Favorite childhood touchstones are being ruined one after another on network TV this season; first “Oz” on “Emerald City” and now Archie comics on “Riverdale” (The CW, 9 p.m.). In what looks like a modern take at impossibly glamorous high school teens with retro flourishes like Pop’s Diner, the beloved characters are funneled into the usual teen drama with a whole new major character and a murder. Archie (K.J. Apa) doesn’t just have to choose between Betty (Lili Reinhart) and Veronica (Camila Mendes), he’s really having an affair with hot Miss Grundy (Sarah Habel). Oh yes, he’s also a sensitive songwriter. Like “The O.C.” or “Gossip Girl” it probably would work as another teen saga, so why even bring in characters from the venerable comic series?
Its home network quickly assembles an hour long salute, “Mary Tyler Moore – Love is All Around” (CBS, 9 p.m.), honoring the actress who died Wednesday at 80.
“Scandal” (ABC, 9 p.m.) returns for season six, with results from the presidential race said to be “shocking.” It’s all relative now.
To augment the great documentary about mass incarceration and racial injustice, “13th” (Netflix, streaming), which got an Oscar nomination this week, there is now “13th: A Conversation with Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay” (Netflix, streaming).
A time jump has the group reuniting for a reunion album and tour (and maybe talks of a TV movie?) in the third and final installment of the miniseries “The New Edition Story” (BET, 9 p.m.).
Surprise, Andrew Dice Clay is not a great dinner host on “My Kitchen Rules” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
A pregnant teen at a women’s prison is a challenge on “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 8 p.m.).
Scarlett makes a video on “Nashville” (CMT, 9 p.m.).
Chip is back amongst the cowboys on “Baskets” (FX, 10 p.m.).
Brackets are established on a new round of “Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle II” (Comedy Central, 10 p.m.).
The D.A. builds a case against Annalise on “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC, 10 p.m.).
Sabotage is served on “Hell’s Kitchen” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
Sam and Dean try to escape a detention facility on “Supernatural” (The CW, 8 p.m.).
On “Portlandia” (IFC, 10 p.m.), an animated pack of rats has an idea how to improve its image among humans: appear to be squirrels.
“Pure Genius” (CBS, 10 p.m.) ends its first and possibly last season; even CBS viewers could’t warm to the chilly, technology-obsessed medical drama.
The month-long Thursday night salute to Nancy Wyman on Turner Classic Movies concludes with “Magnificent Obsession” (8 p.m.), “All That Heaven Allows” (10 p.m.), “Lucy Gallant” (noon), “Miracle in the Rain” (2 a.m.) and “So Big” (4 a.m.).
Men’s college basketball includes Robert Morris at Mount St. Mary (CBS Sports, 7 p.m.), Xavier at Cincinnati (ESPN2, 7 p.m.), Campbell at Radford (ESPNU, 7 p.m.), Virginia Tech at North Carolina (ESPN, 8 p.m.), Oregon State at Colorado (Fox Sports 1, 8:30 p.m.), Tennessee Martin at Austin Peay (CBS Sports, 9 p.m.), Indiana at Michigan (ESPN2, 9 p.m.), Oregon at Utah (Fox Sports 1, 10:30 p.m.) and BYU at Santa Clara (ESPNU, 11 p.m.).
NBA action has Dallas at Oklahoma City (TNT, 8 p.m.) and Lakers at Utah (TNT, 10:30 p.m.).
Hockey has St. Louis at Minnesota (NBC Sports, 8 p.m.).
Stay up late to watch Rafael Nadal vs. Grigor Dimitrov in the men’s semifinal of the Australian Open (ESPN, 3:30 a.m.).
It’s pairs free figure skating competition in the European Championships (NBC Sports, 2 p.m.).
It’s the Big Air women’s final and Superpipe men’s final in the X Games (ESPN, 10 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa: Mike Myers, Milla Jovovich, Scott Wolf. The View: James Monroe Iglehart. Harry Connick: Meagan Good, Haley Lu Richardson. Ellen DeGeneres: Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard, Tig Notaro, Anderson Paak. Wendy Williams: Milla Jovovich, Pretty Yende. The Real: Keri Hilson, Joseline Hernandez.
Late Talk
Stephen Colbert: Andrew Garfield, Erin Andrews, Cage the Elephant (rerun). Jimmy Kimmel: Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Momoa, Kehlani. Jimmy Fallon: Danny DeVito, Brit Marling, Ciro Ortiz, Jon Bellion. Seth Meyers: Timothy Olyphant, Lili Reinhart, Camila Menses, Nelly Furtado, Darren King. James Corden: Chris Pratt, Olivia Munn, She & Him (rerun). Carson Daly: Lisa Ling, The Thermals, Vlad Yudin (rerun). Trevor Noah: Laurence Fishbone. Conan O’Brien: Chris Hardwick, Cody Jinks.