Jonathan Rhys Meyers has gone from playing Elvis to playing Henry VII and now, a very short “Dracula” (NBC, 10 p.m.). For whatever reason, he’s back as a turn of the last century industrialist, as if to bring in a costume element. But with as much money as they’re spending, it doesn’t really come across. It’s dull; the characters aren’t interesting and it’s not particularly gripping, even when he’s about to drink blood. Even at Halloween it seems out of place.
It comes alongside a new season of “Grimm” (NBC, 9 p.m.). And though by now it’s impossible for a newcomer to figure out what is going on (except there’s a guy who turns into a hedgehog and spits at people), it’s instructive to see how networks would handle a zombie series: Not very well.
There’s an awful lot of network shows returning for new seasons tonight, very late into the fall season. The second season of “The Carrie Diaries” (Bravo, 8 p.m.) comes on a new night, and the young Carrie meets the young Samantha.
The music of Bruce Springsteen is one thing. But the feeling he engenders in fans is something else, enough to fill a whole documentary, “Springsteen & I” (Showtime, 9 p.m.), making its TV debut.
Rihanna becomes a reality show host in the fashion competition “Styled to Rock” (Bravo, 8 p.m.), in which she seeks to find a new designer for her team. Pharrell Williams, Erin Wasson and Mel Ottenberg,Rihanna’s stylist, will be mentors to the 12 contestants.
In the new competition “Come Date with Me” (Cooking, 10 p.m.) women have to plan dates and dinners to win the guys and a cash prize.
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO, 10 p.m.) returns for a new episode with Michael Moore, Valerie Plame, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Richard Dawkins and Maajid Nawaz.
Katy Perry makes a big deal of the release of her new album “Prism,” with a performance and interview with Mario Lopez on the special “The IHeartRadio Album Release Party with Katy Perry” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
If you’re wondering how the guys in “Strike Back” got together, here’s a new prequel series, “Strike Back: Origins” (Cinemax, 10 p.m.).
“Gold Rush” (Discovery, 9 p.m.) returns for a fourth season. Some day they’ll have to strike it rich.
Likewise, it doesn’t seem like the “Secret Princes” (TLC, 10 p.m.), the foreign royals who hide their identity as they come to America to meet and date girls, should have a second chance. But they’re back, landing this time in Austin, where weirdos can easily fit in.
Amit Y. Kleinberger of Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt is the youngest CEO to take part in “Undercover Boss” (CBS, 8 p.m.), so he’ll probably have a better chance to go undetected.
Dan Payne and Michelle Forbes star in the movie “The Hunters” (Hallmark, 8 p.m.) about a couple who seek to find fairy tale objects, such as the magic mirror from Snow White.
The Friday night horror brigade hosted by Bill Hader continues on Turner Classic Movies with “A Bucket of Blood” (8 p.m.), “Dementia 13” (9:15 p.m.), “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” (10:45 p.m.), “Sisters” (1:15 a.m.), “Spider Baby” (3 a.m.) and “Village of the Damned” (4:30 a.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly & Michael: Orlando Bloom, Malin Akerman, “Science Bob” Pflugfelder. The View: Alec Baldwin, Anjelah Johnson. The Talk: Viola Davis, David Giuntoli, Harvey Levin, Paul Bartolotta, Megan Glaros. Ellen DeGeneres: Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mary Steenburgen, Elizabeth Berkley & Val Chmerkovskiy, Derek Hough. Wendy Williams: Jene Luciani, Mike Jerrick, Isha Sesay, Ali Wentworth, Kirk Fox.
Late Talk
David Letterman: Cher (rerun). Jay Leno: Wanda Sykes, Richard Engel, Scotty McCreery. Jimmy Kimmel: Kerry Washington, “Science Bob” Pflugfelder, Sleigh Bells (rerun). Jimmy Fallon: Javier Bardem, Pearl Jam. Craig Ferguson: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Phil Palisoul (rerun). Carson Daly: Kal Penn, Shane Carruth, the Neighborhood (rerun). Tavis Smiley: John Nichols. Arsenio Hall: Andrew “Dice” Clay, Wayne Brady, Amber Riley & Derek Hough. Chelsea Handler: Brendan Schaub, Brad Wollack, Heather McDonald, Bryan Callen, Whitney Cummings (rerun).