COVID and quarantine have ruined many an attention span. Formerly productive people freely admit they haven’t been able to read a book to completion since last March. It’s no surprise that the first cultural touchstone to emerge from our national hiatus was the curious obsession with Netflix’s “Tiger King.”
The FXX series “Cake” (10 p.m., FXX, TV-MA) was not made for the pandemic. It debuted in 2019, but the fourth season arrives tonight ready to entertain.
For the uninitiated, “Cake” is a kind of sketch/variety series heavy on cartoons running less than five minutes. A vague theme holds seasons together, but the spirit is very much one-darned-thing-after-another. Precisely the brand of two-dimensional vaudeville the moment calls for.
— With production disrupted by quarantine, ABC reassembles its Thursday night lineup.
The disease and its attendant complications are evident on “A Million Little Things” (10 p.m., TV-14), as Maggie is forced to give up her Oxford experience and return home.
Meanwhile “Station 19” (8 p.m., TV-14) and “Grey’s Anatomy” (9 p.m., TV-14) return with that most traditional of events, a crossover story blending casts. Given so many linked and franchised series, from “NCIS” to “FBI” and Dick Wolf’s “Chicago” trio, I’m surprised these don’t occur every week. Or at least more often.
— Those not looking for short-term distractions seem to have developed a taste for murder mysteries — the darker, the better. Whole networks have been dedicated to ongoing true-crime sagas, often inspired by even longer (or is that unedited?) podcasts.
Those searching for scripted gloom have pointed their compasses north. The so-called Nordic noir craze did not begin with COVID, but it has thrived during quarantine.
Streaming now on AMC+, the 2020 limited series “Cold Courage” adds a touch of Brexit-era politics to its intrigue about two women (Sofia Pekkari and Pihla Viitala) from Finland who meet in London under murky circumstances and form a secret pact to help the defenseless.
“Courage” is based on the “Studio” novels by Pekka Hiltunen. Don’t let the London setting fool you; this is as Nordic as they come. And as for noir, almost every scene takes place at night.
— Precocious teens discovering their gender-fluid identities tend to rattle on at length in the new HBO Max series “Genera+ion.” Help yourself.
— Shudder, the streaming service dedicated to horror, debuts the shocker “Stay Out of the Attic.” Good advice.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— Not unlike “The Brady Girls Get Married,” the 2019 theatrical release “Downton Abbey” (8 p.m., HBO) brought back cast, costumes and locations from a TV favorite. Nobody remembered to devise a credible plot. For diehard fans, that didn’t matter.
— A judge’s decision enrages Carisi on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).
— Daniel’s absence proves informative on “Call Me Kat” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14).
— Vanessa doesn’t (want to) feel her age on “Last Man Standing” (9:30 p.m., Fox, TV-PG).
— A killer with a medical degree traps our heroine in a hospital on “Clarice” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
The clash of accents and regional stereotypes looms large in the 1992 comedy “My Cousin Vinny” (10 p.m., Paramount) starring Joe Pesci, Marisa Tomei and Fred Gwynne in his last screen role.
SERIES NOTES
A stab at college social life on “Young Sheldon” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … Secrets, likes and customer service on “Superstore” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14) … Variations on a burger theme on “Hell’s Kitchen” (8 p.m., Fox, TV-14) … A visit from Mom on “Walker” (8 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … A medical history road trip on “B Positive” (8:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … A celebrity’s awkward years on “Young Rock” (8:30 p.m., r, NBC, TV-PG).
Hurt feelings on “Mom” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … A vanishing student body must be replaced on “Legacies” (9 p.m., CW, TV-PG) … Colonoscopy prep on “The Unicorn” (9:30 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) … “Dateline” (10 p.m., NBC).
LATE NIGHT
Anthony Anderson is scheduled on “Conan” (11 p.m., TBS) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Jennifer Garner, Don Lemon and Adrianne Lenker on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) … Joel McHale, Pete Buttigieg and Adam Duritz appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (11:35 p.m., ABC).
Amy Poehler, Phoebe Bridgers and John Herndon visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC) … Eddie Murphy and Tiana Major9 appear on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” (12:35 a.m., CBS).
