This is Us Returns with New Faces (and Plenty of Lingering Questions)

Premiere week continues with the star-studded fourth season return of This is Us, the series premieres of Black-ish spin-off Mixed-ish, Allison Tolman's Emergence, and a heck of a lot more. Here are the highlights:

SEASON PREMIERE: NBC has been characteristically quiet when it comes to divulging plot details for the fourth season of This is Us, leaving fans and critics alike to puzzle over a trailer that includes a good number of never-before-seen characters played by the likes of Omar Epps, Jennifer Morrison and M. Night Shyamalan. DVR Alert: NBC says tonight's season premiere will run long, ending "shortly after" 10pm.   9:00 PM ET on NBC

SEASON PREMIERE: In a pilot episode that was originally shot as a flashback installment of Black-ish, the debut of Mixed-ish takes fans back to Rainbow Johnson's formative years, growing up in a mixed-race family newly cast out into traditional 1980s suburban society. Watch the preview  9:00 PM ET on ABC

SERIES PREMIERE: Allison Tolman (Fargo) returns to series television in Emergence, in which she plays a police chief who responds to the scene of a plane crash, where she stumbles across a mysterious young girl with no memory of what happened. Watch the preview | Read our Pilot Script Review 10:00 PM ET on ABC

SEASON PREMIERE: Producers have cast some fun guest stars planned for the second season of The Conners, with Dan Aykroyd dropping by for a reunion with his Blues Brothers co-star John Goodman, and the return of Katy Sagal.  In tonght's season premiere, Jackie takes the lead while Becky prepares to have a baby alone now that Emilio has been deported. Meanwhile, Darlene is caught in a love triangle with no easy solution.  8:00 PM ET on ABC

SEASON PREMIERE: Not to be outdone by its younger sibling, the season debut of Black-ish finds the Johnson's returning to their old routines and adapting to recent developments after a summer of change. 9:30 PM ET on ABC

SEASON PREMIERE: The medical drama New Amsterdam returns for its second season. Max grapples with the fallout from last year's horrific accident. Meanwhile, life at the hospital goes on, with Kappor, Iggy, and Reynolds riding a wave of ups and down. 10:00 PM ET on NBC

SEASON PREMIERE: Kicking off its third season tonight is The Resident,  in which Red Rock Mountain Medical takes over the management of the hospital the same day construction work triggers a gas explosion. 8:00 PM ET on Fox

SEASON FINALE: After a hit-and-miss season-long "battle of the sexes", the tattoo artist competition Ink Master wraps things up tonight with the announcement of the 2019 Ink Master title and the awarding of $100,000. 10:00 PM ET on Paramount Network

ALSO TONIGHT

• Empire returns for its sixth and final season with everyone jostling for power while working their side hustles. Everyone, that is, except Jussie Smolett's Jamal. 9:00 PM ET on Fox
• FBI investigates a bombing in Queens while working undercover to prevent another attack. 9:00 PM ET on CBS
• NCIS kicks off Season 17 with Ziva delivering a shocking warning to Mark Harmon's Gibbs. 8:00 PM ET on CBS
• Bless This Mess hosts a college football kickoff party as its kicks off its own second seeason. 8:30 PM ET on ABC

Mike Attebery is Senior Editor at Primetimer and the author of seven mystery thrillers. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeattebery.