1) “The Good Doctor,” 10 p.m. Tuesday, ABC. On a rerun night for ABC, here’s the hour that introduced a likable actress to a broader audience. Kayla Cromer, who is on the autism spectrum, co-starred in a snall cable comedy; now she plays Charlie, who is autistic. Tonight (shown here) she works with Shaun (her inspiration for becoming a doctor) and promptly oversteps her role. Read more…
1) “NCIS” (shown here), 9 p.m., CBS. Counting all five “NCIS” shows, this is episode No. 1,000. Appropriately, it focuses on NCIS Director Vance (Rocky Carroll), who’s been in 369 of them. As his son questions Vance’s work, a crisis arrives. The team meshes and past stars appear briefly in flashbacks. It’s a big hour, but strains belief. One inaction by a Secret Service agent is totally absurd. Read more…
In a sudden reversal, CBS has decided “SWAT” will be back next season, after all.
The network had been saying this is the final season for the show. It said the same for “Young Sheldon” and “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” (which end in Ma) and “Blue Bloods,” which ends next fall, after a summer break.
But ratings have been solid for “SWAT,” which launches CBS’ successful Friday line-up. Fans lobbyed, producers negotiated and CBS had a rare reversal. Read more…
1) “The 100th,” 9-11 p.m., CBS. Billy Joel (shown here) has sold 160 million records and gathered all the big awards, including five Grammys. Now comes another milestone – his 100th monthly concert in the 20,000-seat Madison Square Garden, each a sell-out. He’s had three No. 1 hits (”Still Rock and Roll to Me,” “Tell Me About It,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire”), four No. 3’s and such album favorites as “Piano Man.” Read more…
1) “Saturday Night Live,” 11:29 p.m., NBC. For the second straight week, “SNL” has a big-deal host. Last week was Kristen Wiig (in, surprisingly, a so-so episode). Now it’s Ryan Gosling, fresh from soaring with “Barbie” (shown here) That brought his third Oscar nomination – others were for “La La Land” and “Half Nelson” — and an epic, Oscar-night song. Tonight’s music guest is Chris Stapleton. Read more…
This has been a busy time for CBS, with a flurry of announcements.
They range from the Tony Awards (Ariana DeBose, shown here, will host again) to spin-offs (“NCIS,” “Young Sheldon”), renewals, season-finale dates and even a reprieve for “SWAT” (shown here) which had been cancelled.
Here are highlights:ere” which had been cancelled. Here are highlights: Read more…
1) “NCIS,” 9 p.m. today, CBS. If you include all five “NCIS” shows, this is the 1,000th episode. Appropriately, it focuses on NCIS Director Vance (Rocky Carroll, shown here), who’s been in 369 of them. As his son questions Vance’s obsession with work, a crisis arrives. The team meshes and past stars appear briefly in flashbacks. It’s a big hour, but strains belief. One inaction by a Secret Service agent is truly absurd. Read more…
1) “Franklin” debut, Apple TV+. In 1776, Ben Franklin headed to Paris with his teen grandson. He was 70 or 71 (25 years older than George Washington), gifted in science, romance and people skills; that last one would play a key role in the Revolutionary War. Michael Douglas (shown here), 79, and Noah Jupe, 19, star in a smart and well-crafted series, with the first three episodes (of eight) airing today. Read more…
Ben Franklin kept exceeding limitations.
That was true involving education. “He didn’t go to school past 12 years old,” said Michael Douglas, who plays him (shown here) in a mini-series that starts Friday on Apple TV+. So everything is sort of self-learned.
And it was true involving age. In 1776, where “Franklin” begins, he was already 70 or (some sources say) 71. By comparison, Washington was 44 or 45, Jefferson was 33, Hamilton was 21 or 19.
That senior citizen had a crucial assignment, Douglas, 79, told the Television Critics Association: “The Continental Congress decided, ‘Well, we need Ben,’ because he was was well-known around the world, to do sort of an undercover diplomatic trip to France, to get their support.” Read more…
1) “Young Sheldon,” 8 p.m., CBS. Some shows build an entire finale around a wedding. For “Sheldon,” that’s just one piece of a big, busy episode, five weeks from the series finale. Yes, Georgie and Mandy get married (shown here), in a brisk scene that has both big laughs and warmth. But there’s much more here, ranging from the baby to the illegal casino, affecting 10 great (and varied) characters. Read more…
Best-bets for Nov. 7: ABC is back; CBS is fun 
Best-bets for Nov. 6: San Diego goes wild; Fox has fun, fun, fun 
Best-bets for Nov. 5: The election … and alternatives 
