What’s On: ‘Young Sheldon’ Returns, ‘Good Place’ and ‘Will & Grace’ Fall Finales, ‘S.W.A.T.’

Matt Roush
13 Comments
Iain Armitage playing cards as Young Sheldon
Michael Desmond/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Sheldon (Iain Armitage)

Young Sheldon (8:30/7:30c, CBS): After a one-time tease in September, the Big Bang Theory spinoff/prequel finally arrives in prime time in its regular time period, following Big Bang in its move back to Thursday now that CBS’s football deal is over for the year. New to the cast since the pilot: Designing Women’s Annie Potts as Sheldon’s beloved Meewaw. But the real draw here is adorable Iain Armitage as the 9-year-old version of budding genius Sheldon Cooper (whose older self narrates in voice-over by Jim Parsons). Sheldon is a precocious oddity in his East Texas high school in 1989, and to ease his worried mother Mary’s (Zoe Perry) concerns, little Sheldon consults a self-help book to try to make a fiend at his new school.

CBS’s restored Thursday lineup includes Emmy winner Bob Newhart’s return to The Big Bang Theory (8/7c) as the now-deceased Professor Proton aka Arthur Jeffries, who grumpily appears in Sheldon’s dreams when the lifelong Proton fan fancies himself the most natural candidate to become the new TV Professor. Sheldon’s nemesis Wil Wheaton may have something to say about that. … Back for a fourth season, Mom (9/8) finds Bonnie (Allison Janney) reacting oddly to boyfriend Adam (William Fitchner) when he suggests taking their relationship to the next level. A sight gag involving one of Bonnie and Christy’s (Anna Faris) BFFs is likely to raise even more eyebrows, though there’s a reason behind it.

Will & Grace (9/8c, NBC): One of the very few things missing from the revived sitcom is the tart presence of Shelley Morrison as Karen’s (Megan Mullally) loyal foil Rosario. Morrison, who has retired from acting, chose not to return to the show, which pays homage to the character in an episode that also serves as a fall finale, with NBC’s Thursday Night Football games resuming next week. Mullally and Sean Hayes (still a marvel at physical comedy) especially shine in this sentimental but barbed outing, which also reintroduces Minnie Driver as Karen’s haughty nemesis, other woman-turned-daughter-in-law Lorraine.

S.W.A.T. (10/9c, CBS): Because CBS is so lacking in crime show and reboots, along comes this explosive yet hardly necessary urban police drama, aiming for social relevance with its focus on community policing as new S.W.A.T. boss Hondo Harrison (Criminal Minds’ Shemar Moore) hopes to bridge the divide between his colleagues and the Los Angeles neighborhoods from which he came. While he’s at it, lots of things go boom.

Inside Thursday TV: NBC’s The Good Place (8:30/7:30) heads into its winter break with Michael (Ted Danson) trying to manage even more chaos than usual after Janet (D’Arcy Carden) creates a “rebound guy” (the very funny Jason Mantzoukas) who sends her into an emotional turmoil unusual for someone who isn’t human. … After last week’s wartime flashback detour, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy (8/7c) gives the guys a day off, courtesy of a burned-out Jackson (Jesse Williams), who organizes a day at sea. … HGTV’s latest spinoff, Flip or Flop Ft. Worth (9/8c), features married military veterans Andy and Ashley Williams, who met while serving in Iraq, as they convert run-down properties into livable family homes. … truTV’s Impractical Jokers wraps its season with a 90-minute pre-Veterans Day special, “Impractical Jokers Presents G.I. Jokers” (9:30/8:30c), taped before an audience of veterans and current service members and their families.

 




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  1. P

    PurplePizza

    "little Sheldon consults a self-help book to try to make a fiend [sic] at his new school"

    Typo or belated Halloween episode?

    1

    1. G

      GoldSubmarine

      I'm guessing its a typo. I'm going to give SWAT a shot tonight.

      Last night's Designated Survivor was one of the strongest episodes of this somewhat ho-hum season (so far).

    2. C

      CyanCoathanger

      I really enjoyed DS last night too. It was full of tension and held my interest throughout.

    3. G

      GoldSubmarine

      And the previews for the next new DS look AWESOME!!! But we have to wait two weeks : (

      Just in case Matt doesn't post tomorrow, I'm watching

      ABC's Once Upon a Time and Marvel's INHUMANS.

      Will catch FOX's Exorcist during the weekend sometime. FOX didn't air it last week because of the World Series.

      Sunday I'll watch ABC's Shark Tank.. I read we will have to wait about a month for the remaining 5 eps of Ten Days In the Valley.

      I find that very low rated show extremely well acted and very mysterious. It really has the aura of a cable show not a broadcast network program. Emmy nominations are in order, but will likely be ignored.

      Also just read that CBS has developed an updated Twilight Zone for streaming ( ALL ACCESS ) . So basically CBS is saving their best shows for the pay service and airing second tier material for broadcast. Sounds like a terrific business plan to destroy the Tiffany network . That said, I'll patiently wait for CBS broadcast to air their streaming shows in summer or whenever. If they ever do.....

    4. C

      CyanCoathanger

      Do you know why DS isn't on next week? I'm still 3 episodes behind on Inhumans. I really doubt CBS will televise their streaming shows next summer. If people knew they were going to do that, they'd be less likely to pay to see them online.

  2. R

    RedCupcake

    Watched Supernatural, and left the channel on for Arrow (although it's not a must-see for me). Now I'm watching premiere of SWAT. So far it's pretty cliche'd, but I'll give it a shot for a few weeks.

  3. C

    CyanFish

    Surprisingly, Thursday is my busy night for TV. I'll try S.W.A.T. -- I've seen the original series, and the movie -- and dispatched for SWAT for our local police department -- so it may be interesting and/or completely amusing. But looking forward to "The Big Bang Theory," and I'll watch another episode of "Sheldon," though I wasn't all that impressed with the pilot. Then on to "Gotham" and "The Orville" on FOX. (I watch Orville mainly to practice how many swear words I can use without repeating in an hour. I'm learning new words.) Then "Supernatural," which has been very good for its 13th season, I am very pleased. The DVR is also recording "The Lone Ranger" on Syfy, "Ghandi" on the THIS movies channel. I haven't watched any series on NBC for at least four years now, when I used to watch something on that network almost every day.

    1. C

      CyanCoathanger

      Quite a change from your brainiac viewing schedule yesterday. Besides tonight's comedies, I watch This Is Us on NBC, and I always watched Grimm on there too. I think that's about it.

    2. G

      GoldSubmarine

      Don't forget NBC's Timeless!!! That returns this season... NBC did a reverse cancel. Can't wait for season 2!

    3. C

      CyanCoathanger

      Was that on NBC too? I didn't even remember.

  4. C

    CyanCoathanger

    I hate the way they handled Young Sheldon. Giving us one episode then making us wait 2 months for the next one only made me angry. I still think it's going to be the best new comedy of the year though.

    Am I the only one who hates that they're having all these "mid-season finales" now with 2 months to go until the end of the year? What's that going to leave us to watch in December?

    8:00 tonight is maddening for me. Since I can only record one show at a time, I'm torn between what to watch, what to record, and what to catch online or on demand later. It's Big Bang and Sheldon vs. Superstore and Good Place vs. Gotham. Arrgh!

    1. G

      GoldSubmarine

      I would watch Gotham live and watch comedies later.

      Unless your in the mood to laugh tonight.

    2. C

      CyanCoathanger

      I took a nap and didn't wake up until 8:00, so I did what I could the quickest: Watched CBS, recorded NBC, and Gotham will have to wait.