What's On Tonight (Wednesday): The Conners bring back the medicine of laughter

The Conners

Hey hey hey! Tonight the laughs are back on ABC with a sitcom lineup. Scripted programming is here! Okay, that's always been on TV during this pandemic, but now there's an entire block of it! The specific program I'm pulling out is The Conners, which goes right into a pandemic story with The Lunchbox adapting and Becky and Darlene being factory workers for extra money. I wonder if this echoes Roseanne's early seasons when she was a factory worker.

Elsewhere, Black-ish also embraces our pandemic era with Bo on the frontline, Adam Goldberg is a cool kid, David Letterman is back with guests without introductions, Lily James is haunted by Kristin Scott Thomas, Nature kicks off season 39 with pandas, OSIRIS-REx wants an asteroid chunk, and Archer must rescue AJ.

Swing and a miss, here's what's on television for tonight, Wednesday, October 21!

STREAMING & EARLY PRIMETIME

Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network, 7 p.m.): Craig enters a food competition in the Creek but worries he may be out of his league.

Jeopardy! 💲 (Syndicated, check your local listings): Did you know Jay S. has done about 1,600 Jeopardy recaps? Now you do!

Kim Kardashian West's Birthday Celebration (E!, noon): If you feel like self-punishment E! has this special (of clips?) for the now 40-year-old personality for 10 hours. TEN!

Madagascar: A Little Wild (Hulu, 3 a.m.): "A Fang-tastic Halloween"

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (Netflix, 3 a.m.): SEASON THREE. Guests are said to include Kim Kardashian West, Robert Downey Jr., Dave Chappelle, and Lizzo.✔️

Rebecca 🎥 (Netflix, 3 a.m.): It's Ben Wheatley turn to turn the 1938 book into a movie. Newlyweds Lily James and Armie Hammer arrive at his family's imposing estate on a windswept English coast and finds herself battling the shadow of his first wife, Kristin Scott Thomas, whose legacy lives on in the house long after her death.

Victor and Valentino (Cartoon Network, 7:30 p.m.): When Vic and Val are tasked to volunteer at an Old Folks' Home, Val becomes buddies with the oldest, crankiest person in Monte Macabre and helps him reclaim his youthful power.

FOR THE RECORD: 60 in 6 (Quibi, 3 a.m.); Big Rad Wolf (Quibi, 3 a.m.); Last Looks (Quibi, 3 a.m.); Married at First Sight: Unfiltered (Lifetime, 7:30 p.m.); Murder Unboxed (Quibi, 3 a.m.); Private Lives (Quibi, 3 a.m.) Tooning Out the News (CBS All Access, 3 a.m.)

My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (via Tumblr)

🕗 EASTERN / 🕖 CENTRAL

2020 CMT Music Awards (CMT, 8 p.m.): SPECIAL. Music awards! No live-thread.

Assisted Living (BET, 8:30 p.m.): Leah learns that Mr. Brown has cut down Vinny's plants in the back yard.

Devils (The CW, 8 p.m.): Massimo tries to determine if Dominic is secretly handling business for Gaddafi, against whom the Libyan War has now been launched. Detective Vicky Bale suspects that Massimo is involved in his colleague's death.

Family Time (Bounce, 8 p.m.): Tony and Donnie spy on Ebony and her new boyfriend. Meanwhile, Lori is recruited to be the face of a hair care product.

The Goldbergs (ABC, 8 p.m.): SEASON PREMIERE. Beverly surprises the family with an end-of-summer vacation to Miami. Adam wrestles with the fact that he is a cool kid and no longer a nerd while his original friend group isn't as lucky. Season 8! I stopped watching, especially at seeing Natalie Alyn Lind not able to pull off the high schooler anymore, but hey, you do you.✔️

House of Payne (BET, 8 p.m.): Miranda decides she must move on from Calvin.

Nature (PBS, 8 p.m.): SEASON PREMIERE. Season 39! Don't worry, you don't have to be caught up. Tonight the subject is pandas, and we observe them in the wild in China's Qinling Mountains. Also profiled is the training of a young panda born in captivity.

QUICK HITS:

2020 World Series, Game 2 ⚾ (Fox): Tampa Bay Rays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

FOR THE RECORD: AEW: Dynamite (TNT); America's Wild Seasons (Smithsonian Channel); Back to the Delorean: Time Machine Rescue (Discovery Channel, special); Big Brother (CBS); Married at First Sight (Lifetime); The Wall 💲 (NBC): WWE NXT (USA)

The Goldbergs (via Giphy)

🕘 EASTERN / 🕗 CENTRAL 

537 Votes 🎥 (HBO): Insiders and political operatives discuss the circumstances surrounding the unprecedented, contested outcome of the 2000 U.S. presidential election.

