The Queen’s Funeral, ‘Dancing’ to Streaming, A ‘Quantum Leap’ into Premiere Week (‘NCIS’-‘Hawai’i’ Crossover, ‘9-1-1,’ ‘Voice,’ More)
Wake up early to observe the ceremony laying Queen Elizabeth II to rest in London. PBS presents a BBC recap in prime time. Dancing With the Stars moves to Disney+ for its 31st season. A reboot of Quantum Leap helps kick off the networks’ official premiere week, including a crossover of NCIS and NCIS: Hawai’i and kickoffs of new seasons of 9-1-1, The Voice and CBS’ Monday sitcoms.
The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II
After many days of ceremonial mourning, Queen Elizabeth II will be laid to rest in an event broadcast live to a global audience. BBC America will air without interruption the state funeral at Westminster Abbey live in the morning, plus a prime-time special, A Tribute to Her Majesty The Queen (8/7c, encore at 11:30/10:30c), featuring interviews with her children and those who worked with and knew the monarch best. For those unwilling or unable to rise early to watch as it happens, PBS will show the BBC primetime special The State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II: Events of the Day at 8/7c.
Dancing With the Stars
In the latest sign of the ever-changing times, the streaming revolution has claimed another broadcast stalwart to the dismay of many. But the show must go on, LIVE, with Alfonso Ribeiro joining Tyra Banks as host of the dancing competition, which welcomes back fan-favorite pros Mark Ballas and Louis van Amstel. Returning as judges: Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. The cast, eclectic as ever, features the first drag star (Shangela from RuPaul’s Drag Race), a deaf actor (CODA’s Daniel Durant), a movie star battling multiple sclerosis (Selma Blair), familiar faces from pop culture (Cheryl Ladd, Wayne Brady) and the world of reality TV. To root and vote for your favorites, though, you’ll need to join the streaming world.
Quantum Leap
After nearly 30 years, the reboot trend finally catches up to the timeless time-tripping fantasy that made Scott Bakula a star during the original 1989-93 run. Stepping into the Quantum Accelerator is the very appealing Raymond Lee as physicist Ben Song, whose motives for taking the leap remain a mystery. The fun of the show, as it was before, is watching Ben adjust each week to a new body, a new time and a new dilemma to solve before he can leap away. (The opener includes a harrowing heist and car-chase sequence.) Joining him on the ride is a hologram of his fiancée Addison (Caitlin Bassett), who he can’t remember because the leap scrambled his memory. She’s there to keep him alive and maybe to bring him home. But probably not anytime soon, or there wouldn’t be a show.
NCIS
When hit shows spin off, crossing over with the neighboring brand extension comes with the territory. (All three Law & Order shows will be doing it later this week.) And so it is with CBS’s most popular franchise, as NCIS launches its 20th season by welcoming Hawai’i stars Vanessa Lachey (Special Agent Jane Tennant) and Jason Antoon (Computer Specialist Erie Malick) to join the hunt for The Raven, who may be behind the framing of Special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole), still on the run with ex-wife Vivian (Teri Polo). In the second hour, agents Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) and Jessica Knight (Katrina Law) are in the Aloha State helping the locals fend off an attack on warfare exercises in Oahu.
The Voice
The most enjoyable part of any Voice season is at the beginning, as the coaches—now including Camila Cabello, joining Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani and John Legend—listen intently for new talent during Blind Auditions, swiveling their red chairs when they hear someone they like. And then the bantering begins, when coaches fight to put their favorite singers on their team.
Inside Monday TV:
- Monday Night Football (Kickoff at 7:15 pm/ET on ESPN, 8:30/ET on ABC): A double dose of gridiron action as ESPN’s broadcast of the Titans-Bills game overlaps ABC’s showing of the Vikings-Eagles matchup. The networks are planning to provide a double-box view to allow simultaneous viewing at times along with other look-ins and special navigation.
- 9-1-1 (8/7c, Fox): The rescue melodrama typically kicks off a new season with a major stunt, and Season 6 is no different. The 118 crew kicks into high gear, along with Athena (Angela Bassett), to help victims inside and outside a sports stadium when an overhead blimp catches fire. On a personal note, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) go to couple’s therapy. Followed by the Season 2 premiere of The Cleaning Lady (9/8c), with title character Thony (Élodie Yung) turning to FBI Agent Garrett Miller (Oliver Hudson) for help finding her son Luca (Valentino LaSalle) after he’s kidnapped by his dad, Marco (Ivan Shaw).
- The Neighborhood (8/7c, CBS): There goes the you-know-what when Dave (Max Greenfield) causes a community-wide power outage in the Season 5 premiere. Followed by the fourth-season opener of Bob Hearts Abishola (8:30/7:30c), where Bob (Billy Gardell) feels betrayed when Goodwin (Bayo Akinfemi) leaves MaxDot for his sister Christina’s (Maribeth Monroe) company.
- Industry (9/8c, HBO): As new shows arrive, this drama about ambitious young bankers in London wraps its second season, with Harper (Myha’la Herrold) facing a test by Bloom (Jay Duplass) just as she’s about to pursue a new opportunity at Shogun.
- Best in Dough (streaming on Hulu): Pizza is on the menu of this 10-episode competition, hosted by Bachelor in Paradise’s Wells Adams and chef Daniele Uditi. The three-episode premiere features rounds involving three Italian “nonnas” (grandmas) competing, three social-media pizza influencers and three pitmasters who add barbecue flavor to their pies.