The world championships begin with the women’s short program. NBC will have the finals for women at 8 p.m. Friday and men at 8 p.m. Saturday. USA has the rest, including the men’s short at 3 p.m. Thursday; also, Peacock simulcasts everything.
3) “The Future of Nature,” 10 p.m., PBS. Swimmers always seem to be criticized when we defecate in the water. But when whales do it, we’re told in the start of this series, it’s a good thing. It’s done at the surface, where it combines with sunlight to create plankton that start the food chain.
4) “Wild Cards,” 8 p.m., CW. Max kind of likes grabbing attention, so this fits: She and Ellis probe a murder in the high-fashion world. That’s followed by “Good Cop/Bad Cop”; the good cop, the odd cop (they’re siblings) and their dad (the police chief) face a family secret and a sabotage threat.
5) ALSO: On “Abbott Elementary” (8:30 p.m., ABC), Barbara and Gregory struggle with their new roles at the school. And NBC’s Chicago shows are back, after a one-week rest. That starts with “Chicago Med” (8 p.m.), as Lenox and Abrams try to save a woman who’s been in a coma for 20 years.