Your TV GPS, an overview of the coming TV week, appears every Monday morning on BostonGlobe.comToday’s column covers the period from September 23 to 29.
Intellectual, sexy and Spock-like: just a few adjectives that describe Zachary Quinto. So it doesn’t seem like a big step for the actor who wore Vulcan ears in three Star Trek films to play the smart lead in the new network series. “Brilliant minds.“The original medical drama set at Bronx General premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on NBC before streaming on Peacock.
Inspired by the files of famous author Oliver Sacks, Brilliant Minds casts Quinto as the unconventional, motorcycle-riding Dr. Oliver Wolf. Unfortunately, he suffers from prosopagnosia, or face blindness. Although he can’t remember faces, the good doctor sees mental secrets beneath the surface that other medical professionals miss.
The New York neurologist uses unconventional methods to decode his patients’ brains. His clients adore him. His bosses less so.
What other profitable viewing opportunities have we noticed this week?
1. “Saturday Night Live” has been the laugh track of our lives for half a century. Saturday night at 11:30 p.m., “SNL” on NBC kicks off its 50th season with newly minted Emmy winner Jean Smart (“Hacks”) making her hosting debut. First-time host Jelly Roll will be the musical guest. Since October 1975, the groundbreaking show, hosted by Lorne Michaels, has entertained with characters ranging from Gilda Radner’s Rosanne Rosannadanna to Eddie Murphy’s Mr. Rogers to Bowen Yang’s iceberg that sank the Titanic. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. To put this milestone in context, “The Ed Sullivan Show” only ran for 23 years. This Sunday CBS variety series, which introduced The Beatles to a national television audience, aired from 1948 to 1971. The 50th anniversary season will see three new cast members take the stage at 30 Rock (Ashley Padilla, Emil Wakim and internet personality Jane Wickline) as “SNL” continues to evolve and shows no signs of slowing down.
2. Tuesday at 9pm Foodie reality series “Last Bite Hotel” opens its doors on the Food Network. The hilarious Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) hosts the competition at a spooky, remote inn. His macabre hotel manager brings together eight chefs over six episodes. As they battle for supremacy, the culinary stars are only allowed to pack 13 recipes to prepare by the cooking competition’s finale. Burgess banishes the losers to the ill-fated Room 13. Let the cake batter fly in this twisted version of a fierce food fight with $25,000 at stake.
3. The mystery tip of the week is “Murder in a Small Town”, a new eight-episode series premiering Tuesday at 8 p.m. on Fox. It’s the old story: A city detective on the verge of a nervous breakdown moves to the country. What does he discover there? More bodies and deeply buried secrets. In this Canadian version, Detective Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland, son of the late Donald Sutherland) heads to the small coastal town of Gibsons, British Columbia. When bodies wash up on the Sunshine Coast, the bearded, inveterate sleuth, now police chief, can’t contain his urge to solve crimes. And then there’s librarian Cassandra Lee (Kristen Kreuk, “Smallville”), who falls in love with her, and a reticent local (James Cromwell, “Succession”).
4. The seemingly endless cycle of awards ceremonies is back on track after the pandemic. On Thursday at 8 p.m. the People’s Choice Country Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry on NBC and then streamed on Peacock. Shania Twain (“I Feel Like a Woman”) will host the two-hour event, which will feature big hair, cowboy boots, performances, tributes and canned catchphrases. Kane Brown is set to receive the Country Champion award, following last year’s inaugural winner Wynonna Judd. The talent selected by fans is expected to include Beyoncé (with 17 nominations), Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Lady A and The War and Treaty.
5. With the return of Pumpkin Spice Lattes and the upcoming Halloween season, “Witches: The Truth Behind the Trials” premieres on National Geographic at 9 p.m. Sunday and streams the next day on Hulu and Disney+. Using historical reenactments, court records and contemporary experts, the six-part documentary examines the legal persecution of so-called witches in the United States, Sweden, Scotland, Ireland, England and Germany.
You can reach Thelma Adams at [email protected].
