This was posted on Rodney Ho's AJC Radio & TV Talk blog on Sunday, October 16, 2016
More than 40 years ago, a low-budget film called "Rocky Horror Picture Show" came out and was a dismal failure - until theaters began airing midnight screenings. Fans started arriving in costume, bringing props, dancing to the songs and yelling out special dialogue.
Astonishingly, the original film still airs in theaters nationwide including the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta on Friday nights. (I wrote about the Plaza show ten years ago.) On Thursday, Fox is creating a new version of the film so a new generation can do the time warp again. Laverne Cox ("Orange is the New Black") plays transvestite Dr. Frank-N-Furter, replacing Tim Curry, who returns as the narrator.
The other big event: the seventh season debut of "The Walking Dead" on Sunday where producers promise we'll learn who Negan goes after among Rick's crew.
And the CW begins the eighth and final season with 16 episodes of "Vampire Diaries" on Friday. It's the longest-running scripted drama to date shot in metro Atlanta, going all the way back to 2009.
Plus, check out "Black Mirror," a cool anthology series that moves to Netflix starting Friday.
MONDAY
"The Big Bang Theory" 8 p.m. CBS — Amy and Sheldon battle over the bathroom schedule.
"Dancing With the Stars" 8 p.m. ABC — Could another double elimination be happening?
"Gotham" 8 p.m. Fox — With crime in Gotham at an all-time high, Penguin strives to uphold his promises to the city.
"Supergirl" 8 p.m. the CW — Supergirl ends up seriously injured during an attack on National City.
"The Voice" 8 p.m. NBC — Third episode of battle rounds..
"Jane the Virgin" 9 p.m. the CW (third season debut) — Jane learns that Michael was shot.
"Lucifer" 9 p.m. Fox —Chloe and Lucifer investigate when the bodies of two young L.A. transplants are found poisoned
"The Odd Couple" 9:30 p.m. CBS (third season debut) — Oscar faces a true dilemma when he's forced to choose between his romantic plans with Charlotte and helping keep a distraught Felix from completely falling apart after Emily decides to extend her stay in London.
"Timeless" 10 p.m. NBC — The trio go on the run with an infamous mistress when they land in 1962 Las Vegas.
"Conviction" 10:01 p.m. ABC — The CIU team tries to exonerate a political activist with suspect views who is serving a life sentence.
"Scorpion" 10 p.m. CBS — The team searches for a boy from Ralph's class who encountered a deadly criminal after going missing from a field trip.
TUESDAY
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" 8 p.m. Fox — The squad compete in the precinct's annual Halloween heist in hopes of winning this year's title of Ultimate Detective Slash Genius.
"The Middle" 8 p.m. ABC — Sue's kicked out of college after forgetting to renew her financial aid, prompting Mike to visit the bursar.
"NCIS" 8 p.m. CBS — When a missing MI6 agent is linked to a murdered petty officer
"The Voice" 8 p.m. NBC — The fourth battle round.
"New Girl" 8:31 p.m. Fox — The gang pitches in to help Schmidt and Cece remodel their fixer-upper.
"Bull" 9 p.m. CBS — A young woman fights a drug patent lawsuit, forcing Bull and his team to visit a small Texas town that was the sight of the only trial loss of his career.
"Fresh Off the Boat" 9 p.m. ABC — Eddie shows Emery the ropes at middle school, where he uses fake Chinese customs to fool the teachers and staff into giving him special privileges.
"This is Us" 9 p.m. NBC — Rebecca and Jake take the kids to a community pool.
"Chicago Fire" 10 p.m. NBC — Casey and Dawson find themselves in the midst a potential political mess.
"NCIS: New Orleans" 10 p.m. CBS — The team must rescue Sebastian after he's abducted from a restaurant and forced to orchestrate a prison break using his gaming skills.
"Atlanta" 10 p.m. FX — Primal hosts NFL players.
WEDNESDAY
"Chance" 3:01 a.m. Hulu (new series) — Based on the acclaimed novel by Kem Nunn, "Chance" is a provocative, psychological thriller that focuses on Dr. Eldon Chance (Laurie), a San Francisco-based forensic neuropsychiatrist who reluctantly gets sucked into a violent and dangerous world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness.
"Blindspot" 8 p.m. NBC — A fugitive whistle-blower is sought by Weller and Nas in Bulgaria.
