Let’s end the dispiriting night-by-night look at broadcast TV’s new fall season with their Sunday fare — the stuff they put up against cable’s best. It would seem, however, that they’re not trying too hard to best them in quality judging with what they’ve come up with. Now we must invest all hope into the midseason.
NEW SHOWS
“Ghosted” (Fox, 8:30 p.m., starts tonight). Normally, a show co-starring Adam Scott and Craig Robinson would be worth looking into. But this one invest so much into the paranormal story — and special effects, as if we’re really supposed to be scared by anything — that it eats into whatever humor there was supposed to have. “People of Earth” is so much better just by toning it down a little bit.
“Wisdom of the Crowd” (CBS, 8:30 p.m., tonight) is one of the more wrong-headed dramas of the season, with Jeremy Piven as a corporate head who goes all in for social media’s crowd sourcing of crime solving. That kicks in CBS’ usual fever for gadgetry over story, but it also generally means mob rule, something nobody has apparently thought of. That Jeremy Piven is star doesn’t make it much more likable. And if you think it sounds like Fox’s “APB,” you’re right, only not as entertaining.
“Ten Days in the Valley” (ABC, 10 p.m.) goes a little too far in the “write what you know” category as it involves a female TV writer who suddenly loses her daughter while she is out trying to write a TV show. Kyra Sedgwick stars in the thriller whose saving grace may be its limited run.
RETURNING SHOWS
“The Toy Box” (ABC, 7 p.m., returning tonight), “Bob’s Burgers” (Fox, 7:30 p.m., tonight), “Shark Tank” (ABC, 8 p.m.), “The Simpsons” (Fox, 8 p.m., tonight), “To Tell the Truth” (ABC, 8 p.m., Oct. 8), “Family Guy” (Fox, 9 p.m., tonight), “The Last Man on Earth” (Fox, 9:30 p.m., tonight), “NCIS: Los Angeles” (CBS, 9:30 p.m., tonight), “Madam Secretary” (CBS, 10 p.m., Oct. 8), “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (ABC, 7 p.m., Nov. 26).
OF NOTE ON CABLE
“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO, 10 p.m., ). Larry David presents the ninth season of the beloved comedy, five years after the last one went off the air. Pretty, pretty good.
“Berlin Station” (Epix, 9 p.m., Oct. 15). A second season for the thriller about a CIA agent transferred to Germany.
“Good Behavior” (TNT, 9 p.m., Oct. 15). The con-man caper starring Michelle Dockery begins a second season.
“White Famous” (Showtime, 10 p.m., Oct. 15). Jay Pharaoh stars in a new comedy about a comic that gets famous. With Jamie Foxx, who also co-produces.
“The Walking Dead” (AMC, 9 p.m., Oct. 22). The mother show, with some of cable’s best ratings, returns.
“Graves” (Epix, 10 p.m., Oct. 22). Nick Nolte’s ex-president character is back for season two.
“The Girlfriend Experience” (Starz, 9 p.m., Nov. 5). The new season features a whole new cast and story.
“Shameless” (Showtime, 9 p.m., Nov. 5). The shambling comedy reaches its eighth season.
“SMILF” (Showtime, 10 p.m., Nov. 5). Frankie Shaw stars in a comedy about a struggling single mom, whose own mom is played by Rosie O’Donnell.