Ted Danson Is ‘a Man on the Inside,’ ‘Primarily based on a True Story’ Returns, a ‘Gray’s Warmth Wave, People Tackle Hamsters

A Man on the Inside

Cheers and The Good Place alum Ted Danson is in prime kind on this poignant eight-episode comedy as Charles, a widowed professor who’s adrift till he solutions an advert from a non-public eye (the wry Lilah Richcreek Estrada) in search of somebody to go undercover at a complicated San Francisco retirement house and expose a jewel thief. The thriller angle takes a again seat to poignant comedy as Charles turns into hooked up to his new acquaintances, a who’s who of seasoned character actors together with Sally Struthers, Margaret Avery, Stephen McKinley Henderson, L.A. Legislation’s Susan Ruttan, John Getz, and Lori Tan Chinn. As Didi, the ability’s warmly environment friendly and overwhelmed administrator, Brooklyn 9-9’s Stephanie Beatriz oversees these golden ladies and guys with compassion, and whereas she suspects one thing’s up with Charles’s cowl story, she (and we) can’t assist however succumb to his charms.

Primarily based on a True Story

After their misadventures final season in true-crime podcasting (in cahoots with an precise serial killer), Ava and Nathan Bartlett (performed to frazzled perfection by Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina) return for Season 2 of the addictive comedy thriller as new dad and mom of toddler Jack. They’ve despatched Westside Ripper Matt (Tom Bateman) away, however not for good, and when he returns on the arm of Ava’s sister Tory (Liana Liberato), simply as a brand new wave of murders terrorizes L.A.’s West Facet, the farcical intrigue kicks again into excessive gear. Melissa Fumero (Brooklyn 9-9) joins the solid as Drew, a mother who bonds with Ava whereas additionally revealing a particular curiosity within the killings.

Gray’s Anatomy

Winter could also be coming (if not already right here) for many people, however in Seattle, the docs at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital are contending with a warmth wave within the long-running medical drama’s fall finale. (Local weather alert, anybody?) Whereas the workers offers with a surge of overheated sufferers, pregnant Jo (Camilla Luddington) and intern Lucas (Niko Terho) head out to fetch ice at a comfort retailer when their errand takes a harmful twist.

Human vs Hamster

Who’s the extra spectacular mammal species, people or these furry little caged rodents? Saturday Night time Reside cut-up Sarah Sherman hosts with soccer commentator Kyle Brandt as a whimsical recreation present pits groups of people in opposition to hamsters in challenges which might be sized proportionally with contestants working their approach by mazes, obstacles and lots of, many snacks. Sure, there’s a wheel. The eight-episode season is obtainable for an instantaneous binge, with episodes airing on Magnolia Community at 8/7c beginning Friday.

Nugget Is Useless? A Christmas Story

The Xmas Log: CBS airs a uncommon unique TV-movie as a vacation attraction, with the offbeat comedy Nugget Is Useless? A Christmas Story (8/7c), from the creators of the hilarious Paramount+ sitcom Colin from Accounts. This romp likewise facilities on a canine not in his prime, on this case Nugget, who falls perilously ailing as Christmas approaches, inflicting Steph Stool (Vic Zerbst) to scrap the lavish plans she made together with her boyfriend and return to her chaotic household on the Australian coast.

Extra historically, Hallmark Thriller presents A Novel Noël (8/7c), starring Julie Gonzalo as a big-city ebook editor who takes over a small-town bookstore for December, butting heads with the house owners’ hunky son (Brendan Penny). Streaming on BET+, A Wesley South African Christmas sends the Wesley household to Durban, South Africa to maintain Todd (Terayle Hill) firm over the vacations when his worldwide enterprise enterprise takes longer than he anticipated to shut. Meals Community’s Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking (8/7c) welcomes Harry Potter alum Warwick Davis (Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin Griphook) as visitor decide. The Roku Channel’s The Nice American Baking Present: Celeb Vacation particular is again for a 3rd time, with Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith judging the efforts of celeb bakers Anthony Anderson, Rob Riggle, Loni Love, Vanessa Bayer, and Curb Your Enthusiasm’s irrepressible Susie Essman.

INSIDE THURSDAY TV:

• 9-1-1 (8/7c, ABC): Fall finale time, with the 118 rescuing victims in peril of drowning of their vehicles after a serious pipe explosion. Adopted by Physician Odyssey (9/8c), the place the theme of the week is “Quackers,” welcoming rubber ducky fans aboard, however Avery (Philippa Soo) is extra involved with what was referred to as the metaphorical “rabbit take a look at.”
• Legislation & Order (8/7c, NBC): Extra fall finales (which suggests we gained’t see new episodes till the brand new 12 months), beginning with Lt. Brady (Maura Tierney) heading again to her previous precinct to research soiled cops after the homicide of a narcotics officer. Adopted by Legislation & Order: Particular Victims Unit (9/8c), the place Carisi (Peter Scanavino) is caught in a hostage scenario, and Discovered (10/9c), with the workforce’s seek for a mentally ailing lacking mom triggering Margaret’s (Kelli Williams) reminiscences of her long-vanished son.

ON THE STREAM:

• The Day of the Jackal (streaming on Peacock): The murderer referred to as the Jackal (Eddie Redmayne) is trapped in Hungary, the prisoner of a Budapest farmer, whereas MI6 agent Bianca (Lashana Lynch) continues her manhunt because the again half of the worldwide thriller begins.
• Alien: Romulus (streaming on Hulu): The sci-fi horror franchise returns to its roots with a claustrophobic summer season hit, set on a seemingly deserted house station, making its streaming debut.
• Merciless Intentions (streaming on Hulu): Responsible pleasure alert: A steamy new model of the 1999 cult movie (impressed by Harmful Liaisons) devotes eight episodes, obtainable as a binge, to the scheming of step-siblings Caroline (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucius (Zac Burgess) at an elite Washington, D.C., college, the place the U.S. Vice President’s daughter, Annie (Savannah Lee Smith), turns into their pawn in energy video games inside the Greek system.
• The Intercourse Lives of Faculty Ladies (streaming on Max): A lighter however no much less naughty romp of undergraduate hijinks returns for a 3rd season.
• Ronja, the Robber’s Daughter (streaming on Viaplay): A lush Swedish fantasy sequence depicts the forbidden friendship of Ronja (Kerstin Linden), born right into a medieval band of forest thieves, and Birk (Jack Bergenholtz Henriksson), son of an archrival robber.