Entertainment News - TV

TV This Week, Sept. 18-24: 'Designated Survivor' and more

A new president (Kiefer Sutherland) takes charge in ABC’s new political thriller "Designated Survivor." (Ian Watson/ABC)

By Matt Cooper

SUNDAY

They’ll be handing out hardware to TV’s top shows and stars at the “68th Primetime Emmy Awards.” Jimmy Kimmel hosts. 5 p.m. ABC

The docu-special “Royal Wives at War” recalls the 1936 abdication of England’s Edward VIII so that he might marry the woman he loved. 8 p.m. KOCE

The special “Poldark Revealed” celebrates the swoon-worthy and soon-to-return British period drama starring Aidan Turner. 9 p.m. KOCE

MONDAY

Katey Sagal and “30 Rock’s” Jack McBrayer guest star as Penny’s (Kaley Cuoco) mother and brother when “The Big Bang Theory” launches its 10th season. 8 p.m. CBS

Miley Cyrus and Alicia Keys will lend their expertise to contestants on the return of “The Voice.” 8 p.m. NBC; also Tue.

The before-Batman drama “Gotham” is back for a third season. With Ben McKenzie, Morena Baccarin and Robin Lord Taylor. 8 p.m. Fox

See who wore what and how at the Emmys on a new “Fashion Police.” 8 p.m. E!

The documentary “Three Days of Terror: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks” revisits the tragic events that shook Paris in January 2015. 8 p.m. HBO

“Kevin Can Wait,” but apparently Kevin James can’t, because “The King of Queens” star is back in this new sitcom. 8:30 p.m. CBS

You handsome devil: Tom Ellis returns as “Lucifer” in Season 2 of this detective drama. 9 p.m. Fox

Kristen Bell ends up in “The Good Place” instead of H-E-double-toothpicks like she deserves in this new sitcom. Ted Danson also stars. 10 p.m. NBC; also Thu., 8:30 p.m.

“POV” presents “Kingdom of Shadows,” a new documentary about the war on drugs on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. 10 p.m. KOCE

“Star Trek: TNG’s” Whoopi Goldberg is Neil deGrasse Tyson’s guest on the season premiere of “StarTalk.” 11 p.m. National Geographic Channel

TUESDAY

Wilmer Valderrama and Jennifer Esposito join “NCIS” in the season premiere. Then, former “NCIS” star Michael Weatherly debuts his new legal drama, “Bull.” After which, Vanessa Ferlito joins “NCIS: New Orleans” in that show’s season premiere. 8, 9 and 10 p.m. CBS

Andy Samberg’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and Zooey Deschanel’s “New Girl” are back with new episodes. 8 and 8:30 p.m. Fox

The action moves from a creepy college to a creepy hospital on a new season of “Scream Queens.” With Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis and John Stamos. 9 p.m. Fox

The documentary “Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War” salutes an American minister and his wife who aided Jews trying to escape Europe in 1939. 9 p.m. KOCE

Five transgender models “Strut” their stuff and share their stories in this new unscripted series. 9 p.m. Oxygen

Cute couple: Mandy Moore and “Heroes’” Milo Ventimiglia play expectant parents in the new multi-character dramedy “This Is Us.” 10 p.m. NBC

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” are back in action, but “Marvel’s Agent Carter” won’t be — and yeah, we’re still sore about it. 10 p.m. ABC

WEDNESDAY

Millennials take on Gen X-ers while Baby Boomers sit this one out on a new season of “Survivor.” The season finale of “Big Brother” follows. 8 and 9:30 p.m. CBS

“The Goldbergs,” “Modern Family” and “black-ish” are all back with new episodes. 8, 9 and 9:30 p.m. ABC

“About a Boy’s” Minnie Driver plays the fierce mom of a son with cerebral palsy in the new family sitcom “Speechless.” 8:30 p.m. ABC

Dick Wolf’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Chicago P.D.” start new seasons. 9 and 10 p.m. NBC

Lyons and Lyons and Lyons, oh, my! Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, et al., return for a third season of the soapy drama “Empire.” 9 p.m. Fox

“24’s” Kiefer Sutherland becomes POTUS by default in the new D.C.-set thriller “Designated Survivor.” With “Nikita’s” Maggie Q. 10 p.m. ABC

Lions and tigers and cobras, oh my! Just some of the exotic critters seen in the new two-part special “India: Nature’s Wonderland.” 10 p.m. KOCE

The cyber-thriller “Mr. Robot” logs out with an extended second-season finale. With Rami Malek and Christian Slater. 10 p.m. USA

THURSDAY

The workplace sitcom “Superstore” opens its doors for a second season. With America Ferrera. 8 p.m. NBC

The Shonda Rhimes dramas “Grey’s Anatomy” and “How to Get Away With Murder” are back with new episodes. 8 and 10 p.m. ABC

A female baseball player (Kylie Bunbury) gets the chance to “Pitch” for the San Diego Padres in this new drama. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Ali Larter also star. 8:59 p.m. Fox

“Chicago Med” and “The Blacklist” are also back with new episodes. 9 and 10 p.m. NBC

“Covert Affars’” Piper Perabo plays a hot-shot TV-news producer who’s in cahoots with a hot-shot defense attorney (Daniel Sunjata) in the new drama “Notorious.” 9 p.m. ABC

The new documentary “Huntwatch” details the decades-old debate over commercial seal hunting in Canada. Ryan Reynolds narrates. 10 p.m. Discovery Channel

FRIDAY

Emmy winner Jeffrey Tambor and company are back with a third season of the dysfunctional-family dramedy “Transparent.” Any time, Amazon

The long arm of the law grows longer still when the Wyoming-set crime drama “Longmire” returns with new episodes. With Robert Taylor and Katee Sackhoff. Any time, Netflix

The documentary “Audrie & Daisy” explores shocking cases of sexual assault that were followed by bullying on social media. Any time, Netflix

Meet the new “MacGyver,” not the same as the old MacGyver. Lucas Till plays the endlessly resourceful secret agent in a reboot of the 1980s-era TV series. 8 p.m. CBS

Chef Gordon Ramsay fires up “Hell’s Kitchen” for another season. 8 p.m. Fox

“Hawaii Five-0” and “Blue Bloods” also return. 9 and 10 p.m. CBS

The entrepreneurship is about to set sail on a new season of “Shark Tank.” 9 p.m. ABC

The devil’s in the details, but so is “The Exorcist” in this new drama inspired by the 1973 horror classic. Geena Davis stars. 9 p.m. Fox

The name’s “Van Helsing,” just a modern gal (Kelly Overton) carrying on her family’s vampire-slaying ways in this new series. 10 and 10:55 p.m. Syfy

SATURDAY

Apple co-founder “Steve Jobs” — who’s not to blame for the new iPhone not having a headphone jack — is portrayed by Michael Fassbender in this 2015 bio-pic. With Kate Winslet and Seth Rogen. 8 p.m. HBO

The 2016 documentary “Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee” investigates the curious case of the onetime ex-pat software pioneer’s questionable exploits in Central America. 9 p.m. Showtime