Posted on Sunday, October 1, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
This covers Monday, October 2 through Sunday, October 8, 2017.
Last week was the big start for the broadcast season. This week, a few stray shows return as well, including the final season of "Scandal" Thursday on ABC and "Once Upon a Time" now on Friday nights.
Two shows shot in Atlanta are debuting as well: Fox's X Men spinoff "The Gifted" Monday and ABC's comedy "Kevin (Probably) Saves the World" on Wednesday.
TV One wades into the controversial land of "Bobbi Kristina" on Sunday focused on Whitney Houston's daughter's tragic life and death.
And the final episode of Showtime's comedy "Episodes" airs Sunday, finishing five seasons.
Among new shows, the ABC comedy "The Mayor" Tuesday is getting the most buzz about a rapper who runs for mayor of a small town for publicity purposes - then wins.
Plus, MTV is bringing back "Total Request Live" Monday at 3:30 p.m. with new hosts for a new generation nine years after it was first retired.
MONDAY
"Total Request Live" 3:30 p.m. MTV (series return) — Five hosts, more interviews and live performances, fewer videos and no video countdown.
"The Big Bang Theory" 8 p.m. CBS — Leonard angers the university and the entire physics community when he gives an embarrassing radio interview.
"Lucifer" 8 p.m. Fox (third season debut) —After Lucifer wakes up in the middle of the desert with his wings back, he recruits the help of Chloe to help figure out what happened to him and why.
"Dancing With the Stars" 8 p.m. ABC — Eliminated dancers Debbie Gibson and Barbara Corcoran are proof yet again that women are treated more harshly by voters on this show than dudes.
"9JKL" 8:30 p.m. CBS (new series) — This could be one of the worst names for a TV show ever. A newly divorced, out-of-work actor moves from Los Angeles back home to New York to regroup.
"The Gifted" 9 p.m. Fox (new series) — A suburban couple's lives are rocked by the discovery that their children possess mutant powers, forcing the family to go on the lam from a hostile government and seek help from an underground network of mutants.
"Kevin Can Wait" 9 p.m. CBS — Kendra, who is overwhelmed by Kevin's helicopter parenting, tricks him into taking a job with his old partner, Vanessa, who now operates her own private security company.
"The Brave" 10 p.m. NBC — When a CIA officer is attacked, the team heads to Russia to uncover the truth behind the ambush.
"Scorpion" 10 p.m. CBS — Team Scorpion continues to work with their nemesis, Mark Collins, to prevent an extinction event that could end humanity
"The Good Doctor" 10:01 p.m. ABC — Shaun's first day at St. Bonaventure Hospital is complicated by his attention to detail.
TUESDAY
"Rodney Carrington: Here Comes the Truth" 3:01 a.m. Netflix — The comic is coming to Cobb Energy Centre October 21.
"Lethal Weapon" 8 p.m. Fox — Riggs and Murtaugh respond to the death of a plastic surgeon, drawing them into a case involving an illegal drug ring run out of a wellness clinic.
"The Middle" 8 p.m. ABC (ninth season debut) — Axl returns from Europe with a new, relaxed outlook on life, but Mike wants him to look for a job.
"NCIS" 8 p.m. CBS — NCIS investigates when the body of a murdered Navy lieutenant.
"Fresh Off the Boat" 8:30 p.m. ABC (fourth season debut) — The Huangs move in with Honey and Marvin.
"Black-ish" 9 p.m. ABC (fourth season debut) — The family attend a school play about Columbus Day, and Dre is dismayed by its inaccuracies.
"This is Us" 9 p.m. NBC — The entire Pearson family visits Kevin in Los Angeles for a "Manny" taping.
"The Mayor" 9:30 p.m. ABC (new series) — Courtney runs for mayor as a publicity stunt and unexpectedly wins the election in the series premiere of this comedy about an aspiring rapper who finds himself with a new career in politics.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" 9:30 p.m. Fox — When the warden asks Jake to investigate Romero's drug smuggling operation, Jake and Caleb find themselves caught between the loyalty Jake has sworn to both of them.
"American Horror Story" 10 p.m. FX — The title is "Holes."
"Kevin (Probably) Saves the World" 10 p.m. ABC (new series) — Kevin returns home to Texas to crash with his sister and niece and has a strained homecoming.
"NCIS: New Orleans" 10 p.m. CBS — Pride and his team join forces with FBI Director Isler when a Russian operative, who is in the U.S. to provide intelligence on sleeper agents, disappears after his Navy escort is murdered.
"Law & Order True Crime" 10 p.m. NBC — Seemingly innocuous comments Lyle previously made about his parents come back to haunt him when detectives Zoeller and Linehan interview the brothers' friends and acquaintances.
WEDNESDAY
"The Blacklist" 8 p.m. NBC — Liz and the Task Force join Red in pursuit of a billionaire who moonlights as a high end art thief.
"Empire" 8 p.m. Fox — With Leah still insisting that he is a monster, Lucious sneaks away in hopes of finding out what type of person he was before the explosion.
"Survivor" 8 p.m. CBS — That former NFL player Alan got a little heavy-handed week one. Bad time for paranoia.