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" 8 p.m. NBC — Linus is still waiting for the Great Pumpkin.
"Lethal Weapon" 8 p.m. Fox — Murtaugh and Riggs target a former Navy SEAL.
"Survivor" 8 p.m. CBS — Will David's gutsy use of his immunity idol help him or backfire?
THURSDAY
"Grey's Anatomy " 8 p.m. ABC — Meredith and Bailey clash when they covet the same liver for different patients who need transplants.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show " 8 p.m. Fox — A reimagining of the 1975 cult-classic film that follows a young couple as they find themselves in the middle of a strange convention hosted by Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a sexually-ambiguous mad scientist who is debuting the birth a creation at the event.
"Superstore " 8 p.m. NBC — New parents Cheyenne and Bo fight, prompting Amy and Glenn to give them advice in very different forms.
"Chicago Med " 9 p.m. NBC — A car accident at the Chicago Marathon tests Halstead.
"Supernatural" 9 p.m. the CW — Lucifer takes over the body of a rock star.
"Notorious" 9 p.m. ABC — A baby's biological parents are the focus of a search by Jake and Julia.
"The Blacklist" 10 p.m. NBC — Red springs into action on an operation to intercept Alexander Kirk, a move that tests Liz's loyalties.
"How to Get Away With Murder" 10 p.m. ABC — The mystery about the flyers calling Annalise a killer takes a shocking turn.
"Falling Water" 10 p.m. USA — Burton questions whether the Woman in Red exists beyond his dreams.
FRIDAY
"Black Mirror" 3:01 a.m. Netflix (third season debut) — This British drama returns with six episodes featuring situations where technology doesn't necessarily enhance our best traits as humans but instead sheds light on our worst.
"Hell's Kitchen" 8 p.m. Fox — A shocking elimination forces both teams to regroup and chart a new course as they take on the Seven Seas Seafood Challenge.
"Last Man Standing" 8 p.m. ABC — Mike dresses up as Donald Trump for Halloween.
"MacGyver" 8 p.m. CBS — MacGyver has to fix a sabotaged train to protect a whistleblower who can prove her boss is selling weapons to enemies of the United States.
"The Vampire Diaries" 8 p.m. the CW (eighth and final season debut) — Stefan searches for Damon and Enzo after they mysteriously vanished months ago
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" 9 p.m. CW (second season debut) — Rebecca is convinced that Josh is in love with her,
"Hawaii Five-O" 9 p.m. CBS — When a cache of guns is stolen from a gun range, Five-0 discovers the culprit is intent on making a dramatic statement on gun violence.
"Blue Bloods" 10 p.m. CBS — The U.S. Marshals plan a raid of a local gang.
WEEKEND
"Death of a Vegas Showgirl" 8 p.m. Saturday Lifetime — The disappearance of a showgirl who was involved in a tumultuous relationship with her dance partner is investigated, revealing the details of a sordid love story that resulted in a gruesome death.
"Saturday Night Live" 11:29 p.m. Saturday NBC — Tom Hanks hosts. Lady Gaga performs.
"The Simpsons" 8 p.m. Sunday Fox — Krusty's new candy, "Krustaceans," leaves a bad taste in Lisa and Bart's mouths so they launch an investigation.
"NCIS: Los Angeles" 8:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — A navy machinist with high security clearance is murdered on the roof of a downtown high-rise building.
"The Walking Dead" 9 p.m. Sunday AMC (seventh season debut) — Who did Negan kill? We finally find out.
"Madam Secretary" 9:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — Elizabeth finds herself in a stalemate with the Chinese foreign minister as she lobbies for the release of environmental activists who were arrested for spying in China.
"Divorce" 10 p.m. Sunday HBO — Frances and Robert try couples therapy in an attempt to discuss the state of their marriage.
"Eyewitness" 10 p.m. Sunday USA —Philip and Lukas find proof that the killer's alive
"Quantico" 10 p.m. Sunday ABC — The trainees have their stress levels tested while Alex attempts to get close to Owen.
"Master of Sex" 10 p.m. Sunday Showtime — Masters looks to groom Art as his protégé in a new area of research
"The Strain" 10 p.m. Sunday FX — New York begins falling and Eph and Dutch try to finish their new device before the city gets overrun.
"Elementary" 10:30 p.m. Sunday CBS — Holmes learns a secret about Capt. Gregson's girlfriend when she hires him for a case she wants kept off of Gregson's radar.
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