Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys in ‘Beast in Me,’ Green Light to ‘Blue Lights,’ Tony Hale Meets ‘Elsbeth,’ Mormon Wives Are Back

The Beast in Me

Emmy winners Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys are the headliners of a psychological thriller from the producers of Homeland and The X-Files that depicts the cat-and-mouse (but which is which) relationship between Aggie Wiggs (Danes), a reclusive and emotionally damaged writer, and her new neighbor, the notoriously ruthless real-estate mogul Nile Jarvis (Rhys). He has long been suspected in the disappearance and possible murder of his wife, and after a rocky first meeting (spurred by barking dogs and an intrusive security detail), Aggie begins to think Niles would make a good subject for her next book — if she lives long enough to write it. Both characters are deeply unpleasant, so whether you want to spend eight bloated hours in their company is your choice.

Blue Lights

The acclaimed police drama, which some have compared to an Irish answer to The Wire, brings new peril and personal complications to the Belfast officers of the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland). Grace (Siân Brooke), Annie (Katherine Devlin), and Tommy (Nathan Braniff) are now two years on the beat as response officers, when their unit is charged to investigate organized crime operating under the façade of a private members club. Six episodes drop weekly, the way TV was meant to be watched.

Elsbeth

Better known for his comic scene-stealing in contemporary classics including Arrested Development and Veep, Tony Hale gets a touch more serious as Craig Hollis, an obsessively paranoid and hermetic tech CEO whose sinister bunker of a safe room — and the crisis-manager fixer trapped within — becomes the latest puzzle for the intrepid Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) to solve. As always, the fun is in watching the kooky consultant ruffle the composure of her prey. “Must you touch everything?” Craig bristles when she invades his inner sanctum. The answer: Yes, she must. And that includes a first-edition volume of The Great Gatsby (celebrating its centennial and a potent metaphor) that provides a clue to the hidden chamber’s portal. Elsewhere, Elsbeth’s relationship with mayoral candidate Alec Bloom (Ivan Hernandez) blossoms when he invites her to a fundraiser, where she has an awkward encounter with Winnie Crawford (Henny Russell), the widow of the notorious Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson), whose death still haunts Elsbeth.

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

Not so secret anymore, am I right? The reality series that put a public spotlight on the #MomTok influencers returns for a third season, with 10 episodes dropping at once for a gossipy binge of scandal, mama, and #DadTok drama and appearances by this season’s Dancing With the Stars contestants Jen Affleck (since eliminated) and Whitney Leavitt. And thus the reality-TV ecosystem continues to perpetuate new “stars.”

9-1-1

Having survived her misadventures in outer space, the 118’s chief healer, Hen (Aisha Hinds), now appears to be suffering her own health crisis in the teaser for the ninth season’s fall finale. Followed by the spinoff 9-1-1: Nashville (9/8c), where Tim Matheson guest-stars as Blythe’s (Jessica Capshaw) wealthy father Edward, clashing with son-in-law fire chief Don (Chris O’Donnell) over the hiring of his “bastard” son Blue (Hunter McVey). The evening of fall finales concludes with Grey’s Anatomy (10/9c), which teases cliffhangers for Teddy (Kim Raver), trapped under a crashed bus, and the pregnant Jo (Camilla Luddington), whose delivery of her twins is putting a strain on her heart. If anything dire happens to Jo, that would be the latest nail in this show’s coffin.

INSIDE THURSDAY TV:

• Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage (8/7c, CBS): Christopher Gorham guests as Scott, Mandy’s (Emily Osment) ex and current boss, who stokes Georgie’s (Montana Jordan) jealousy when Scott and Mandy embark on an overnight work trip.
• Law & Order (8/7c, NBC): David Ajala (Star Trek: Discovery) joins the cast as Riley’s (Reid Scott) new partner, tackling the case of a murdered high-school sports star. Followed by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (9/8c), where the team learns to separate fact from fiction when a famous author fudges the details of their latest crime.
• Ghosts (8:30/7:30c, CBS): “Ghost dad” Trevor (Asher Grodman) takes too keen an interest in his daughter Abby’s (Gideon Adlon) academic future. And the deceased stockbroker’s gift of a Porsche riles the underpaid kitchen staff, who threaten Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) with unionizing the restaurant.
• Elkhorn (9/8c, INSP): A cattle war is brewing in the Western drama when a Chicago cattle baron sends enforcers to the Dakota territory.
• Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test (9/8c, Fox): As a reward for dragging tires, ropes, and chains up a mountain, the remaining celebrity recruits receive eagerly anticipated messages from home.

 ON THE STREAM:

• Tiffany Haddish Goes Off (streaming on Peacock): Sounds like the title of a stand-up comedy special, but this six-episode docuseries finds the comedian embarking on a girls’ trip through Africa, making personal connections with her besties Selena, Shermona, and Sparkle as they visit Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Harare, and Zanzibar.
• My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story (streaming on Paramount+): A two-part true-crime documentary relates the ordeal suffered by actress Eva LaRue (CSI: Miami, All My Children) and her daughter Kaya when they were stalked and terrorized by a mysterious stalker for 12 years.
• Last Samurai Standing (streaming on Netflix): A Japanese-language action epic set in the 19th century pits nearly 300 warriors in a fight for survival and supremacy as they steal the wooden tags of their rivals and race from a Kyoto temple to Tokyo to claim a huge cash prize.
• Delhi Crime (streaming on Netflix): The International Emmy-winning crime drama from India returns for a third season, with the authorities uncovering an elaborate human trafficking operation.
• Friend Zone (streaming on ALLBLK): What happens when platonic best friends Queenie (Nzinga Imani) and Marcel (Angelo Diaz) cross the line and end up in bed after celebrating her art debut?