Tina Fey puts a little more juice in her “Great News” (NBC, 9:30 p.m.) by joining the cast as a tough new executive and just like that the series moves from cute to genuinely funny as it takes on the changing tone of cable news to include panels of people that include “Obama deniers.”
The sixth season of “Chicago Fire” (NBC, 10 p.m.) opens with the squad still stuck inside the warehouse fire.
On the two hour, 14th season opener of “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 8 p.m.), Owen’s sister gets help from Meredith and her team.
Adam Brody and Martin Freeman return for the second season of the gritty drama “StartUp” (Crackle, streaming).
Viola Davis’ Annalise is off the hook on the murder of Wes but there are plenty of other questions to answer on the fourth season start for “How to Get Away with Murder” (ABC, 10 p.m.). And in a flash-forward, there’s another crime committed.
The team rush to finish rebuilding the store in time for the grand re-opening on third season start of “Superstore” (NBC, 8 p.m.).
There is a light at the end of the tunnel: The final chapter of “The Vietnam War” (PBS, 8 p.m.) covers the fall of Saigon, Nixon’s resignation and some measure of healing by the time the Vietnam War Memorial is built.
It’s also the first season finale for the comedy surprise “The Guest Book” (TBS, 10:30 p.m.).
Thursday Night Football has Chicago at Green Bay (CBS, 8:25 p.m.).
Gordon attempts to bring in Jonathan Crane on the second episode of the season for “Gotham” (Fox, 8 p.m.).
There’s a Krill attack on another Union ship on the regular time slot premiere of “The Orville” (Fox, 9 p.m.).
Sam meets a new friend on “Better Things” (FX, 10 p.m.).
Eleanor stumbles across a secret on “The Good Place” (NBC, 8:30 p.m.).
Grace Byers and Brad Sherwood are on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” (The CW, 9 p.m.).
Designers use men’s fabrics to create female fashions on “Project Runway” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.).
Temperatures rise again on “Ice Road Truckers” (History, 8 p.m.).
The Thursdays of counter culture classics on Turner Classic Movies closes with “The Love-Ins” (8 p.m.), “Riot on Sunset Strip” (10 p.m.), “The Panic in Needle Park” (midnight), “The Big Cube” (2 a.m.) and “More” (3:45 a.m.).
Preseason hockey has Chicago at Detroit (NHL, 7:30 p.m.) and Arizona at Los Angeles (NHL, 10:30 p.m.).
College football includes North Carolina Central at Florida A&M (ESPNU, 7:30 p.m.) and Texas at Iowa State (ESPN, 8 p.m.).
Baseball includes Minnesota at Cleveland (MLB, noon) and Cincinnati at Milwaukee (MLB, 4 p.m.).
Daytime Talk
Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest: Viola Davis, Adam Scott. The View: Larry David. The Talk: Bobby Moynihan, John Larroquette, Nichelle Turner, Wolfgang Puck. Harry Connick: Kumail Nanjiani, Roma Downey. Steve Harvey: Chandra Wilson, John Michael Higgins, James Arthur. Ellen DeGeneres: Jamie Foxx, Jay Pharoah. Wendy Williams: Tamar Braxton. The Real: Erika Christensen.
Late Talk
Steven Colbert: Steve Martin, Mark Feuerstein, The Steep Canyon Rangers. Jimmy Kimmel: Kaley Cuoco, David Muir, the XX. Jimmy Fallon: Harrison Ford, Rachel Maddow, Charli XCX. Seth Meyers: Jennifer Hudson, Jeff Garlin, Jesmyn Ward, Gregg Bissonette. James Corden: Don Johnson, Minnie Driver. Carson Daly: Tim Roth, Cloud Nothings, John Carroll Lynch. Trevor Noah: Craig Robinson. Conan O’Brien: Kyle MacLachlan, Rob Schneider, Lisa Loeb.