Various Networks, 12:00 p.m. ET
The unprecedented wild-card playoff system instituted this year, which had the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles advancing in sudden-death games, makes this first Sunday of postseason play especially complicated. Game 2 of the Oakland Athletics-Detroit Tigers contest is played at noon ET, available on the MLB Network. The rest of the day’s games are on TBS: Washington Nationals vs. the Cardinals at 3 p.m. ET, New York Yankees vs. the Orioles at 6 p.m. ET, and, finally, the Cincinnati Reds vs. San Francisco Giants at 9:30 p.m. That’s a solid 12 hours of postseason baseball, for those willing to enjoy or endure.
Fox, 8:00 p.m. ET
I really feel old around this time each year – not because of my imminent birthday, but because The Simpsons serves up another Treehouse of Horror, an annual pre-Halloween treat which is now up to Roman numeral XXIII. I treasure these episodes as among the show’s most inventive, and they almost always have a MAD magazine-level tossaway sight gag that leaves me laughing, and smiling, for a long time. This year, as part of a quick playlet on the Mayan doomsday prophecies, takes us back in time and shows us street-level Mayan everyday life: including a storefront operation called – I love this – “Quetzal’s Pretzels.”
CBS, 9:00 p.m. ET
Last week’s season premiere, with all its unexpected political intrigue regarding a routine traffic stop, was an instant reminder of why this drama series remains one of the best shows on broadcast TV. It also was a reminder of why Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), now face to face and a lot more with her ex-husband (Marc Warren), also deserves our loyal attention. And in a new recurring role as a trustee advising the law firm, Nathan Lane made a strong first impression as well. Welcome back, Good Wife.
PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET
This serves as a dual reminder: Not only does PBS present Episode 2 of the excellent new British import Call the Midwife tonight at 8 ET, but that’s followed at 9 p.m. ET by the Season 3 premiere of the new Upstairs, Downstairs on Masterpiece Classic, featuring Laura Haddock as Beryl Ballard. Check local listings.
Showtime, 10:00 p.m. ET
Last week’s Season 2 premiere was everything we’d hope Homeland would be when it returned – and tonight’s follow-up episode is even better. Both Carrie (Claire Danes) and Brody (Damian Lewis) get in a bit too deep, and rely on their own wits to extricate themselves.