TV tonight: 'Mom,' 'Gracepoint,' 'Elementary'
Mom
CBS, 8:30 ET/PT
Kevin Pollak returns as Christy's father as this socially-conscious sitcom continues its exploration of the family's financial collapse. Tonight, Christy and Bonnie rent a house no one else wants, in hopes of pulling their splintered family back together.
Gracepoint
Fox, 9 ET/PT
It was never fair to call this sadly lifeless Americanization of the British hit Broadchurch a "shot-for-shot remake": Even had they wanted to maintain that level of fidelity, the changes in locale and length would have made it impossible. But up to now, the series has followed the original's major plot points. That changes tonight, with Gracepoint's first significant divergence from the much-better original. Whether different helps remains to be seen.
Elementary
CBS, 10 ET/PT
Elementary airs this season's best outing yet, a frequently funny episode that kicks off with an amusing cameo from Phil Simms and barrels along from there, enriched by a return visit from Mad Men's Rich Sommer as Sherlock's math genius helper Harlan. But Harlan's "irregular" return is not just played for laughs: The show uses him to remind us that Sherlock's evolution into a kinder, gentler human being is far from complete. Along with a well-crafted mystery, you also get the show's best case yet for Kitty's existence — and while it doesn't quite make the sale, it does buy the show a bit more time.