"Law & Order: SVU" 9 p.m. NBC — The details of a rape put the SVU at odds.
"Modern Family" 9 p.m. ABC — Phil and Claire visit Alex at college and realize how self-sufficient she is.
"Seal Team" 9 p.m. CBS — Jason and the SEAL team go on an evidence-collecting mission in Syria and discover innocent civilians in desperate need of rescue just as enemy forces close in on them.
"Star" 9:01 p.m. Fox — The girls receive a rude awakening when the fierce new label head, Ayanna, demands they re-brand their image in order to have a shot at competing with the label's other talented artists.
"Chicago PD" 10 p.m. NBC — After a van explodes during a Chicago street festival, a Muslim patrol officer goes missing and evidence quickly piles up pointing to his involvement.
"Criminal Minds" 10 p.m. CBS — The BAU team investigates three similar crimes in which victims' remains are discovered in old suitcases.
"Designated Survivor" 10 p.m. ABC — FBI Agent Hannah Wells finally closes in on Patrick Lloyd and the president decides to take action during the White House Correspondents Dinner, but this prompts members of the Homeland Security Council to threaten to derail their plans
THURSDAY
"Gotham " 8 p.m. Fox — Gordon takes matters into his own hands when he travels to Miami in attempts to persuade Carmine Falcone for his help in the fight against Penguin.
"Grey's Anatomy " 8 p.m. ABC — Harper Avery arrives at Grey Sloan, putting Bailey on edge. Meanwhile, a familiar face from Meredith's past returns as a patient; and Amelia tries to manage a secret.
"Superstore " 8 p.m. NBC — Amy worries that Dina may be struggling with anxiety.
"The Good Place " 8:30 p.m. NBC — Michael approaches things from a new angle.
"Will & Grace" 9 p.m. NBC — Will and Jack try to date younger guys.
"Project Runway" 9 p.m. Lifetime — One of the twins is going home - finally. For sure.
"Scandal" 9 p.m. ABC (seventh season debut) — Olivia must make a tough call to avoid an international incident 100 days into Mellie's presidency.
"Chicago Fire" 10 p.m. NBC — After learning the school fire wasn't an accident, Chief Boden turns up the pressure to investigate the cause of the fire that trapped his wife.
"How to Get Away With Murder" 10 p.m. ABC — Annalise reconnects with a client from her past, but her personal life remains a struggle.
FRIDAY
"Suburra" 3:01 a.m. Netflix (new series) — In 2008, a fight over land in a seaside town near Rome spirals into a deadly battle between organized crime, corrupt politicians and the Vatican.
"Don't Be Tardy" 8 p.m. Bravo (sixth season debut) — Kim Zolciak not only returns to "Real Housewives" but now enters the longest-running spinoff on Bravo.
"Hell's Kitchen" 8 p.m. Fox — The 16 chefs are given 40 minutes to execute the Bar Menu Challenge.
"MacGyver" 8 p.m. CBS — MacGyver, using cuff links and a wire, tries to gain access to diamonds in a casino vault before a terrorist group can remove and sell them in exchange for a weapon of mass destruction
"Once Upon a Time" 8 p.m. ABC (seventh season debut) — Henry leaves Storybrooke and encounters a troubled Cinderella.
"Hawaii Five-O" 9 p.m. CBS — Five-0 enlists the help of an old friend when the boss of a major crime family is murdered.
"The Exorcist" 9:01 p.m. Fox — Tomas and Marcus attempt to finish Cindy's exorcism and escape her enraged family.
"Blue Bloods" 10 p.m. CBS — Frank receives an order from the mayor to attend a parade honoring a man who served time for conspiring in an attack against the police.
"Superstition" 10 p.m. Syfy (new series) — Calvin Hastings returns home to reconnect with his family, but the reunion is cut short by a string of killings instigated by a supernatural villain only Calvin and his family can take down.
WEEKEND
"Spielberg" 8 p.m. Saturday HBO — More than 30 hours of interviews with Steven Spielberg shed light on the filmmaker's long career, directorial influences and motivations as he shares largely unknown stories behind some of his most iconic films.
"Saturday Night Live" 11:29 p.m. Saturday NBC — Gal Gadot ("Wonder Woman") hosts.
"Bobbi Kristina" 7 p.m. Sunday TV One — A scripted look at how Whitney Houston's daughter dealt with her mom's death.
"The Last Ship" 10 p.m. Sunday TNT (fourth season finale) — The crew of Nathan James faces a threat that will test the limits of their Naval tactics and strategies.
"Episodes" 10 p.m. Sunday Starz (series finale) — Sean and Beverly learn that Matt passed on the new show they created for him, as the series concludes.
"Curb Your Enthusiasm" 10 p.m. Sunday HBO — Larry reaches out to a familiar face; gives sartorial advice to a hotel guest; and tries to create a diversion to help a friend's nephew.
"Madam Secretary" 10 p.m. Sunday CBS (fourth season debut) — A diplomat suddenly dies during a meeting with Elizabeth on the first day of the U.N. General Assembly.
"Ten Days in the Valley" 10 p.m. Sunday ABC — Jane goes on a desperate search to find PJ and question him after seeing security-camera footage of him staking out her house.
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