Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Is a ‘Man on Fire,’ Georgie’s Tribute to His Father, ‘Grey’s Callback to ‘Station 19,’ Double the ‘Hacks’

Stepping into the formidable shoes of Denzel Washington, who first played the troubled Special Ops mercenary John Creasy in 2004, Watchmen Emmy winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars in a seven-episode adaptation of A.J. Quinnell’s page-turner from Kyle Killen (Halo). In the explosive action thriller, Creasy is first shown in a self-destructive spiral, suffering from PTSD after a mission gone terribly wrong. Called back into action by his former CIA handler (Bobby Cannavale), Creasy gets his mojo back in Mexico City when he becomes the sole protector of teenage Poe (Billie Boullet, memorable as Anne Frank in A Small Light), the only witness to a terrorist bombing. The action sequences are outrageous enough to satisfy those impatiently waiting for a new season of Reacher.

Lance Barber makes a special appearance as the late George Cooper Sr., along with fellow Young Sheldon alums Zoe Perry (Mary) and Raegan Revord (Missy), when Georgie (Montana Jordan) plans a tribute to honor his dad on the anniversary of his death. The auto shop’s nemesis, Fred Fagenbacher (Matt Letscher), takes his feud a step too far when he tries to sabotage Georgie’s memorial.

The long-running medical drama returns from a nearly monthlong hiatus with the penultimate episode of Season 22, with the Grey Sloan docs coming to the aid of one of their favorite first responders: firefighter Maya Bishop (Danielle Savre) from Station 19, the spinoff that ended its seven-season run two years ago, though the fire station obviously still exists in the Grey’s universe. Maya is brought into the ER with serious burns, which could provide a distraction from Bailey’s (Chandra Wilson) dilemma regarding the unsanctioned use of an experimental drug on one of Kwan’s (Harry Shum Jr.) patients. ABC‘s teaser also anticipated next week’s cliffhanger, in which a bridge collapse appears to endanger the lives of Owen (Kevin McKidd) and Nick (Scott Speedman).

The 50th anniversary of Deborah Vance’s (Jean Smart) hit sitcom Who’s Making Dinner?, which made the (fictional) cover of TV Guide Magazine back in the day, is not exactly a cause for celebration for the comedian, given how badly she felt she was treated at the time. But when Deborah attends a public exhibition, risking legal fallout should she speak publicly, Ava (Hannah Einbinder) gets an inspiration to revive her own flagging writing career. In a second episode airing back-to-back, Deborah agrees to accompany her daughter, DJ (High Potential‘s Kaitlin Olson), on a new season of The Amazing Race, having been told “reality shows give celebrities fresh relevance.” Turns out they’re not the only famous faces in the running this season.

The second episode of Richard Gadd‘s disturbing psychological drama depicts young Niall’s (Mitchell Robertson) arrival at college in Glasgow for what he hopes will be a “fresh start.” Before long, though, his social awkwardness and loneliness prompt him to reach out to his volatile “soul brother” Ruben (Stuart Campbell), whose arrival on campus is, to put it mildly, disruptive. In the present day, adult Niall (Jamie Bell) is horrified when Ruben (Gadd) crashes his wedding.

INSIDE THURSDAY TV:

• Law & Order (8/7c, NBC): Eric Stoltz guest-stars as a famous New Yorker whose daughter is killed on her birthday, with the prosecution complicated when the defense offers two viable suspects. Followed by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (9/8c), where Benson (Mariska Hargitay) risks being jailed for contempt to honor a victim’s secret while on the stand.
• Next Level Chef (8/7c, Fox): The chefs get patriotic when concocting cocktails and appetizers for a party celebration America’s 250th.
• 9-1-1 (8/7c, ABC): Maddie’s (Jennifer Love Hewitt) promotion to supervisor creates new challenges on a typically busy day for the first responders. Followed by a new episode of 9-1-1: Nashville (9/8c), where Dixie (LeAnn Rimes) stirs up marital tension when she disses Blythe (Jessica Capshaw) on her latest track.
• Ghosts (8:30/7:30c, CBS): If you sensed something fishy when Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) and Sam (Rose McIver) turned to the shady mayor (Justin Kirk) to save their beloved Woodstone, you were probably right.
• Beat Bobby Flay (9/8c, Food Network): Chef Scott Conant orchestrates a hostile takeover of Bobby’s kitchen after making a deal with Shark Tank‘s Lori Greiner.
• Elsbeth (9/8c, CBS): Fresh Off the Boat‘s Constance Wu guest-stars as a wealth therapist with access to rich people’s secrets, who Elsbeth (Carrie Preston) suspects had a hand in the motorcycle death of a billionaire’s son.
• The Hunting Party (10/9c, NBC): While reeling from a shocking revelation about Peck’s (Luke Forbes) involvement in the Noah Cyrus ambush, the team pursues Pit escapee Nancy Albright (Jamie Chung), an addict seeking a novel new way to get high.
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (11:35/10:35c, NBC): The astronauts of the Artemis II mission make their first late-night appearance, joining Olivia Rodrigo (who’ll be doing double duty on Saturday Night Live this week), Half Man‘s Richard Gadd, and music from Bruce Hornsby.

ON THE STREAM:

• Hope Valley: 1874 (streaming on Hallmark+): Rebecca (Bethany Joy Lenz) and Tom (Benjamin Ayres) are taken hostage by a young fugitive.
• Silent Witness (streaming on BritBox): The investigation into the grisly death of an elderly victim leads the forensic team to a mysterious mental health hospital.
• Scarborn (streaming on Viaplay): A historical drama set in 18th-century Poland, which has been likened to Quentin Tarantino for its visceral action, follows an illiterate serf who crosses paths with a revolutionary while trying to prove his noble heritage.