TV best bets with returns of 'Real Housewives of Atlanta,' 'Shameless,' 'Major Crimes,' 'Mom'

ajc.com

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Posted Monday, October 30, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog

CBS brings back its longest-running non "Big Bang" sitcom "Mom" this Thursday, plus a new series "S.W.A.T." based on an old one.

Showtime's oldest show 'Shameless" returns for an amazing eighth season.

And sadly, TNT's veteran show "Major Crimes" begins its sixth and final season Tuesday.

And reality show fans are bracing for Bravo's "Real Housewives of Atlanta," which is back for its 10th season on Sunday with NeNe Leakes and Kim Zolciak together for the first time in five years. And it won't be pretty.

This covers Monday, October 30 through Sunday, November 5, 2017. 

MONDAY

"Kevin Can Wait" 8 p.m. CBS (new time slot) — Kevin and Chale go on a road trip to retrieve Kendra's prized owl-shaped cookie jar that Kevin inadvertently sold.

"The Voice" 8 p.m. NBC — The knockout rounds begin with one Atlantan in the running: Jon Mero.

"Dancing With the Stars" 8 p.m. ABC — Nick Lachey was clearly not as good a dancer as his brother Drew many years ago. He was out fifth last week.

"The Gifted" 9 p.m. Fox — Motivated by a tragic event from his past, Jace throws all the power of the Sentinel Services into finding the Mutant Underground Way Station.

"Superior Donuts" 9 p.m. CBS (second season debut) — Arthur's business is threatened when a young, ambitious entrepreneur parks her organic food truck in front of the donut shop and becomes a hit with Arthur's customers and catches Franco's eye.

"Scorpion" 10 p.m. CBS — Team Scorpion takes a case on Halloween to prove the existence of ghosts on the Queen Mary, but find an all-too-real disaster when they locate a "ghost ship" on a deadly collision course.

"The Brave" 10:01 p.m. NBC — When the team is on the ground in Spain, McG makes a connection that leads the group to discover a potential threat stateside.

"The Good Doctor" 10:01 p.m. ABC — Shaun and Claire devise an experimental procedure capable of saving a young groom's leg and life, but the patient's loved ones must learn to work together.

TUESDAY

"The Middle" 8 p.m. ABC — Axl tries to invent a new beverage combing wine and beer.

"NCIS" 8 p.m. CBS — A petty officer is found murdered on a golf course, and McGee spends hours on the victim's ham radio trying to locate a key witness.

"Fresh Off the Boat" 8:30 p.m. ABC — Jessica's aunt passes away, so the Huang family head to Houston, where the boys see Jessica's dad for the first time.

"Black-ish" 9 p.m. ABC — An incident at school threatens Junior's future at his beloved Valley Glen Prep.

"Major Crimes" 9 p.m. TNT (sixth season debut) — This is the show's' final season.

"This is Us" 9 p.m. NBC — Trick-or-treating with the 10 year olds goes awry for Jack and Rebecca; and Randall, Kevin and Kate have life-changing Halloweens.

"The Mayor" 9:30 p.m. ABC — Fort Grey's public transportation comes to a crippling halt due to the bus drivers' union strike, and Courtney's outmatched by a fierce Transit Union lawyer.

"American Horror Story" 10 p.m. FX — Drink the Kool-Aid is the title.

"Kevin (Probably) Saves the World" 10 p.m. ABC — A single mom needs help with her son's medical bills, and Kevin's money won't solve her problems.

"NCIS: New Orleans" 10 p.m. CBS — The murder of a petty officer leads Pride to a mysterious woman who is targeting men with high security clearance.

"Law & Order True Crime" 10:01 p.m. NBC — The jury hears from Lyle and Erik for the first time when the brothers testify in court, recounting in detail the years of sexual abuse that led them to fear for their lives.

WEDNESDAY

"The Blacklist" 8 p.m. NBC — While Cooper enlists Red on a case of personal importance, Ressler leads the Task Force on a mission to stop the resurgence of once-dormant murder-for-hire ring.

"The Goldbergs" 8 p.m. ABC — Murray's business declines due to a new competitor, so Adam offers to make him a commercial starring Marvin, but things go awry.

"Survivor" 8 p.m. CBS — Ali gets upset with Ryan after being kept out of the loop on a  blindside.

"World Series" 8 p.m. Fox — Game 7 of a scintillating match up between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros. (CBS, at the last second, has opted to air repeats of "Seal Team" and "Criminal Minds," as as result.)

"Dynasty" 9 p.m. the CW — The Carringtons' efforts to protect their secrets lead them outside the protective cocoon of the manor: Cristal and Blake to their belated honeymoon

"Law & Order: SVU" 9 p.m. NBC — When a teenaged girl is found dead, Rollins goes undercover at a high-end rehab center where the victim was last seen alive.

"Modern Family" 9 p.m. ABC — Claire wants to throw a party for Jay's wedding anniversary to atone for her mood at his nuptials.

"Chicago PD" 10 p.m. NBC — A family is shot dead in their home and the team goes in search of a drug dealer with a likely connection..

"Designated Survivor" 10 p.m. ABC — A U.S. Navy ship is stranded in enemy waters, so the president must negotiate the ship's release before a massive threat to national security occurs.

"Mr. Robot" 10 p.m. FX — Dom has a close call; Elliot chases himself with Darlene on the lookout.

"Stan Against Evil" 10 p.m. IFC (second season debut)  — Stan meets descendants of a Wiccan coven, the Black Hat Society, who help him start to solve the mystery of Evelyn Barret.

THURSDAY

"The Big Bang Theory" 8 p.m. CBS (new time slot) — Sheldon goes head-to-head with Wil Wheaton for the role of the new Professor Proton.

"Gotham " 8 p.m. Fox — With Professor Pyg striking fear throughout Gotham, Gordon and Bullock head into the Narrows to look for clues.

"Grey's Anatomy " 8 p.m. ABC — Jackson decides he needs some time off and invites the guys to join him on a day out at sea.

"The Good Place " 8:30 p.m. NBC — Janet creates a big problem for Michael. Meanwhile, Eleanor lets Chidi in on a secret, and Jason puts Tahani in a difficult position.

"Young Sheldon " 8:31 p.m. CBS (new time slot) —To appease his worried mother, Sheldon employs the techniques of a self-help book to try and make a friend.

"Mary Mary" 9 p.m. WE-TV (series finale) — Emotions run high when the family face their past.

"Will & Grace" 9 p.m. NBC — When Karen has trouble dealing with a personal tragedy, Will, Grace and Jack try to intervene.

"Project Runway" 9 p.m. Lifetime — Atlanta's Kenya Freeman is in a good position to make it to Fashion Week. 

"Mom" 9:01 p.m. CBS (fifth season debut) — Bonnie gets cold feet when she considers her future with Adam.

"Life in Pieces" 9:31 p.m. CBS (third season debut) — The entire Hughes family moves into John and Joan's home after their kitchen is destroyed and their presence creates chaos for Joan.

"Chicago Fire" 10 p.m. NBC — The entire Hughes family moves into John and Joan's home after their kitchen is destroyed and their presence creates chaos for Joan.

"How to Get Away With Murder" 10 p.m. ABC — Bonnie has suspicions about Annalise's big case, and they drive her to great lengths to get answers, while flashbacks reveal the genesis of the two women's long and complicated history.

"S.W.A.T." 10 p.m. CBS (new series) — A S.W.A.T. leader is torn between loyalty to the streets and duty to his fellow officers when he is tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles.

FRIDAY

"Alias Grace3:01 a.m. Netflix (new series)  — Grace was one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder, and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail.

"Blindspot"  8 p.m. NBC (third season debut)  —  The team battles a dangerous foreign power that is trying to hijack a satellite; and adjusts to their new dynamic and the new tattoos.

"MacGyver" 8 p.m. CBS  — MacGyver gets out of a pickle using a jet engine and a pickup truck.

"Hawaii Five-O" 9 p.m. CBS  — Five-0 investigates a string of murders on Halloween that mirror stories from well-known Hawaiian folklore.

"The Exorcist" 9:01 p.m. Fox — Two very different men tackle a family's horrifying case of demonic possession.

"Blue Bloods10 p.m. CBS  — A famous basketball player is found dead of an apparent drug overdose.

WEEKEND

"The Lost Wife of Robert Durst" 8 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — The mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Kathie Durst, wife of a charming yet quirky real-estate scion, are explored in this dramatized account of the events.

"Saturday Night Live" 11:29 p.m. Saturday NBC — Larry David hosts. Miley Cyrus sings.

"Outlander" 8 p.m. Sunday Starz — Claire returns to Lallybroch with Jamie, where she does not receive quite the reception she was expecting.

"The Real Housewives of Atlanta" 8 p.m. Sunday Bravo (10th season debut) — NeNe Leakes returns full time.

"SMILF" 10 p.m. Sunday Showtime (new series) — Bridgette, a young single mother in Boston, struggles to balance her old life of freedom with her new one as a parent.

"Married to Medicine" 10 p.m. Sunday Bravo (fifth season debut)  — Dr. Jackie's husband cheated on her. We see some of the consequences.

"White Famous" 10:30 p.m. Sunday Showtime — Trevor's misbehavior lands Floyd in hot water with the principal's office, while Sadie worries about the punishing consequence this could have on Trevor's enrollment.

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" 10:15 p.m. Sunday HBO — Larry invents a clever ploy for getting his friends out of relationship jams; Larry upsets Funkhouser's new girlfriend.