Parks And Recreation is a time bomb. Tick, tick, ticking. And Jonathan Banks intends to be around for the boom.
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Parks And Recreation (NBC, 9:30 p.m.): If the emotional end of the previous episode left you with a tear-damaged sofa or a more serious problem that requires the steady hand of a “professional,” don’t worry: Parks And Rec knows a guy, and that guy is go-to Hollywood tough Jonathan Banks, making Pawnee the latest stop on his post-Breaking Bad victory lap around the dial. (As previously announced, he’s playing Ben’s dad; the role of Ben’s mother will be played by Steppenwolf Theatre alum and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels love interest Glenne Headly and not, to the dismay of some Mike Ehrmantraut superfans, Jonathan Banks in a wig.) Steve Heisler reminds you that just because your son proposed to Jesse James don’t make him Mr. Jesse James.
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Last Resort (ABC, 8 p.m.): The crew’s under fire from “mysterious assailants”—though, given the number of people Chaplin has pissed off, those assailants could be anyone. Even Scott Von Doviak.
The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8 p.m.): Wil Wheaton returns, but the big story of this episode is the attempted extrication of one Howard Wolowitz from his mother’s house. Oliver Sava never thought he’d live to see the day—then he looked at the calendar and realized it’s November sweeps.
The Vampire Diaries (The CW, 8 p.m.): After a few weeks of “Elena Gilbert: Novice Vampire,” the show’s vampire-hunter problem gets serious. Carrie Raisler finds the best way to deal with a vampire-hunter problem is to just call a vampire-hunter exterminator.
Person Of Interest (CBS, 9 p.m.): The case of the week strands Reese in suburbia, where it’s unlikely he’ll get his daily regimen of beating up shady nogoodniks. Unless this suburb is some Blue Velvet-esque, “the worms represent the shady underbelly writhing under a friendly façade”-type place—in which case Phil Dyess-Nugent is doubly excited for this fish-out-of-water hour.
The Office (NBC, 9 p.m.): Oscar hasn’t been the best at hiding his secret affair with Angela’s husband—he’s shown so little discretion that he just might end up caught by Kevin, of all people. Unless there’s a misdirect in the episode synopsis, in which case Erik Adams assumes the “big secret” has something to do with cookies. (Or pie!)
Burn Notice (USA, 9 p.m.): The sixth season of Burn Notice resumes, and it’s needed now more than ever after USA became sentient and realized it can cancel shows. Or “burn” them, if you will—and Scott Von Doviak certainly will.