It's a night of tributes, special remembrances, happy reunions, and football, as The Good Place gets some much-deserved love, Tennessee squares off against Jacksonville, the residents of Highclere Castle get ready for their close-up, and ABC remembers a gifted comic gone far too soon.
SPECIAL EVENT: Is The Good Place network TV's last great comedy hit? Our Kevin O'Keefe says other shows can learn from its success, but you can bet NBC will be milking all it can from the show's upcoming fourth and final sesaon. The lovefest kicks off tonight with The Paley Center Salutes The Good Place, which promises to whet fans appetites for next week's season premiere with cast and crew interviews, never-before-seen behind the scenes footage, and clips from the show. 8:00 PM ET on NBC
SPORTS: Time for more Thursday Night Football on NFL Network. Tonight, the Tennessee Titans are taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars at Bank Field. 8:20 PM ET on NFL Network
SPECIAL PRESENTATION: It's been more than twenty years since his senseless death, but the preview for ABC's The Last Days of Phil Hartman is a vivid reminder of just how shocking the news of the SNL legend's murder remains to this day. Interviews, clips, and home video footage should make this an enlightening deep dive into the late actor's life and death. 9:00 PM ET on ABC
PRIMETIME SPECIAL: The cast of Downton Abbey returns to Highclere Castle for Return to Downton Abbey. This little slice of corporate synergy from the fine folks at NBC Universal is both a tribute to the PBS series and a preview of Universal's Downton theatrical film, which hits theaters tomorrow. 8:00 PM ET on NBC
ALSO TONIGHT
Mike Attebery is Senior Editor at Primetimer and the author of seven mystery thrillers. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeattebery.
TOPICS: The Good Place, NBC, The Paley Center