The Amazing Race (PBS, 9 p.m.): Teams race through Bogotá, Colombia, where they encounter the "Yield," which gives them the power to stop another team's race for a designated amount of time.

Black-ish (ABC, 9:30 p.m.): SEASON PREMIERE. As a first responder at the beginning of the pandemic, Bow receives her family's praise for her work, but over time, the family loses its enthusiasm. Dre tries to convince everyone that he is an essential worker.✔️

⭐ The Conners (ABC, 9 p.m.): SEASON PREMIERE. The Conners are dealing with the pandemic and life's financial troubles. The Lunch Box is closed for indoor dining and transitioned to takeout and delivery. Becky and Darlene are both forced to search for additional income at the newly reopened Wellman Plastics plant. Working in a plant, just like mom and Aunt Becky when they were lil! I really, really enjoy this show.

Coroner (The CW, 9 p.m.): Jenny and Donovan investigate the death of a lab assistant, but Jenny's personal interest in the lab risks clouding the case.

Nova (PBS, 9 p.m.): Spacecraft OSIRIS-REx attempts to grab a piece of an asteroid to bring back to Earth so scientists can study it to learn about the planet's origins. This season has been so good so far.

Sistas (BET, 9 p.m.): Aaron confides in Karen that he has a new plan for his life. Preston surprises Danni with dinner and roses. Sabrina thinks Gary may be telling the truth about his ex-wife setting him up.

FOR THE RECORD: American Ninja Warrior (NBC); Bitchin' Rides (Motor Trend, season premiere); Counting Cars (History); Crimes Gone Viral (Investigation Discovery); Extreme Ice Machines (Science); The Fixers (BYUtv, season premiere); Food Paradise (Cooking Channel); Guy's Grocery Games (Food Network); Locked Up Abroad (National Geographic); The Real Housewives of Orange County (Bravo); Restored (DIY Network)

Black-ish (via Giphy)

🕙 EASTERN / 🕘 CENTRAL

The Age of Nature (PBS, 10 p.m.): "Scientists, citizens and activists restore the environment thanks to a new understanding of nature."

Archer (FXX, 10 p.m.): When AJ is kidnapped, it's up to Archer to get her back and keep Lana's rampage pointed in the right direction.

The Con (ABC, 10 p.m.): A woman claiming to be an Irish heiress swindles thousands of dollars from her best friend.

FOR THE RECORD: Chaos in Court (Investigation Discovery); House Hunters/House Hunters International (HGTV); Impossible Fixes (Science); Keeping Up with the Kardashians (E!, special); Paranormal: Captured (Travel Channel)

🕚 EASTERN / 🕙 CENTRAL 

FOR THE RECORD: Nightly Pop (E!); Vice News Tonight (Viceland)

💤💤😴💤💤 

Baroness von Sketch Show (IFC, midnight): The upside of mom brain. Death bed drama. Witch trials and tribulations.✔️

Baroness von Sketch Show (via Giphy)

LATE-NIGHT TALK & SATIRE

The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central, 11 p.m.)
The Dick Cavett Show 📺 (Decades, 9 p.m.): Rose Kennedy, Harry Gordon, Dizzy Dean, and Bob Thomas (19 May 1970)

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS, 10:30 p.m.)
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC, 11:35 p.m.): Tracee Ellis Ross, Eric Andre, and Tate McRae
Johnny Carson 📺 (Antenna TV, 10 p.m.): Buddy Hackett and Morris Goldberg (16 Oct 1980)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC, 12:36 a.m.): Cory Booker and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
The Late Late Show with James Corden (CBS, 12:37 a.m.): Bill Gates and The Head and the Heart

A Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS, 11:35 p.m.): Bruce Springsteen
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC, 11:34 p.m.): Anthony Mackie, Lily James, Black Thought, Portugal. The Man, and The Last Artful, Dodgr
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen: @ Home (Bravo, 10 p.m.): Braunwyn Windham-Burke and Glennon Doyle

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Note: All times are Eastern.

Key Sources: The Futon Critic; IMDb; TV Passport; Zap2it
⭐: Top Pick
💲: Game show
🎥: Movie
📺: Throwback
✔️: Video/gif/photo included

🏈⚾: Sportsballs

Happy watching, everyone!