1) “The Simpsons,” 8 p.m., Fox. “Treehouse of Horror” again has three tales – all of them weird and some very funny. The first is timely, as political rage creates red and blue monsters (shown here). The second (a Scrooge take-off) is so-so, but has a funny closing bit. The third is clever (albeit very adult); at the Pants For the Amply Rumped store, Homer gets killer jeans. Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. John Mulaney (shown here) hosts “SNL,” which is his home turf. He was a writer there for five years, co-creating the Stefon character. Since then, he’s hosted five times (plus five uncredited visits). Chappell Roan has her first time as music guest; her “Midwest Princess” album was No. 2 on the Billboard chart.
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1) “Coco” (2017), 8:30 p.m., Freeform. A Mexican tradition has Nov. 1 as “Day of the Dead,” a time to think of departed ancestors. So it’s logical that today Freeform airs this gem, with a boy entering the Land of the Dead (shown here). Freeform will show it Saturday and ABC will have its turn Sunday. The film won Oscars for best song (“Remember Me”) and best animated feature. Read more…
1) “Elsbeth,” 10 p.m., CBS. Mac wakes up on Halloween-with a haircut, a hangover, a tattoo, an arrest and a foggy notion (a nightmare? a memory?) that she shot someone. She’s a former child star, beautiful and clueless; now Elsbeth (in Halloween costume) investigates. Brittany O’Grady (center) is terrific as Mac, in an hour that’s clever and fun Read more…
1) “Abbott Elementary,” 9:30 p.m., ABC. In an annual tradition, ABC has Halloween episodes for each of its comedies. That continues this year – but the network only has one comedy. At the school’s party (shown here), Janine and Gregory have a couple’s costume that doesn’t click. Also, parents question the hygiene of Barbara’s bobbing-for-apples event. Read more…
1) “Only Murders in the Building” season-finale, Hulu. After lots of twists, this gem reached a breakthrough last week: The young writer, we learned, apparently stole Sazz’s script, put his name on it and killed her. But now Mabel (Selena Gomez, shown here) is alone with him; she and her colleagues (Steve Martin and Martin Short) will be in mortal danger. Read more…
1) World Series, 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox; pre-game at 7. After two games in Dodger Stadium, the games move to Yankee Stadium, a familiar spot. The Yankees (shown here) are in their league-leading 41st Series, with 27 championships; the Dodgers are in their 22nd, , with seven. This continues Tuesday and, if needed, Wednesday and (in Los Angeles) Friday and Saturday. Read more…
1) “Tracker,” 8:30 p.m., CBS, Sofia Pernas is back as Billie – the former lover and current nemesis of Colter (played by her husband, Jason Hartley; they’re shown here). They link to search for a baseball star. Pernas moved to the U.S. from Morocco at 5. She met Hartley on “The Young and the Restless” and starred for two summers in CBS’ “Blood & Treasure.” Read more…
1) “Elsbeth,” 10 p.m. Thursday, CBS. Mac (Brittany O’Grady, center, who’s terrific) is a former child star, gorgeous and clueless. She wakes up on Halloween-with a haircut, a hangover, a tattoo, an arrest and a nightmare (or maybe a memory) involving shooting someone. Elsbeth (in cocktail-hour costume) investigates, in an hour that’s bright, funny and well-plotted. Read more…
1) “I Am Alfred Hitchcock” (2021), 8-10 p.m., CW. Deftly fanning his fame, Hitchcock (shown here) did interviews, hosted a TV series, did cameos in his films … and directed great movies. Ranging from the haunting “Psycho” to the lively “North by Northwest,” they drew 46 Oscar nominations and six wins. Here’s a profile of a man who also had a controlling attitude. Read more…
